Saɱyutta Nikāya:
III. Khandha Vagga:
22: Khandha Saɱyutta
2.1. Upāya Vagga
Sutta 54
Bīja Suttaɱ
Means of Propagation
Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Provenance, terms and conditons
There the Blessed One addressed the monks: "Monks."
"Yes, lord," the monks responded.
The Blessed One said:
"Monks, there are these five means of propagation.
Which five?
Root-propagation,||
stem-propagation,||
joint-propagation,||
cutting-propagation,||
and seed-propagation||
as the fifth.
And if these five means of propagation||
are not broken,||
not rotten,||
not damaged by wind and sun,||
mature,||
and well-buried,||
but there is no earth and no water,||
would they exhibit growth,||
increase,||
and proliferation?"
"No, lord."
"And if these five means of propagation||
are broken,||
rotten,||
damaged by wind and sun,||
immature,||
and poorly-buried,||
but there is earth and water,||
would they exhibit growth,||
increase,||
and proliferation?"
"No, lord."
"And if these five means of propagation||
are not broken,||
not rotten,||
not damaged by wind and sun,||
mature,||
and well-buried,||
and there is earth and water,||
would they exhibit growth,||
increase,||
and proliferation?"
"Yes, lord."
"Like the earth property, monks,||
is how the four standing-spots for consciousness||
should be seen.
Like the liquid property||
is how delight and passion||
should be seen.
Like the five means of propagation||
is how consciousness||
together with its nutriment||
should be seen.
Should consciousness,||
when taking a stance,||
stand attached to (a physical) form,||
supported by form (as its object),||
established on form,||
watered with delight,||
it would exhibit growth,||
increase,||
and proliferation.
Should consciousness,||
when taking a stance,||
stand attached to feeling,||
supported by feeling (as its object),||
established on feeling,||
watered with delight,||
it would exhibit growth,||
increase,||
and proliferation.
Should consciousness,||
when taking a stance,||
stand attached to perception,||
supported by perception (as its object),||
established on perception,||
watered with delight,||
it would exhibit growth,||
increase,||
and proliferation.
Should consciousness,||
when taking a stance,||
stand attached to fabrications,||
supported by fabrications (as its object),||
established on fabrications,||
watered with delight,||
it would exhibit growth,||
increase, and proliferation.
Were someone to say,
'I will describe a coming,||
a going,||
a passing away,||
an arising,||
a growth,||
an increase,||
or a proliferation of consciousness||
apart from form,||
from feeling,||
from perception,||
from fabrications,'
that would be impossible.
"If a monk abandons passion for the property of form...
"If a monk abandons passion for the property of feeling...
"If a monk abandons passion for the property of perception...
"If a monk abandons passion for the property of fabrications...
"If a monk abandons passion for the property of consciousness,||
then owing to the abandonment of passion,||
the support is cut off,||
and there is no base for consciousness.
Consciousness,||
thus unestablished,||
not proliferating,||
not performing any function,||
is released.|| ||
Owing to its release,||
it is steady.
Owing to its steadiness,||
it is contented.
Owing to its contentment,||
it is not agitated.
Not agitated,||
he (the monk) is totally unbound right within.
He discerns that:
'Birth is ended,||
the holy life fulfilled,||
the task done.
There is nothing further for this world.'"
See also:
SN XII.38
