Saṃyutta Nikāya
II. Nidāna Vagga
12. Nidāna Saṃyutta
4. Kaḷara-Khattiya Vagga
The Book of the Kindred Sayings
Part II. The Book Called the Nidāna-Vagga
Containing Kindred sayings on Cause
and Other Subjects
12. The Kindred Sayings on Cause
4. Kaḷāra the Nobleman
Sutta 38
Paṭhama Cetanā Suttaṃ
Will (1)
Translated by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Assisted by F. L. Woodward
Originally Published by
The Pali Text Society
Public Domain
[1][than][bodh] Thus have I heard:
The Exalted One was once staying near Sāvatthī
at the Jeta Grove
in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
And there the Exalted One addressed the brethren, saying:
"Brethren!"
"Master!" responded those brethren.
The Exalted One said:
"That which we will, brethren,
and that which we intend to do
and that wherewithal we are occupied:[1] -
this becomes an object
for the persistence of consciousness.[2]
The object being there,
there comes to be a station of consciousness.
Consciousness being stationed
and growing,
rebirth of renewed existence
takes place in the future,
and here
from birth,
decay-and-death,
grief,
lamenting,
suffering,
sorrow,
and despair
come to pass.
Such is the uprising of this entire mass of ill.
Even if we do not will,
or intend to do,
and yet are occupied about something,
this is an object
for the persistence of consciousness.
The object being there,
there comes to be a station of consciousness.
Consciousness being stationed
and growing,
rebirth of renewed existence
takes place in the future,
and here
from birth,
decay-and-death,
grief,
lamenting,
suffering,
sorrow,
and despair
come to pass.
Such is the uprising of this entire mass of ill.
§
But if we neither will,
nor intend to do,
nor are occupied about something,
there is no becoming of an object
for the persistence of consciousness.
The object being absent,
there comes to be no station of consciousness.
Consciousness not being stationed
nor growing,
no rebirth of renewed existence
takes place in the future,
and here
from birth,
decay-and-death,
grief,
lamenting,
suffering,
sorrow
and despair
cease.
Such ia the ceasing of this entire mass of ill."
[1] Anuseti to sit down about.
[2] B. qualifies viññāṇa here as kamma-viññāṇa.
