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#### Saṁyutta Nikāya
3. Khandha Vagga
24. Diṭṭhi Saṁyutta
1. Sotāpatti Vagga

#### The Constituent Aspects of Individuality

#### Sutta 7

#### Hetu Suttaṁ

# Driving Force

Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds

[1][pts] I HEAR TELL:

Once upon a time, The Lucky man,
Sāvatthi-town revisiting,
Jeta Grove,
Anathapiṇḍika's Sporting Grounds.

There then The Lucky Man addressed the beggars, saying:

"Beggars!"

And the beggars responding "Bhante!"
The Lucky Man said this to them:

"There being what, beggars,
bound to what
adhering to what
does this view arise:

'There is no
cause,
there is nothing
that results in
the corruption of beings.

Without cause
or its result,
beings become corrupted.

There is no
cause,
there is nothing
that results in
the purity of beings.

Without cause
or its result,
beings become pure.

There is no such thing as power,
there is no such thing as energy,
there is no such thing as a person's strength,
there is no such thing as a person's effort.

All beings,
all breathing things,
all living things,
all life is,
without control,
without power,
without energy.

Altered states
occur through fate.

Born in one of six classes
pleasure and pain are experienced.'?"

"For us Bhante,
things are best resorted to
rooted in The Lucky Man,
channeled through The Lucky Man.

It would be good, Bhante,
if further explanation of this point
were given by The Lucky Man.

That which is said
by the Lucky Man
will be held in memory
by the beggars."

"Then give ear, beggars,
pay good attention!
I will speak!"

Then, the beggars saying
"Even so, Bhante!"
in response,
the Lucky Man said this to them:

"There being form, beggars,
bound to form,
adhering to form,
even thus does this view arise:

'There is no
cause,
there is nothing
that results in
the corruption of beings.

Without cause
or its result,
beings become corrupted.

There is no
cause,
there is nothing
that results in
the purity of beings.

Without cause
or its result,
beings become pure.

There is no such thing as power,
there is no such thing as energy,
there is no such thing as a person's strength,
there is no such thing as a person's effort.

All beings,
all breathing things,
all living things,
all life is,
without control,
without power,
without energy.

Altered states
occur through fate.

Born in one of six classes
pleasure and pain are experienced.'

There being sense-experience, beggars,
bound to sense-experience,
adhering to sense-experience,
even thus does this view arise:

'There is no
cause,
there is nothing
that results in
the corruption of beings.

Without cause
or its result,
beings become corrupted.

There is no
cause,
there is nothing
that results in
the purity of beings.

Without cause
or its result,
beings become pure.

There is no such thing as power,
there is no such thing as energy,
there is no such thing as a person's strength,
there is no such thing as a person's effort.

All beings,
all breathing things,
all living things,
all life is,
without control,
without power,
without energy.

Altered states
occur through fate.

Born in one of six classes
pleasure and pain are experienced.'

There being perception, beggars,
bound to perception,
adhering to perception,
even thus does this view arise:

'There is no
cause,
there is nothing
that results in
the corruption of beings.

Without cause
or its result,
beings become corrupted.

There is no
cause,
there is nothing
that results in
the purity of beings.

Without cause
or its result,
beings become pure.

There is no such thing as power,
there is no such thing as energy,
there is no such thing as a person's strength,
there is no such thing as a person's effort.

All beings,
all breathing things,
all living things,
all life is,
without control,
without power,
without energy.

Altered states
occur through fate.

Born in one of six classes
pleasure and pain are experienced.'

There being own-making, beggars,
bound to own-making,
adhering to own-making,
even thus does this view arise:

'There is no
cause,
there is nothing
that results in
the corruption of beings.

Without cause
or its result,
beings become corrupted.

There is no
cause,
there is nothing
that results in
the purity of beings.

Without cause
or its result,
beings become pure.

There is no such thing as power,
there is no such thing as energy,
there is no such thing as a person's strength,
there is no such thing as a person's effort.

All beings,
all breathing things,
all living things,
all life is,
without control,
without power,
without energy.

Altered states
occur through fate.

Born in one of six classes
pleasure and pain are experienced.'

There being consciousness, beggars,
bound to consciousness,
adhering to consciousness,
even thus does this view arise:

'There is no
cause,
there is nothing
that results in
the corruption of beings.

Without cause
or its result,
beings become corrupted.

There is no
cause,
there is nothing
that results in
the purity of beings.

Without cause
or its result,
beings become pure.

There is no such thing as power,
there is no such thing as energy,
there is no such thing as a person's strength,
there is no such thing as a person's effort.

All beings,
all breathing things,
all living things,
all life is,
without control,
without power,
without energy.

Altered states
occur through fate.

Born in one of six classes
pleasure and pain are experienced.'

■

What do you think, beggars?

Is form permanent or impermanent?"

"Impermanent, Bhante."

"That which is impermanent —
painful or
pleasant?"

"Unpleasant, Bhante."

"That which is impermanent,
painful,
a thing subject to change —
without being bound to that —
can this view arise:

'There is no
cause,
there is nothing
that results in
the corruption of beings.

Without cause
or its result,
beings become corrupted.

There is no
cause,
there is nothing
that results in
the purity of beings.

Without cause
or its result,
beings become pure.

There is no such thing as power,
there is no such thing as energy,
there is no such thing as a person's strength,
there is no such thing as a person's effort.

All beings,
all breathing things,
all living things,
all life is,
without control,
without power,
without energy.

Altered states
occur through fate.

Born in one of six classes
pleasure and pain are experienced.'?"

"No indeed, Bhante."

■

"Is sense-experience permanent or impermanent?"

"Impermanent, Bhante."

"That which is impermanent —
painful or
pleasant?"

"Unpleasant, Bhante."

"That which is impermanent,
painful,
a thing subject to change —
without being bound to that —
can this view arise:

'There is no
cause,
there is nothing
that results in
the corruption of beings.

Without cause
or its result,
beings become corrupted.

There is no
cause,
there is nothing
that results in
the purity of beings.

Without cause
or its result,
beings become pure.

There is no such thing as power,
there is no such thing as energy,
there is no such thing as a person's strength,
there is no such thing as a person's effort.

All beings,
all breathing things,
all living things,
all life is,
without control,
without power,
without energy.

Altered states
occur through fate.

Born in one of six classes
pleasure and pain are experienced.'?"

"No indeed, Bhante."

■

"Is perception permanent or impermanent?"

"Impermanent, Bhante."

"That which is impermanent —
painful or
pleasant?"

"Unpleasant, Bhante."

"That which is impermanent,
painful,
a thing subject to change —
without being bound to that —
can this view arise:

'There is no
cause,
there is nothing
that results in
the corruption of beings.

Without cause
or its result,
beings become corrupted.

There is no
cause,
there is nothing
that results in
the purity of beings.

Without cause
or its result,
beings become pure.

There is no such thing as power,
there is no such thing as energy,
there is no such thing as a person's strength,
there is no such thing as a person's effort.

All beings,
all breathing things,
all living things,
all life is,
without control,
without power,
without energy.

Altered states
occur through fate.

Born in one of six classes
pleasure and pain are experienced.'?"

"No indeed, Bhante."

■

"Is own-making permanent or impermanent?"

"Impermanent, Bhante."

"That which is impermanent —
painful or
pleasant?"

"Unpleasant, Bhante."

"That which is impermanent,
painful,
a thing subject to change —
without being bound to that —
can this view arise:

'There is no
cause,
there is nothing
that results in
the corruption of beings.

Without cause
or its result,
beings become corrupted.

There is no
cause,
there is nothing
that results in
the purity of beings.

Without cause
or its result,
beings become pure.

There is no such thing as power,
there is no such thing as energy,
there is no such thing as a person's strength,
there is no such thing as a person's effort.

All beings,
all breathing things,
all living things,
all life is,
without control,
without power,
without energy.

Altered states
occur through fate.

Born in one of six classes
pleasure and pain are experienced.'?"

"No indeed, Bhante."

■

"Is consciousness permanent or impermanent?"

"Impermanent, Bhante."

"That which is impermanent —
painful or
pleasant?"

"Unpleasant, Bhante."

"That which is impermanent,
painful,
a thing subject to change —
without being bound to that —
can this view arise:

'There is no
cause,
there is nothing
that results in
the corruption of beings.

Without cause
or its result,
beings become corrupted.

There is no
cause,
there is nothing
that results in
the purity of beings.

Without cause
or its result,
beings become pure.

There is no such thing as power,
there is no such thing as energy,
there is no such thing as a person's strength,
there is no such thing as a person's effort.

All beings,
all breathing things,
all living things,
all life is,
without control,
without power,
without energy.

Altered states
occur through fate.

Born in one of six classes
pleasure and pain are experienced.'?"

"No indeed, Bhante."

■

"That which is seen,
heard,
sensed,
cognized,
attained,
yearned after,
pondered over in mind —
is that permanent
or impermanent?"

"Impermanent, Bhante."

"That which is impermanent —
painful or
pleasant?"

"Unpleasant, Bhante."

"That which is impermanent,
painful,
a thing subject to change —
without being bound to that —
can this view arise:

'There is no
cause,
there is nothing
that results in
the corruption of beings.

Without cause
or its result,
beings become corrupted.

There is no
cause,
there is nothing
that results in
the purity of beings.

Without cause
or its result,
beings become pure.

There is no such thing as power,
there is no such thing as energy,
there is no such thing as a person's strength,
there is no such thing as a person's effort.

All beings,
all breathing things,
all living things,
all life is,
without control,
without power,
without energy.

Altered states
occur through fate.

Born in one of six classes
pleasure and pain are experienced.'?"

"No indeed, Bhante."

§

"So then, beggars,
when in the student of the aristocrats
doubt as to these six positions has been abandoned,
doubt as to pain[1] has been abandoned,
doubt as to the arising of pain has been abandoned,
doubt as to the ending of pain has been abandoned,
doubt as to the walk-to-walk to the ending of pain has been abandoned —
this is said to be, beggars,
a student of the aristocrats
a stream-winner
one aimed at self-awakening."

[1]For details see my translation of SN 3.24.1 footnotes. All the suttas of SN.24 should be read (slowly!) together.

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