SA 296

SA 296 Translation by Choong Mun-keat (Wei-keat) (2004)

7. 因緣法及緣生法 The dharma of arising by causal condition and the dharmas arisen by causal condition.

T 2, p. 84b, sūtra No. 296. (Saṃyutta-nikāya 12. 20 Paccayo (vol. ii, p. 25). Tripāṭhī, sūtra 14. CSA vol. 2, pp. 34-35; FSA vol. 1, pp. 568-570.)

Thus have I heard.

At one time, the Buddha was staying in Kalandaka's bamboo-grove, at Rājagṛha. Then, the World-Honoured One said to the monks: "Now, I will teach the dharma of arising by causal condition and the dharmas arisen by causal condition. What is the dharma of arising by causal condition?

"It is [this]: Because this exists, that exists; namely: conditioned by ignorance are the activities; conditioned by the activities is consciousness, and so on ..., and thus this whole mass of suffering arises.

"What are the dharmas arisen by causal condition?

"This is to say: Ignorance, activities ... . Whether or not a Buddha arises in the world, this is the unchangeable nature of dharma, the status of dharma, the element of dharma.

"The Tathāgata, who has by himself become enlightened with regard to this, who has attained the highest enlightenment, declares it for humankind, teaches it, reveals it, namely: Conditioned by ignorance are activities, and so on ..., conditioned by birth are aging and death.

"Whether a Buddha arises in the world, or not, this is the unchangeable nature of dharma, the status of dharma, the element of dharma. The Tathāgata, who has by himself become enlightened of this, who has attained the highest enlightenment, declares it for humankind, teaches it, reveals it, namely: Conditioned by birth, there exist aging-sickness-death-sorrow-affliction-suffering. �� "All these dharmas are the status of dharma, the standing of dharma, the suchness of dharma; the dharma neither departs from things-as-they-are, nor differs from things-as-they-are; it is the truth, reality, without distortion. Such conformity to conditioned genesis is called the dharmas arisen by causal condition, namely: Ignorance, activities, consciousness, name-and-form, the six sense-spheres, contact, feeling, craving, attachment, becoming, birth, aging-sickness-death-sorrow-affliction-suffering. This is called the dharmas arisen by causal condition.

"The noble disciple who has learned much attains right wisdom regarding both the dharma of arising by causal condition and the dharmas arisen by causal condition, and truly sees.

"He will not look backwards into time past, saying: ‘Did I exist in the past, or did I not? Of what caste was I in the past? How was I in the past?’

"Nor he will look forwards to the coming time: ‘Shall I exist in the future, or shall I not? Of what caste shall I be? How shall I be?’

"Nor does he inwardly hesitate [thinking]: ‘What is this? Why does it exist? Who was this in the past? What will it become in the end? Where do all these beings come from? What will they become when they die?’

"If in a recluse1 or a brahmin there has arisen bondage to worldly view, namely bondage to self view, to the view that there are beings, views about long life, views about evil and auspicious omens, then these are completely cut off, completely known. They are cut off at the root, like the cut-off stump of a palm tree, never to arise again in the future.

"This is to say, the noble disciple who has learned much attains right wisdom regarding both the dharma of arising by causal condition and the dharmas arisen by causal condition. He truly sees them, he is truly enlightened, truly cultivated, [and] has truly penetrated the nature of phenomena as they really are."

When the Buddha had taught this discourse, the monks, having heard what the Buddha had said, were delighted, and put it into practice.