1.1PTS 5.311Evaṁ me sutaṁ—So I have heard.1.2ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

1.3Atha kho āyasmā ānando yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:Then Venerable Ānanda went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

1.4“kimatthiyāni, bhante, kusalāni sīlāni kimānisaṁsānī”ti?“Sir, what is the goal and benefit of skillful ethics?”

1.5“Avippaṭisāratthāni kho, ānanda, kusalāni sīlāni avippaṭisārānisaṁsānī”ti.“Ānanda, having no regrets is the goal and benefit of skillful ethics.”

2.1“Avippaṭisāro pana, bhante, kimatthiyo kimānisaṁso”?“But what is the goal and benefit of having no regrets?”

2.2“Avippaṭisāro kho, ānanda, pāmojjattho pāmojjānisaṁso”.“Joy is the goal and benefit of having no regrets.”

3.1“Pāmojjaṁ pana, bhante, kimatthiyaṁ kimānisaṁsaṁ”?“But what is the goal and benefit of joy?”

3.2“Pāmojjaṁ kho, ānanda, pītatthaṁ pītānisaṁsaṁ”.“Rapture …”

4.1“Pīti pana, bhante, kimatthiyā kimānisaṁsā”?“But what is the goal and benefit of rapture?”

4.2“Pīti kho, ānanda, passaddhatthā passaddhānisaṁsā”.“Tranquility …”

5.1“Passaddhi pana, bhante, kimatthiyā kimānisaṁsā”?“But what is the goal and benefit of tranquility?”

5.2“Passaddhi kho, ānanda, sukhatthā sukhānisaṁsā”.“Bliss …”

6.1“Sukhaṁ pana, bhante, kimatthiyaṁ kimānisaṁsaṁ”?“But what is the goal and benefit of bliss?”

6.2“Sukhaṁ kho, ānanda, samādhatthaṁ samādhānisaṁsaṁ”.“Immersion …”

7.1“Samādhi pana, bhante, kimatthiyo kimānisaṁso”?“But what is the goal and benefit of immersion?”

7.2“Samādhi kho, ānanda, yathābhūtañāṇadassanattho yathābhūtañāṇadassanānisaṁso”.“Truly knowing and seeing …”

8.1“Yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṁ pana, bhante, kimatthiyaṁ kimānisaṁsaṁ”?“But what is the goal and benefit of truly knowing and seeing?”

8.2“Yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṁ kho, ānanda, nibbidatthaṁ nibbidānisaṁsaṁ”.“Disillusionment …”

9.1PTS 5.312“Nibbidā pana, bhante, kimatthiyā kimānisaṁsā”?“But what is the goal and benefit of disillusionment?”

9.2“Nibbidā kho, ānanda, virāgatthā virāgānisaṁsā”.“Dispassion …”

10.1“Virāgo pana, bhante, kimatthiyo kimānisaṁso”?“But what is the goal and benefit of dispassion?”

10.2“Virāgo kho, ānanda, vimuttiñāṇadassanattho vimuttiñāṇadassanānisaṁso.“Knowledge and vision of freedom is the goal and benefit of dispassion.

11.1Iti kho, ānanda, kusalāni sīlāni avippaṭisāratthāni avippaṭisārānisaṁsāni,So, Ānanda, the goal and benefit of skillful ethics is not having regrets.11.2avippaṭisāro pāmojjattho pāmojjānisaṁso,Joy is the goal and benefit of not having regrets.11.3pāmojjaṁ pītatthaṁ pītānisaṁsaṁ,Rapture is the goal and benefit of joy.11.4pīti passaddhatthā passaddhānisaṁsā,Tranquility is the goal and benefit of rapture.11.5passaddhi sukhatthā sukhānisaṁsā,Bliss is the goal and benefit of tranquility.11.6sukhaṁ samādhatthaṁ samādhānisaṁsaṁ,Immersion is the goal and benefit of bliss.11.7samādhi yathābhūtañāṇadassanattho yathābhūtañāṇadassanānisaṁso,Truly knowing and seeing is the goal and benefit of immersion.11.8yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṁ nibbidatthaṁ nibbidānisaṁsaṁ,Disillusionment is the goal and benefit of truly knowing and seeing.11.9nibbidā virāgatthā virāgānisaṁsā,Dispassion is the goal and benefit of disillusionment.11.10virāgo vimuttiñāṇadassanattho vimuttiñāṇadassanānisaṁso.And knowledge and vision of freedom is the goal and benefit of dispassion.11.11Iti kho, ānanda, kusalāni sīlāni anupubbena aggāya parentī”ti.So, Ānanda, skillful ethics progressively lead up to the highest.”

11.12Paṭhamaṁ.