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Consciousness

Viññāṇasutta

Consciousness is reborn when you linger on pleasing things that stimulate fetters, illustrated with the simile of a tree.

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 12.59Linked Discourses 12.59
  • 0.26. Dukkhavagga6. Suffering

0.3ViññāṇasuttaConsciousness

1.1Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.At Sāvatthī.

1.2“Saṁyojaniyesu, bhikkhave, dhammesu assādānupassino viharato viññāṇassa avakkanti hoti.“There are things that tighten the fetters. When you concentrate on the gratification provided by these things, consciousness is conceived.

1.3Viññāṇapaccayā nāmarūpaṁ …pe…Consciousness is a requirement for name and form. …1.4evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti.That is how this entire mass of suffering originates.

2.1Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, mahārukkho.Suppose there was a great tree.2.2Tassa yāni ceva mūlāni …pe…And its roots going downwards and across all draw the sap upwards. …

2.3evameva kho, bhikkhave, saṁyojaniyesu dhammesu assādānupassino viharato viññāṇassa avakkanti hoti …pe….In the same way, there are things that tighten the fetters. When you concentrate on the gratification provided by these things, consciousness is conceived. …

3.1Saṁyojaniyesu, bhikkhave, dhammesu ādīnavānupassino viharato viññāṇassa avakkanti na hoti.There are things that tighten the fetters. When you concentrate on the drawbacks of these things, consciousness is not conceived.3.2Viññāṇanirodhā nāmarūpanirodho …pe…When consciousness ceases, name and form cease. …3.3evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hoti.That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases.

4.1Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, mahārukkho.Suppose there was a great tree.4.2Atha puriso āgaccheyya kuddālapiṭakaṁ ādāya …pe…Then a person comes along with a spade and basket. …4.3āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo.In this way the great tree is cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated, and unable to arise in the future.

4.4Evameva kho, bhikkhave, saṁyojaniyesu dhammesu ādīnavānupassino viharato viññāṇassa avakkanti na hoti.In the same way, there are things that tighten the fetters. When you concentrate on the drawbacks of these things, consciousness is not conceived.4.5Viññāṇassa nirodhā nāmarūpanirodho …pe…When consciousness ceases, name and form cease. …4.6evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hotī”ti.That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases.”

4.7Navamaṁ.