sutta » sn » sn12 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 12.65

Nagarasutta

The City

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.
At Sāvatthī.

“Pubbe me, bhikkhave, sambodhā anabhisambuddhassa bodhisattasseva sato etadahosi:
“Mendicants, before my awakening—when I was still unawakened but intent on awakening—I thought:

‘kicchā vatāyaṁ loko āpanno jāyati ca jīyati ca mīyati ca cavati ca upapajjati ca.
‘Alas, this world has fallen into trouble. It’s born, grows old, dies, passes away, and is reborn,

Atha ca panimassa dukkhassa nissaraṇaṁ nappajānāti jarāmaraṇassa.
yet it doesn’t understand how to escape from this suffering, from old age and death.

Kudāssu nāma imassa dukkhassa nissaraṇaṁ paññāyissati jarāmaraṇassā’ti?
Oh, when will an escape be found from this suffering, from old age and death?’

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi:
Then it occurred to me:

‘kimhi nu kho sati jarāmaraṇaṁ hoti, kiṁpaccayā jarāmaraṇan’ti?
‘When what exists is there old age and death? What is a condition for old age and death?’

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikārā ahu paññāya abhisamayo:
Then, through rational application of mind, I comprehended with wisdom:

‘jātiyā kho sati jarāmaraṇaṁ hoti, jātipaccayā jarāmaraṇan’ti.
‘When rebirth exists there’s old age and death. Rebirth is a condition for old age and death.’

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi:
Then it occurred to me:

‘kimhi nu kho sati jāti hoti …pe…
‘When what exists is there rebirth? …

bhavo hoti …
continued existence …

upādānaṁ hoti …
grasping …

taṇhā hoti …
craving …

vedanā hoti …
feeling …

phasso hoti …
contact …

saḷāyatanaṁ hoti …
the six sense fields …

nāmarūpaṁ hoti …
name and form …

kiṁpaccayā nāmarūpan’ti?
What is a condition for name and form?’

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikārā ahu paññāya abhisamayo:
Then, through rational application of mind, I comprehended with wisdom:

‘viññāṇe kho sati nāmarūpaṁ hoti, viññāṇapaccayā nāmarūpan’ti.
‘When consciousness exists there are name and form. Consciousness is a condition for name and form.’

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi:
Then it occurred to me:

‘kimhi nu kho sati viññāṇaṁ hoti, kiṁpaccayā viññāṇan’ti?
‘When what exists is there consciousness? What is a condition for consciousness?’

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikārā ahu paññāya abhisamayo:
Then, through rational application of mind, I comprehended with wisdom:

‘nāmarūpe kho sati viññāṇaṁ hoti, nāmarūpapaccayā viññāṇan’ti.
‘When name and form exist there’s consciousness. Name and form are a condition for consciousness.’

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi—
Then it occurred to me:

paccudāvattati kho idaṁ viññāṇaṁ nāmarūpamhā na paraṁ gacchati.
This consciousness turns back from name and form, and doesn’t go beyond that.

Ettāvatā jāyetha vā jīyetha vā mīyetha vā cavetha vā upapajjetha vā, yadidaṁ nāmarūpapaccayā viññāṇaṁ;
This is the extent to which one may be reborn, grow old, die, pass away, or reappear. That is: name and form are conditions for consciousness.

viññāṇapaccayā nāmarūpaṁ;
Consciousness is a condition for name and form.

nāmarūpapaccayā saḷāyatanaṁ;
Name and form are conditions for the six sense fields.

saḷāyatanapaccayā phasso …pe…
The six sense fields are conditions for contact. …

evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti.
That is how this entire mass of suffering originates.

‘Samudayo, samudayo’ti kho me, bhikkhave, pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu cakkhuṁ udapādi ñāṇaṁ udapādi paññā udapādi vijjā udapādi āloko udapādi.
‘Origination, origination.’ Such was the vision, knowledge, wisdom, realization, and light that arose in me regarding teachings not learned before from another.

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi:
Then it occurred to me:

‘kimhi nu kho asati, jarāmaraṇaṁ na hoti;
‘When what doesn’t exist is there no old age and death?

kissa nirodhā jarāmaraṇanirodho’ti?
When what ceases do old age and death cease?’

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikārā ahu paññāya abhisamayo:
Then, through rational application of mind, I comprehended with wisdom:

‘jātiyā kho asati, jarāmaraṇaṁ na hoti;
‘When rebirth doesn’t exist there is no old age and death.

jātinirodhā jarāmaraṇanirodho’ti.
When rebirth ceases old age and death cease.’

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi:
Then it occurred to me:

‘kimhi nu kho asati jāti na hoti …pe…
‘When what doesn’t exist is there no rebirth …

bhavo na hoti …
continued existence …

upādānaṁ na hoti …
grasping …

taṇhā na hoti …
craving …

vedanā na hoti …
feeling …

phasso na hoti …
contact …

saḷāyatanaṁ na hoti …
six sense fields …

nāmarūpaṁ na hoti.
name and form?

Kissa nirodhā nāmarūpanirodho’ti?
When what ceases do name and form cease?’

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikārā ahu paññāya abhisamayo:
Then, through rational application of mind, I comprehended with wisdom:

‘viññāṇe kho asati, nāmarūpaṁ na hoti;
‘When consciousness doesn’t exist there is no name and form.

viññāṇanirodhā nāmarūpanirodho’ti.
When consciousness ceases name and form cease.’

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi:
Then it occurred to me:

‘kimhi nu kho asati viññāṇaṁ na hoti;
‘When what doesn’t exist is there no consciousness?

kissa nirodhā viññāṇanirodho’ti?
When what ceases does consciousness cease?’

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikārā ahu paññāya abhisamayo:
Then, through rational application of mind, I comprehended with wisdom:

‘nāmarūpe kho asati, viññāṇaṁ na hoti;
‘When name and form don’t exist, there is no consciousness.

nāmarūpanirodhā viññāṇanirodho’ti.
When name and form cease, consciousness ceases.’

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi—
Then it occurred to me:

adhigato kho myāyaṁ maggo bodhāya yadidaṁ—
I have discovered the path to awakening. That is:

nāmarūpanirodhā viññāṇanirodho;
When name and form cease, consciousness ceases.

viññāṇanirodhā nāmarūpanirodho;
When consciousness ceases, name and form cease.

nāmarūpanirodhā saḷāyatananirodho;
When name and form cease, the six sense fields cease.

saḷāyatananirodhā phassanirodho …pe…
When the six sense fields cease, contact ceases. …

evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hoti.
That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases.

‘Nirodho, nirodho’ti kho me, bhikkhave, pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu cakkhuṁ udapādi ñāṇaṁ udapādi paññā udapādi vijjā udapādi āloko udapādi.
‘Cessation, cessation.’ Such was the vision, knowledge, wisdom, realization, and light that arose in me regarding teachings not learned before from another.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso araññe pavane caramāno passeyya purāṇaṁ maggaṁ purāṇañjasaṁ pubbakehi manussehi anuyātaṁ.
Suppose a person was walking through a forest. They’d see an ancient path, an ancient route traveled by humans in the past.

So tamanugaccheyya.
Following it along,

Tamanugacchanto passeyya purāṇaṁ nagaraṁ purāṇaṁ rājadhāniṁ pubbakehi manussehi ajjhāvuṭṭhaṁ ārāmasampannaṁ vanasampannaṁ pokkharaṇīsampannaṁ uddhāpavantaṁ ramaṇīyaṁ.
they’d see an ancient city, an ancient capital, inhabited by humans in the past. It was lovely, complete with parks, groves, lotus ponds, and embankments.

Atha kho so, bhikkhave, puriso rañño vā rājamahāmattassa vā āroceyya:
Then that person would inform a king or their chief minister:

‘yagghe, bhante, jāneyyāsi—ahaṁ addasaṁ araññe pavane caramāno purāṇaṁ maggaṁ purāṇañjasaṁ pubbakehi manussehi anuyātaṁ tamanugacchiṁ.
‘Please sir, you should know this. While walking through a forest I saw an ancient path, an ancient route traveled by humans in the past.

Tamanugacchanto addasaṁ purāṇaṁ nagaraṁ purāṇaṁ rājadhāniṁ pubbakehi manussehi ajjhāvuṭṭhaṁ ārāmasampannaṁ vanasampannaṁ pokkharaṇīsampannaṁ uddhāpavantaṁ ramaṇīyaṁ.
Following it along I saw an ancient city, an ancient capital, inhabited by humans in the past. It was lovely, complete with parks, groves, lotus ponds, and embankments.

Taṁ, bhante, nagaraṁ māpehī’ti.
Sir, you should rebuild that city!’

Atha kho so, bhikkhave, rājā vā rājamahāmatto vā taṁ nagaraṁ māpeyya.
Then that king or their chief minister would have that city rebuilt.

Tadassa nagaraṁ aparena samayena iddhañceva phītañca bāhujaññaṁ ākiṇṇamanussaṁ vuddhivepullappattaṁ.
And after some time that city was successful and prosperous, populous, full of people, attained to growth and expansion.

Evameva khvāhaṁ, bhikkhave, addasaṁ purāṇaṁ maggaṁ purāṇañjasaṁ pubbakehi sammāsambuddhehi anuyātaṁ.
In the same way, I saw an ancient path, an ancient route traveled by fully awakened Buddhas in the past.

Katamo ca so, bhikkhave, purāṇamaggo purāṇañjaso pubbakehi sammāsambuddhehi anuyāto?
And what is that ancient path, the ancient route traveled by fully awakened Buddhas in the past?

Ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, seyyathidaṁ—
It is simply this noble eightfold path, that is:

sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi.
right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion.

Ayaṁ kho so, bhikkhave, purāṇamaggo purāṇañjaso pubbakehi sammāsambuddhehi anuyāto, tamanugacchiṁ;
This is that ancient path, the ancient route traveled by fully awakened Buddhas in the past.

tamanugacchanto jarāmaraṇaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ;
Following it along, I directly knew old age and death,

jarāmaraṇasamudayaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ;
their origin,

jarāmaraṇanirodhaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ;
their cessation,

jarāmaraṇanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ.
and the practice that leads to their cessation.

Tamanugacchiṁ;

tamanugacchanto jātiṁ abbhaññāsiṁ …pe…
Following it along, I directly knew rebirth …

bhavaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ …
continued existence …

upādānaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ …
grasping …

taṇhaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ …
craving …

vedanaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ …
feeling …

phassaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ …
contact …

saḷāyatanaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ …
the six sense fields …

nāmarūpaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ …
name and form …

viññāṇaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ.
consciousness …

Tamanugacchiṁ;

tamanugacchanto saṅkhāre abbhaññāsiṁ;
Following it along, I directly knew choices,

saṅkhārasamudayaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ;
their origin,

saṅkhāranirodhaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ;
their cessation,

saṅkhāranirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ.
and the practice that leads to their cessation.

Tadabhiññāya ācikkhiṁ bhikkhūnaṁ bhikkhunīnaṁ upāsakānaṁ upāsikānaṁ.
Having directly known this, I told the monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen.

Tayidaṁ, bhikkhave, brahmacariyaṁ iddhañceva phītañca vitthārikaṁ bāhujaññaṁ puthubhūtaṁ yāva devamanussehi suppakāsitan”ti.
And that’s how this spiritual life has become successful and prosperous, extensive, popular, widespread, and well proclaimed wherever there are gods and humans.”

Pañcamaṁ.