an.5.24 Aṅguttara Nikāya (Numbered Discourses)

Immoral

“Bhikkhus, (1) for an immoral person, for one deficient in virtuous behavior, (2) right concentration lacks its proximate cause. When there is no right concentration, for one deficient in right concentration, (3) the knowledge and vision of things as they really are lacks its proximate cause. When there is no knowledge and vision of things as they really are, for one deficient in the knowledge and vision of things as they really are, (4) disenchantment and dispassion lack their proximate cause. When there is no disenchantment and dispassion, for one deficient in disenchantment and dispassion, (5) the knowledge and vision of liberation lacks its proximate cause.

“Suppose there is a tree deficient in branches and foliage. Then its shoots do not grow to fullness; also its bark, softwood, and heartwood do not grow to fullness. So too, for an immoral person, one deficient in virtuous behavior, right concentration lacks its proximate cause. When there is no right concentration … the knowledge and vision of liberation lacks its proximate cause.

“Bhikkhus, (1) for a virtuous person, for one whose behavior is virtuous, (2) right concentration possesses its proximate cause. When there is right concentration, for one possessing right concentration, (3) the knowledge and vision of things as they really are possesses its proximate cause. When there is the knowledge and vision of things as they really are, for one possessing the knowledge and vision of things as they really are, (4) disenchantment and dispassion possess their proximate cause. When there is disenchantment and dispassion, for one possessing disenchantment and dispassion, (5) the knowledge and vision of liberation possesses its proximate cause.

“Suppose there is a tree possessing branches and foliage. Then its shoots grow to fullness; also its bark, softwood, and heartwood grow to fullness. So too, for a virtuous person, one whose behavior is virtuous, right concentration possesses its proximate cause. When there is right concentration … the knowledge and vision of liberation possesses its proximate cause.”

- Translator: Bhikkhu Bodhi

- Editor: Blake Walsh

Unethical

“Mendicants, an unethical person, who lacks ethics, has destroyed a vital condition for right immersion.
When there is no right immersion, one who lacks right immersion has destroyed a vital condition for true knowledge and vision.
When there is no true knowledge and vision, one who lacks true knowledge and vision has destroyed a vital condition for disillusionment and dispassion.
When there is no disillusionment and dispassion, one who lacks disillusionment and dispassion has destroyed a vital condition for knowledge and vision of freedom.
Suppose there was a tree that lacked branches and foliage.
Its shoots, bark, softwood, and heartwood would not grow to fullness.
In the same way, an unethical person, who lacks ethics, has destroyed a vital condition for right immersion.
When there is no right immersion, one who lacks right immersion has destroyed a vital condition for true knowledge and vision.
When there is no true knowledge and vision, one who lacks true knowledge and vision has destroyed a vital condition for disillusionment and dispassion.
When there is no disillusionment and dispassion, one who lacks disillusionment and dispassion has destroyed a vital condition for knowledge and vision of freedom.
An ethical person, who has fulfilled ethics, has fulfilled a vital condition for right immersion.
When there is right immersion, one who has fulfilled right immersion has fulfilled a vital condition for true knowledge and vision.
When there is true knowledge and vision, one who has fulfilled true knowledge and vision has fulfilled a vital condition for disillusionment and dispassion.
When there is disillusionment and dispassion, one who has fulfilled disillusionment and dispassion has fulfilled a vital condition for knowledge and vision of freedom.
Suppose there was a tree that was complete with branches and foliage. Its shoots, bark, softwood, and heartwood would all grow to fullness.
In the same way, an ethical person, who has fulfilled ethics, has fulfilled a vital condition for right immersion.
When there is right immersion, one who has fulfilled right immersion has fulfilled a vital condition for true knowledge and vision.
When there is true knowledge and vision, one who has fulfilled true knowledge and vision has fulfilled a vital condition for disillusionment and dispassion.
When there is disillusionment and dispassion, one who has fulfilled disillusionment and dispassion has fulfilled a vital condition for knowledge and vision of freedom.”