At Savatthī. “Bhikkhus, possessing the ten powers and the four grounds of self-confidence, the Tathagata claims the place of the chief bull of the herd, roars his lion’s roar in the assemblies, and sets rolling the Brahma-wheel thus: ‘Such is form, such its origin, such its passing away; such is feeling, such its origin, such its passing away; such is perception, such its origin, such its passing away; such are volitional formations, such their origin, such their passing away; such is consciousness, such its origin, such its passing away. Thus when this exists, that comes to be; with the arising of this, that arises. When this does not exist, that does not come to be; with the cessation of this, that ceases. That is, with ignorance as condition, volitional formations come to be; with volitional formations as condition, consciousness…. Such is the origin of this whole mass of suffering. But with the remainderless fading away and cessation of ignorance comes cessation of volitional formations; with the cessation of volitional formations, cessation of consciousness…. Such is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering.’”
sn.12.21 Saṁyutta Nikāya (Linked Discourses)
The Ten Powers (1)
- Translator: Bhikkhu Bodhi
- Editor: Blake Walsh
The Ten Powers
At Sāvatthī.“Mendicants, a Realized One has ten powers and four kinds of self-assurance. With these he claims the bull’s place, roars his lion’s roar in the assemblies, and turns the holy wheel.
Such is form, such is the origin of form, such is the ending of form.
Such is feeling, such is the origin of feeling, such is the ending of feeling.
Such is perception, such is the origin of perception, such is the ending of perception.
Such are choices, such is the origin of choices, such is the ending of choices.
Such is consciousness, such is the origin of consciousness, such is the ending of consciousness.
When this exists, that is; due to the arising of this, that arises.
When this doesn’t exist, that is not; due to the cessation of this, that ceases. That is:
Ignorance is a condition for choices.
Choices are a condition for consciousness. …
That is how this entire mass of suffering originates.
When ignorance fades away and ceases with nothing left over, choices cease.
When choices cease, consciousness ceases. …
That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases.”