sn.12.3 Saṁyutta Nikāya (Linked Discourses)

The Two Ways

At Savatthī. “Bhikkhus, I will teach you the wrong way and the right way. Listen to that and attend closely, I will speak.”

“Yes, venerable sir,” those bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this:

“And what, bhikkhus, is the wrong way? 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. This, bhikkhus, is called the wrong way.

“And what, bhikkhus, is the right way? 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. This, bhikkhus, is called the right way.”

- Translator: Bhikkhu Bodhi

- Editor: Blake Walsh

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Practice

At Sāvatthī.
“Mendicants, I will teach you the wrong practice and the right practice.
Listen and pay close attention, I will speak.”
“Yes, sir,” they replied.
The Buddha said this:
“And what’s the wrong practice?
Ignorance is a condition for choices.
Choices are a condition for consciousness. …
That is how this entire mass of suffering originates.
This is called the wrong practice.
And what’s the right practice?
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.
This is called the right practice.”