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sn.12.39 Saṁyutta Nikāya (Linked Discourses)

Volition (2)

At Savatthī. “Bhikkhus, what one intends, and what one plans, and whatever one has a tendency towards: this becomes a basis for the maintenance of consciousness. When there is a basis, there is a support for the establishing of consciousness. When consciousness is established and has come to growth, there is a descent of name-and-form. With name-and-form as condition, the six sense bases come to be; with the six sense bases as condition, contact; with contact as condition, feeling … craving … clinging … existence … birth; with birth as condition, aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair come to be. Such is the origin of this whole mass of suffering.

“If, bhikkhus, one does not intend, and one does not plan, but one still has a tendency towards something, this becomes a basis for the maintenance of consciousness. When there is a basis, there is a support for the establishing of consciousness. When consciousness is established and has come to growth, there is a descent of name-and-form. With name-and-form as condition, the six sense bases come to be…. Such is the origin of this whole mass of suffering.

“But, bhikkhus, when one does not intend, and one does not plan, and one does not have a tendency towards anything, no basis exists for the maintenance of consciousness. When there is no basis, there is no support for the establishing of consciousness. When consciousness is unestablished and does not come to growth, there is no descent of name-and-form. With the cessation of name-and-form comes cessation of the six sense bases…. Such is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering.”

- Translator: Bhikkhu Bodhi

- Editor: Blake Walsh


Intention (2nd)

Name and form are conditions for the six sense fields.
At Sāvatthī.
“Mendicants, what you intend or plan, and what you have underlying tendencies for become a support for the continuation of consciousness.
When this support exists, consciousness becomes established.
When consciousness is established, name and form are conceived.
The six sense fields are conditions for contact.
Contact is a condition for feeling. …
craving …
grasping …
continued existence …
rebirth …
old age and death,
sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress come to be.
That is how this entire mass of suffering originates.
If you don’t intend or plan, but still have underlying tendencies, this becomes a support for the continuation of consciousness.
When this support exists, consciousness becomes established.
When consciousness is established, name and form are conceived.
Name and form are conditions for the six sense fields. …
That is how this entire mass of suffering originates.
If you don’t intend or plan or have underlying tendencies, this doesn’t become a support for the continuation of consciousness.
With no support, consciousness is not established.
When consciousness is not established and doesn’t grow, name and form are not conceived.
When name and form cease, the six sense fields cease. …
That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases.”