ud.1.3 Udana

The Third Discourse about the Awakening Tree

Thus I heard: At one time the Gracious One was dwelling near Uruvelā, on the bank of the river Nerañjarā, at the root of the Awakening tree, in the first period after attaining Awakening. Then at that time the Gracious One was sitting in one cross-legged posture for seven days experiencing the happiness of freedom.

Then with the passing of those seven days, the Gracious One, after arising from that concentration, for the last watch of the night, applied his mind thoroughly to conditional origination in forward and reverse order:

“This being so, that is; from the arising of this, that arises, this not being so, that is not; from the ceasing of this, that ceases, that is to say: because of ignorance there are volitional processes, because of volitional processes: consciousness, because of consciousness: mind and body, because of mind and body: the six sense spheres, because of the six sense spheres: contact, because of contact: feeling, because of feeling: craving, because of craving: attachment, because of attachment: continuation, because of continuation: birth, because of birth: old age, death, grief, lamentation, pain, sorrow, and despair all arise, and so there is an origination of this whole mass of suffering.

“But from the complete fading away and cessation of ignorance, there is the cessation of volitional processes, from the cessation of volitional processes, the cessation of consciousness, from the cessation of consciousness, the cessation of mind and body, from the cessation of mind and body, the cessation of the six sense spheres, from the cessation of the six sense spheres, the cessation of contact, from the cessation of contact, the cessation of feeling, from the cessation of feeling, the cessation of craving, from the cessation of craving, the cessation of attachment, from the cessation of attachment, the cessation of continuation, from the cessation of continuation, the cessation of birth, from the cessation of birth, old age, death, grief, lamentation, pain, sorrow, and despair all cease, and so there is a cessation of this whole mass of suffering.”

Then the Gracious One, having understood the significance of it, on that occasion uttered this exalted utterance:

“When the nature of things becomes really manifest
To the ardent meditating brāhmaṇa,
He dwells dispelling Māra’s army,
As the sun dwells lighting up the firmament.”

- Translator: Bhikkhu Ānandajoti

- Editor: Bhikkhu Sujato

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Upon Awakening (3rd)

So I have heard.
At one time, when he was first awakened, the Buddha was staying near Uruvelā at the root of the tree of awakening on the bank of the Nerañjarā River.
There the Buddha sat cross-legged for seven days without moving, experiencing the bliss of freedom.
When seven days had passed, the Buddha emerged from that state of immersion. In the last part of the night, he reflected on dependent origination in forward and reverse order:
“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.
Consciousness is a condition for name and form.
Name and form are conditions for the six sense fields.
The six sense fields are conditions for contact.
Contact is a condition for feeling.
Feeling is a condition for craving.
Craving is a condition for grasping.
Grasping is a condition for continued existence.
Continued existence is a condition for rebirth.
Rebirth is a condition for old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress to come to be.
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.
When consciousness ceases, name and form cease.
When name and form cease, the six sense fields cease.
When the six sense fields cease, contact ceases.
When contact ceases, feeling ceases.
When feeling ceases, craving ceases.
When craving ceases, grasping ceases.
When grasping ceases, continued existence ceases.
When continued existence ceases, rebirth ceases.
When rebirth ceases, old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress cease.
That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases.”
Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:
“When things become clear
to the keen, meditating brahmin,
he remains, scattering Māra’s army,
as the sun lights up the sky.”