The City Nagarasutta

At Sāvatthī. Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

“Mendicants, before my awakening—when I was still unawakened but intent on awakening—I thought: “Pubbe me, bhikkhave, sambodhā anabhisambuddhassa bodhisattasseva sato etadahosi: ‘Alas, this world has fallen into trouble. It’s born, grows old, dies, passes away, and is reborn, ‘kicchā vatāyaṁ loko āpanno jāyati ca jīyati ca mīyati ca cavati ca upapajjati ca. yet it doesn’t understand how to escape from this suffering, from old age and death. Atha ca panimassa dukkhassa nissaraṇaṁ nappajānāti jarāmaraṇassa. Oh, when will an escape be found from this suffering, from old age and death?’ Kudāssu nāma imassa dukkhassa nissaraṇaṁ paññāyissati jarāmaraṇassā’ti? Then it occurred to me: Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi: ‘When what exists is there old age and death? What is a requirement for old age and death?’ ‘kimhi nu kho sati jarāmaraṇaṁ hoti, kiṁpaccayā jarāmaraṇan’ti? Then, through rational application of mind, I penetrated with wisdom: Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikārā ahu paññāya abhisamayo: ‘When rebirth exists there’s old age and death. Rebirth is a requirement for old age and death.’ ‘jātiyā kho sati jarāmaraṇaṁ hoti, jātipaccayā jarāmaraṇan’ti.

Then it occurred to me: Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi: ‘When what exists is there rebirth? … ‘kimhi nu kho sati jāti hoti …pe… continued existence … bhavo hoti … grasping … upādānaṁ hoti … craving … taṇhā hoti … feeling … vedanā hoti … contact … phasso hoti … the six sense fields … saḷāyatanaṁ hoti … name and form … nāmarūpaṁ hoti … What is a requirement for name and form?’ kiṁpaccayā nāmarūpan’ti? Then, through rational application of mind, I penetrated with wisdom: Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikārā ahu paññāya abhisamayo: ‘When consciousness exists there are name and form. Consciousness is a requirement for name and form.’ ‘viññāṇe kho sati nāmarūpaṁ hoti, viññāṇapaccayā nāmarūpan’ti. Then it occurred to me: Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi: ‘When what exists is there consciousness? What is a requirement for consciousness?’ ‘kimhi nu kho sati viññāṇaṁ hoti, kiṁpaccayā viññāṇan’ti? Then, through rational application of mind, I penetrated with wisdom: Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikārā ahu paññāya abhisamayo: ‘When name and form exist there’s consciousness. Name and form are requirements for consciousness.’ ‘nāmarūpe kho sati viññāṇaṁ hoti, nāmarūpapaccayā viññāṇan’ti.

Then it occurred to me: Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi—This consciousness turns back from name and form, and doesn’t go beyond that. paccudāvattati kho idaṁ viññāṇaṁ nāmarūpamhā na paraṁ gacchati. This is the extent to which one may be reborn, grow old, die, pass away, or reappear. That is: name and form are requirements for consciousness. Ettāvatā jāyetha vā jīyetha vā mīyetha vā cavetha vā upapajjetha vā, yadidaṁ nāmarūpapaccayā viññāṇaṁ; Consciousness is a requirement for name and form. viññāṇapaccayā nāmarūpaṁ; Name and form are requirements for the six sense fields. nāmarūpapaccayā saḷāyatanaṁ; The six sense fields are requirements for contact. … saḷāyatanapaccayā phasso …pe… That is how this entire mass of suffering originates. evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti. ‘Origination, origination.’ Such was the vision, knowledge, wisdom, realization, and light that arose in me regarding teachings not learned before from another. ‘Samudayo, samudayo’ti kho me, bhikkhave, pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu cakkhuṁ udapādi ñāṇaṁ udapādi paññā udapādi vijjā udapādi āloko udapādi.

Then it occurred to me: Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi: ‘When what doesn’t exist is there no old age and death? ‘kimhi nu kho asati, jarāmaraṇaṁ na hoti; When what ceases do old age and death cease?’ kissa nirodhā jarāmaraṇanirodho’ti? Then, through rational application of mind, I penetrated with wisdom: Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikārā ahu paññāya abhisamayo: ‘When rebirth doesn’t exist there is no old age and death. ‘jātiyā kho asati, jarāmaraṇaṁ na hoti; When rebirth ceases old age and death cease.’ jātinirodhā jarāmaraṇanirodho’ti. Then it occurred to me: Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi: ‘When what doesn’t exist is there no rebirth … ‘kimhi nu kho asati jāti na hoti …pe… continued existence … bhavo na hoti … grasping … upādānaṁ na hoti … craving … taṇhā na hoti … feeling … vedanā na hoti … contact … phasso na hoti … six sense fields … saḷāyatanaṁ na hoti … name and form? nāmarūpaṁ na hoti. When what ceases do name and form cease?’ Kissa nirodhā nāmarūpanirodho’ti? Then, through rational application of mind, I penetrated with wisdom: Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikārā ahu paññāya abhisamayo: ‘When consciousness doesn’t exist there is no name and form. ‘viññāṇe kho asati, nāmarūpaṁ na hoti; When consciousness ceases name and form cease.’ viññāṇanirodhā nāmarūpanirodho’ti.

Then it occurred to me: Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi: ‘When what doesn’t exist is there no consciousness? ‘kimhi nu kho asati viññāṇaṁ na hoti; When what ceases does consciousness cease?’ kissa nirodhā viññāṇanirodho’ti? Then, through rational application of mind, I penetrated with wisdom: Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikārā ahu paññāya abhisamayo: ‘When name and form don’t exist, there is no consciousness. ‘nāmarūpe kho asati, viññāṇaṁ na hoti; When name and form cease, consciousness ceases.’ nāmarūpanirodhā viññāṇanirodho’ti.

Then it occurred to me: Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi—I have discovered the path to awakening. That is: adhigato kho myāyaṁ maggo bodhāya yadidaṁ—When name and form cease, consciousness ceases. nāmarūpanirodhā viññāṇanirodho; When consciousness ceases, name and form cease. viññāṇanirodhā nāmarūpanirodho; When name and form cease, the six sense fields cease. nāmarūpanirodhā saḷāyatananirodho; When the six sense fields cease, contact ceases. … saḷāyatananirodhā phassanirodho …pe… That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases. evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hoti. ‘Cessation, cessation.’ Such was the vision, knowledge, wisdom, realization, and light that arose in me regarding teachings not learned before from another. ‘Nirodho, nirodho’ti kho me, bhikkhave, pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu cakkhuṁ udapādi ñāṇaṁ udapādi paññā udapādi vijjā udapādi āloko udapādi.

Suppose a person was walking through a forest. They’d see an ancient path, an ancient route traveled by humans in the past. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso araññe pavane caramāno passeyya purāṇaṁ maggaṁ purāṇañjasaṁ pubbakehi manussehi anuyātaṁ. Following it along, So tamanugaccheyya. they’d see an ancient city, an ancient capital, inhabited by humans in the past. It was lovely, complete with parks, groves, lotus ponds, and embankments. Tamanugacchanto passeyya purāṇaṁ nagaraṁ purāṇaṁ rājadhāniṁ pubbakehi manussehi ajjhāvuṭṭhaṁ ārāmasampannaṁ vanasampannaṁ pokkharaṇīsampannaṁ uddhāpavantaṁ ramaṇīyaṁ. Then that person would inform a king or their chief minister: Atha kho so, bhikkhave, puriso rañño vā rājamahāmattassa vā āroceyya: ‘Please sir, you should know this. While walking through a forest I saw an ancient path, an ancient route traveled by humans in the past. ‘yagghe, bhante, jāneyyāsi—ahaṁ addasaṁ araññe pavane caramāno purāṇaṁ maggaṁ purāṇañjasaṁ pubbakehi manussehi anuyātaṁ tamanugacchiṁ. Following it along I saw an ancient city, an ancient capital, inhabited by humans in the past. It was lovely, complete with parks, groves, lotus ponds, and embankments. Tamanugacchanto addasaṁ purāṇaṁ nagaraṁ purāṇaṁ rājadhāniṁ pubbakehi manussehi ajjhāvuṭṭhaṁ ārāmasampannaṁ vanasampannaṁ pokkharaṇīsampannaṁ uddhāpavantaṁ ramaṇīyaṁ. Sir, you should rebuild that city!’ Taṁ, bhante, nagaraṁ māpehī’ti. Then that king or their chief minister would have that city rebuilt. Atha kho so, bhikkhave, rājā vā rājamahāmatto vā taṁ nagaraṁ māpeyya. And after some time that city was successful and prosperous, populous, full of people, attained to growth and expansion. Tadassa nagaraṁ aparena samayena iddhañceva phītañca bāhujaññaṁ ākiṇṇamanussaṁ vuddhivepullappattaṁ. In the same way, I saw an ancient path, an ancient route traveled by fully awakened Buddhas in the past. Evameva khvāhaṁ, bhikkhave, addasaṁ purāṇaṁ maggaṁ purāṇañjasaṁ pubbakehi sammāsambuddhehi anuyātaṁ.

And what is that ancient path, the ancient route traveled by fully awakened Buddhas in the past? Katamo ca so, bhikkhave, purāṇamaggo purāṇañjaso pubbakehi sammāsambuddhehi anuyāto? It is simply this noble eightfold path, that is: Ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, seyyathidaṁ—right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion. sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi. This is that ancient path, the ancient route traveled by fully awakened Buddhas in the past. Ayaṁ kho so, bhikkhave, purāṇamaggo purāṇañjaso pubbakehi sammāsambuddhehi anuyāto, tamanugacchiṁ;

Following it along, I directly knew old age and death, tamanugacchanto jarāmaraṇaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ; their origin, jarāmaraṇasamudayaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ; their cessation, jarāmaraṇanirodhaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ; and the practice that leads to their cessation. jarāmaraṇanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ. Tamanugacchiṁ; Following it along, I directly knew rebirth … tamanugacchanto jātiṁ abbhaññāsiṁ …pe… continued existence … bhavaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ … grasping … upādānaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ … craving … taṇhaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ … feeling … vedanaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ … contact … phassaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ … the six sense fields … saḷāyatanaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ … name and form … nāmarūpaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ … consciousness … viññāṇaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ. Tamanugacchiṁ; Following it along, I directly knew choices, tamanugacchanto saṅkhāre abbhaññāsiṁ; their origin, saṅkhārasamudayaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ; their cessation, saṅkhāranirodhaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ; and the practice that leads to their cessation. saṅkhāranirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ.

Having directly known this, I told the monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen. Tadabhiññāya ācikkhiṁ bhikkhūnaṁ bhikkhunīnaṁ upāsakānaṁ upāsikānaṁ. And that’s how this spiritual life has become successful and prosperous, extensive, popular, widespread, and well proclaimed wherever there are gods and humans.” Tayidaṁ, bhikkhave, brahmacariyaṁ iddhañceva phītañca vitthārikaṁ bāhujaññaṁ puthubhūtaṁ yāva devamanussehi suppakāsitan”ti.