At Sāvatthī. Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

“Mendicants, transmigration has no known beginning. “Anamataggoyaṁ, bhikkhave, saṁsāro. No first point is found of sentient beings roaming and transmigrating, shrouded by ignorance and fettered by craving. Pubbā koṭi na paññāyati avijjānīvaraṇānaṁ sattānaṁ taṇhāsaṁyojanānaṁ sandhāvataṁ saṁsarataṁ. Suppose a dog on a leash was tethered to a strong post or pillar. Whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, it stays right beside that post or pillar. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, sā gaddulabaddho daḷhe khīle vā thambhe vā upanibaddho. So gacchati cepi tameva khīlaṁ vā thambhaṁ vā upagacchati; tiṭṭhati cepi tameva khīlaṁ vā thambhaṁ vā upatiṭṭhati; nisīdati cepi tameva khīlaṁ vā thambhaṁ vā upanisīdati; nipajjati cepi tameva khīlaṁ vā thambhaṁ vā upanipajjati.

In the same way, an unlearned ordinary person regards form like this: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self.’ Evameva kho, bhikkhave, assutavā puthujjano rūpaṁ ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’ti samanupassati. They regard feeling … Vedanaṁ … perception … saññaṁ … choices … saṅkhāre … consciousness like this: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self.’ viññāṇaṁ ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’ti samanupassati. When walking, they walk right beside the five grasping aggregates. So gacchati cepi ime pañcupādānakkhandhe upagacchati; When standing … tiṭṭhati cepi ime pañcupādānakkhandhe upatiṭṭhati; sitting … nisīdati cepi ime pañcupādānakkhandhe upanisīdati; lying down, they lie down right beside the five grasping aggregates. nipajjati cepi ime pañcupādānakkhandhe upanipajjati.

So you should regularly check your own mind: Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, abhikkhaṇaṁ sakaṁ cittaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ: ‘For a long time this mind has been corrupted by greed, hate, and delusion.’ ‘dīgharattamidaṁ cittaṁ saṅkiliṭṭhaṁ rāgena dosena mohenā’ti. Sentient beings are corrupted because the mind is corrupted. Cittasaṅkilesā, bhikkhave, sattā saṅkilissanti; Sentient beings are purified because the mind is purified. cittavodānā sattā visujjhanti.

Mendicants, have you seen the picture called ‘Conduct’?” Diṭṭhaṁ vo, bhikkhave, caraṇaṁ nāma cittan”ti?

“Yes, sir.” “Evaṁ, bhante”.

“That picture was elaborated by the mind, but the mind is even more elaborate than that. “Tampi kho, bhikkhave, caraṇaṁ nāma cittaṁ citteneva cittitaṁ. Tenapi kho, bhikkhave, caraṇena cittena cittaññeva cittataraṁ.

So you should regularly check your own mind: Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, abhikkhaṇaṁ sakaṁ cittaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ: ‘For a long time this mind has been corrupted by greed, hate, and delusion.’ ‘dīgharattamidaṁ cittaṁ saṅkiliṭṭhaṁ rāgena dosena mohenā’ti. Sentient beings are corrupted because the mind is corrupted. Cittasaṅkilesā, bhikkhave, sattā saṅkilissanti; Sentient beings are purified because the mind is purified. cittavodānā sattā visujjhanti.

I don’t see any other order of beings as elaborate as the animal realm. Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, aññaṁ ekanikāyampi samanupassāmi evaṁ cittaṁ yathayidaṁ, bhikkhave, tiracchānagatā pāṇā. The creatures in the animal realm were elaborated by the mind, but the mind is even more elaborate than that. tepi kho, bhikkhave, tiracchānagatā pāṇā citteneva cittitā, tehipi kho, bhikkhave, tiracchānagatehi pāṇehi cittaññeva cittataraṁ.

So you should regularly check your own mind: Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, abhikkhaṇaṁ sakaṁ cittaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ: ‘For a long time this mind has been corrupted by greed, hate, and delusion.’ ‘dīgharattamidaṁ cittaṁ saṅkiliṭṭhaṁ rāgena dosena mohenā’ti. Sentient beings are corrupted because the mind is corrupted. Cittasaṅkilesā, bhikkhave, sattā saṅkilissanti; Sentient beings are purified because the mind is purified. cittavodānā sattā visujjhanti.

Suppose an artist or painter had some dye, red lac, turmeric, indigo, or rose madder. And on a polished plank or a wall or a canvas they’d create the form of a woman or a man, whole in its major and minor limbs. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, rajako vā cittakārako vā rajanāya vā lākhāya vā haliddiyā vā nīliyā vā mañjiṭṭhāya vā suparimaṭṭhe phalake vā bhittiyā vā dussapaṭṭe vā itthirūpaṁ vā purisarūpaṁ vā abhinimmineyya sabbaṅgapaccaṅgiṁ;

In the same way, when an unlearned ordinary person generates a future life, all they generate is form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness. evameva kho, bhikkhave, assutavā puthujjano rūpaññeva abhinibbattento abhinibbatteti, vedanaññeva …pe… saññaññeva … saṅkhāreyeva … viññāṇaññeva abhinibbattento abhinibbatteti.

What do you think, mendicants? Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, Is form permanent or impermanent?” rūpaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?

“Impermanent, sir.” “Aniccaṁ, bhante”.

“Is feeling … “Vedanā … perception … saññā … choices … saṅkhārā … consciousness permanent or impermanent?” … viññāṇaṁ …pe…

“So you should truly see … “tasmātiha, bhikkhave …pe… Seeing this … evaṁ passaṁ …pe… They understand: ‘… there is nothing further for this place.’” nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānātī”ti.

Aṭṭhamaṁ.