12.69. The Surge (SN12.69)

Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Savatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anathapiṇḍika’s Park. There the Blessed One said:

“Bhikkhus, the ocean surging causes the rivers to surge; the rivers surging cause the streams to surge; the streams surging cause the lakes to surge; the lakes surging cause the pools to surge. So too, ignorance surging causes volitional formations to surge; volitional formations surging cause consciousness to surge; consciousness surging causes name-and-form to surge; name-and-form surging causes the six sense bases to surge; the six sense bases surging cause contact to surge; contact surging causes feeling to surge; feeling surging causes craving to surge; craving surging causes clinging to surge; clinging surging causes existence to surge; existence surging causes birth to surge; birth surging causes aging-and-death to surge.

“Bhikkhus, the ocean receding causes the rivers to recede; the rivers receding cause the streams to recede; the streams receding cause the lakes to recede; the lakes receding cause the pools to recede. So too, ignorance receding causes volitional formations to recede; volitional formations receding cause consciousness to recede … birth receding causes aging-and-death to recede.”

© Bhikkhu Bodhi, The Connected Discourses of the Buddha (Wisdom Publications, 2000)

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