Vital Conditions (1st) Paṭhamaupanisāsutta

“Mendicants, an unethical person, who lacks ethics, has destroyed a vital condition for having no regrets. “Dussīlassa, bhikkhave, sīlavipannassa hatūpaniso hoti avippaṭisāro. When there are regrets, one who has regrets has destroyed a vital condition for joy. Avippaṭisāre asati avippaṭisāravipannassa hatūpanisaṁ hoti pāmojjaṁ. When there is no joy, one who lacks joy has destroyed a vital condition for rapture. Pāmojje asati pāmojjavipannassa hatūpanisā hoti pīti. When there is no rapture, one who lacks rapture has destroyed a vital condition for tranquility. Pītiyā asati pītivipannassa hatūpanisā hoti passaddhi. When there is no tranquility, one who lacks tranquility has destroyed a vital condition for bliss. Passaddhiyā asati passaddhivipannassa hatūpanisaṁ hoti sukhaṁ. When there is no bliss, one who lacks bliss has destroyed a vital condition for right immersion. Sukhe asati sukhavipannassa hatūpaniso hoti sammāsamādhi. When there is no right immersion, one who lacks right immersion has destroyed a vital condition for true knowledge and vision. Sammāsamādhimhi asati sammāsamādhivipannassa hatūpanisaṁ hoti yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṁ. When there is no true knowledge and vision, one who lacks true knowledge and vision has destroyed a vital condition for disillusionment. Yathābhūtañāṇadassane asati yathābhūtañāṇadassanavipannassa hatūpanisā hoti nibbidā. When there is no disillusionment, one who lacks disillusionment has destroyed a vital condition for dispassion. Nibbidāya asati nibbidāvipannassa hatūpaniso hoti virāgo. When there is no dispassion, one who lacks dispassion has destroyed a vital condition for knowledge and vision of freedom. Virāge asati virāgavipannassa hatūpanisaṁ hoti vimuttiñāṇadassanaṁ.

Suppose there was a tree that lacked branches and foliage. Its shoots, bark, softwood, and heartwood would not grow to fullness. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, rukkho sākhāpalāsavipanno. Tassa papaṭikāpi na pāripūriṁ gacchati, tacopi … pheggupi … sāropi na pāripūriṁ gacchati.

In the same way, an unethical person, who lacks ethics, has destroyed a vital condition for having no regrets. Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, dussīlassa sīlavipannassa hatūpaniso hoti avippaṭisāro, When there are regrets, one who has regrets has destroyed a vital condition for joy. … avippaṭisāre asati avippaṭisāravipannassa hatūpanisaṁ hoti pāmojjaṁ …pe… When there is no dispassion, one who lacks dispassion has destroyed a vital condition for knowledge and vision of freedom. vimuttiñāṇadassanaṁ.

An ethical person, who has fulfilled ethics, has fulfilled a vital condition for not having regrets. Sīlavato, bhikkhave, sīlasampannassa upanisasampanno hoti avippaṭisāro, When there are no regrets, one who has no regrets has fulfilled a vital condition for joy. avippaṭisāre sati avippaṭisārasampannassa upanisasampannaṁ hoti pāmojjaṁ, When there is joy, one who has fulfilled joy has fulfilled a vital condition for rapture. pāmojje sati pāmojjasampannassa upanisasampannā hoti pīti, When there is rapture, one who has fulfilled rapture has fulfilled a vital condition for tranquility. pītiyā sati pītisampannassa upanisasampannā hoti passaddhi, When there is tranquility, one who has fulfilled tranquility has fulfilled a vital condition for bliss. passaddhiyā sati passaddhisampannassa upanisasampannaṁ hoti sukhaṁ, When there is bliss, one who has fulfilled bliss has fulfilled a vital condition for right immersion. sukhe sati sukhasampannassa upanisasampanno hoti sammāsamādhi, When there is right immersion, one who has fulfilled right immersion has fulfilled a vital condition for true knowledge and vision. sammāsamādhimhi sati sammāsamādhisampannassa upanisasampannaṁ hoti yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṁ, When there is true knowledge and vision, one who has fulfilled true knowledge and vision has fulfilled a vital condition for disillusionment. yathābhūtañāṇadassane sati yathābhūtañāṇadassanasampannassa upanisasampannā hoti nibbidā, When there is disillusionment, one who has fulfilled disillusionment has fulfilled a vital condition for dispassion. nibbidāya sati nibbidāsampannassa upanisasampanno hoti virāgo, When there is dispassion, one who has fulfilled dispassion has fulfilled a vital condition for knowledge and vision of freedom. virāge sati virāgasampannassa upanisasampannaṁ hoti vimuttiñāṇadassanaṁ.

Suppose there was a tree that was complete with branches and foliage. Its shoots, bark, softwood, and heartwood would grow to fullness. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, rukkho sākhāpalāsasampanno. Tassa papaṭikāpi pāripūriṁ gacchati, tacopi … pheggupi … sāropi pāripūriṁ gacchati.

In the same way, an ethical person, who has fulfilled ethics, has fulfilled a vital condition for not having regrets. Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, sīlavato sīlasampannassa upanisasampanno hoti avippaṭisāro, When there are no regrets, one who has no regrets has fulfilled a vital condition for joy. … avippaṭisāre sati avippaṭisārasampannassa upanisasampannaṁ hoti …pe… When there is dispassion, one who has fulfilled dispassion has fulfilled a vital condition for knowledge and vision of freedom.” vimuttiñāṇadassanan”ti.