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The Discourse on What Purpose
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Thus have I heard -
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's park.
Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One;
having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side.
Seated to one side, the Venerable Ānanda said this to the Blessed One -
"What is the purpose of wholesome moral practices, venerable sir, what is their benefit?" "Wholesome moral practices, Ānanda, have freedom from remorse as their purpose, freedom from remorse as their benefit."
"But, venerable sir, what is the purpose of freedom from remorse, what is its benefit?" "Freedom from remorse, Ānanda, has gladness as its purpose, gladness as its benefit."
"But, venerable sir, what is the purpose of gladness, what is its benefit?" "Gladness, Ānanda, has rapture as its purpose, rapture as its benefit."
"But, venerable sir, what is the purpose of rapture, what is its benefit?" "Rapture, Ānanda, has tranquillity as its purpose, tranquillity as its benefit."
"But, venerable sir, what is the purpose of tranquillity, what is its benefit?" "Tranquillity, Ānanda, has happiness as its purpose, happiness as its benefit."
"But, venerable sir, what is the purpose of happiness, what is its benefit?" "Happiness, Ānanda, has concentration as its purpose, concentration as its benefit."
"But, venerable sir, what is the purpose of concentration, what is its benefit?" "Concentration, Ānanda, has knowledge and vision of things as they really are as its purpose, knowledge and vision of things as they really are as its benefit."
"But, venerable sir, what is the purpose of knowledge and vision of things as they really are, what is its benefit?" "Knowledge and vision of things as they really are, Ānanda, has disenchantment and dispassion as its purpose, disenchantment and dispassion as its benefit."
"But, venerable sir, what is the purpose of disenchantment and dispassion, what is its benefit?" "Disenchantment and dispassion, Ānanda, has knowledge and vision of liberation as its purpose, knowledge and vision of liberation as its benefit.
"Thus indeed, Ānanda, wholesome moral practices have freedom from remorse as their purpose, freedom from remorse as their benefit; freedom from remorse has gladness as its purpose, gladness as its benefit; gladness has rapture as its purpose, rapture as its benefit; rapture has tranquillity as its purpose, tranquillity as its benefit; tranquillity has happiness as its purpose, happiness as its benefit; happiness has concentration as its purpose, concentration as its benefit; concentration has knowledge and vision of things as they really are as its purpose, knowledge and vision of things as they really are as its benefit; knowledge and vision of things as they really are has disenchantment and dispassion as its purpose, disenchantment and dispassion as its benefit; disenchantment and dispassion has knowledge and vision of liberation as its purpose, knowledge and vision of liberation as its benefit. Thus indeed, Ānanda, wholesome moral practices lead gradually to the highest." The first.