7.
The Discourse on Cause
212.
At Sāvatthī.
"When what exists, monks, clinging to what, having clung to what, does such a view arise:
'There is no cause, there is no condition for the defilement of beings.
Without cause, without condition, beings become defiled.
There is no cause, there is no condition for the purification of beings.
Without cause, without condition, beings become purified.
There is no power, there is no energy, there is no manly strength, there is no manly effort.
All beings, all living things, all creatures, all souls are without control, without power, without energy, transformed by destiny, circumstance, and nature, and they experience pleasure and pain in the six classes of rebirth'?"
"The teachings have the Blessed One as their root, venerable sir, etc.
"When matter exists, monks, clinging to matter, having clung to matter, such a view arises:
'There is no cause, there is no condition, etc.
they experience pleasure and pain.'
When feeling exists, etc.
when perception exists...
when activities exist...
when consciousness exists, clinging to consciousness, having clung to consciousness, such a view arises:
'There is no cause, there is no condition, etc.
they experience pleasure and pain.'"
"What do you think, monks, is materiality permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir. Etc. subject to change, would such a view arise by non-clinging to that: 'There is no cause, there is no condition, etc. they experience pleasure and pain'?" "No, Venerable Sir." "Feeling... perception... activities... consciousness permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir. Etc. would such a view arise by non-clinging to that: 'There is no cause, there is no condition, etc. they experience pleasure and pain'?" "No, Venerable Sir." "Whatever is seen, heard, sensed, cognised, attained, sought after, pondered over by the mind, is that too permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir. Etc. would such a view arise by non-clinging to that: 'There is no cause, there is no condition, etc. they experience pleasure and pain'?" "No, Venerable Sir."
"When, monks, for a noble disciple uncertainty regarding these states has been abandoned, and his uncertainty regarding suffering has been abandoned, etc. and his uncertainty regarding the practice leading to the cessation of suffering has been abandoned - this is called, monks, a noble disciple who is a stream-enterer, no longer subject to fall into lower realms, fixed in destiny, heading for the highest enlightenment." The seventh.