1.
The First Discourse on Enlightenment
1.
Thus have I heard -
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Uruvelā on the bank of the river Nerañjarā at the foot of the Bodhi tree, newly fully enlightened.
Now at that time the Blessed One was seated for seven days in a single cross-legged posture experiencing the bliss of liberation.
Then the Blessed One, after the elapse of that week, having risen from that concentration, during the first watch of the night thoroughly attended in mind to dependent origination in forward order -
"Thus when this exists, that comes to be; from the arising of this, that arises, that is to say - with ignorance as condition, activities; with activities as condition, consciousness; with consciousness as condition, mentality-materiality; with mentality-materiality as condition, the six sense bases; with the six sense bases as condition, contact; with contact as condition, feeling; with feeling as condition, craving; with craving as condition, clinging; with clinging as condition, existence; with existence as condition, birth; with birth as condition, ageing and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and anguish come to be. Thus is the origin of this whole mass of suffering."
Then the Blessed One, having understood this matter, at that time uttered this inspired utterance -
To the ardent, meditating brahmin;
Then all his uncertainties vanish,
Since he understands phenomena with their cause." The first.