[24] Then, bhikkhus, it occurred to Vipassī the Bodhisatta: "When what does not exist does aging and death (jarāmaraṇa) not come to be? With the cessation of what is there the cessation of aging and death?" Then, bhikkhus, through careful attention (yoniso manasikāra), there occurred to Vipassī the Bodhisatta a breakthrough by wisdom (paññā): "When birth (jāti) does not exist, aging and death do not come to be; with the cessation of birth there is the cessation of aging and death."
Then, bhikkhus, it occurred to Vipassī the Bodhisatta: "When what does not exist does birth not come to be? With the cessation of what is there the cessation of birth?" Then, bhikkhus, through careful attention, there occurred to Vipassī the Bodhisatta a breakthrough by wisdom: "When existence (bhava) does not exist, birth does not come to be; with the cessation of existence there is the cessation of birth."
Then, bhikkhus, it occurred to Vipassī the Bodhisatta: "When what does not exist does existence not come to be? With the cessation of what is there the cessation of existence?" Then, bhikkhus, through careful attention, there occurred to Vipassī the Bodhisatta a breakthrough by wisdom: "When clinging (upādāna) does not exist, existence does not come to be; with the cessation of clinging there is the cessation of existence."
Then, bhikkhus, it occurred to Vipassī the Bodhisatta: "When what does not exist does clinging not come to be? With the cessation of what is there the cessation of clinging?" Then, bhikkhus, through careful attention, there occurred to Vipassī the Bodhisatta a breakthrough by wisdom: "When craving (taṇhā) does not exist, clinging does not come to be; with the cessation of craving there is the cessation of clinging."
Then, bhikkhus, it occurred to Vipassī the Bodhisatta: "When what does not exist does craving not come to be? With the cessation of what is there the cessation of craving?" Then, bhikkhus, through careful attention, there occurred to Vipassī the Bodhisatta a breakthrough by wisdom: "When feeling (vedanā) does not exist, craving does not come to be; with the cessation of feeling there is the cessation of craving."
Then, bhikkhus, it occurred to Vipassī the Bodhisatta: "When what does not exist does feeling not come to be? With the cessation of what is there the cessation of feeling?" Then, bhikkhus, through careful attention, there occurred to Vipassī the Bodhisatta a breakthrough by wisdom: "When contact (phassa) does not exist, feeling does not come to be; with the cessation of contact there is the cessation of feeling."
Then, bhikkhus, it occurred to Vipassī the Bodhisatta: "When what does not exist does contact not come to be? With the cessation of what is there the cessation of contact?" Then, bhikkhus, through careful attention, there occurred to Vipassī the Bodhisatta a breakthrough by wisdom: "When the six sense bases (saḷāyatana) do not exist, contact does not come to be; with the cessation of the six sense bases there is the cessation of contact."
Then, bhikkhus, it occurred to Vipassī the Bodhisatta: "When what does not exist do the six sense bases not come to be? With the cessation of what is there the cessation of the six sense bases?" Then, bhikkhus, through careful attention, there occurred to Vipassī the Bodhisatta a breakthrough by wisdom: "When name-and-form (nāmarūpa) does not exist, the six sense bases do not come to be; with the cessation of name-and-form there is the cessation of the six sense bases."
Then, bhikkhus, it occurred to Vipassī the Bodhisatta: "When what does not exist does name-and-form not come to be? With the cessation of what is there the cessation of name-and-form?" Then, bhikkhus, through careful attention, there occurred to Vipassī the Bodhisatta a breakthrough by wisdom: "When consciousness (viññāṇa) does not exist, name-and-form does not come to be; with the cessation of consciousness there is the cessation of name-and-form."
Then, bhikkhus, it occurred to Vipassī the Bodhisatta: "When what does not exist does consciousness not come to be? With the cessation of what is there the cessation of consciousness?" Then, bhikkhus, through careful attention, there occurred to Vipassī the Bodhisatta a breakthrough by wisdom: "When volitional formations (saṅkhārā) do not exist, consciousness does not come to be; with the cessation of volitional formations there is the cessation of consciousness."
Then, bhikkhus, it occurred to Vipassī the Bodhisatta: "When what does not exist do volitional formations not come to be? With the cessation of what is there the cessation of volitional formations?" Then, bhikkhus, through careful attention, there occurred to Vipassī the Bodhisatta a breakthrough by wisdom: "When ignorance (avijjā) does not exist, volitional formations do not come to be; with the cessation of ignorance there is the cessation of volitional formations."
Thus, with the cessation of ignorance comes the cessation of volitional formations; with the cessation of volitional formations comes the cessation of consciousness … Such is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering (dukkha).
"Cessation, cessation (nirodha)!" — thus, bhikkhus, in regard to things not heard before, there arose in Vipassī the Bodhisatta vision, there arose knowledge (ñāṇa), there arose wisdom, there arose true knowledge, there arose light.
The Fourth [Sutta].
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.