[208] 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 homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the Venerable Ānanda said this to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, what is the purpose of wholesome virtues (sīla), what is their benefit?"
"Wholesome virtues, Ānanda, have non-regret (avippaṭisāra) as their purpose, non-regret as their benefit."
"But, venerable sir, what is the purpose of non-regret, what is its benefit?"
"Non-regret, Ānanda, has gladness (pāmujja) as its purpose, gladness as its benefit."
"But, venerable sir, what is the purpose of gladness, what is its benefit?"
"Gladness, Ānanda, has rapture (pīti) as its purpose, rapture as its benefit."
"But, venerable sir, what is the purpose of rapture, what is its benefit?"
"Rapture, Ānanda, has tranquility (passaddhi) as its purpose, tranquility as its benefit."
"But, venerable sir, what is the purpose of tranquility, what is its benefit?"
"Tranquility, Ānanda, has happiness (sukha) as its purpose, happiness as its benefit."
"But, venerable sir, what is the purpose of happiness, what is its benefit?"
"Happiness, Ānanda, has concentration (samādhi) 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 (yathābhūtañāṇadassana) 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 (nibbidā) as its purpose, disenchantment as its benefit."
"But, venerable sir, what is the purpose of disenchantment, what is its benefit?"
"Disenchantment, Ānanda, has dispassion (virāga) as its purpose, dispassion as its benefit."
"But, venerable sir, what is the purpose of dispassion, what is its benefit?"
"Dispassion, Ānanda, has knowledge and vision of liberation (vimuttiñāṇadassana) as its purpose, knowledge and vision of liberation as its benefit.
"Thus, Ānanda, wholesome virtues have non-regret as their purpose, non-regret as their benefit; non-regret has gladness as its purpose, gladness as its benefit; gladness has rapture as its purpose, rapture as its benefit; rapture has tranquility as its purpose, tranquility as its benefit; tranquility 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 as its purpose, disenchantment as its benefit; disenchantment has dispassion as its purpose, dispassion as its benefit; dispassion has knowledge and vision of liberation as its purpose, knowledge and vision of liberation as its benefit. Thus, Ānanda, wholesome virtues progressively lead to fulfillment in arahantship."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.