[212] 5. There Venerable Ānanda addressed the bhikkhus … "Friends, for an immoral person, one deficient in virtue (sīla), non-regret (avippaṭisāra) is deprived of its proximate cause (upanisā). When there is no non-regret, for one deficient in non-regret, gladness (pāmojja) is deprived of its proximate cause. When there is no gladness, for one deficient in gladness, rapture (pīti) is deprived of its proximate cause. When there is no rapture, for one deficient in rapture, tranquility (passaddhi) is deprived of its proximate cause. When there is no tranquility, for one deficient in tranquility, happiness (sukha) is deprived of its proximate cause. When there is no happiness, for one deficient in happiness, right concentration (sammāsamādhi) is deprived of its proximate cause. When there is no right concentration, for one deficient in right concentration, knowledge and vision of things as they really are (yathābhūtañāṇadassana) is deprived of its proximate cause. When there is no knowledge and vision of things as they really are, for one deficient in knowledge and vision of things as they really are, disenchantment (nibbidā) is deprived of its proximate cause. When there is no disenchantment, for one deficient in disenchantment, dispassion (virāga) is deprived of its proximate cause. When there is no dispassion, for one deficient in dispassion, knowledge and vision of liberation (vimuttiñāṇadassana) is deprived of its proximate cause.
"Just as, friends, when a tree is deficient in branches and foliage, its shoots do not grow to fullness, and its bark, softwood, and heartwood do not grow to fullness; even so, friends, for an immoral person, one deficient in virtue, non-regret is deprived of its proximate cause. When there is no non-regret, for one deficient in non-regret, gladness is deprived of its proximate cause … knowledge and vision of liberation.
"Friends, for a virtuous person, one accomplished in virtue, non-regret possesses its proximate cause. When there is non-regret, for one accomplished in non-regret, gladness possesses its proximate cause. When there is gladness, for one accomplished in gladness, rapture possesses its proximate cause. When there is rapture, for one accomplished in rapture, tranquility possesses its proximate cause. When there is tranquility, for one accomplished in tranquility, happiness possesses its proximate cause. When there is happiness, for one accomplished in happiness, right concentration possesses its proximate cause. When there is right concentration, for one accomplished in right concentration, knowledge and vision of things as they really are possesses its proximate cause. When there is knowledge and vision of things as they really are, for one accomplished in knowledge and vision of things as they really are, disenchantment possesses its proximate cause. When there is disenchantment, for one accomplished in disenchantment, dispassion possesses its proximate cause. When there is dispassion, for one accomplished in dispassion, knowledge and vision of liberation possesses its proximate cause.
"Just as, when a tree is accomplished in branches and foliage, its shoots grow to fullness, and its bark, softwood, and heartwood grow to fullness; even so, friends, for a virtuous person, one accomplished in virtue, non-regret possesses its proximate cause. When there is non-regret, for one accomplished in non-regret, gladness possesses its proximate cause … knowledge and vision of liberation."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.