Vital Conditions (1st)Paṭhamaupanisāsutta

“Mendicants, an unethical person, who lacks ethics, has destroyed a vital condition for having no regrets.“Dussīlassa, bhikkhave, sīlavipannassa hatūpaniso hoti avippaṭisāro. When there are regrets, one who has regrets has destroyed a vital condition for joy.Avippaṭisāre asati avippaṭisāravipannassa hatūpanisaṁ hoti pāmojjaṁ. When there is no joy, one who lacks joy has destroyed a vital condition for rapture.Pāmojje asati pāmojjavipannassa hatūpanisā hoti pīti. When there is no rapture, one who lacks rapture has destroyed a vital condition for tranquility.Pītiyā asati pītivipannassa hatūpanisā hoti passaddhi. When there is no tranquility, one who lacks tranquility has destroyed a vital condition for bliss.Passaddhiyā asati passaddhivipannassa hatūpanisaṁ hoti sukhaṁ. When there is no bliss, one who lacks bliss has destroyed a vital condition for right immersion.Sukhe asati sukhavipannassa hatūpaniso hoti sammāsamādhi. When there is no right immersion, one who lacks right immersion has destroyed a vital condition for true knowledge and vision.Sammāsamādhimhi asati sammāsamādhivipannassa hatūpanisaṁ hoti yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṁ. When there is no true knowledge and vision, one who lacks true knowledge and vision has destroyed a vital condition for disillusionment.Yathābhūtañāṇadassane asati yathābhūtañāṇadassanavipannassa hatūpanisā hoti nibbidā. When there is no disillusionment, one who lacks disillusionment has destroyed a vital condition for dispassion.Nibbidāya asati nibbidāvipannassa hatūpaniso hoti virāgo. When there is no dispassion, one who lacks dispassion has destroyed a vital condition for knowledge and vision of freedom.Virāge asati virāgavipannassa hatūpanisaṁ hoti vimuttiñāṇadassanaṁ.

Suppose there was a tree that lacked branches and foliage. Its shoots, bark, softwood, and heartwood would not grow to fullness.Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, rukkho sākhāpalāsavipanno. Tassa papaṭikāpi na pāripūriṁ gacchati, tacopi … pheggupi … sāropi na pāripūriṁ gacchati.

In the same way, an unethical person, who lacks ethics, has destroyed a vital condition for having no regrets.Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, dussīlassa sīlavipannassa hatūpaniso hoti avippaṭisāro, When there are regrets, one who has regrets has destroyed a vital condition for joy. …avippaṭisāre asati avippaṭisāravipannassa hatūpanisaṁ hoti pāmojjaṁ …pe… When there is no dispassion, one who lacks dispassion has destroyed a vital condition for knowledge and vision of freedom.vimuttiñāṇadassanaṁ.

An ethical person, who has fulfilled ethics, has fulfilled a vital condition for not having regrets.Sīlavato, bhikkhave, sīlasampannassa upanisasampanno hoti avippaṭisāro, When there are no regrets, one who has no regrets has fulfilled a vital condition for joy.avippaṭisāre sati avippaṭisārasampannassa upanisasampannaṁ hoti pāmojjaṁ, When there is joy, one who has fulfilled joy has fulfilled a vital condition for rapture.pāmojje sati pāmojjasampannassa upanisasampannā hoti pīti, When there is rapture, one who has fulfilled rapture has fulfilled a vital condition for tranquility.pītiyā sati pītisampannassa upanisasampannā hoti passaddhi, When there is tranquility, one who has fulfilled tranquility has fulfilled a vital condition for bliss.passaddhiyā sati passaddhisampannassa upanisasampannaṁ hoti sukhaṁ, When there is bliss, one who has fulfilled bliss has fulfilled a vital condition for right immersion.sukhe sati sukhasampannassa upanisasampanno hoti sammāsamādhi, When there is right immersion, one who has fulfilled right immersion has fulfilled a vital condition for true knowledge and vision.sammāsamādhimhi sati sammāsamādhisampannassa upanisasampannaṁ hoti yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṁ, When there is true knowledge and vision, one who has fulfilled true knowledge and vision has fulfilled a vital condition for disillusionment.yathābhūtañāṇadassane sati yathābhūtañāṇadassanasampannassa upanisasampannā hoti nibbidā, When there is disillusionment, one who has fulfilled disillusionment has fulfilled a vital condition for dispassion.nibbidāya sati nibbidāsampannassa upanisasampanno hoti virāgo, When there is dispassion, one who has fulfilled dispassion has fulfilled a vital condition for knowledge and vision of freedom.virāge sati virāgasampannassa upanisasampannaṁ hoti vimuttiñāṇadassanaṁ.

Suppose there was a tree that was complete with branches and foliage. Its shoots, bark, softwood, and heartwood would grow to fullness.Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, rukkho sākhāpalāsasampanno. Tassa papaṭikāpi pāripūriṁ gacchati, tacopi … pheggupi … sāropi pāripūriṁ gacchati.

In the same way, an ethical person, who has fulfilled ethics, has fulfilled a vital condition for not having regrets.Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, sīlavato sīlasampannassa upanisasampanno hoti avippaṭisāro, When there are no regrets, one who has no regrets has fulfilled a vital condition for joy. …avippaṭisāre sati avippaṭisārasampannassa upanisasampannaṁ hoti …pe… When there is dispassion, one who has fulfilled dispassion has fulfilled a vital condition for knowledge and vision of freedom.”vimuttiñāṇadassanan”ti.