Develop Concentration (Second Discourse)

Monks, develop concentration. A Monk who is concentrated understands things as they really are.

And what does he understand as it really is?

The origin and passing away of form; the origin and passing away of feeling; the origin and passing away of perception; the origin and passing away of volitional formations (choices/decisions); the origin and passing away of consciousness.

And what, Monks, is the origin of form? What is the origin of feeling? What is the origin of perception? What is the origin of volitional formations (choices/decisions)? What is the origin of consciousness?

Here, Monks, one seeks excitement, one welcomes, one remains holding. And what is it that one seeks excitement in, what does one welcome, to what does one remain holding?

One seeks excitement in form, welcomes it, and remains holding to it. As a consequence of this, excitement arises. Excitement in form is clinging. With one’s clinging as condition, existence (comes to be); with existence as condition, birth; with birth as condition, aging-and-death, sorrow, grief, pain, displeasure, and despair come to be. Such is the origin of this whole mass of discontentedness.

One seeks excitement in feeling, welcomes it, and remains holding to it. As a consequence of this, excitement arises. Excitement in feeling is clinging. With one’s clinging as condition, existence (comes to be); with existence as condition, birth; with birth as condition, aging-and-death, sorrow, grief, pain, displeasure, and despair come to be. Such is the origin of this whole mass of discontentedness.

One seeks excitement in perception, welcomes it, and remains holding to it. As a consequence of this, excitement arises. Excitement in perception is clinging. With one’s clinging as condition, existence (comes to be); with existence as condition, birth; with birth as condition, aging-and-death, sorrow, grief, pain, displeasure, and despair come to be. Such is the origin of this whole mass of discontentedness.

One seeks excitement in volitional formations (choices/decisions), welcomes it, and remains holding to it. As a consequence of this, excitement arises. Excitement in volitional formations is clinging. With one’s clinging as condition, existence (comes to be); with existence as condition, birth; with birth as condition, aging-and-death, sorrow, grief, pain, displeasure, and despair come to be. Such is the origin of this whole mass of discontentedness.

One seeks excitement in consciousness, welcomes it, and remains holding to it. As a consequence of this, excitement arises. Excitement in consciousness is clinging. With one’s clinging as condition, existence (comes to be); with existence as condition, birth; with birth as condition, aging-and-death, sorrow, grief, pain, displeasure, and despair come to be. Such is the origin of this whole mass of discontentedness.

This, Monks, is the origin of form; this is the origin of feeling; this is the origin of perception; this is the origin of volitional formations; this is the origin of consciousness.

And what, Monks, is the passing away of form? What is the passing away of feeling? What is the passing away of perception? What is the passing away of volitional formations (choices/decisions)? What is the passing away of consciousness?

Here, Monks, one does not seek excitement, one does not welcome, one does not remain holding. And what is it that one does not seek excitement in? What doesn’t one welcome? To what doesn’t one remain holding?

One does not seek excitement in form, does not welcome it, does not remain holding to it. As a consequence of this, excitement in form is eliminated. With the elimination of excitement comes elimination of clinging; with elimination of clinging, elimination of existence; with the elimination of existence comes elimination of birth; with the elimination of birth comes elimination of aging-and-death, sorrow, grief, pain, displeasure, and despair. Such is the elimination of this whole mass of discontentedness.

One does not seek excitement in feeling, does not welcome it, does not remain holding to it. As a consequence of this, excitement in feeling is eliminated. With the elimination of excitement comes elimination of clinging; with elimination of clinging, elimination of existence; with the elimination of existence comes elimination of birth; with the elimination of birth comes elimination of aging-and-death, sorrow, grief, pain, displeasure, and despair. Such is the elimination of this whole mass of discontentedness.

One does not seek excitement in perception, does not welcome it, does not remain holding to it. As a consequence of this, excitement in perception is eliminated. With the elimination of excitement comes elimination of clinging; with elimination of clinging, elimination of existence; with the elimination of existence comes elimination of birth; with the elimination of birth comes elimination of aging-and-death, sorrow, grief, pain, displeasure, and despair. Such is the elimination of this whole mass of discontentedness.

One does not seek excitement in volitional formations (choices/decisions), does not welcome it, does not remain holding to it. As a consequence of this, excitement in volitional formations is eliminated. With the elimination of excitement comes elimination of clinging; with elimination of clinging, elimination of existence; with the elimination of existence comes elimination of birth; with the elimination of birth comes elimination of aging-and-death, sorrow, grief, pain, displeasure, and despair. Such is the elimination of this whole mass of discontentedness.

One does not seek excitement in consciousness, does not welcome it, does not remain holding to it. As a consequence of this, excitement in consciousness is eliminated. With the elimination of excitement comes elimination of clinging; with elimination of clinging, elimination of existence; with the elimination of existence comes elimination of birth; with the elimination of birth comes elimination of aging-and-death, sorrow, grief, pain, displeasure, and despair. Such is the elimination of this whole mass of discontentedness.

With the elimination of excitement comes elimination of clinging; with elimination of clinging, elimination of existence; with the elimination of existence comes elimination of birth; with the elimination of birth comes elimination of aging-and-death, sorrow, grief, pain, displeasure, and despair.

Such is the elimination of this whole mass of discontentedness.

This, Monks, is the passing away of form; this is the passing away of feeling; this is the passing away of perception; this is the passing away of volitional formations (choices/decisions); this is the passing away of consciousness.

(Reference: SN 22.5)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares further details on the development of concentration through understanding The Five Aggregates.

Through seeking excitement in form, feelings, perceptions, volitional formations (choices/decisions), and consciousness, a Practitioner welcomes and remains holding on to existence which leads to further rebirths in The Cycle of Rebirth.

When a Practitioner does not seek excitement in forms, feelings, perceptions, volitional formations (choices/decisions), and consciousness, they do not welcome or remain holding on to The Five Aggregates. Then, a being will escape The Cycle of Rebirth no longer experiencing “birth, aging-and-death, sorrow, grief, pain, displeasure, and despair” described as the whole massive amount of discontentedness.