Excitement is Discontentedness

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.

(Reference: SN 22.5)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how the mind (i.e. consciousness) clinging to excitement creates the conditions for continued existence, birth, aging-and-death, along with all discontentedness such as “sorrow, grief, pain, displeasure, and despair”.

It is due to birth that a being experiences discontentedness. If a being does not experience birth, they will no longer experience discontentedness.

Holding on to existence means the mind is still clinging and will continue to experience The Cycle of Rebirth and continue to experience discontentedness until the mind is trained to “let go”.

It is only when a Practitioner learns, reflects, and practices these Teachings that the mind will acquire wisdom to remedy ignorance (unknowing of true reality) which eliminates the condition that is creating rebirth. Through deeply understanding Dependent Origination, a Practitioner will come to understand how wisdom is the solution to the unEnlightened mind eliminating discontentedness and will allow one to escape The Cycle of Rebirth.