A Stream-Enterer Knowing and Seeing in These Ways

Good, Monks! So you say thus, and I also say thus:

When this does not exist, that does not come to be; with the elimination of this, that is eliminated.

That is, 

with the elimination of ignorance comes elimination of volitional formations (choices/decisions);

with the elimination of volitional formations, elimination of consciousness;

with the elimination of consciousness, elimination of name-and-form;

with the elimination of name-and-form, elimination of the six sense base;

with the elimination of the six sense base, elimination of contact;

with the elimination of contact, elimination of feeling;

with the elimination of feeling, elimination of craving;

with the elimination of craving, elimination of clinging;

with the elimination of clinging, elimination of existence;

with the elimination of existence, elimination of birth;

with the elimination of birth, aging-and-death, sorrow, grief, pain, displeasure, and despair is eliminated.

Such is the elimination of this whole mass of discontentedness.

(1) Monks, knowing and seeing in this way, would you run back to the past thus: Were we in the past? Were we not in the past? What were we in the past? How were we in the past? Having been what, what did we become in the past?

‘No, Venerable Sir.’

(2) Knowing and seeing in this way, would you run forward to the future thus: Shall we be in the future? Shall we not be in the future? What shall we be in the future? How shall we be in the future? Having been what, what shall we become in the future?

‘No, Venerable Sir.’

(3) Knowing and seeing in this way, would you now be inwardly confused about the present thus: Am I? Am I not? What am I? How am I? Where has this being come from? Where will it go?

‘No, Venerable Sir.’

(4) Monks, knowing and seeing in this way, would you speak thus: Our Teacher is respected by us. We speak like this out of respect for our Teacher?

‘No, Venerable Sir.’

(5) Monks, knowing and seeing in this way, would you speak thus: Our Ascetic says this, and so do [other] Ascetics, it is only because of them that we say this?

‘No, Venerable Sir.’

(6) Monks, knowing and seeing in this way, would you acknowledge another Teacher?

‘No, Venerable Sir.’

(7) Monks, knowing and seeing in this way, would you return to the observances, intense debates, and superstitious rites of various Ascetics and Brāhmins, taking them as the most important aspects [of the holy life]?

‘No, Venerable Sir.’

(8) Monks, do you speak only of what you have known, seen, and understood for yourselves?

‘Yes, Venerable Sir.’

Good, Monks. So you have been guided by me with this Teaching, which is visible here and now, immediately effective, inviting inspection, onward leading, to be experienced by the wise for themselves.

For it was with reference to this that it has been said: Monks, this Teaching is visible here and now, immediately effective, inviting inspection, onward leading, to be experienced by the wise for themselves. 

(Reference: MN 38)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares the elimination of birth, aging-and-death which leads to the complete elimination of discontentedness through The Teachings of Dependent Origination.

Detailed explanation of Dependent Origination is available in this same book found in Chapter 14.

In this Teaching, rather than explaining Dependent Origination as how birth, aging-and-death which leads to a massive amount of discontentedness, The Buddha is explaining the elimination of these aspects of the mind. Essentially, what he is describing is the unraveling of the entire massive amount of discontentedness one has experienced throughout countless rebirths in The Cycle of Rebirth through the elimination of ignorance (unknowing of true reality). This is accomplished to acquiring wisdom. Wisdom is the antidote to eradicate ignorance (unknowing of true reality).

“When this does not exist, that does not come to be; with the elimination of this, that is eliminated” summarizes Dependent Origination at a very high-level.

When certain conditions do not exist, the resulting condition does not come to be or arise. With the elimination of a certain condition, the resulting condition is eliminated.

With the elimination of ignorance (unknowing of true reality) through acquiring wisdom, the entire corresponding sequence of events does not occur including birth, aging-and-death, or the massive amount of discontentedness.

(1) The Buddha is asking his Students that in knowing and understanding Dependent Origination, would the mind be interested to go back to the past? His Students respond that they would not.

(2) The Buddha is asking his Students that in knowing and understanding Dependent Origination, would the mind be interested to go to the future? His Students respond that they would not.

(3) The Buddha is asking his Students that in knowing and understanding Dependent Origination, would the mind be inwardly confused about the present moment with such questions as: Am I?, Am I not?, What am I?, How am I?, Where has this being come from?, Where will it go? His Students respond that they would not.

(4) The Buddha is asking his Students that in knowing and understanding Dependent Origination, would the mind conclude that it is only because they respect their Teacher that they would share Dependent Origination? His Students respond that they would not.

The Students would know that they are not choosing to share Dependent Origination just because they respect their Teacher but because the mind has deeply penetrated Dependent Origination with wisdom and are able to see the truth themselves.

(5) The Buddha is asking his Students that in knowing and understanding Dependent Origination, would the mind conclude that it is only because of other Students (i.e. Ascetics) that they would share Dependent Origination? His Students respond that they would not.

The Students would know that they are not choosing to share Dependent Origination just because of other Students but because the mind has deeply penetrated Dependent Origination with wisdom and are able to see the truth themselves.

(6) The Buddha is asking his Students that in knowing and understanding Dependent Origination, would the mind acknowledge another Teacher beside him? His Students respond that they would not.

(7) The Buddha is asking his Students that in knowing and understanding Dependent Origination, would the mind be interested in returning to the observances, intense debates, and superstitious rites of various Ascetics and Brāhmins, taking them as the most important aspects [of the holy life]? His Students respond that they would not.

The Students would know that Dependent Origination is the truth seeing it deeply with wisdom and that it is this training method that leads to the elimination of birth, aging-and-death, and the massive amount of discontentedness. They would understand that it is not observance of holidays, rites, rituals, ceremonies, or worship that leads to the elimination of discontentedness but instead, through the elimination of each condition of Dependent Origination. Through eliminating each condition described in Dependent Origination, a being will no longer experience discontentedness or rebirth in The Cycle of Rebirth.

(8) The Buddha is asking his Students that in knowing and understanding Dependent Origination, would the mind be interested in only speaking about their acquired wisdom based on the truth of these Teachings rather than speak of that which they have not understood as truth through their own direct experience? His Students respond that they would.

The Students would know that Dependent Origination is the truth seeing it deeply with wisdom and that it is this training method that leads to the elimination of birth, aging-and-death, and the massive amount of discontentedness. They would need to have observed this truth through learning, reflection, and practice, therefore, once a Practitioner deeply penetrates this Teaching, they would not be able to see any other Teaching as the truth. A Practitioner would only speak the truth based on their own direct experience not repeating Teachings that they merely heard from others but instead, share Teachings that they themselves independently verified as being the truth to acquire wisdom.

“Good, Monks. So you have been guided by me with this Teaching, which is visible here and now, immediately effective, inviting inspection, onward leading, to be experienced by the wise for themselves”: The Buddha explains that The Teaching of Dependent Origination is able to be seen clearly right now or “visible here and now”. That this Teaching is “immediately effective” at explaining true reality and that it is “inviting inspection” or investigation. This Teaching is one that will lead forward in helping a Practitioner to progress on The Path to Enlightenment or “onward leading” to be understood and “experienced by the wise for themselves”. A Practitioner is able to independently verify this Teaching for themselves through learning, reflection, and practice. 

“For it was with reference to this that it has been said: Monks, this Teaching is visible here and now, immediately effective, inviting inspection, onward leading, to be experienced by the wise for themselves”: The Buddha closes out this Teaching with this final statement.