{"collection":"Samyutta Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_sn12.35/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_sn12.35","id":"suttacentral_sn12.35","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/sn12.35/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Early Buddhist Texts","Samyutta Nikaya"],"text":"At S\u0101vatth\u012b. \u201cIgnorance is a requirement for choices. Choices are a requirement for consciousness. \u2026 That is how this entire mass of suffering originates.\u201d When this was said, one of the mendicants said to the Buddha, \u201cWhat are old age and death, sir, and who do they belong to?\u201d \u201cThat\u2019s not a cogent question,\u201d said the Buddha. \u201cYou might say, \u2018What are old age and death, and who do they belong to?\u2019 Or you might say, \u2018Old age and death are one thing, who they belong to is another.\u2019 But both of these mean the same thing, only the phrasing differs. Mendicant, if you have the view that the soul and the body are one and the same, there is no living of the spiritual life. If you have the view that the soul is one thing, the body another, there is no living of the spiritual life. Avoiding these two extremes, the Realized One teaches by the middle way: \u2018Rebirth is a requirement for old age and death.\u2019\u201d \u201cWhat is rebirth, sir, and who does it belong to?\u201d \u201cThat\u2019s not a cogent question,\u201d said the Buddha. \u201cYou might say, \u2018What is rebirth, and who does it belong to?\u2019 Or you might say, \u2018Rebirth is one thing, who it belongs to is another.\u2019 But both of these mean the same thing, only the phrasing differs. Mendicant, if you have the view that the soul and the body are one and the same, there is no living of the spiritual life. If you have the view that the soul is one thing, the body another, there is no living of the spiritual life. Avoiding these two extremes, the Realized One teaches by the middle way: \u2018Continued existence is a requirement for rebirth.\u2019\u201d \u201cWhat is continued existence, sir, and who is it for?\u201d \u201cThat\u2019s not a cogent question,\u201d said the Buddha. \u201cYou might say, \u2018What is continued existence, and who does it belong to?\u2019 Or you might say, \u2018Continued existence is one thing, who it belongs to is another.\u2019 But both of these mean the same thing, only the phrasing differs. Mendicant, if you have the view that the soul and the body are one and the same, there is no living of the spiritual life. If you have the view that the soul is one thing, the body another, there is no living of the spiritual life. Avoiding these two extremes, the Realized One teaches by the middle way: \u2018Grasping is a requirement for continued existence.\u2019 \u2026 \u2018Craving is a requirement for grasping.\u2019 \u2026 \u2018Feeling is a requirement for craving.\u2019 \u2026 \u2018Contact is a requirement for feeling.\u2019 \u2026 \u2018The six sense fields are requirements for contact.\u2019 \u2026 \u2018Name and form are requirements for the six sense fields.\u2019 \u2026 \u2018Consciousness is a requirement for name and form.\u2019 \u2026 \u2018Choices are a requirement for consciousness.\u2019\u201d \u201cWhat are choices, sir, and who do they belong to?\u201d \u201cThat\u2019s not a cogent question,\u201d said the Buddha. \u201cYou might say, \u2018What are choices, and who do they belong to?\u2019 Or you might say, \u2018Choices are one thing, who they belong to is another.\u2019 But both of these mean the same thing, only the phrasing differs. Mendicant, if you have the view that the soul and the body are one and the same, there is no living of the spiritual life. If you have the view that the soul is one thing, the body another, there is no living of the spiritual life. Avoiding these two extremes, the Realized One teaches by the middle way: \u2018Ignorance is a requirement for choices.\u2019 When ignorance fades away and ceases with no residue left behind, then any twists, ducks, and dodges are given up: \u2018What are old age and death, and who do they belong to?\u2019 or \u2018old age and death are one thing, who they belong to is another\u2019, or \u2018the soul and the body are one and the same\u2019, or \u2018the soul is one thing, the body another.\u2019 These are all cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated, and unable to arise in the future. When ignorance fades away and ceases no residue left behind, then any twists, ducks, and dodges are given up: \u2018What is rebirth, and who does it belong to?\u2019 or \u2018rebirth is one thing, who it belongs to is another\u2019, or \u2018the soul and the body are one and the same\u2019, or \u2018the soul is one thing, the body another.\u2019 These are all cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated, and unable to arise in the future. When ignorance fades away and ceases no residue left behind, then any twists, ducks, and dodges are given up: \u2018What is continued existence \u2026\u2019 \u2018What is grasping \u2026\u2019 \u2018What is craving \u2026\u2019 \u2018What is feeling \u2026\u2019 \u2018What is contact \u2026\u2019 \u2018What are the six sense fields \u2026\u2019 \u2018What are name and form \u2026\u2019 \u2018What is consciousness \u2026\u2019 When ignorance fades away and ceases no residue left behind, then any twists, ducks, and dodges are given up: \u2018What are choices, and who do they belong to?\u2019 or \u2018choices are one thing, who they belong to is another\u2019, or \u2018the soul and the body are one and the same\u2019, or \u2018the soul is one thing, the body another.\u2019 These are all cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated, and unable to arise in the future.\u201d","title":"Ignorance is a Requirement","tradition":"Samyutta Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":897}