{"collection":"Samyutta Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_sn12.36/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_sn12.36","id":"suttacentral_sn12.36","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/sn12.36/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. Mendicants, you 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. 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 \u2018What is rebirth \u2026\u2019 \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 You 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. 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 with no residue left behind, then any twists, ducks, and dodges are given up: \u2018What is rebirth \u2026\u2019 \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 \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 (2nd)","tradition":"Samyutta Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":490}