AN10.61 — Avijjāsutta
Disciples, the prior end of ignorance is not discernible. Thus it is said, but it is discernible. I say that ignorance has its nutriment, it does not lack nutriment.
And what is the nutriment for ignorance?
The five hindrances, should be the answer.
I say that the five hindrances have their nutriment, they do not lack nutriment.
And what is the nutriment for the five hindrances?
The three kinds of misconduct, should be the answer.
I say that the three kinds of misconduct have their nutriment, they do not lack nutriment.
And what is the nutriment for the three kinds of misconduct?
Sense restraint, should be the answer.
I say that sense restraint has its nutriment, it does not lack nutriment.
And what is the nutriment for sense restraint?
Mindfulness and clear knowing, should be the answer.
I say that mindfulness and clear knowing have their nutriment, they do not lack nutriment.
And what is the nutriment for mindfulness and clear knowing?
Unwise attention, should be the answer.
I say that unwise attention has its nutriment, it does not lack nutriment.
And what is the nutriment for unwise attention?
Faithlessness, should be the answer.
I say that faithlessness has its nutriment, it does not lack nutriment.
And what is the nutriment for faithlessness?
Not hearing the true Dhamma, should be the answer.
I say that not hearing the true Dhamma has its nutriment, it does not lack nutriment.
And what is the nutriment for not hearing the true Dhamma?
Association with bad people, should be the answer.
Thus association with bad people fulfills not hearing the true Dhamma, not hearing the true Dhamma fulfills faithlessness, faithlessness fulfills unwise attention, unwise attention fulfills mindfulness and clear knowing, mindfulness and clear knowing fulfill sense restraint, sense restraint fulfills the three kinds of misconduct, the three kinds of misconduct fulfill the five hindrances, the five hindrances fulfill ignorance; thus, this is the nutriment for ignorance, and thus it is fulfilled.
Just as when thick clouds rain heavily on the upper mountains (...) that water, flowing down according to its slope, fills the mountain clefts, crevices, and gullies, the filled mountain clefts, crevices, and gullies fill the small pools, the filled small pools fill the large pools, the filled large pools fill the small rivers, the filled small rivers fill the large rivers, the filled large rivers fill the great ocean;
Just as the great ocean, the sea, has its nourishment and fulfillment, so too associating with bad people fulfills the hearing of wrong teachings, the hearing of wrong teachings fulfills lack of faith, lack of faith fulfills unwise attention, unwise attention fulfills lack of mindfulness and clear knowing, lack of mindfulness and clear knowing fulfills lack of restraint of the senses, lack of restraint of the senses fulfills the three kinds of misconduct, the three kinds of misconduct fulfill the five hindrances, the five hindrances fulfill ignorance; thus ignorance has its nourishment and fulfillment.
I say that knowing and liberation have nourishment, not without nourishment.
And what is the nourishment for knowing and liberation?
It should be said: the seven factors of enlightenment.
I say that the seven factors of enlightenment have nourishment, not without nourishment.
And what is the nourishment for the seven factors of enlightenment?
It should be said: the four foundations of mindfulness.
I say that the four foundations of mindfulness have nourishment, not without nourishment.
And what is the nourishment for the four foundations of mindfulness?
It should be said: the three kinds of good conduct.
I say that the three kinds of good conduct have nourishment, not without nourishment.
And what is the nourishment for the three kinds of good conduct?
It should be said: restraint of the senses.
I say that restraint of the senses has nourishment, not without nourishment.
And what is the nourishment for restraint of the senses?
It should be said: mindfulness and clear knowing.
I say that mindfulness and clear knowing have nourishment, not without nourishment.
And what is the nourishment for mindfulness and clear knowing?
It should be said: wise attention.
I say that wise attention has nourishment, not without nourishment.
And what is the nourishment for wise attention?
It should be said: faith.
I say that faith has nourishment, not without nourishment.
And what is the nourishment for faith?
It should be said: hearing the true teachings.
I say that hearing the true teachings has nourishment, not without nourishment.
And what is the nourishment for hearing the true teachings?
It should be said: associating with good people.
Thus associating with good people fulfills the hearing of the true teachings, the hearing of the true teachings fulfills faith, faith fulfills wise attention, wise attention fulfills mindfulness and clear knowing, mindfulness and clear knowing fulfill restraint of the senses, restraint of the senses fulfills the three kinds of good conduct, the three kinds of good conduct fulfill the four foundations of mindfulness, the four foundations of mindfulness fulfill the seven factors of enlightenment, the seven factors of enlightenment fulfill knowing and liberation.
Just as when heavy rain pours down on the mountain top, the water flows down along the slope and fills the mountain clefts, crevices, and gullies; these filled clefts, crevices, and gullies fill the small pools; the small pools, being filled, fill the large pools; the large pools, being filled, fill the small rivers; the small rivers, being filled, fill the large rivers; the large rivers, being filled, fill the great ocean;
In the same way, the great ocean gets its nourishment and is filled.
In the same way associating with good persons fills up hearing the true Dhamma; hearing the true Dhamma fills up faith; faith, being filled, fills up careful attention; careful attention, being filled, fills up mindfulness and clear knowing; mindfulness and clear knowing, being filled, fill up restraint of the sense faculties; restraint of the sense faculties, being filled, fills up the three kinds of good conduct; the three kinds of good conduct, being filled, fill up the four foundations of mindfulness; the four foundations of mindfulness, being filled, fill up the seven factors of enlightenment; the seven factors of enlightenment, being filled, fill up true knowing and liberation;
In this way, true knowing and liberation get their nourishment and are filled.