SN22.60 — The Discourse to Mahāli

Thus have I heard: At one time, the Blessed One was staying in Vesālī, in the Great Wood, at the Hall with the Peaked Roof.

Then Mahāli the Licchavi approached the Blessed One … and, having sat down to one side, Mahāli the Licchavi said to the Blessed One:

Venerable sir, Pūraṇa Kassapa says this:

There is no cause, there is no condition for the defilement of beings; beings are defiled without cause, without condition.

There is no cause, there is no condition for the purification of beings; beings are purified without cause, without condition.

What does the Blessed One say about this?

There is, Mahāli, a cause, there is a condition for the defilement of beings; beings are defiled with cause, with condition.

There is, Mahāli, a cause, there is a condition for the purification of beings; beings are purified with cause, with condition.

But what, venerable sir, is the cause, what is the condition for the defilement of beings; how are beings defiled with cause, with condition?

Mahāli, if form were exclusively suffering, immersed in suffering, steeped in suffering, not steeped in pleasure, beings would not become enamored with form.

But because form is pleasurable, immersed in pleasure, steeped in pleasure, not steeped in suffering, beings become enamored with form;

being enamored, they are bound; being bound, they are defiled.

This, Mahāli, is the cause, this is the condition for the defilement of beings;

thus beings are defiled with cause, with condition.

If feeling were exclusively suffering, immersed in suffering, steeped in suffering, not steeped in pleasure, beings would not become enamored with feeling.

But because feeling is pleasurable, immersed in pleasure, steeped in pleasure, not steeped in suffering, beings become enamored with feeling;

being enamored, they are bound; being bound, they are defiled.

This too, Mahāli, is the cause, this is the condition for the defilement of beings.

Thus beings are defiled with cause, with condition.

If perception were exclusively suffering …

If formations were exclusively suffering, immersed in suffering, steeped in suffering, not steeped in pleasure, beings would not become enamored with formations.

But because formations are pleasurable, immersed in pleasure, steeped in pleasure, not steeped in suffering, beings become enamored with formations;

being enamored, they are bound; being bound, they are defiled.

This too, Mahāli, is the cause, this is the condition for the defilement of beings.

Thus beings are defiled with cause, with condition.

If consciousness were exclusively suffering, immersed in suffering, steeped in suffering, not steeped in pleasure, beings would not become enamored with consciousness.

But because consciousness is pleasurable, immersed in pleasure, steeped in pleasure, not steeped in suffering, beings become enamored with consciousness;

being enamored, they are bound; being bound, they are defiled.

This too, Mahāli, is the cause, this is the condition for the defilement of beings.

Thus beings are defiled with cause, with condition.

But what, venerable sir, is the cause, what is the condition for the purification of beings; how are beings purified with cause, with condition?

Mahāli, if form were exclusively pleasurable, immersed in pleasure, steeped in pleasure, not steeped in suffering, beings would not become disenchanted with form.

But because form is suffering, immersed in suffering, steeped in suffering, not steeped in pleasure, beings become disenchanted with form;

being disenchanted, they become dispassionate; being dispassionate, they are purified.

This, Mahāli, is the cause, this is the condition for the purification of beings.

Thus beings are purified with cause, with condition.

If feeling were exclusively pleasurable …

If perception were exclusively pleasurable …

If formations were exclusively pleasurable, immersed in pleasure, steeped in pleasure, not steeped in suffering, beings would not become disenchanted with formations.

But because formations are suffering, immersed in suffering, steeped in suffering, not steeped in pleasure, beings become disenchanted with formations;

being disenchanted, they become dispassionate; being dispassionate, they are purified.

This too, Mahāli, is the cause, this is the condition for the purification of beings.

Thus beings are purified with cause, with condition.

If consciousness were exclusively pleasurable, immersed in pleasure, steeped in pleasure, not steeped in suffering, beings would not become disenchanted with consciousness.

But because consciousness is suffering, immersed in suffering, steeped in suffering, not steeped in pleasure, beings become disenchanted with consciousness;

being disenchanted, they become dispassionate; being dispassionate, they are purified.

This too, Mahāli, is the cause, this is the condition for the purification of beings.

Thus beings are purified with cause, with condition.

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