Paṭhama Cetanā Sutta (8)
On the Arising and Ceasing of the Mass of Dukkha
[145] The Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī, in the Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. There the Blessed One said:
“Bhikkhus, whatever a bhikkhu intends (cetanā), whatever he thinks (vitakka), whatever he obsessively ponders (vicāra), that becomes an ārammaṇa-paccaya — a condition, an object-basis for the establishment of viññāṇa (consciousness).
Where there is an ārammaṇa-paccaya, there the establishment of viññāṇa occurs. When that viññāṇa is established and grows, there is the arising of bhava (a new becoming). With becoming as condition, there is jāti (birth); with birth, there is aging-and-death, grief, lamentation, pain, sorrow, and despair. Thus is the arising of this whole mass of dukkha.
“Bhikkhus, even when a bhikkhu does not intend and does not think, but still obsessively ponders something, that too becomes an ārammaṇa-paccaya for the establishment of viññāṇa. With the establishment of viññāṇa, becoming arises; with becoming, birth; and with birth — aging-and-death, grief, lamentation, pain, sorrow, and despair. Thus again the arising of this whole mass of dukkha comes to be.
[146] “Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu does not intend, does not think, and does not obsessively ponder anything, then that does not become an ārammaṇa-paccaya for the establishment of viññāṇa. Where there is no such condition, there is no establishment of viññāṇa. Where viññāṇa is not established and does not grow, there is no arising of becoming; where there is no becoming, there is no birth; where there is no birth, aging-and-death, grief, lamentation, pain, sorrow, and despair are extinguished.
Thus is the cessation of this whole mass of dukkha.”
End of the Paṭhama Cetanā Sutta (8)
Short Pāli Glossary (concise · intensive)
cetanā — intention; volition; the act of willing. vitakka — directed thought; the initial placing of the mind. vicāra — sustained thought; the continued examination of the object. ārammaṇa — object; basis for consciousness. ārammaṇa-paccaya — object-condition; the object as condition for consciousness to arise or establish. viññāṇa — consciousness; awareness tied to a specific object. upapatti-bhava / kammabhava — modes of becoming (here: “bhava” as the arising of a next existence). jāti — birth. jarāmaraṇa — aging-and-death. soka / parideva / dukkha / domanassa / upāyāsa — grief, lamentation, pain, sorrow, despair. dukkha-khandha — the mass or heap of suffering. nirodha — cessation; stopping. Paṭiccasamuppāda — dependent origination (teaching framework implied strongly here). manasikāra — attention; mental application (here: “obsessive pondering” relates to unwise attention).