1Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park. Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him:

(1) "Bhante, what is the purpose and benefit of wholesome virtuous behavior?"

(2) "Ānanda, the purpose and benefit of wholesome virtuous behavior is non-regret."

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2(3) "And what, Bhante, is the purpose and benefit of non-regret?"

"The purpose and benefit of non-regret is joy."

3(4) "And what, Bhante, is the purpose and benefit of joy?"

"The purpose and benefit of joy is rapture."

4(5) "And what, Bhante, is the purpose and benefit of rapture?"

"The purpose and benefit of rapture is tranquility."

5(6) "And what, Bhante, is the purpose and benefit of tranquility?"

"The purpose and benefit of tranquility is pleasure."

6(7) "And what, Bhante, is the purpose and benefit of pleasure?"

"The purpose and benefit of pleasure is concentration."

7(8) "And what, Bhante, is the purpose and benefit of concentration?"

"The purpose and benefit of concentration is the knowledge and vision of things as they really are."

8(9) "And what, Bhante, is the purpose and benefit of the knowledge and vision of things as they really are?"

"The purpose and benefit of the knowledge and vision of things as they really are is disenchantment."

9(10) And what, Bhante, is the purpose and benefit of disenchantment?"

"The purpose and benefit of disenchantment is dispassion."

10(11) "And what, Bhante, is the purpose and benefit of dispassion?"

"The purpose and benefit of dispassion is the knowledge and vision of liberation."

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11"Thus, Ānanda, (1) –(2) the purpose and benefit of wholesome virtuous behavior is non-regret; (3) the purpose and benefit of non-regret is joy; (4) the purpose and benefit of joy is rapture; (5) the purpose and benefit of rapture is tranquility; (6) the purpose and benefit of tranquility is pleasure; (7) the purpose and benefit of pleasure is concentration; (8) the purpose and benefit of concentration is the knowledge and vision of things as they really are; (9) the purpose and benefit of the knowledge and vision of things as they really are is disenchantment; (10) the purpose and benefit of disenchantment is dispassion; and (10) the purpose and benefit of dispassion is the knowledge and vision of liberation. Thus, Ānanda, wholesome virtuous behavior progressively leads to the foremost."

1Evaṁ me sutaṁ—​ ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Atha kho āyasmā ānando yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

"Kimatthiyāni, bhante, kusalāni sīlāni kimānisaṁsānī"ti?

"Avippaṭisāratthāni kho, ānanda, kusalāni sīlāni avippaṭisārānisaṁsānī"ti.

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2"Avippaṭisāro pana, bhante, kimatthiyo kimānisaṁso?"

"Avippaṭisāro kho, ānanda, pāmojjattho pāmojjānisaṁso".

3"Pāmojjaṁ pana, bhante, kimatthiyaṁ kimānisaṁsaṁ?"

"Pāmojjaṁ kho, ānanda, pītatthaṁ pītānisaṁsaṁ."

4"Pīti pana, bhante, kimatthiyā kimānisaṁsā?"

"Pīti kho, ānanda, passaddhatthā passaddhānisaṁsā."

5"Passaddhi pana, bhante, kimatthiyā kimānisaṁsā?"

"Passaddhi kho, ānanda, sukhatthā sukhānisaṁsā."

6"Sukhaṁ pana, bhante, kimatthiyaṁ kimānisaṁsaṁ?"

"Sukhaṁ kho, ānanda, samādhatthaṁ samādhānisaṁsaṁ."

7"Samādhi pana, bhante, kimatthiyo kimānisaṁso?"

"Samādhi kho, ānanda, yathābhūtañāṇadassanattho yathābhūtañāṇadassanānisaṁso."

8"Yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṁ pana, bhante, kimatthiyaṁ kimānisaṁsaṁ?"

"Yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṁ kho, ānanda, nibbidatthaṁ nibbidānisaṁsaṁ."

9"Nibbidā pana, bhante, kimatthiyā kimānisaṁsā?"

"Nibbidā kho, ānanda, virāgatthā virāgānisaṁsā."

10"Virāgo pana, bhante, kimatthiyo kimānisaṁso?"

"Virāgo kho, ānanda, vimuttiñāṇadassanattho vimuttiñāṇadassanānisaṁso.

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11Iti kho, ānanda, kusalāni sīlāni avippaṭisāratthāni avippaṭisārānisaṁsāni, avippaṭisāro pāmojjattho pāmojjānisaṁso, pāmojjaṁ pītatthaṁ pītānisaṁsaṁ, pīti passaddhatthā passaddhānisaṁsā, passaddhi sukhatthā sukhānisaṁsā, sukhaṁ samādhatthaṁ samādhānisaṁsaṁ, samādhi yathābhūtañāṇadassanattho yathābhūtañāṇadassanānisaṁso, yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṁ nibbidatthaṁ nibbidānisaṁsaṁ, nibbidā virāgatthā virāgānisaṁsā, virāgo vimuttiñāṇadassanattho vimuttiñāṇadassanānisaṁso. Iti kho, ānanda, kusalāni sīlāni anupubbena aggāya parentī"ti.

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Paṭhamaṁ.