113. （一一三）诸法本经

I have heard thus:

At one time, the Buddha was traveling in the country of Śrāvastī, staying at the Jeta Grove Anāthapiṇḍada-ārāma.

At that time, the World-Honored One addressed the bhikṣus, saying: "If non-Buddhist practitioners come and ask you, 'What is the basis of all dharmas?' you should answer them like this: 'All dharmas are based on desire.' If they further ask, 'What is the harmony?' you should answer like this: 'The harmony is based on contact.' If they further ask, 'What is the coming?' you should answer like this: 'The coming is based on perception.' If they further ask, 'What is the existence?' you should answer like this: 'The existence is based on conceptualization.' If they further ask, 'What is the master?' you should answer like this: 'The master is based on mindfulness.' If they further ask, 'What is the front?' you should answer like this: 'The front is based on concentration.' If they further ask, 'What is the highest?' you should answer like this: 'The highest is based on wisdom.' If they further ask, 'What is the truth?' you should answer like this: 'The truth is based on liberation.' If they further ask, 'What is the completion?' you should answer like this: 'The completion is based on nirvāṇa.' This is what is meant, bhikṣus! Desire is the basis of all dharmas, contact is the harmony of all dharmas, perception is the coming of all dharmas, conceptualization is the existence of all dharmas, mindfulness is the master of all dharmas, concentration is the front of all dharmas, wisdom is the highest of all dharmas, liberation is the truth of all dharmas, and nirvāṇa is the completion of all dharmas. Therefore, bhikṣus, you should train like this.

"Cultivate the mind of renouncing the world and studying the path, cultivate the thought of impermanence, cultivate the thought of impermanence and suffering, cultivate the thought of suffering and non-self, cultivate the thought of impurity, cultivate the thought of bad food, cultivate the thought of the impermanence of the entire world, cultivate the thought of death. Know the good and bad of the world, cultivate the mind of such thoughts. Know the existence of the world, cultivate the mind of such thoughts. Know the arising, cessation, taste, danger, and exit of the world as it truly is, cultivate the mind of such thoughts. If a bhikṣu cultivates the mind of renouncing the world and studying the path, cultivates the thought of impermanence, cultivates the thought of impermanence and suffering, cultivates the thought of suffering and non-self, cultivates the thought of impurity, cultivates the thought of bad food, cultivates the thought of the impermanence of the entire world, cultivates the thought of death. Knowing the good and bad of the world, cultivates the mind of such thoughts. Knowing the existence of the world, cultivates the mind of such thoughts. Knowing the arising, cessation, taste, danger, and exit of the world as it truly is, cultivates the mind of such thoughts. This is called a bhikṣu who cuts off craving, removes afflictions, and, having rightly known and seen all dharmas, attains the end of suffering."

The Buddha spoke thus. Those bhikṣus, having heard the Buddha's words, rejoiced and upheld them.