1At Sāvatthī. "Bhikkhus, when one dwells contemplating gratification in things that can fetter, there is a descent of name-and-form. [n.150] Nāmarūpassa avakkanti. Spk does not comment, but in the light of other suttas we might assume the statement to mean that the craving that underlies "contemplating gratification in things that can fetter" is the principal sustaining cause for the process of rebirth, which begins with "the descent of name-and-form." See in this connection SN12.39, 12:64, and n. 115.

With name-and-form as condition, the six sense bases … contact … feeling … craving … clinging … existence … birth … aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair come to be.

Such is the origin of this whole mass of suffering.

2"Suppose, bhikkhus, there was a great tree, and all its roots going downwards and across would send the sap upwards. Sustained by that sap, nourished by it, that great tree would stand for a very long time.

So too, when one lives contemplating gratification in things that can fetter, there is a descent of name-and-form.

With name-and-form as condition, the six sense bases … contact … feeling … craving … clinging … existence … birth … aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair come to be.

Such is the origin of this whole mass of suffering.

3"When, bhikkhus, one dwells contemplating danger in things that can fetter, there is no descent of name-and-form. sn.ii.91

With the cessation of name-and-form comes cessation of the six sense bases … contact … feeling … craving … clinging … existence … birth … aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair.

Such is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering.

4"Suppose, bhikkhus, there was a great tree. Then a man would come along bringing a shovel and a basket. He would cut down the tree at its foot … he would winnow the ashes in a strong wind or let them be carried away by the swift current of a river. Thus that great tree would be cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated so that it is no more subject to future arising.

"So too, bhikkhus, when one dwells contemplating danger in things that can fetter, there is no descent of name-and-form.

With the cessation of name-and-form comes cessation of the six sense bases … contact … feeling … craving … clinging … existence … birth … aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair.

Such is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering."

1Sāvatthiyaṁ vihārati. "Saṁyojaniyesu, bhikkhave, dhammesu assādānupassino vihārato nāmarūpassa avakkanti hoti.

Nāmarūpapaccayā saḷāyatanaṁ … pe …

Evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti.

2Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, mahārukkho. Tassa yāni ceva mūlāni adhogamāni, yāni ca tiriyaṅgamāni, sabbāni tāni uddhaṁ ojaṁ abhiharanti. Evañhi so, bhikkhave, mahārukkho tadāhāro tadupādāno ciraṁ dīghamaddhānaṁ tiṭṭheyya.

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, saṁyojaniyesu dhammesu assādānupassino vihārato nāmarūpassa avakkanti hoti

… pe …

3Saṁyojaniyesu, bhikkhave, dhammesu ādīnavānupassino vihārato nāmarūpassa avakkanti na hoti.

Nāmarūpanirodhā saḷāyatananirodho … pe …

Evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hoti.

4Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, mahārukkho. Atha puriso āgaccheyya kuddālapiṭakaṁ ādāya … pe … āyatiṁ anuppāda dhammo.

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, saṁyojaniyesu dhammesu ādīnavānupassino vihārato nāmarūpassa avakkanti na hoti.

Nāmarūpanirodhā saḷāyatananirodho … pe …

Evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hotī"ti.

Aṭṭhamaṁ.