At Sāvatthī.
“Mendicants, if you get involved, you’re not free. If you’re not involved, you’re free.
Should consciousness involved with form, supported by form, established on form continue to remain, with a sprinkling of relishing it would grow, increase, and mature.
Or should consciousness involved with feeling remain …
Or should consciousness involved with perception remain …
Or should consciousness involved with choices, supported by choices, established on choices continue to remain, with a sprinkling of relishing it would grow, increase, and mature.
Mendicants, suppose you say: ‘Apart from form, feeling, perception, and choices, I will describe the coming and going of consciousness, its passing away and reappearing, its growth, increase, and maturity.’ That is not possible.
If a mendicant has given up greed for the form element, the support is cut off, and there is no establishment of consciousness.
If a mendicant has given up greed for the feeling element …
perception element …
choices element …
consciousness element, the support is cut off, and there is no establishment of consciousness. Since that consciousness does not become established and does not grow, not making choices, it is freed.
Being free, it’s stable. Being stable, it’s content. Being content, they’re not anxious. Not being anxious, they personally become extinguished.
They understand: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.’”