At Sāvatthī.
“Mendicants, there are five kinds of plants. What five? Plants propagated from roots, trunks, cuttings, or joints; and those from regular seeds are the fifth.
Suppose these five kinds of plants were intact, unspoiled, not weather-damaged, fertile, and well-kept. But there’s no earth or water. Then would these five kinds of plants reach growth, increase, and maturity?”
“No, sir.”
“Suppose these five kinds of plants were intact, unspoiled, not weather-damaged, fertile, and well-kept. And there is earth and water. Then would these five kinds of plants reach growth, increase, and maturity?”
“Yes, sir.”
“The four establishings of consciousness should be seen as like the earth element. Relishing and greed should be seen as like the water element. Consciousness with its fuel should be seen as like the five kinds of plants.
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 … there is nothing further for this place.’”