Linked Discourses 22.53

1. Involvement

Involvement

At Sāvatthī.

“Mendicants, if you get involved, you’re not free. If you’re not involved, you’re free.

As long as consciousness continues, it would get involved with form, supported by form, established on form. And with a sprinkle of relishing, it would grow, increase, and mature.

Or consciousness would get involved with feeling …

Or consciousness would get involved with perception …

Or as long as consciousness continues, it would get involved with choices, supported by choices, established on choices. And with a sprinkle 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.’”