The Related Suttas Collection 22.54

6. Involvement

A Seed

At Sāvatthī.

“Bhikkhus, there are five kinds of plants propagated from seeds. What five? Plants propagated from roots, stems, cuttings, or joints; and those from regular seeds are the fifth.

Suppose these five kinds of plants propagated from seeds were intact, unspoiled, not weather-damaged, fertile, and well-kept. But there’s no soil or water. Then would these five kinds of plants propagated from seeds reach growth, increase, and maturity?”

“No, sir.”

“Suppose these five kinds of plants propagated from seeds were intact, unspoiled, not weather-damaged, fertile, and well-kept. And there is soil and water. Then would these five kinds of plants propagated from seeds reach growth, increase, and maturity?”

“Yes, sir.”

“The four grounds 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 propagated from seeds.

As long as consciousness remains, it would remain involved with form, supported by form, grounded on form. And with a sprinkle of relishing, it would grow, increase, and mature.

Or consciousness would remain involved with feeling …

Or consciousness would remain involved with perception …

Or as long as consciousness remains, it would remain involved with functioning patterns, supported by functioning patterns, grounded on functioning patterns. And with a sprinkle of relishing, it would grow, increase, and mature.

Bhikkhus, suppose you say: ‘Apart from form, feeling, perception, and functioning patterns, 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 bhikkhu has given up greed for the form element, the support is cut off, and there is no foundation for consciousness.

If a bhikkhu has given up greed for the feeling element …

perception element …

functioning patterns element …

consciousness element, the support is cut off, and there is no foundation for consciousness. Since that consciousness does not become established and does not grow, with no power to regenerate, 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 no return to any state of existence.’”