Thus I have heard: One time, the Buddha was staying at Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park in Jeta’s Grove of Śrāvastī.

It was then that the Bhagavān addressed the monks, “In the past, I had pursued and practiced the enjoyment of form. When I realized the enjoyment of form as a result, I truly saw it with wisdom. Thus, I had pursued and practiced the enjoyment of feeling … conception … volition … consciousness. When I realized the enjoyment of feeling … conception … volition … consciousness as a result, I truly saw it with wisdom.

“Monks, I pursued and practiced the trouble of form. When I realized form’s trouble as a result, I truly saw it with wisdom. Thus, I pursued and practiced the trouble of feeling … conception … volition … consciousness. When I realized the trouble of consciousness as a result, I truly saw it with wisdom.

“Monks, I pursued and practiced the escape from form. When I realized the escape from form as a result, I truly saw it with wisdom. Thus, I pursued and practiced the escape from feeling … conception … volition … consciousness. When I realized the escape from consciousness as a result, I truly saw it with wisdom.

“Monks, had I not truly known the enjoyment of the five acquired aggregates to be enjoyment … trouble to be trouble … escape to be escape, I wouldn’t be freed, escaped, and parted with them. I would have forever stood in delusion among gods like Māra or Brahmā, ascetics and priests, or the assemblies of gods and humans, and I couldn’t have realized my attainment of the unsurpassed and complete awakening.

“Monks, it’s because I truly knew the enjoyment of the five acquired aggregates to be enjoyment … trouble to be trouble … escape to be escape that I was freed, escaped, parted, and liberated from bondage. I never again stood in delusion among gods like Māra or Brahmā, ascetics and priests, or the assemblies of gods and humans, and I could realize my attainment of the unsurpassed and complete awakening.”

When the monks heard what the Buddha taught, they rejoiced and approved.

Summary Verse

[11-14] The past explained in four ways,

[15] Disillusionment and [16] liberation,

[17-18] Two ways of explaining causes and conditions,

[19-20] And two kinds of enjoyment.