Daily Sūtra 7–Why Does Anything Exist? (Mahānidānasutta)
Channel: Consciousness Research Centre
Date: 2021-12-17

Before one can settle the mind and attain enlightenment, one has to answer the Big Questions to one’s satisfaction. One of the biggest questions is, “Why does anything exist?” Buddha’s cousin Ānanda asks this question, and the Buddha answers:

Ettāvatā kho, Ānanda, jāyetha vā jīyetha vā mīyetha vā cavetha vā upapajjetha vā: 
Ettāvatā adhivacanapatho, ettāvatā niruttipatho, ettāvatā paññattipatho— 
Ettāvatā paññāvacara, ettāvatā vattam vattati itthattam paññāpanāya yadidma nāmarūpaṃ saha viññāṇena.

“Insofar only, Ānanda, can one be born, or grow old, or die, or pass away, or reappear: 

insofar only is there any pathway for verbal expression, insofar only is there any pathway for terminology, insofar only is there any pathway for designation, insofar only is the range of wisdom—

insofar only is the round kept going for there to be a designation as a this-ness. That is to say: name-and-form together with consciousness.” 
   —Mahānidānasutta (DN 15) Complete text: https://suttacentral.net/dn15/en/bodhi

More on this topic: The Whirlpool of Becoming https://youtu.be/6qt1x2q1jqU