SN 12.40. Intention (3)

At Savatthi.

“Mendicants, what you intend, what you plan, and what you have a tendency towards, that is a foundation for the continuation of consciousness. If there is a foundation, there will be a support for the planting of consciousness. If consciousness is planted, it will sprout, and there is an inclination. If there is an inclination, there is departing and arriving. If there is departing and arriving, there is passing on and being reborn. If there is passing on and being reborn, future birth, old age and death, and sorrow, grief, pain, sadness, and distress come to be. That is how this whole mass of suffering originates.

If you don’t intend, don’t plan, but still have a tendency towards something, then that is a foundation for the continuation of consciousness. If there is a foundation, there will be a support for the planting of consciousness. If consciousness is planted, it will sprout, and there is an inclination. If there is an inclination, there is departing and arriving. If there is departing and arriving, there is passing on and being reborn. If there is passing on and being reborn, future birth, old age and death, and sorrow, grief, pain, sadness, and distress come to be. That is how this whole mass of suffering originates.

But if you don’t intend, don’t plan, and do not have a tendency towards anything, there is no foundation for the continuation of consciousness. If there is no foundation, there will be no support for the planting of consciousness. If consciousness is not planted, it will not sprout, and there is no inclination. If there is no inclination, there is no departing and arriving. If there is no departing and arriving, there is no passing on and being reborn. If there is no passing on and being reborn, future birth, old age and death, and sorrow, grief, pain, sadness, and distress do not come to be. That is how this whole mass of suffering ceases.”