The Death of Marcus Aurelius

The Death of Marcus Aurelius

Friday, September 18, 2026

Udana 1.2


Thus have I heard. On a certain occasion the Exalted One, soon after the attainment of Buddhahood, dwelt at Uruvela on the banks of the stream Neranjara, at the foot of the tree of Enlightenment. At that time the Exalted One, after remaining in a sitting posture for seven days, experienced the joy of Emancipation. 

When the seven days had come to a close, the Exalted one arose from the state of trance, and in the middle watch of the night thoroughly thought out the chain of cause and effect, in indirect order, thus: "If there is not this state, another state does not arise, by the non-arising of this state, a state is not produced, that is to say: 

"By the destruction of Ignorance, Conformations are destroyed, by the destruction of Conformations, Consciousness is destroyed, by the destruction of Consciousness, Mind and Material Form are destroyed, by the destruction of Mind and Material Form, the six Organs of Sense are destroyed, by the destruction of the six Organs of Sense, Contact is destroyed, by the destruction of Contact, Sensations are destroyed, by the destruction of Sensations, Desire is destroyed, by the destruction of Desire, Attachment is destroyed, by the destruction of Attachment, Being is destroyed, by the destruction of Being, Birth is destroyed, and by the destruction of Birth, Decay, Death, Sorrow, Lamentation, Pain, Grief and Despair are destroyed. Thus the whole mass of suffering is brought to an end." 

And the Exalted One, in this connection, on that occasion breathed forth this solemn utterance:

"When the conditions of Existence dawn upon the strenuous, meditative Brahmana,
When he understands the destruction of the causes,
Then all doubts depart." 



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