The Discourse on No [Need for] Thought

MA 43

(See parallel in AN 11.2)

Thus have I heard: At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī, in Jeta’s
Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park.
At that time the World-honored One said:
Ānanda, one who keeps the precepts need not think: “May I be free
from regret!” Ānanda, it is a law of nature that those who keep the precepts will be free from regret.
Ānanda, one who is without regret need not think: “May I attain
joy!” Ānanda, it is a law of nature that those who are without regret
will attain joy.
Ānanda, one who is joyful need not think: “May I attain rapture!”
Ānanda, it is a law of nature that those who are joyful will attain rapture.
Ānanda, one who has rapture need not think: “May I attain tranquility!” Ānanda, it is a law of nature that those who have rapture will
attain tranquility of the body.
Ānanda, one who has tranquility need not think: “May I attain
happiness!” Ānanda, it is a law of nature that those who have tranquility
will attain the experience of happiness.
Ānanda, one who has happiness need not think: “May I attain concentration!” Ānanda, it is a law of nature that those who have happiness
will attain concentration of the mind.
Ānanda, one who has concentration need not think: “May I see
things as they really are, know things as they really are!” Ānanda, it is a law of nature that those who have concentration will see things as
they really are, know things as they really are.
Ānanda, one who sees things as they really are, who knows things
as they really are, need not think: “May I attain disenchantment!”
Ānanda, it is a law of nature that those who see things as they really
are, who know things as they really are, will attain disenchantment.
Ānanda, one who has disenchantment need not think: “May I attain
dispassion!” Ānanda, it is a law of nature that those who have disenchantment will attain dispassion.
Ānanda, one who has dispassion need not think: “May I attain liberation!” Ānanda, it is a law of nature that those who have dispassion
will attain liberation from all lust, anger, and ignorance.
Ānanda, through keeping the precepts one has no regrets; through
having no regrets one attains joy; through joy one attains rapture;
through rapture one attains tranquility; through tranquility one attains
happiness; through happiness one attains concentration of the mind.
Ānanda, through concentration of the mind the learned noble disciple
sees and knows things as they really are; through seeing and knowing
things as they really are, he attains disenchantment; through disenchantment he attains dispassion; through dispassion he attains liberation.
Through liberation he knows he is liberated: “Birth has been ended,
the holy life has been established, what was to be done has been done.
He knows as it really is: there will not be another existence.”
Thus, Ānanda, one state is beneficial for another, one state is the
means for another, and the precepts eventually lead to the highest goal,
that is to say, the crossing over from this bank to the other bank.
Thisis what the Buddha said. Having heard the Buddha’s words, Venerable
Ānanda and the other monks were delighted and remembered them well.