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By Root 6108 0

with the cessation of mentality-materiality, cessation of the sixfold base; with the cessation of the sixfold base, cessation of contact; with the cessation of contact, cessation of feeling; with the cessation of feeling, cessation of craving; with the cessation of craving, cessation of clinging; with the cessation of clinging, cessation of being; with the cessation of being, cessation of birth; with the cessation of birth, ageing and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair cease. Such is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering.’ In this way, Ānanda, a bhikkhu can be called skilled in dependent origination.”

(THE POSSIBLE AND THE IMPOSSIBLE)

12. “But, venerable sir, in what way can a bhikkhu be called skilled in what is possible and what is impossible?”

“Here, Ānanda, a bhikkhu understands: ‘It is impossible, it cannot happen that a person possessing right view could treat any formation as permanent—there is no such possibility.’1084 And he understands: ‘It is possible that an ordinary person might treat some formation as permanent—there is such a possibility. ’ He understands: ‘It is impossible, it cannot happen that a person possessing right view could treat any formation as pleasurable—there is no such possibility.’1085 And he understands: ‘It is possible that an ordinary person might treat some formation as pleasurable—there is such a possibility.’ He understands: ‘It is impossible, it cannot happen that a person possessing right view could treat anything as self—there is no such possibility.’ And he understands: ‘It is possible that an ordinary person might treat something as self—there is such a possibility.’ 1086

13. “He understands: ‘It is impossible, it cannot happen that a person possessing right view could deprive his mother of life—there is no such possibility.’1087 And he understands: ‘It is possible that an ordinary person might deprive his mother of life—there is such a possibility.’ He understands: ‘It is impossible, it cannot happen that [65] a person possessing right view could deprive his father of life…could deprive an arahant of life—there is no such possibility.’ And he understands: ‘It is possible that an ordinary person might deprive his father of life…might deprive an arahant of life—there is such a possibility.’ He understands: ‘It is impossible, it cannot happen that a person possessing right view could, with a mind of hate, shed a Tathāgata’s blood—there is no such possibility.’ And he understands: ‘It is possible that an ordinary person might, with a mind of hate, shed a Tathāgata’s blood—there is such a possibility.’ He understands: ‘It is impossible, it cannot happen that a person possessing right view could cause a schism in the Sangha…could acknowledge another teacher1088—there is no such possibility.’ And he understands: ‘It is possible that an ordinary person might cause a schism in the Sangha…might acknowledge another teacher—there is such a possibility.’

14. “He understands: ‘It is impossible, it cannot happen that two Accomplished Ones, Fully Enlightened Ones, could arise contemporaneously in one world-system—there is no such possibility. ’1089 And he understands: ‘It is possible that one Accomplished One, a Fully Enlightened One, might arise in one world-system—there is such a possibility.’ He understands: ‘It is impossible, it cannot happen that two Wheel-turning Monarchs could arise contemporaneously in one world-system…It is possible that one Wheel-turning Monarch might arise in one world-system—there is such a possibility.’

15. “He understands: ‘It is impossible, it cannot happen that a woman could be an Accomplished One, a Fully Enlightened One—there is no such possibility.’1090 And he understands: ‘It is possible that a man might be an Accomplished One, a Fully Enlightened One—there is such a possibility.’ He understands: ‘It is impossible, it cannot happen that a woman could be a Wheel-turning Monarch…that a woman could occupy the position of Sakka [66]…that a woman could occupy the position of Māra…that a woman could occupy the position