Reading guide
The same formula, a different name for the process
Every structural element of SN 12.43 reappears here unchanged — the six sense doors, the three-way meeting as contact, the downstream chain — with only the word naming the whole process changed from "suffering" to "the world."
An equation, not a coincidence of vocabulary
Because the same underlying process is called both "the origin and disappearance of suffering" in SN 12.43 and "the origin and disappearance of the world" here, the pairing amounts to a direct equation: the world, in this technical sense, is exactly this process at the six sense doors.
Arising spelled out where SN 12.43 elided it
Where SN 12.43's arising half stopped right after craving with a peyyāla ellipsis, this discourse spells out the full downstream chain — grasping, continued existence, rebirth, old age and death — for the arising direction as well, giving both directions equally full treatment rather than favoring cessation.
A phrase that returns at the vagga's close
The exact language of "this world originates" and "this world ceases" used here reappears at the very end of this chapter, in SN 12.49 and SN 12.50's closing declaration about the noble disciple's understanding — a deliberate thread running through the whole vagga, not an isolated formula.
Two names, one teaching, told twice
Reading SN 12.43 and this discourse together shows a single teaching given under two names rather than two separate teachings, inviting the reader to treat "suffering" and "the world" as interchangeable terms for the same conditioned process.
Key terms
The text
§1At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, I will teach you the origin and disappearance of the world. Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.” “Yes, sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:
§2“And what, mendicants, is the origin of the world? Eye consciousness arises dependent on the eye and sights. The meeting of the three is contact. Contact is a requirement for feeling. Feeling is a requirement for craving. Craving is a requirement for grasping. Grasping is a requirement for continued existence. Continued existence is a requirement for rebirth. Rebirth is a requirement for old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress to come to be. This is the origin of the world.
§3Ear consciousness arises dependent on the ear and sounds. … Nose consciousness arises dependent on the nose and smells. … Tongue consciousness arises dependent on the tongue and tastes. … Body consciousness arises dependent on the body and touches. … Mind consciousness arises dependent on the mind and ideas. The meeting of the three is contact. Contact is a requirement for feeling. … Rebirth is a requirement for old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress to come to be. This is the origin of the world.
§4And what is the ending of the world? Eye consciousness arises dependent on the eye and sights. The meeting of the three is contact. Contact is a requirement for feeling. Feeling is a requirement for craving. When that craving fades away and ceases with no residue left behind, grasping ceases. When grasping ceases, continued existence ceases. … That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases. This is the ending of the world.
§5Ear consciousness arises dependent on the ear and sounds. … Nose consciousness arises dependent on the nose and smells. … Tongue consciousness arises dependent on the tongue and tastes. … Body consciousness arises dependent on the body and touches. … Mind consciousness arises dependent on the mind and ideas. The meeting of the three is contact. Contact is a requirement for feeling. Feeling is a requirement for craving. When that craving fades away and ceases with no residue left behind, grasping ceases. When grasping ceases, continued existence ceases. … That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases. This is the ending of the world.”
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