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SN 12.38 
Nidāna Saṁyutta  
(Connected Discourses On Causation) 
Kaḷārakhattiya Vagga 
The Section on Kaḷāra, the Royal 
 
Cetanā Sutta 
“Intentionality” 
 
Translated by Bhikkhu Candana 
Copyright © Bhikkhu Candana 2023 
While The Blessed One was staying at the City of Sāvatthī, He addressed the Bhikkhus by 
saying: 
 
 “Bhikkhus, whatever one intends, and whatever one determines, and whatever one has an 
underlying tendency for in his heart, that very thing is the mental basis for supporting and 
maintaining consciousness.  
 
“And when there is the mental basis, this means there is also sufficient support for the 
establishing of consciousness.  
 
“And when consciousness is established and is thus allowed to grow, then this means that there 
definitely is a future renewed existence, which is going to take place, yet again.  
 
“And when there is the production of future renewed existence, then there definitely is future 
birth, along with aging, illness and death, grieving, wailing, distress, torment, depression, and 
anguish to follow.  
 
“This, therefore, is how the entire mass of suffering starts. 
 
“And if, Bhikkhus, one does not intend, nor determines, yet one sill has underlying tendencies in 
his heart, those again become the mental basis for supporting and maintaining consciousness.  
 
“And when there is the mental basis, this means there is also sufficient support for the 
establishing of consciousness.  
 
“And when consciousness is established and is thus allowed to grow, then this means that there 
definitely is a future renewed existence, which is going to take place, yet again.

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“And when there is the production of future renewed existence, then there definitely is future 
birth, along with aging, illness and death, grieving, wailing, distress, torment, depression, and 
anguish to follow.  
 
“This, therefore, is how the entire mass of suffering starts. 
 
“But, Bhikkhus, if one does not intend, nor determines, and has no underlying tendency left in 
his heart, then there is no mental basis for supporting and maintaining consciousness.  
 
“And when there is no mental basis, this means there is also no support for the establishing of 
consciousness.  
 
“And when consciousness is not established and is thus not allowed to grow, then this means that 
there definitely is no future renewed existence, which can never take place, again.  
 
“And when there is no production of future renewed existence, then there definitely is no future 
birth, along with no more aging, illness and death, no grieving, no wailing, no distress, no 
torment, no depression, and no anguish to follow.  
 
“This, therefore, is how the entire mass of suffering comes to a complete end.” 
 
Sādhu 
 
Sādhu 
 
Sādhu
