Samyutta Nikaya 283, Part 1

Thus have I heard. At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in Śrāvastī, at the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park. At that time, the World-Honored One addressed the bhikṣus, saying: "If, regarding phenomena bound by fetters, one gives rise to relishing and attachment, cherishes and clings with the mind, then craving arises. Craving conditions grasping. Grasping conditions becoming. Becoming conditions birth. Birth conditions aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, and despair. Thus, indeed, is the arising of this whole mass of suffering."

Explanation: During a Dharma assembly where the World-Honored One was expounding the Dharma of Dependent Origination in Śrāvastī at the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park, he told the bhikṣus: If you, regarding phenomena (such as the objects of the six senses) bound by the fetters of afflictions within your minds, give rise to fondness, craving, and attachment along with those bound phenomena, constantly thinking of and dwelling on those phenomena bound by afflictions, the mind becomes firmly bound by these phenomena and cannot be liberated.

When the mind relishes and attaches, constantly thinking and dwelling, greed and affection arise. Due to greed and affection for the phenomena bound by the fetters of afflictions, the mind gives rise to clinging and grasping, seizing and refusing to let go. Due to this persistent grasping and refusal to relinquish, the mind inevitably remains tied to these phenomena, storing karmic seeds for future lives; thus, the future existence of the five aggregates is ensured. When the karmic seeds for future lives mature, the body of the five aggregates will be born again, inseparable from these phenomena. Due to birth, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, and despair will accompany the body of the five aggregates. Thus, the immense suffering of endless birth and death gathers once more.

Fetters (結, saṃyojana) mean bonds, afflictions, bondage, shackles confining the mind. There are nine kinds of fetters: the fetter of craving, the fetter of aversion, the fetter of delusion, the fetter of jealousy, the fetter of self-view, the fetter of clinging, the fetter of doubt, the fetter of stinginess, and the fetter of conceit. Where do these fetters bind one? They bind one within the cycle of rebirth in the three realms and six destinies. What are the phenomena bound by fetters? They are the objects of the six senses – worldly affairs, people, objects, and principles – the phenomena of the threefold world. What does giving rise to relishing and attachment mean? It means considering mundane worldly phenomena as flavorful, interesting, capable of satisfying one's greed and other afflictions, and thus yearning for them, which then gives rise to cherishing. What does cherishing mean? It means the mind constantly thinks of, dwells on, longs for, and desires to obtain them, leading to persistent grasping.

What is the mind being bound? It means the mind is entangled, bound, and fettered by these phenomena. Once bound, the mind gives rise to afflictions such as greed and affection. What manifestation arises after greed and affection are produced? Grasping, seizing, protecting, cherishing, and refusing to let go. Who binds whom? Outwardly, it is one's own mind that seizes and grasps the phenomena of the six senses; in reality, it is the mind that is seized and bound by the phenomena of the six senses. Therefore, the most severe consequence of the mind being bound is grasping, storing karmic seeds, and giving rise to the phenomena of existence in the three realms in future lives.

If a bhikṣu or any practitioner, regarding the fetters of birth and death that can bind the mind, gives rise to greed and affection along with those fetters, considering the phenomena bound by those fetters to be very flavorful, enjoyable, comfortable, and constantly thinks of these phenomena, the mind will be bound by these fetters. In this way, greed and affection will arise. Once greed and affection arise, the mind gives rise to a clinging heart and then grasps these fetters. As long as sentient beings have grasping within their minds, the conditions, causes, or seeds for future births are formed. Once the seeds for future births are formed, when the conditions ripen or the seeds mature, a living being will be born. After the birth of the living being, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, and despair will accompany that living being. What are the causal conditions for the birth of a living being in a future life? They are the vessel-world of the three realms: the desire realm, the form realm, and the formless realm.

After greed and affection arise, they lead to grasping and possession. After grasping, existence in the three realms is produced; the conditions for future existence are then complete, the phenomena of the three realms will arise, and life will be born within them. Once life is born, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, and despair will accompany it, and the pure mass of suffering arises. If greed, affection, and other afflictions are extinguished, the mental fetters are untied, there is no bondage, and one is no longer bound by the five desires and six sense objects of the three realms; thus, the mind is liberated.