The Great Discourse on the Origins (Dīgha Nikāya, Number 9)

(2) Original text: Ananda, you should know that due to love arises seeking; due to seeking arises gain; due to gain arises utility; due to utility arises craving; due to craving arises clinging; due to clinging arises jealousy; due to jealousy arises guarding; due to guarding arises defensiveness. Ananda, because defensiveness exists, there arise swords, clubs, disputes, litigations, and the commission of countless evils. The meaning of what I teach lies herein. Ananda, what is the meaning of this? If all beings were without defensiveness, would there be swords, clubs, disputes, litigations, and the arising of countless evils? He replied, There would not. Therefore, Ananda, by this cause and condition, know that swords, clubs, disputes, and litigations arise due to defensiveness; conditioned upon defensiveness arise swords, clubs, disputes, and litigations. Ananda, the meaning of what I teach lies herein.

Explanation: The Buddha said: Ananda, you should know that due to greed and love arises seeking; because of seeking arises gain; because there is gain, utility arises; because there is utility, craving arises; because of craving arises clinging; because there is clinging, jealousy arises; because of jealousy arises guarding. Ananda, due to the desire to guard, there arise swords, clubs, disputes, litigations, and the commission of countless evils. The meaning of what I teach lies herein. Ananda, what does this mean? If all beings were without the mind of guarding, would there still be swords, clubs, disputes, litigations, and the arising of countless evils? Ananda replied: There would not. The Buddha said: Therefore, Ananda, for this reason, I know that the arising of swords, clubs, and disputes is caused by the mind of guarding. Conditioned upon guarding arise swords, clubs, disputes, and litigations. Ananda, the meaning of what I teach lies herein.

Original text: The Buddha further addressed Ananda: "Due to guarding arises defensiveness. What is the meaning of this? If all beings were without guarding, would there be defensiveness?" He replied, "There would not." "Ananda, by this condition, I know that defensiveness arises due to guarding; due to guarding arises defensiveness. The meaning of what I teach lies herein. Ananda, due to jealousy arises guarding. What is the meaning of this? If all beings were without jealousy, would there be guarding?" He replied, "There would not." "Ananda, by this condition, I know that guarding arises due to jealousy; due to jealousy arises guarding. The meaning of what I teach lies herein."

Explanation: The Buddha further told Ananda: Because one desires to guard wealth, sensual pleasures, and so forth, the act of defensiveness arises. What does this mean? If beings were without the mind of guarding, would there still be the act of defensiveness? Ananda replied: There would not. The Buddha said: Ananda, for this reason, I know that the act of defensiveness arises due to the mind of guarding; due to guarding arises defensiveness. The meaning of what I teach lies herein. Ananda, due to jealousy arises the mind of guarding. What does this mean? If all beings were without jealousy, would there still be the mind of guarding? Ananda replied: There would not. The Buddha said: Ananda, for this reason, I know that the mind of guarding arises conditioned upon jealousy; due to jealousy arises guarding. The meaning of what I teach lies herein.