In Sāvatthī... "Bhikkhus, I will teach you the forty-four kinds of knowledge. Listen carefully and pay attention, I will speak."

"Yes, Venerable Sir," the bhikkhus replied. The Buddha then said:

"What, bhikkhus, are the forty-four kinds of knowledge?

- Knowledge of aging and death, knowledge of the origin of aging and death, knowledge of the cessation of aging and death, knowledge of the way leading to the cessation of aging and death;

- Knowledge of birth, knowledge of the origin of birth, knowledge of the cessation of birth, knowledge of the way leading to the cessation of birth;

- Knowledge of existence, knowledge of the origin of existence, knowledge of the cessation of existence, knowledge of the way leading to the cessation of existence;

- Knowledge of clinging, knowledge of the origin of clinging, knowledge of the cessation of clinging, knowledge of the way leading to the cessation of clinging;

- Knowledge of craving, knowledge of the origin of craving, knowledge of the cessation of craving, knowledge of the way leading to the cessation of craving;

- Knowledge of feeling, knowledge of the origin of feeling, knowledge of the cessation of feeling, knowledge of the way leading to the cessation of feeling;

- Knowledge of contact... knowledge of the six sense bases... knowledge of name-and-form... knowledge of consciousness... knowledge of volitional formations, knowledge of the origin of volitional formations, knowledge of the cessation of volitional formations, knowledge of the way leading to the cessation of volitional formations.

These, bhikkhus, are called the forty-four kinds of knowledge.

"And what, bhikkhus, is aging and death? The aging of beings in the various orders of beings, their old age, brokenness of teeth, greyness of hair, wrinkling of skin, decline of life, weakness of faculties - this is called aging. The passing of beings out of the various orders of beings, their passing away, dissolution, disappearance, dying, completion of time, dissolution of the aggregates, laying down of the body - this is called death. This is aging and this is death. This is called aging-and-death.

"With the arising of birth there is the arising of aging and death; with the cessation of birth there is the cessation of aging and death. The Noble Eightfold Path is the way leading to the cessation of aging and death; that is, right view... right concentration.

"When, bhikkhus, a noble disciple thus understands aging and death, its origin, its cessation, and the way leading to its cessation, this is his knowledge of the principle. By means of this principle that is seen, understood, immediately attained, fathomed, he applies the method to the past and to the future.

"Whatever ascetics and brahmins in the past directly knew aging and death, its origin, its cessation, and the way leading to its cessation, all these knew it in the very same way that I know it now. 

Whatever ascetics and brahmins in the future will directly know aging and death, its origin, its cessation, and the way leading to its cessation, all these will know it in the very same way that I know it now. This is his knowledge of entailment.

"When, bhikkhus, a noble disciple has purified and cleansed these two kinds of knowledge - knowledge of the principle and knowledge of entailment - he is then called one accomplished in view, one accomplished in vision, one who has arrived at this true Dhamma, who sees this true Dhamma, one endowed with a trainee's knowledge, a trainee's true knowledge, one who has entered the stream of the Dhamma, a noble one with penetrative wisdom, one who stands squarely before the door to the Deathless."

"And what, bhikkhus, is birth... existence... clinging... craving... feeling... contact... the six sense bases... name-and-form... consciousness... volitional formations? There are these three kinds of volitional formations: bodily volitional formation, verbal volitional formation, mental volitional formation. These are called volitional formations.

"With the arising of ignorance there is the arising of volitional formations; with the cessation of ignorance there is the cessation of volitional formations. The Noble Eightfold Path is the way leading to the cessation of volitional formations; that is, right view... right concentration.

"When, bhikkhus, a noble disciple thus understands volitional formations, their origin, their cessation, and the way leading to their cessation, this is his knowledge of the principle. By means of this principle that is seen, understood, immediately attained, fathomed, he applies the method to the past and to the future.

"Whatever ascetics and brahmins in the past directly knew volitional formations, their origin, their cessation, and the way leading to their cessation, all these knew it in the very same way that I know it now. 

Whatever ascetics and brahmins in the future will directly know volitional formations, their origin, their cessation, and the way leading to their cessation, all these will know it in the very same way that I know it now. This is his knowledge of entailment.

"When, bhikkhus, a noble disciple has purified and cleansed these two kinds of knowledge - knowledge of the principle and knowledge of entailment - he is then called one accomplished in view, one accomplished in vision, one who has arrived at this true Dhamma, who sees this true Dhamma, one endowed with a trainee's knowledge, a trainee's true knowledge, one who has entered the stream of the Dhamma, a noble one with penetrative wisdom, one who stands squarely before the door to the Deathless."

This discourse elaborates on the wisdom concerning aging and death, birth, existence, clinging, craving, feeling, contact, name-and-form, consciousness, and volitional formations, as well as how to attain liberating wisdom through understanding these concepts.

This discourse provides a detailed exposition of the core Buddhist teaching of dependent origination through an analysis of forty-four kinds of knowledge. It reveals the nature of existence and the path to liberation. Let's explore the wisdom contained within:

The structure of the twelve links of dependent origination and their detailed explanations can be found in the 1st and 2nd discourses of the 12th Connected Discourses, which are not repeated here.

1. Structure of the Forty-Four Kinds of Knowledge:

These kinds of knowledge revolve around eleven key concepts: aging-and-death, birth, existence, clinging, craving, feeling, contact, six sense bases, name-and-form, consciousness, and volitional formations. For each concept, there are four aspects of wisdom: understanding the phenomenon itself, its origin, its cessation, and the path leading to its cessation. This structure reveals the comprehensive Buddhist approach to analyzing phenomena, not only observing them but also investigating their roots, methods of cessation, and the path to liberation.

2. In-depth Analysis of the Chain of Dependent Origination:

The text provides a detailed explanation of aging and death, demonstrating the process of life's decay. More importantly, it reveals the causal relationship between birth and aging-and-death, pointing out that birth is the root cause of aging and death. This insight breaks the illusion of eternal life and guides us to contemplate the nature of existence.

3. The Noble Eightfold Path as the Universal Path to Liberation:

For each link, the Buddha points out that the Noble Eightfold Path is the way leading to its cessation. This emphasizes the importance of the Noble Eightfold Path as the core Buddhist practice method and indicates that regardless of what afflictions or sufferings one faces, the Noble Eightfold Path is the key to liberation.

4. The Importance of Knowledge of the Principle and Knowledge of Entailment:

The text emphasizes two types of wisdom: direct knowledge of the present Dhamma (knowledge of the principle) and inferential knowledge of the past and future (knowledge of entailment). This wisdom is not limited to personal experience but includes insight into universal truths. This suggests that true wisdom is both intuitive and universal.

5. Signs of Spiritual Achievement:

The text concludes by listing a series of descriptions of spiritual achievements, such as "accomplished in view" and "entered the stream of the Dhamma." These descriptions not only affirm the results of practice but also provide clear goals and directions for practitioners.

Deep Reflections:

1. The Nature of Life: Through the detailed description of aging and death, we are forced to face the impermanence of life. Can this help us cherish the present moment more and live a more meaningful life?

2. The Universality of Cause and Effect: Dependent origination reveals the complex causal relationships between phenomena. How can we apply this way of thinking to solve problems and make decisions in daily life?

3. The Nature of Wisdom: The concepts of knowledge of the principle and knowledge of entailment suggest that true wisdom comes not only from direct experience but also from understanding universal laws. In modern society, how do we balance personal experience and universal knowledge?

4. The Universality of the Path to Liberation: The Noble Eightfold Path is described as the method for solving all problems. Is this unified solution still applicable in today's diverse society? How can we apply it to daily life?

5. The Goals of Practice: The various spiritual achievements described in the text provide a blueprint for spiritual growth. In today's materialistic world, what insights do these spiritual goals offer us? How can we pursue these goals in modern life?

This discourse is not just a philosophical treatise but a guide to life. It invites us to deeply contemplate the nature of existence, challenges our fixed views of reality, and points out a path to wisdom and liberation. By understanding and practicing these teachings, we can find inner peace in the complex modern life and live a more meaningful and aware life.