What is the Buddha enlightened for?

At that time the Awakened One, the Gracious One, was dwelling near Uruvela, on the bank of the river Nerañjara, at the root of the Awakening tree, in the first (period) after the complete and perfect Awakening. Then at that time the Gracious One sat at the root of the Awakening tree in one cross–legged posture for seven days experiencing the happiness of liberation.

Then the Gracious One, for the first watch of the night, applied his mind thoroughly to conditional origination in forward and reverse order:

“Because of ignorance there are (volitional) processes,

because of (volitional) processes: consciousness,

because of consciousness: mind and body,

because of mind and body: the six sense spheres,

because of the six sense spheres: contact,

because of contact: feeling,

because of feeling: craving,

because of craving: attachment,

because of attachment: continuation,

because of continuation: birth,

because of birth: old age, death, grief, lamentation, pain, sorrow, and despair (all) arise, and so there is an origination of this whole mass of suffering.

But from the complete fading away and cessation of ignorance, there is the cessation of (volitional) processes,

from the cessation of (volitional) processes, the cessation of consciousness,

from the cessation of consciousness, the cessation of mind and body,

from the cessation of mind and body, the cessation of the six sense spheres,

from the cessation of the six sense spheres, the cessation of contact,

from the cessation of contact, the cessation of feeling,

from the cessation of feeling, the cessation of craving,

from the cessation of craving, the cessation of attachment,

from the cessation of attachment, the cessation of continuation,

from the cessation of continuation, the cessation of birth,

from the cessation of birth, old age, death, grief, lamentation, pain, sorrow, and despair (all) cease, and so there is a cessation of this whole mass of suffering.”

Then the Gracious One, having understood the significance of it, on that occasion uttered this exalted utterance:

“When (the nature of) things becomes really manifest

To the ardent meditating brahma,

Then all his doubts disappear,

Since he knows (the nature of a) thing and its cause.”

* * *

Then the Gracious One, for the middle watch of the night, applied his mind thoroughly to conditional origination in forward and reverse order:

“… – as above –…”

Then the Gracious One, having understood the significance of it, on

that occasion uttered this exalted utterance:

“When (the nature of) things becomes really manifest

To the ardent meditating brahma.a,

Then all his doubts disappear,

Since the destruction of causes has been understood.”

* * *

Then the Gracious One, for the last watch of the night, applied his mind thoroughly to conditional origination in forward and reverse order:

“… – as above –…”

Then the Gracious One, having understood the significance of it, on

that occasion uttered this exalted utterance:

“When (the nature of) things becomes really manifest

To the ardent meditating brahma.a,

He stands dispelling Mara’s army,

Just like the sun lighting up the firmament.”

The Story about the Bodhi (Enlightement) is Finished.