Saṃyukta Āgama (287), Part 3

(3) Original text: At that time I had this thought: With the absence of what is there the absence of aging-and-death? With the cessation of what comes the cessation of aging-and-death? Then through right contemplation, the uninterrupted wisdom of reality as it is arose: With the absence of birth, there is the absence of aging-and-death; with the cessation of birth comes the cessation of aging-and-death. Thus, with the absence of existence, birth does not occur; with the cessation of existence, birth ceases. With the absence of clinging, existence does not occur; with the cessation of clinging, existence ceases. With the absence of craving, clinging does not occur; with the cessation of craving, clinging ceases. With the absence of feeling, craving does not occur; with the cessation of feeling, craving ceases. With the absence of contact, feeling does not occur; with the cessation of contact, feeling ceases. With the absence of the six sense bases, contact does not occur; with the cessation of the six sense bases, contact ceases. With the absence of name-and-form, the six sense bases do not occur; with the cessation of name-and-form, the six sense bases cease. With the absence of the volitional formations of consciousness, name-and-form ceases; with the cessation of the volitional formations of consciousness, name-and-form ceases. With the absence of the mental formations of the mind-base, the volitional formations of consciousness do not occur; with the cessation of the mental formations of the mind-base, the volitional formations of aging-and-death cease.

Explanation: The Buddha said: At that time I again had this doubt: What being absent causes aging-and-death to be absent? What being extinguished causes aging-and-death to be extinguished? Immediately I entered into right contemplation. Afterwards, the uninterrupted wisdom of reality as it is arose, revealing that with the absence of birth, aging-and-death is absent, and with the cessation of birth, aging-and-death ceases. Continuing contemplation in this way, one realizes that when existence in the Three Realms ceases, birth no longer occurs; with the cessation of existence, birth ceases. With the absence of clinging, existence in the Three Realms does not occur; with the cessation of clinging, existence ceases.

With the absence of craving, clinging does not occur; with the cessation of craving, clinging ceases. With the absence of feeling, craving does not occur; with the cessation of feeling, craving ceases. With the absence of contact, feeling does not occur; with the cessation of contact, feeling ceases. With the absence of the six sense bases, contact does not occur; with the cessation of the six sense bases, contact ceases. With the absence of name-and-form, the six sense bases do not occur; with the cessation of name-and-form, the six sense bases cease. When the six consciousnesses cease creating bodily, verbal, and mental karmic formations, name-and-form ceases; with the cessation of the karmic formations of the six consciousnesses, name-and-form ceases. With the absence of the mental formations of the mind-base, the karmic formations of the six consciousnesses do not occur; with the cessation of the mental formations of the mind-base, the karmic formations of aging-and-death cease.