Samyukta Āgama (288), Part One

(1) Original text: 如是我闻。一时。佛住王舍城迦兰陀竹园。尔时。尊者舍利弗。尊者摩诃拘絺罗。在耆阇崛山。尔时尊者舍利弗晡时从禅觉。诣尊者摩诃拘絺罗。共相问讯庆慰已。于一面坐。语尊者摩诃拘絺罗。欲有所问。宁有闲暇见答与不。尊者摩诃拘絺罗语尊者舍利弗言。仁者且问。知者当答。尊者舍利弗问尊者摩诃拘絺罗。云何尊者摩诃拘絺罗。有老不。答言有。

Explanation: One day, in the afternoon, the Venerable Śāriputra rose from meditation and went to see the Venerable Mahākauṣṭhila. After exchanging greetings and pleasantries, they sat to one side. Śāriputra said to Mahākauṣṭhila: "I have a question I would like to ask you. I wonder if you have the leisure to answer me." Mahākauṣṭhila said: "Venerable one, please ask. Whatever I know, I shall answer you." Śāriputra then asked Mahākauṣṭhila: "Venerable Mahākauṣṭhila, what do you think—does aging exist in the world?" Mahākauṣṭhila replied that it does.

Original text: 尊者舍利弗复问。有死不。答言有。复问云何。老死自作耶。为他作耶。为自他作耶。为非自非他。无因作耶。答言尊者舍利弗。老死非自作。非他作。非自他作。亦非非自他作。无因作。然彼生缘故有老死。

Explanation: Śāriputra asked again: "Does the phenomenon of death exist in the world?" Mahākauṣṭhila replied that it does. He asked further: "What do you think—is the phenomenon of aging and death something that arises naturally by itself, or is it brought about by other conditions and causes? Or is it produced jointly by nature and other conditions? Or is it neither naturally existent nor brought about by other conditions, appearing without any cause or condition at all?" Mahākauṣṭhila replied: "Aging and death is not a phenomenon that arises naturally by itself; it is not brought about by other conditions; it is not produced by the combination of nature and other conditions; yet it is also not the case that it is not produced by the combination of nature and other conditions; nor is it something brought about without any cause or condition. However, it is because birth exists that aging and death arise in its wake."