Saṃyuktāgama (347), Part Four

Original text:佛告须深。我今问汝。随意答我。须深。于意云何。有生故有老死。不离生有老死耶。须深答曰。如是。世尊。有生故有老死。不离生有老死。佛又问。如是生有。取爱受触。六入处名色。识行无明。有无明故有行。不离无明。而有行耶。须深白佛。如是。世尊。有无明故有行。不离无明而有行。

Explanation: The Buddha told Susima: I now ask you, answer me as you wish. Susima, what do you think? It is because there is birth that there is aging-and-death, and aging-and-death does not exist apart from birth—is that right? Susima replied: Yes, World-Honored One, it is because there is birth that there is aging-and-death, and aging-and-death does not exist apart from birth. The Buddha asked again: In the same way, it is because there is existence (bhava) that there is birth, and birth does not exist apart from existence; it is because there is grasping that there is existence, and existence does not exist apart from grasping; it is because there is craving that there is grasping, and grasping does not exist apart from craving; it is because there is feeling that there is craving, and craving does not exist apart from feeling; it is because there is contact that there is feeling, and feeling does not exist apart from contact; it is because there are the six sense bases that there is contact, and contact does not exist apart from the six sense bases; it is because there is name-and-form that there are the six sense bases, and the six sense bases do not exist apart from name-and-form; it is because there is consciousness that there is name-and-form, and name-and-form does not exist apart from consciousness; it is because there are volitional formations that there is consciousness, and consciousness does not exist apart from volitional formations; it is because there is ignorance that there are volitional formations, and volitional formations do not exist apart from ignorance—is that so? Susima said to the Buddha: It is so, World-Honored One; it is because there is ignorance that there are volitional formations, and volitional formations do not exist apart from ignorance.

Original text:佛告须深。无生故无老死。不离生灭而老死灭耶。须深白佛言。如是。世尊。无生故无老死。不离生灭而老死灭。佛告须深。如是。乃至无无明故无行。不离无明灭而行灭耶。须深白佛。如是。世尊。无无明故无行。不离无明灭而行灭。

Explanation: The Buddha told Susima: It is because there is no birth that there is no aging-and-death, and the cessation of aging-and-death does not occur apart from the cessation of birth—is that right? Susima said to the Buddha: Yes, World-Honored One, without birth there is no aging-and-death, and the cessation of aging-and-death does not occur apart from no-birth. The Buddha told Susima: In the same way, down to the fact that it is because there is no ignorance that there are no volitional formations, and the cessation of volitional formations occurs only apart from the cessation of ignorance—is that so? Susima said to the Buddha: Yes, World-Honored One, it is because there is no ignorance that there are no volitional formations, and the cessation of volitional formations occurs apart from the cessation of ignorance.