Saṃyukta Āgama (371), Part Two

(2) Original text: 此四食何因何集。何生何触。谓此诸食。爱因爱集。爱生爱触。此爱何因何集。何生何触。谓爱受因受集。受生受触。此受何因何集。何生何触。谓受触因触集。触生触触。 

Explanation: What are these four kinds of food dependent upon as their cause to appear? Through what do they arise? What birth brings them about? What contact engenders them? These four kinds of food appear with craving as their cause, arise through the accumulation of craving, are brought about by the birth of craving, and are engendered by the contact of craving. Then, with what as its cause does this craving appear? Through what accumulation is it engendered? Through what birth is it brought about? What contact produces it? This craving appears with feeling as its cause, is engendered through the accumulation of feeling, is brought about by the birth of feeling, and is produced after feeling has made contact. With what as its cause does this feeling appear? Through what accumulation is it engendered? Through what birth is it brought about? What contact produces it? This feeling appears with contact as its cause, is engendered through the accumulation of contact, is brought about by the birth of contact, and is produced after contact has made contact. 

If there is no craving, and craving has been extinguished, the consciousness-food does not arise, and then there is no contact-food; without contact-food there is no volitional food and no gross food, and the four kinds of food will all be extinguished and cease to arise. Therefore craving is suffering; craving is the cause of suffering in the flow of birth and death.

Original text: 此触何因何集。何生何触。谓触六入处因。六入处集。六入处生。六入处触。六入处集是触集。触集是受集。受集是爱集。爱集是食集。食集故未来世生老病死。忧悲恼苦集。如是纯大苦聚集。如是六入处灭则触灭。触灭则受灭。受灭则爱灭。爱灭则食灭。食灭故。于未来世生老病死。忧悲恼苦灭。如是纯大苦聚灭。佛说此经已。诸比丘闻佛所说。欢喜奉行。 

Explanation: With what as its cause does this contact appear? Through what accumulation does it arise? What birth brings it about? What contact engenders it? Contact appears with the six sense bases as its cause, is engendered through the accumulation of the six sense bases, is brought about by the birth of the six sense bases, and is the result of the six sense bases making contact. The accumulation of the six sense bases is the accumulation of contact; the accumulation of contact is the accumulation of feeling; the accumulation of feeling is precisely the accumulation of craving; the accumulation of craving is the accumulation of the four kinds of food. Because of the accumulation of food, the birth, aging, death, sorrow, grief, affliction, and distress of future lives will accumulate, and thus the entire great mass of suffering accumulates. In accordance with the relationships among these dharmas, if the six sense bases cease, contact ceases; when contact ceases, feeling ceases; when feeling ceases, craving ceases; when craving ceases, the four kinds of food cease; when the four kinds of food cease, the birth, aging, death, sorrow, grief, affliction, and distress of future lives—the entire great mass of suffering—ceases.