The Mahānidāna Upāya Sūtra (No. 9) from the Dīrgha Āgama

(IV) Original Text: Ananda, because there is craving, there is seeking. What does this mean? If all sentient beings were without craving, would there be seeking or not?

Answer: No, there would not.

Ananda, by this reasoning, I know that seeking arises from craving. Because there is craving, there is seeking. The meaning of my teaching lies herein.

He further told Ananda: Because there is craving, there is seeking, and thereby comes guarding. The same applies to feeling: because there is feeling, there is seeking, and thereby comes guarding.

The Buddha told Ananda: Contact conditions feeling. What does this mean?

Ananda, if there were no eyes, no forms, and no eye-consciousness, would there be contact or not?

Answer: No, there would not.

If there were no ears, sounds, or ear-consciousness; no nose, smells, or nose-consciousness; no tongue, tastes, or tongue-consciousness; no body, tactile objects, or body-consciousness; no mind, mental objects, or mind-consciousness—would there be contact or not?

Answer: No, there would not.

Explanation: Ananda, because of craving, the mind of seeking arises. What does this mean? If all sentient beings were without craving, could there still be a seeking mind? Ananda answered: "No, there could not." The Buddha said: "Ananda, for this reason, I know that seeking arises due to craving. Because there is craving, there is seeking. This is the meaning of my teaching." The Buddha further told Ananda: "Because there is craving, there is seeking, and thereby comes guarding. Feeling is likewise: because there is feeling, there is seeking, and thereby comes guarding."

The Buddha told Ananda, "Feeling arises conditioned by contact. What does this mean? Ananda, if all sentient beings had no eye faculty and no visual forms, no eye-consciousness, could there still be contact?" Ananda answered: "There would be no contact." If all sentient beings had no ears, sounds, or ear-consciousness; no nose, smells, or nose-consciousness; no tongue, tastes, or tongue-consciousness; no body faculty, tactile objects, or body-consciousness; no mind faculty, mental objects, or mind-consciousness—could there still be contact? Ananda answered: "There would be no contact."

Original Text: Ananda, if all sentient beings were without contact, would there be feeling or not?

Answer: No, there would not.

Ananda, by this principle, I know that feeling arises from contact. Feeling exists conditioned by contact. The meaning of my teaching lies herein.

Ananda, contact arises conditioned by name-and-form. What does this mean?

If all sentient beings were without name-and-form, would there be mental contact or not?

Answer: No, there would not.

If all sentient beings were without physical form and appearance, would there be bodily contact or not?

Answer: No, there would not.

Ananda, if there were no name-and-form, would there be contact or not?

Answer: No, there would not.

Ananda, by this reasoning, I know that contact arises from name-and-form. Contact exists conditioned by name-and-form. The meaning of my teaching lies herein.

Explanation: The Buddha said: "Ananda, if all sentient beings were without contact, could there still be feeling?" Ananda answered: "There would be no feeling." The Buddha said: "Ananda, by this principle, I know that feeling arises because of contact. Feeling exists conditioned by contact. This is the meaning of my teaching.

Ananda, contact arises conditioned by name-and-form. What does this mean? If all sentient beings were without name-and-form, could there still be mental contact?" Ananda answered: "No, there could not." "If all sentient beings were without physical form and appearance, could there still be bodily contact?" Ananda answered: "No." The Buddha said: "Ananda, if there were no name-and-form, could there still be contact?" Ananda answered: "No, there could not." The Buddha said: "Ananda, for this reason, I know that contact arises because of name-and-form. Contact exists conditioned by name-and-form. This is the meaning of my teaching."