The Dīrgha Āgama, Volume One — The Twelve Links of Dependent Origination

(4) Original text: 如是因缘者。名为实义因。智慧方便观。能见因缘根。苦非贤圣造。亦非无缘有。是故变易苦。智者所断除。若无明灭尽。是时则无行。若无有行者。则亦无有识。若识永灭者。亦无有名色。名色既已灭。即无有诸入。若诸入永灭。则亦无有触。若触永灭者。则亦无有受。 若受永灭者。则亦无有爱。若爱永灭者。则亦无有取。若取永灭者。则亦无有有。若有永灭者。则亦无有生。若生永灭者。无老病苦阴。一切都永尽。智者之所说。十二缘甚深。难见难识知。唯佛能善觉。因是有是无。 

Explanation: These dependent-arising dharmas as described above are called the dependent arising of true meaning. If one observes them with wisdom and skillful means, one can see the root of dependent arising, which is ignorance and delusion. The suffering of birth, aging, sickness, and death is not created by sages and worthies, nor does it arise without a cause. Therefore, the wise will eliminate the suffering of birth, aging, sickness, and death that arises and ceases through transformation. When ignorance is extinguished completely, there will be no volitional formations; if there are no volitional formations, there will also be no six consciousnesses; if the six consciousnesses are extinguished forever, there will no longer be name-and-form; once name-and-form has ceased, there will no longer be the six sense bases; if the six sense bases are extinguished forever, there will no longer be contact; if contact is extinguished forever, there will no longer be feeling. If feeling is extinguished forever, there will no longer be craving; if the conditions of craving are extinguished, there will no longer be grasping; if grasping is extinguished forever, there will no longer be becoming; if becoming is extinguished forever, there will no longer be birth; if birth is extinguished forever, there will no longer be the aggregates of suffering of aging and sickness. Everything will be extinguished forever. This is what the wise have said: the twelve links of dependent arising are profound, difficult to encounter, and difficult to know and realize; only a Buddha can skillfully awaken to them—whether the causes for the arising of all dharmas exist or not. 

Original text: 若能自观察。则无有诸入。深见因缘者。更不外求师。能于阴界入。离欲无染者。堪受一切施。净报施者恩。若得四辩才。获得决定证。能解众结缚。断除无放逸。色受想行识。犹如朽故车。能谛观此法。则成等正觉。如鸟游虚空。东西随风游。菩萨断众结。如风靡轻衣。毗婆尸闲静。观察于诸法。老死何缘有。从何而得灭。彼作是观已。生清净智慧。知老死由生。生灭老死灭。 

Explanation: If one can personally observe the twelve links of dependent arising, one will know that fundamentally there are no dharmas such as the six sense bases. One who deeply contemplates dependent arising will no longer seek a teacher externally, for the Dharma itself is the teacher. Only one who can be free of craving and undefiled with regard to the five aggregates, the eighteen realms, and the six sense bases is worthy of receiving all offerings of generosity and can purely repay the kindness of the giver. If one attains the four unobstructed powers of eloquence, one can attain ultimate and decisive realization of the dharma of dependent arising, and can also untie all the knots and bonds of afflictions, eliminate all afflictions, and diligently cultivate practice without ever becoming lax again. The five aggregates of form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are like a decayed and dilapidated old cart. One who can truly contemplate this dharma will accomplish perfect and complete enlightenment, roaming freely through space like an unbound bird, drifting east or west with the wind. A bodhisattva severs all bonds like the wind blowing over light, thin clothing. Vipaśyin Buddha, in a quiet and tranquil place, carefully contemplated the dharma of the twelve links of dependent arising, pondering on account of what conditions aging and death exist, and on account of what they can be extinguished. After engaging in such contemplative practice, pure wisdom arose, and he knew that aging and death exist because of birth; when birth ceases, aging and death cease.