Saṃyukta Āgama (287), Part Six

(6) Original text: 今我如是。得古仙人道。古仙人迳。古仙人迹。古仙人去处。我得随去。谓八圣道。正见正志。正语正业。正命正方便。正念正定。我从彼道。见老病死。老病死集。老病死灭。老病死灭道迹。见生有取。爱受触。六入处名色。识行。行集行灭。行灭道迹。

Explanation: The Buddha said: Now I, in the same way, have found the path practiced by the ancient sages, the trail of the ancient sages, the tracks of the ancient sages, and the destination to which the ancient sages went. I am able to follow it. This path is the Noble Eightfold Path: right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. Following this Noble Eightfold Path, I saw the suffering of old age, sickness, and death, severed the arising of the suffering of old age, sickness, and death, realized the cessation of the suffering of old age, sickness, and death, and cultivated the path leading to the cessation of the suffering of old age, sickness, and death; I saw the suffering of birth, severed the arising of the suffering of birth, realized the cessation of the suffering of birth, and cultivated the path leading to the cessation of the suffering of birth; I saw the suffering of existence, severed the arising of the suffering of existence, realized the cessation of the suffering of existence, and cultivated the path leading to the cessation of the suffering of existence.

I saw the suffering of grasping, severed the arising of the suffering of grasping, realized the cessation of the suffering of grasping, and cultivated the path leading to the cessation of the suffering of grasping; I saw the suffering of craving, severed the arising of the suffering of craving, realized the cessation of the suffering of craving, and cultivated the path leading to the cessation of the suffering of craving; I saw the suffering of feeling, severed the arising of the suffering of feeling, realized the cessation of the suffering of feeling, and cultivated the path leading to the cessation of the suffering of feeling; I saw the suffering of contact, severed the arising of the suffering of contact, realized the cessation of the suffering of contact, and cultivated the path leading to the cessation of the suffering of contact; I saw the suffering of the six sense bases, severed the arising of the suffering of the six sense bases, realized the cessation of the suffering of the six sense bases, and cultivated the path leading to the cessation of the suffering of the six sense bases; I saw the suffering of name-and-form, severed the arising of the suffering of name-and-form, realized the cessation of the suffering of name-and-form, and cultivated the path leading to the cessation of the suffering of name-and-form; I saw the suffering of the karmic formations of the six consciousnesses, severed the arising of the suffering of the karmic formations of the six consciousnesses, realized the cessation of the suffering of the karmic formations of the six consciousnesses, and cultivated the path leading to the cessation of the suffering of the karmic formations of the six consciousnesses; I saw the suffering of mental formations, severed the arising of the suffering of mental formations, realized the cessation of the suffering of mental formations, and cultivated the path leading to the cessation of the suffering of mental formations.

Original text: 我于此法。自知自觉。成等正觉。为比丘比丘尼。优婆塞优婆夷。及余外道沙门婆罗门。在家出家。彼诸四众。闻法正向信乐。知法善。梵行增广。多所饶益。开示显发。佛说此经已。诸比丘闻佛所说。欢喜奉行。

Explanation: As for this dharma of the twelve links of dependent origination, I was able to know and realize it on my own, through my own awakening, not relying on another, and finally accomplished unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment. After I attained buddhahood, for the bhikṣus and bhikṣuṇīs, the upāsakas and upāsikās, as well as other external-path śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas, and the fourfold assembly of laypeople and monastics, I enabled them to hear this dharma, to take delight in faith in the dharma gate of liberation, and to walk the right path of eliminating ignorance; they were able to realize the wholesome fruits of this dharma gate and to increase and expand the pure life (brahmacarya), so that all the members of the fourfold assembly could receive even greater benefit. Therefore, I here expound this path of realization practiced by the ancient sages. After the Buddha finished speaking this sūtra, the bhikṣus, having heard what the Buddha said, were all extremely joyful and received it with faith and put it into practice.