Saṃyuktāgama (288), Part One

(1) Original text:如是我闻。一时。佛住王舍城迦兰陀竹园。尔时。尊者舍利弗。尊者摩诃拘絺罗。在耆阇崛山。尔时尊者舍利弗晡时从禅觉。诣尊者摩诃拘絺罗。共相问讯庆慰已。于一面坐。语尊者摩诃拘絺罗。欲有所问。宁有闲暇见答与不。尊者摩诃拘絺罗语尊者舍利弗言。仁者且问。知者当答。尊者舍利弗问尊者摩诃拘絺罗。云何尊者摩诃拘絺罗。有老不。答言有。

Explanation: One day in the afternoon, the Venerable Śāriputra arose from meditative concentration and went to the Venerable Mahākauṣṭhila. After exchanging greetings and mutual felicitations, they sat to one side, and Śāriputra said to Mahākauṣṭhila: "I have a question I would like to ask you. I wonder whether you have the leisure to answer me." Mahākauṣṭhila said: "Venerable one, please ask; whatever I know, I shall answer you." Śāriputra then asked Kauṣṭhila: "Venerable one, what do you think—is there the phenomenon of aging in the world?" Kauṣṭhila replied that there is.

Original text:尊者舍利弗复问。有死不。答言有。复问云何。老死自作耶。为他作耶。为自他作耶。为非自非他。无因作耶。答言尊者舍利弗。老死非自作。非他作。非自他作。亦非非自他作。无因作。然彼生缘故有老死。

Explanation: Śāriputra asked again: "Is there the phenomenon of death in the world?" Kauṣṭhila replied that there is. He asked further: "What do you think—is aging-and-death something that arises on its own, or is it brought about by other conditions and causes? Or is it brought about jointly by itself and other conditions? Or is it neither self-arising nor brought about by other conditions, appearing without any cause or condition?" Kauṣṭhila replied: "Aging-and-death is not a phenomenon that arises on its own; it is not brought about by other conditions; it is not brought about by the combination of itself and other conditions; yet it is also not the case that it is not brought about by the combination of itself and other conditions; nor is it brought about without any cause or condition. However, because there is birth, aging-and-death arises in its wake."