Saṃyuktāgama (292), Part Two

(2) Original text:复次。比丘思量观察正尽苦。究竟苦边。时思量彼取何因何集。何生何触。思量彼取爱因爱集。爱生爱触。彼爱永灭无余。取亦随灭。彼所乘取灭道迹。如实知。修习彼向次法。是名比丘向正尽苦。究竟苦边。所谓爱灭。

Explanation: Furthermore, when a bhikṣu wishes to deliberate and contemplate the complete cessation of suffering and reach the far shore of the end of suffering, if he wishes to deliberate on what conditions grasping (upādāna) arises from, from what dharma's aggregation it arises, what dharma's production leads to the arising of grasping, and what dharma's contact leads to the arising of grasping, he should deliberate that the arising of grasping is due to craving (tṛṣṇā), that it arises from the conditions of craving's aggregation, that when craving is born grasping is born, that when craving contacts, grasping is born, and that when craving is extinguished without remainder, grasping is extinguished along with it. The bhikṣus should truly understand the path and route they cultivate for extinguishing grasping, and should cultivate the dharmas that lead toward the cessation of suffering as well as the auxiliary dharmas that assist in the cessation of suffering. This is the method by which a bhikṣu gradually advances toward the complete cessation of suffering and can ultimately reach the end of suffering—namely, the complete extinction of craving.

If sentient beings extinguish grasping and no longer grasp at the various dharmas, all suffering will cease. How exactly is suffering extinguished, and what is the path that must be cultivated in the meantime? We must truly understand this. Truly understanding the method of practice for extinguishing suffering means cultivating the dharmas that lead toward and the auxiliary dharmas that assist the complete cessation of suffering—that is, the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment, including the four right efforts, the four bases of supernormal powers, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, and the eightfold noble path. "Leading toward" means heading in the direction of the cessation of suffering; "auxiliary" means the secondary, helpful dharmas. The primary dharma is contemplating the five aggregates to eradicate the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi). The purpose of cultivating the leading and auxiliary dharmas is to prepare for eradicating the view of self and to fulfill the prerequisites for attaining the path of seeing, so that one can then contemplate and practice vipaśyanā in accordance with reality, and finally realize realization and eradicate the view of self.