Saṃyukta Āgama (292), Part Eight

(8) Original text: 复次。比丘思量观察正尽苦。究竟苦边时。思量彼行何因何集。何生何触。知彼行无明因无明集。无明生无明触。彼福行无明缘。非福行亦无明缘。非福不福行亦无明缘。是故当知。彼行无明因无明集。无明生无明触。彼无明永灭无余。则行灭。彼所乘无明灭道迹。如实知。修习彼向次法。是名比丘向正尽苦。究竟苦边。所谓无明灭。

Explanation: Furthermore, if a bhikṣu wishes to deliberate and contemplate the complete cessation of suffering and reach the ultimate end of suffering, he must deliberate and contemplate what cause gives rise to the mental formations of the manas, what dharma, when it accumulates, brings about the arising of the manas's mental formations, what dharma, when it arises, gives birth to the manas's mental formations, and what dharma, when it makes contact, brings forth the manas's mental formations. Through deliberation he comes to know that the mental formations of the manas appear because of ignorance; that when ignorance accumulates, the manas's mental formations are born; that when ignorance arises, the manas's mental formations arise; and that when ignorance makes contact, the manas's mental formations appear. The manas's mental formation of wanting to create meritorious formations (puṇyābhisaṃskāra) arises because of ignorance; the manas's mental formation of wanting to create non-meritorious, unwholesome formations (apuṇyābhisaṃskāra) also arises because of ignorance; and even the manas's mental formation that is neither meritorious nor non-meritorious arises because of ignorance.

Therefore, bhikṣus should know that the mental formations of the manas are born with us as their condition, are born from the accumulation of ignorance, are born from the arising of ignorance, and are born from the contact of ignorance. If the manas's ignorance is forever extinguished without remainder, the manas's mental formations will cease along with it. Bhikṣus should understand as it really is the path that extinguishes ignorance which they cultivate, and should practice the path-leading dharmas and the auxiliary dharmas. This is called a bhikṣu heading toward the complete cessation of suffering and reaching the ultimate end of suffering—namely, the extinction of ignorance.