Samyukta Āgama (293), Part Two

（二）Original text: 如是说法。而彼比丘犹有疑惑犹豫。先不得得想。不获获想。不证证想。今闻法已。心生忧苦悔恨。蒙没障碍。所以者何。此甚深处。所谓缘起。倍复甚深难见。所谓一切取离。爱尽无欲。寂灭涅槃。

Explanation: The World-Honored One had taught so much Dharma, yet that bhikṣu still had doubts and hesitation. He had previously held the thought that he had attained the pure Dharma eye, gained liberation, and realized the fruit, when in fact he had not realized the fruit or attained liberation. Now, upon hearing the World-Honored One teach the Dharma of the twelve links of dependent arising, sorrow, distress, and regret arose in his mind; his mind was perplexed and obstructed. Why was this so? Because the Dharma of the twelve links of dependent arising is even more profound and difficult to realize than the truth of the Four Noble Truths he had previously studied and cultivated. After completing the cultivation of the twelve links of dependent arising, one will ultimately depart from all grasping at the dharmas of the three realms, the craving for the three realms will be exhausted, desire will be severed completely, and one will attain the nirvāṇa of tranquility.

Original text: 如此二法。谓有为无为。有为者若生若住。若异若灭。无为者不生不住。不异不灭。是名比丘诸行苦。寂灭涅槃。因集故苦集。因灭故苦灭。断诸径路。灭于相续。相续灭灭。是名苦边。比丘。彼何所灭。谓有余苦。彼若灭止。清凉息没。所谓一切取灭。爱尽无欲。寂灭涅槃。佛说此经巳，诸比丘闻佛所说，欢喜奉行。

Explanation: The Buddha said: Within the twelve links of dependent arising are involved two kinds of dharmas, the conditioned and the unconditioned. Conditioned dharmas are those in which the phenomena of arising, abiding, changing, and ceasing exist; unconditioned dharmas have no phenomena of arising, abiding, changing, or ceasing. Before a bhikṣu attains nirvāṇa, he is conditioned; after all the suffering of the formations of the five aggregates has ceased, he enters the unconditioned of nirvāṇa. When the cause of the suffering of formations accumulates, suffering accumulates; when the cause of the suffering of formations ceases, suffering ceases. Thus the paths leading to birth and death are severed, and the continuity of birth and death is cut off. When the continuity of birth and death has ceased and ended, that is called the end of suffering.

Bhikṣus, what dharma did the arhats extinguish? They extinguished the remaining suffering left over after eliminating the afflictions of ignorance. If they extinguish and cease all formations, they will attain coolness, the calming and cessation [of all suffering]. This is what is meant by extinguishing all mental activity of grasping, the eternal exhaustion of craving, with no more desire remaining, and thereby attaining the bliss of the nirvāṇa of tranquility and cessation. After the Buddha finished teaching this sūtra, the bhikṣus, having heard what the Buddha said, joyfully undertook to practice it.