Samyuktagama Sutra (347), Part Four

(4) Original text:佛告须深。我今问汝。随意答我。须深。于意云何。有生故有老死。不离生有老死耶。须深答曰。如是。世尊。有生故有老死。不离生有老死。佛又问。如是生有。取爱受触。六入处名色。识行无明。有无明故有行。不离无明。而有行耶。须深白佛。如是。世尊。有无明故有行。不离无明而有行。

Explanation: The Buddha told Susīma: "I now ask you; answer me as you wish. Susīma, what do you think? It is because there is birth that there is aging and death, and it is not apart from birth that there is aging and death—is that right?" Susīma replied: "Yes, World-Honored One. It is because there is birth that there is aging and death, and it is not apart from birth that there is aging and death." The Buddha asked again: "In the same way, it is because there is existence (bhava) that there is birth, and it is not apart from existence that there is birth; it is because there is grasping that there is existence, and it is not apart from grasping that there is existence; it is because there is craving that there is grasping, and it is not apart from craving that there is grasping; it is because there is feeling that there is craving, and it is not apart from feeling that there is craving; it is because there is contact that there is feeling, and it is not apart from contact that there is feeling; it is because there are the six sense bases that there is contact, and it is not apart from the six sense bases that there is contact; it is because there is name-and-form that there are the six sense bases, and it is not apart from name-and-form that there are the six sense bases; it is because there is consciousness that there is name-and-form, and it is not apart from consciousness that there is name-and-form; it is because there are volitional formations that there is consciousness, and it is not apart from volitional formations that there is consciousness; it is because there is ignorance that there are volitional formations, and it is not apart from ignorance that there are volitional formations—is this so?" Susīma said to the Buddha: "It is so, World-Honored One. It is because there is ignorance that there are volitional formations, and it is not apart from ignorance that there are volitional formations."

Original text:佛告须深。无生故无老死。不离生灭而老死灭耶。须深白佛言。如是。世尊。无生故无老死。不离生灭而老死灭。佛告须深。如是。乃至无无明故无行。不离无明灭而行灭耶。须深白佛。如是。世尊。无无明故无行。不离无明灭而行灭。

Explanation: The Buddha told Susīma: "It is because there is no birth that there is no aging and death, and it is not apart from the cessation of birth that aging and death cease—is that right?" Susīma said to the Buddha: "Yes, World-Honored One. When there is no birth, there is no aging and death, and it is not apart from the cessation of birth that aging and death cease." The Buddha told Susīma: "In the same way, down to the fact that it is because there is no ignorance that there are no volitional formations, and it is not apart from the cessation of ignorance that volitional formations cease—is this so?" Susīma said to the Buddha: "Yes, World-Honored One. It is because there is no ignorance that there are no volitional formations, and it is not apart from the cessation of ignorance that volitional formations cease."