Dīrgha Āgama, Volume One: The Twelve Links of Dependent Origination

(2) Original Text: He further contemplated: "Whence does birth and death come? Through what condition do they arise?" Then, with wisdom, he observed the cause: Old age and death arise from birth; birth is the condition for old age and death. Birth arises from becoming; becoming is the condition for birth. Becoming arises from clinging; clinging is the condition for becoming. Clinging arises from craving; craving is the condition for clinging. Craving arises from feeling; feeling is the condition for craving. Feeling arises from contact; contact is the condition for feeling. Contact arises from the six sense bases; the six sense bases are the condition for contact. The six sense bases arise from name-and-form; name-and-form is the condition for the six sense bases. Name-and-form arises from consciousness; consciousness is the condition for name-and-form. Consciousness arises from formations; formations are the condition for consciousness. Formations arise from ignorance; ignorance is the condition for formations. Thus, with ignorance as condition, formations arise; with formations as condition, consciousness arises; with consciousness as condition, name-and-form arises; with name-and-form as condition, the six sense bases arise; with the six sense bases as condition, contact arises; with contact as condition, feeling arises; with feeling as condition, craving arises; with craving as condition, clinging arises; with clinging as condition, becoming arises; with becoming as condition, birth arises; with birth as condition, old age, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair arise. These aggregates of suffering arise conditioned by birth. This is the origin of suffering. As the Bodhisattva contemplated the arising of the aggregates of suffering, wisdom arose, vision arose, awakening arose, understanding arose, penetration arose, insight arose, and realization arose.

Explanation: The Prince further contemplated: "Whence does birth and death come? Through what condition do they arise?" Then, using wisdom, he observed the cause of birth and death. Old age and death arise from birth; birth is the condition for the arising of old age and death. Birth arises from becoming in the three realms; becoming is the condition for the arising of birth. Becoming arises from clinging; clinging is the condition for the arising of becoming. Clinging arises from craving; craving is the condition for the arising of clinging. Craving arises from feeling; feeling is the condition for the arising of craving. Feeling arises from contact; contact is the condition for the arising of feeling. Contact arises from the six sense bases; the six sense bases are the condition for the arising of contact. The six sense bases arise from name-and-form; name-and-form is the condition for the arising of the six sense bases. Name-and-form arises from the six consciousnesses; the six consciousnesses are the condition for the arising of name-and-form. The six consciousnesses arise from formations; formations are the condition for the arising of the six consciousnesses. Formations arise from the ignorance of the mental faculty; ignorance is the condition for the arising of formations.

Therefore, it is said: With ignorance as condition, formations arise; with formations as condition, consciousness arises; with consciousness as condition, name-and-form arises; with name-and-form as condition, the six sense bases arise; with the six sense bases as condition, contact arises; with contact as condition, feeling arises; with feeling as condition, craving arises; with craving as condition, clinging arises; with clinging as condition, becoming arises; with becoming as condition, birth arises; with birth as condition, old age, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair arise. These aggregates of suffering appear precisely because birth exists; this is the origin of suffering. As Prince Bodhisattva contemplated the arising of the aggregates of suffering, the wisdom of dependent arising arose, the Dharma-eye arose, awakening arose, understanding arose, penetration arose, insight arose, and realization arose.

Original Text: Then the Bodhisattva further contemplated alone: "With the absence of what is old age and death absent? With the cessation of what does old age and death cease?" Then, with wisdom, he observed the cause: With the absence of birth, old age and death are absent; with the cessation of birth, old age and death cease. With the absence of becoming, birth is absent; with the cessation of becoming, birth ceases. With the absence of clinging, becoming is absent; with the cessation of clinging, becoming ceases. With the absence of craving, clinging is absent; with the cessation of craving, clinging ceases. With the absence of feeling, craving is absent; with the cessation of feeling, craving ceases. With the absence of contact, feeling is absent; with the cessation of contact, feeling ceases. With the absence of the six sense bases, contact is absent; with the cessation of the six sense bases, contact ceases. With the absence of name-and-form, the six sense bases are absent; with the cessation of name-and-form, the six sense bases cease. With the absence of consciousness, name-and-form is absent; with the cessation of consciousness, name-and-form ceases. With the absence of formations, consciousness is absent; with the cessation of formations, consciousness ceases. With the absence of ignorance, formations are absent; with the cessation of ignorance, formations cease. Thus, with the cessation of ignorance, formations cease; with the cessation of formations, consciousness ceases; with the cessation of consciousness, name-and-form ceases; with the cessation of name-and-form, the six sense bases cease; with the cessation of the six sense bases, contact ceases; with the cessation of contact, feeling ceases; with the cessation of feeling, craving ceases; with the cessation of craving, clinging ceases; with the cessation of clinging, becoming ceases; with the cessation of becoming, birth ceases; with the cessation of birth, old age, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair cease. As the Bodhisattva contemplated the cessation of the aggregates of suffering, wisdom arose, vision arose, awakening arose, understanding arose, penetration arose, insight arose, and realization arose.

Explanation: Then the Bodhisattva again contemplated alone: "With the absence of what dharmas is old age and death absent? With the cessation of what dharmas does old age and death cease?" Then, using wisdom, he observed the cause of the cessation of old age and death, realizing that with the absence of birth, old age and death are absent; with the cessation of birth, old age and death cease; with the absence of becoming, birth is absent; with the cessation of becoming, birth ceases; with the absence of clinging, becoming is absent; with the cessation of clinging, becoming ceases; with the absence of craving, clinging is absent; with the cessation of craving, clinging ceases; with the absence of feeling, craving is absent; with the cessation of feeling, craving ceases; with the absence of contact, feeling is absent; with the cessation of contact, feeling ceases; with the absence of the six sense bases, contact is absent; with the cessation of the six sense bases, contact ceases; with the absence of name-and-form, the six sense bases are absent; with the cessation of name-and-form, the six sense bases cease; with the absence of the six consciousnesses, name-and-form is absent; with the cessation of the six consciousnesses, name-and-form ceases.

With the cessation of name-and-form, the six sense bases cease; with the cessation of the six sense bases, contact ceases; with the cessation of contact, feeling ceases; with the cessation of feeling, craving ceases; with the cessation of craving, clinging ceases; with the cessation of clinging, becoming ceases; with the cessation of becoming, birth ceases; with the cessation of birth, old age, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair cease. As Prince Bodhisattva contemplated the cessation of the aggregates of suffering, the wisdom of conditionality arose, the Dharma-eye arose, awakening arose, understanding arose, penetration arose, insight arose, and realization arose.