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

Original text: 尔时菩萨。逆顺观十二因缘。如实知。如实见已。即于座上。成阿耨多罗三藐三菩提。佛时颂曰。此言众中说。汝等当善听。过去菩萨观。本所未闻法。老死从何缘。因何等而有。如是正观已。知其本由生。生本由何缘。因何事而有。如是思惟已。知生从有起。取彼取彼已。展转更增有。是故如来说。取是有因缘。

Explanation: At that time, the crown-prince bodhisattva contemplated the twelve links of dependent origination in both forward and reverse order, and after knowing and seeing them as they truly are, he attained authentic right view and right wisdom. Having genuinely witnessed the dharma of the twelve links of dependent origination, he accomplished anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi right there on his seat. The Buddha then spoke this verse: "These teachings I proclaim in the assembly—listen to them well. The bodhisattva of the past contemplated the dharma never heard before: From what condition do aging and death arise? On account of what do they exist? Having contemplated thus rightly, he knew that their origin lies in birth. From what condition does birth arise? On account of what does it exist? Having deliberated thus, he knew that birth arises from existence (bhava). Having grasped this and that, existence grows ever stronger in succession. Therefore the Tathāgata declares that grasping is the condition for existence."

Original text: 如众秽恶聚。风吹恶流演。如是取相因。因爱而广普。爱由于受生。起苦罗网本。以染着因缘。苦乐共相应。受本由何缘。因何而有受。以是思惟已。知受由触生。触本由何缘。因何而有触。如是思惟已。触由六入生。六入本何缘。因何有六入。如是思惟已。六入名色生。名色本何缘。因何有名色。如是思惟已。名色从识生。识本由何缘。因何而有识。如是思惟已。知识从行生。行本由何缘。因何而有行。如是思惟已。知行从痴生。

Explanation: Just as when a mass of filthy, foul things gathers together, the wind blows and the foul refuse spreads abroad, so too the condition of grasping at the marks of dharmas spreads far and wide on account of craving. Craving is born from the condition of feeling; feeling is the root from which the net of suffering arises. Because of the condition of defiled attachment, feelings of suffering and bliss arise in association with defilement. From what condition does feeling originally arise? On account of what condition does feeling exist? The bodhisattva deliberated on this condition, and then realized that feeling arises from the condition of contact. From what condition does contact originally come forth? On account of what condition does contact exist? Having deliberated thus, he realized that contact arises from the condition of the six sense bases.

From what condition do the six sense bases originally arise? On account of what condition do the six sense bases exist? Having deliberated thus, he realized that the six sense bases arise from the condition of name-and-form. From what condition does name-and-form originally arise? On account of what does name-and-form exist? Having deliberated thus, he realized that name-and-form is born from the condition of the six consciousnesses. From what condition do the six consciousnesses originally arise? On account of what do the six consciousnesses exist? Having deliberated thus, he realized that the six consciousnesses arise from the condition of volitional formations. From what condition do volitional formations originally arise? On account of what condition do volitional formations exist? Having deliberated thus, he realized that volitional formations are born from the condition of ignorance.