38.4 （四）

Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Buddha was at Anāthapiṇḍada's Park in the Jeta Grove near Śrāvastī.

At that time, the World-Honored One told the bhikṣus, "When I was a bodhisattva in the past, before attaining Buddhahood, I had this thought: 'This world is extremely toilsome; there is birth, aging, sickness, and death, but the five aggregates of clinging cannot exhaust their original source.' At that time, I further thought: 'What causes birth, aging, sickness, and death? What causes these calamities?' When I contemplated this, I further thought: 'With birth, there is aging, sickness, and death.' At that time, when I contemplated this, I further thought: 'What causes birth?' This is caused by existence. I further thought: 'What causes existence?' When I contemplated this, I thought: 'Existence is caused by grasping.' I further thought: 'What causes grasping?' At that time, I observed with wisdom that grasping is caused by craving. I further contemplated: 'What causes this craving?' I further observed: 'Craving is caused by feeling.' I further contemplated: 'What causes this feeling?' When I observed this, it is caused by contact. I further contemplated: 'What causes this contact?' When I had this thought, it is caused by the six sense bases. I further contemplated: 'What causes these six sense bases?' At that time, I observed that the six sense bases are caused by name and form. I further thought: 'What causes name and form?' At that time, I observed that name and form are caused by consciousness. 'What causes this consciousness?' At that time, I observed that consciousness arises from karmic formations. I further thought: 'What causes karmic formations?' At that time, I observed that karmic formations arise from ignorance. Ignorance conditions karmic formations, karmic formations condition consciousness, consciousness conditions name and form, name and form condition the six sense bases, the six sense bases condition contact, contact conditions feeling, feeling conditions craving, craving conditions grasping, grasping conditions existence, existence conditions birth, birth conditions death, and death conditions sorrow, lamentation, suffering, and distress, which are immeasurable. This is called the origin of the suffering of the five aggregates of clinging.

At that time, I further thought: 'What causes the cessation of birth, aging, sickness, and death?' When I observed this, birth ceases, and aging, sickness, and death cease. I further thought: 'What causes the non-arising of birth?' Observing the origin of birth, with cessation, birth ceases. I further thought: 'What causes the non-existence of existence?' I had this thought at that time: 'With the cessation of grasping, there is no existence.' I further thought: 'What causes the cessation of grasping?' When I observed this, with the cessation of craving, grasping ceases. I further thought: 'What causes the cessation of craving?' I further observed: 'With the cessation of feeling, craving ceases.' I further contemplated: 'What causes the cessation of feeling?' When I observed this, with the cessation of contact, feeling ceases. I further contemplated: 'What causes the cessation of contact?' When I observed this, with the cessation of the six sense bases, contact ceases. I further observed: 'What causes the cessation of the six sense bases?' When I observed this, with the cessation of name and form, the six sense bases cease. I further observed: 'What causes the cessation of name and form?' With the cessation of consciousness, name and form cease. I further observed: 'What causes the cessation of this consciousness?' With the cessation of karmic formations, consciousness ceases. I further observed: 'What causes the cessation of these karmic formations?' With the cessation of ignorance, karmic formations cease. With the cessation of karmic formations, consciousness ceases; with the cessation of consciousness, name and form cease; 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, grasping ceases; with the cessation of grasping, existence ceases; with the cessation of existence, birth ceases; with the cessation of birth, aging and sickness cease; with the cessation of aging and sickness, death ceases. This is called the cessation of the five aggregates of clinging.

At that time, I further thought: 'This consciousness is the original source, causing one to attain birth, aging, sickness, and death; yet it cannot know the original source of the arising of birth, aging, sickness, and death.' It is like a person walking in a mountain forest, following a small path. Walking a little further, he sees an old road where people of the past used to walk. At that time, he follows this road. Walking a little further, he sees an old city with gardens and ponds, all lush and green, but there are no inhabitants in the city. Having seen this, he returns to his country and tells the king: 'Yesterday, while wandering in the mountains and forests, I saw a fine city with luxuriant trees, but there were no people in the city. Great King! Please have the people live in that city.' At that time, the king, having heard this person's words, has the people live there; then the city becomes as it was before, with a flourishing population, and they enjoy happiness beyond compare.

Bhikṣus, you should know that when I was not yet a bodhisattva in the past, I was practicing the Way in the mountains. I saw the places where the Buddhas of the past used to walk, and I followed their paths. I then knew the original source of the arising of birth, aging, sickness, and death. There is birth and there is cessation. I discerned and knew the suffering of birth, the origin of birth, the cessation of birth, and the path of birth. I also knew existence, grasping, craving, feeling, contact, the six sense bases, name and form, consciousness, karmic formations, and ignorance. When ignorance arises, karmic formations arise. What is created by karmic formations is due to consciousness. I now illuminate consciousness for the fourfold assembly and explain this original source. All should know the original source of arising. Know suffering, know its origin, know its cessation, and know the path. Remember to be clear. By knowing the six sense bases, one knows birth, aging, sickness, and death. With the cessation of the six sense bases, birth, aging, sickness, and death cease. Therefore, bhikṣus, you should seek means to extinguish the six sense bases. Thus, bhikṣus, you should train in this way.

At that time, the bhikṣus, having heard the Buddha's teaching, joyfully received and practiced it.