Saṃyuktāgama (291), Part Two

（二） Original text: 佛告阿难。善哉。谛听。当为汝说。此诸比丘取内触法。应如是思惟。若众生所有种种众苦生。此苦何因何集。何生何触。作如是取时。当知此苦亿波提因。亿波提集。亿波提生。亿波提转。

Explanation: The Buddha told Ānanda, "Very good. Listen carefully, and I shall explain it for you. When you bhikṣus grasp the method of inner contact, you should contemplate in this way: when all the various sufferings of sentient beings arise, what is the cause of this suffering? By what is it accumulated? By what does it arise? By what does it make contact?" When you grasp in this way, you should know that this suffering has upādāna as its cause; it is accumulated by upādāna, arises from upādāna, and transmigrates through upādāna.

Original text: 复次比丘。内触法。又亿波提何因。何集何生何触。彼取时当复知。亿波提爱因爱集。爱生爱触。复次比丘。取内触法。当复知爱何因何集。何生何触。如是取时。当知世间所念。谛正之色。于彼爱生而生。系而系。住而住。

Explanation: He further said, "Bhikṣus, when you grasp the method of inner contact, you should know: what dharma is again the cause for the arising of upādāna? By what dharma's accumulation is upādāna accumulated? By what dharma's arising does upādāna arise? By what dharma's contact does upādāna make contact? When you grasp it, you should further know that upādāna has craving (tṛṣṇā) as its cause; it is accumulated by craving, arises from craving, and makes contact through craving."

He further said, "Bhikṣus, when grasping the method of inner contact, you should further know: what is the cause of craving's arising? By what dharma's accumulation is craving accumulated? By what dharma's arising does craving arise? By what dharma's contact does craving make contact? When grasping in this way, you should know that the refined and pure aggregate of form that worldly people hold in their minds—when craving arises toward it, upādāna arises; when the aggregate of form is bound by craving, it is bound by upādāna; when craving dwells on the aggregate of form, upādāna dwells on the aggregate of form."

This is a portion of the twelve links of dependent origination taught by the World-Honored One. What was taught earlier was that the accumulation of contact is the cause of the accumulation of feeling; what is taught here is that the accumulation of craving is the cause of the accumulation of upādāna. Where there is craving, there is upādāna; where there is upādāna, there is the suffering of birth, death, aging, and illness, as well as sorrow, grief, suffering, and distress (śoka-parideva-duḥkha-daurmanasyopāyāsa). Because of craving, one grasps at the six sense objects; after grasping, there comes existence (bhava); with existence there is birth; and after birth, suffering emerges.