Saṃyuktāgama (371), Part Two

(2) Original text: 此四食何因何集。何生何触。谓此诸食。爱因爱集。爱生爱触。此爱何因何集。何生何触。谓爱受因受集。受生受触。此受何因何集。何生何触。谓受触因触集。触生触触。 

Explanation: What is the cause for these four kinds of nutriment to appear? By what are they aggregated? What birth gives rise to them? What contact induces them? These four kinds of nutriment appear with craving as their cause, are brought about by the aggregation of craving, are induced by the birth of craving, and are brought forth by craving's contact. Then, what is the cause for this craving to appear? By what aggregation is it brought forth? What birth induces it? What contact produces it? This craving appears with feeling as its cause, is brought forth by the aggregation of feeling, is induced by the birth of feeling, and is produced after feeling has made contact. What is the cause for this feeling to appear? By what aggregation is it brought forth? What birth induces it? What contact produces it? This feeling appears with the contact of the six sense faculties against the six sense objects as its cause, is brought forth by the aggregation of contact, results from the birth of contact, and is induced by the contact of the six sense faculties against the six sense objects. 

If there is no craving, and craving has ceased completely, consciousness-nutriment does not arise, and there is no contact-nutriment; without contact-nutriment there is no volition-nutriment and no solid food, and the four kinds of nutriment will cease completely and not arise. Therefore craving is suffering; craving is the cause of suffering in the flow of birth and death.

Original text: 此触何因何集。何生何触。谓触六入处因。六入处集。六入处生。六入处触。六入处集是触集。触集是受集。受集是爱集。爱集是食集。食集故未来世生老病死。忧悲恼苦集。如是纯大苦聚集。如是六入处灭则触灭。触灭则受灭。受灭则爱灭。爱灭则食灭。食灭故。于未来世生老病死。忧悲恼苦灭。如是纯大苦聚灭。佛说此经已。诸比丘闻佛所说。欢喜奉行。 

Explanation: What is the cause for this contact to appear? By what aggregation does it appear? What birth induces it? What contact brings it about? Contact appears with the six sense bases as its cause, is brought forth by the aggregation of the six sense bases, is induced by the birth of the six sense bases, and is the result brought about by the contact of the six sense bases. The aggregation of the six sense bases is the aggregation of contact; the aggregation of contact is the aggregation of feeling; the aggregation of feeling is precisely the aggregation of craving; the aggregation of craving is the aggregation of the four kinds of nutriment. Because of the aggregation of nutriment, the birth, aging, sickness, death, sorrow, grief, affliction, and suffering of future lives will be aggregated, and the entire great mass of suffering will be aggregated. Speaking of the interrelated relationships of these dharmas: if the six sense bases cease, contact ceases; when contact ceases, feeling ceases; when feeling ceases, craving ceases; when craving ceases, the four kinds of nutriment cease; when the four kinds of nutriment cease, the birth, aging, sickness, death, sorrow, grief, affliction, and suffering of future lives—the entire great mass of suffering—ceases.