Samyuktagama (Sanskrit fragments) 286.4

286.4

爾時，世尊告諸比丘：「我憶宿命未成正覺時，獨一靜處，專精禪思……」如上廣說。差別者：「譬如載樵十束、二十束、三十束、四十束、五十束、百束、千束、百千束，積聚燒然，作大火聚，若復有人增其乾草樵薪，諸比丘！於意云何？此火相續長夜熾然不？」

It was then that the Bhagavān addressed the monks, “I recall a past life before I had achieved perfect awakening. I was alone in a quiet place, focused in meditative reflection, when this thought occurred to me: [‘The world is in a difficult situation. That is, whether they are born, grow old, become ill, die, transmigrate, or receive birth, sentient beings still do not truly understand what supports that birth, old age, and death.’”]

[“I had this thought, ‘The existence of what causes birth to exist? The condition of what causes birth to exist?’ When I properly considered it, this true understanding occurred to me immediately: ‘Birth exists because existence exists. Birth exists because of the condition of existence.’]

[“Again, I considered this, ‘The existence of what causes existence to exist? The condition of what causes existence to exist?’ When I properly considered it, this true understanding occurred to me immediately: ‘Existence exists because grasping exists. Existence exists because of the condition of grasping.’]

[“I also had this thought, ‘Again, what’s the condition for grasping? The existence of what causes grasping to exist? The condition of what causes grasping to exist?’ When I properly considered it, this true understanding occurred to me immediately: ‘When things that are grasped are savored, thought about, and fetter the mind, craving grows. Grasping exists because craving exists. It’s craving that conditions grasping. Grasping conditions existence, existence conditions birth, and birth conditions old age, illness, death, sorrow, lamentation, trouble, and pain. Such is the way the whole mass of suffering forms.’]

“It’s like someone who carries ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, a hundred, a thousand, or a hundred thousand bundles of firewood, stacks them into a pile, and ignites to make a large bonfire. Suppose they add hay and firewood to it. Monks, what do you think? Would this fire burn continuously for a long night?”