[57] Thus have I heard. At one time the Blessed One was dwelling among the Kurus, at a market town of the Kurus named Kammāsadamma. Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the Venerable Ānanda said this to the Blessed One: "It is wonderful, venerable sir, it is marvellous, venerable sir, how deep this dependent origination (paṭiccasamuppāda) is, and how deep it appears; and yet to me it appears as though it were quite plain."
"Do not say so, Ānanda; do not say so, Ānanda. This dependent origination is deep, and deep is its appearance. It is through not understanding, through not penetrating this dhamma, Ānanda, that this generation has become like a tangled skein of thread, like a knotted ball of yarn, like matted muñja grass and reeds, and does not pass beyond the plane of misery (apāya), the bad destination, the lower realm, the round of rebirths (saṃsāra).
"Ānanda, when asked, 'Is there a specific condition for aging and death?' one should answer, 'There is.' If one should say, 'With what as condition is there aging and death?' one should answer, 'With birth (jāti) as condition there is aging and death.' When asked, 'Is there a specific condition for birth?' one should answer, 'There is.' If one should say, 'With what as condition is there birth?' one should answer, 'With existence (bhava) as condition there is birth.' When asked, 'Is there a specific condition for existence?' one should answer, 'There is.' If one should say, 'With what as condition is there existence?' one should answer, 'With clinging (upādāna) as condition there is existence.' When asked, 'Is there a specific condition for clinging?' one should answer, 'There is.' If one should say, 'With what as condition is there clinging?' one should answer, 'With craving (taṇhā) as condition there is clinging.' When asked, 'Is there a specific condition for craving?' one should answer, 'There is.' If one should say, 'With what as condition is there craving?' one should answer, 'With feeling (vedanā) as condition there is craving.' When asked, 'Is there a specific condition for feeling?' one should answer, 'There is.' If one should say, 'With what as condition is there feeling?' one should answer, 'With contact (phassa) as condition there is feeling.' When asked, 'Is there a specific condition for contact?' one should answer, 'There is.' If one should say, 'With what as condition is there contact?' one should answer, 'With name-and-form (nāmarūpa) as condition there is contact.' When asked, 'Is there a specific condition for name-and-form?' one should answer, 'There is.' If one should say, 'With what as condition is there name-and-form?' one should answer, 'With consciousness as condition there is name-and-form.' When asked, 'Is there a specific condition for consciousness?' one should answer, 'There is.' If one should say, 'With what as condition is there consciousness?' one should answer, 'With name-and-form as condition there is consciousness.'
"Thus, Ānanda: with name-and-form as condition, consciousness; with consciousness as condition, name-and-form; with name-and-form as condition, contact; with contact as condition, feeling; with feeling as condition, craving; with craving as condition, clinging; with clinging as condition, existence; with existence as condition, birth; with birth as condition, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair come to be.
"Such is the origin of this whole mass of suffering (dukkha)."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.