[249] "Bhikkhus, suppose there were a peaked house (kūṭāgāra) or a hall with a peaked roof, with a window on the northern, the southern, or the eastern side. When the sun rises and a ray enters through the window, where would it become established?"
"On the western wall, venerable sir."
"If, bhikkhus, there were no western wall, where would it become established?"
"On the earth, venerable sir."
"If, bhikkhus, there were no earth, where would it become established?"
"On the water, venerable sir."
"If, bhikkhus, there were no water, where would it become established?"
"It would be unestablished, venerable sir."
"So too, bhikkhus, if there is no lust (rāga), no delight (nandi), no craving (taṇhā) for the nutriment (āhāra) of edible food … if, bhikkhus, for the nutriment of contact … if, bhikkhus, for the nutriment of mental volition … if, bhikkhus, there is no lust, no delight, no craving for the nutriment of consciousness, consciousness is unestablished there and does not come to growth. Where consciousness is unestablished and does not come to growth, there is no descent of name-and-form. Where there is no descent of name-and-form, there is no growth of volitional formations. Where there is no growth of volitional formations, there is no production of renewed existence in the future. Where there is no production of renewed existence in the future, there is no future birth, aging, and death (jāti jarā maraṇa). Where there is no future birth, aging, and death — that, bhikkhus, I declare to be sorrowless, dustless, and free of despair."
The Fourth [Sutta].
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.