[26] "Bhikkhus, before my awakening, while I was still an unawakened Bodhisatta, this thought occurred to me: 'Alas, this world has fallen into trouble: it is born, it ages, it dies, it passes away, and it is reborn; and yet it does not understand the escape from this suffering (dukkha), from aging-and-death. When indeed will an escape from this suffering, from aging-and-death, be discerned?'
Then, bhikkhus, this thought occurred to me: 'When what exists does aging-and-death come to be? With what as condition is there aging-and-death?' Then, bhikkhus, through wise attention (yoniso manasikāra) there occurred to me a breakthrough by wisdom: 'When birth (jāti) exists, aging-and-death comes to be; with birth as condition there is aging-and-death.'
Then, bhikkhus, this thought occurred to me: 'When what exists does birth come to be?' … existence … clinging … craving (taṇhā) … feeling (vedanā) … contact … the six sense bases (saḷāyatana) … name-and-form … consciousness … 'do volitional formations come to be? With what as condition are there volitional formations?' Then, bhikkhus, through wise attention there occurred to me a breakthrough by wisdom: 'When ignorance (avijjā) exists, volitional formations come to be; with ignorance as condition there are volitional formations.'
Thus: with ignorance as condition, volitional formations; with volitional formations as condition, consciousness … Such is the origin (samudaya) of this whole mass of suffering.
'Origin, origin' — thus, bhikkhus, in regard to things unheard before, there arose in me vision, there arose knowledge (ñāṇa), there arose wisdom, there arose true knowledge (vijjā), there arose light."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.