[517] Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the Venerable Ānanda said this to the Blessed One: "'Existence (bhava), existence,' it is said, venerable sir. In what way, venerable sir, is there existence?"
"Ānanda, if there were no kamma ripening in the sense element (kāmadhātu), would sense-sphere existence (kāmabhava) be discerned?"
"No indeed, venerable sir."
"Thus, Ānanda, kamma is the field, consciousness (viññāṇa) the seed, and craving (taṇhā) the moisture. For beings hindered by ignorance (avijjā) and fettered by craving, volition (cetanā) is established, aspiration is established, in an inferior element (dhātu); thus there is the production of renewed existence in the future.
"Ānanda, if there were no kamma ripening in the form element (rūpadhātu), would form-sphere existence (rūpabhava) be discerned?"
"No indeed, venerable sir."
"Thus, Ānanda, kamma is the field, consciousness the seed, and craving the moisture. For beings hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving, volition is established, aspiration is established, in a middling element; thus there is the production of renewed existence in the future.
"Ānanda, if there were no kamma ripening in the formless element (arūpadhātu), would formless existence (arūpabhava) be discerned?"
"No indeed, venerable sir."
"Thus, Ānanda, kamma is the field, consciousness the seed, and craving the moisture. For beings hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving, volition is established, aspiration is established, in a sublime element; thus there is the production of renewed existence in the future. It is in this way, Ānanda, that there is existence."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.