The Word of the Buddha Consciousness Depends on the Other Groups

¶ 7If anyone, bhikkhus, were to speak thus: ‘Apart from form, apart from feeling, apart from perception, apart from intentional constructs, I will point out the coming, the going, the passing away, the rebirth, the growth, the increase, or the expansion of consciousness’ — that is not possible.

¶ 14“In that case, friend, I shall give you a simile, for there are some wise persons who understand the meaning of a statement through a simile. Suppose, friend, two sheaves of reeds were to stand leaning against each other.

¶ 15In the same way, friend, with dependence on name and form, there is consciousness; with dependence on consciousness, there are name and form; with dependence on name and form, there are the six sense bases; with dependence on the six sense bases, there is contact; with dependence on contact, there is felt experience; with dependence on felt experience, there is craving; with dependence on craving, there is clinging; with dependence on clinging, there is existence; with dependence on existence, there is birth; with dependence on birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair arise. Thus is the arising of this entire heap of suffering. If, friend, one of those sheaves of reeds were to be pulled away, the other would fall down; and if the other were to be pulled away, the first would fall down.

¶ 16In the same way, friend, with the cessation of name and form, consciousness ceases; with the cessation of consciousness, name and form cease; with the cessation of name and form, the six sense bases cease; with the cessation of the six sense bases, contact ceases; with the cessation of contact, felt experience ceases; with the cessation of felt experience, craving ceases; with the cessation of craving, clinging ceases; with the cessation of clinging, existence ceases; with the cessation of existence, birth ceases; with the cessation of birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair cease. Thus is the cessation of this entire heap of suffering.”