Suppose they were to ask me: ‘What is the source of rebirth?’ I’d answer like this: ‘Continued existence is the source of rebirth.’ That’s how I’d answer such a question.

Suppose they were to ask me: ‘What is the source of continued existence?’ I’d answer like this: ‘Grasping is the source of continued existence.’ That’s how I’d answer such a question.

Suppose they were to ask me: ‘What is the source of grasping?’ … craving … feeling … Suppose they were to ask me: ‘What is the source of contact?’ I’d answer like this: ‘The six sense fields are the source, origin, birthplace, and inception of contact.’ ‘When the six fields of contact fade away and cease with no residue left behind, contact ceases. When contact ceases, feeling ceases. When feeling ceases, craving ceases. When craving ceases, grasping ceases. When grasping ceases, continued existence ceases. When continued existence ceases, rebirth ceases. When rebirth ceases, old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress cease. That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases.’ That’s how I’d answer such a question.”

Linked Discourses 12.25 3. The Ten Powers With Bhūmija