"
Who, O Lord, has a sense-impression?"
"The question is not correct," said the Exalted One.
"I do not say that '
he has a sense-impression.' Had I said so, then the question '
Who has a sense-impression?' would be appropriate. But since I did not speak thus, the correct way to ask the question will be '
What is the condition of sense-impression?' And to that the correct reply is: '
The sixfold sense-base is a condition of sense-impression, and sense-impression is the condition of feeling.'"
"
Who, O Lord, feels?"
"The question is not correct," said the Exalted One. "I do not say that 'he feels.' Had I said so, then the question 'Who feels?' would be appropriate. But since I did not speak thus, the correct way to ask the question will be 'What is the condition of feeling?' And to that the correct reply is: '
sense-impression is the condition of feeling; and feeling is the condition of craving.'"
"Who, O Lord, craves?"
"The question is not correct," said the Exalted One. "I do not say that 'he craves.' Had I said so, then the question 'Who craves?' would be appropriate. But since I did not speak thus, the correct way to ask the question will be 'What is the condition of craving?' And to that the correct reply is: '
Feeling is the condition of craving, and craving is the condition of clinging.'"
"Who, O Lord, clings?"
"The question is not correct," said the Exalted One, "I do not say that 'he clings.' Had I said so, then the question 'Who clings?' would be appropriate. But since I did not speak thus, the correct way to ask the question will be 'What is the condition of clinging?' And to that the correct reply is: '
Craving is the condition of clinging; and clinging is the condition of the process of becoming.' Such is the origin of this entire mass of suffering.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.012.nypo.html
