From The Udana: Inspired Utterances of the Buddha, translated from the Pali by John D. Ireland (Kandy: Buddhist Publication Society, 1997). Copyright ©1997 Buddhist Publication Society. Used with permission.
"This being, that is; from the arising of this, that arises; this not being, that is not; from the cessation of this, that ceases. That is: with ignorance as condition, volitional activities come to be;... with birth as condition, aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair come to be. This is the origin of this whole mass of suffering.
"But from the complete disappearance and cessation of ignorance, volitional activities cease;... from the cessation of birth, aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair cease. This is the ceasing of this whole mass of suffering."
Then, on realizing its significance, the Lord uttered on that occasion this inspired utterance:
When things become manifest
To the ardent meditating brahman,
He abides scattering Mara's host
Like the sun illumining the sky.