DEPENDENT EXTINCTION OF ALL PHENOMENA

For, through the total fading away and extinction of Craving,
Clinging is extinguished; through the extinction of clinging, the
Process of Becoming is extinguished; through the extinction of the
(karmic) process of becoming, Rebirth is extinguished; and through
the extinction of rebirth, Decay and Death, Sorrow, Lamentation,
Suffering, Grief, and Despair, are extinguished. Thus comes about
the extinction of this whole mass of suffering.
Hence, the annihilation, cessation, and overcoming of
corporeality, feeling, perception, mental formations, and
consciousness, this is the extinction of suffering, the end of
disease, the overcoming of old age and death.
[The undulatory motion, which we call wave-which in the spectator
creates the illusion of a single mass of water moving over the surface
of the lake-is produced and fed by the wind, and maintained by the
stored-up energies. After the wind has ceased, and no fresh wind again
whips up the water, the stored-up energies will gradually be consumed,
and the whole undulatory motion come to an end. Similarly, if fire
does not get new fuel, it will become extinct. just so, this
Five-Khandha-process-which, in the ignorant worldling, creates the
illusion of an Ego-entity-is produced and fed by the life-affirming
craving, and maintained for some time by means of the stored-up
life-energies. Now, after the fuel, i.e., the craving and clinging
to life, has ceased, and no new craving impels again this
Five-Khandha-process, life will continue as long as there are still
life-energies stored up, but at their destruction at death, the
Five-Khandha-process will reach final extinction.
Thus, nirvana or "Extinction" (Sanskrit: to cease blowing, to
become extinct), may be considered under two aspects:
1. "Extinction of Impurities," reached at the attainment of
Arahatship, or Holiness, which takes place during the life-time.
2. "Extinction of the Five-Khandha-process," which takes place at
the death of the Arahat.]