Abhidharmakośa, Volume Nine (The Section on the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination)

(1) Original text: 颂曰。如是诸缘起十二支。三际前后际各二。中八据圆满。论曰。十二支者。一无明二行。三识四名色。五六处六触。七受八爱。九取十有。十一生十二老死。言三际者。一前际。二后际。三中际。即是过未。及现三生。云何十二支。于三际建立。谓前后际。各立二支。中际八支。故成十二。无明行在前际。生老死在后际。所余八在中际。此中际八。一切有情此一生中皆具有不。非皆具有。若尔何故说。有八支据圆满者。此中意说。补特伽罗历一切位。名圆满者。非诸中夭。及色无色。但据欲界补特伽罗。 

Explanation: The twelve links of dependent origination are divided into three periods. The prior period, the past life, has two links: ignorance and volitional formations. The middle period, the present life, has eight links: consciousness, name-and-form, the six sense bases, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, and existence. The later period, the future life, has two links: birth and aging-and-death. How are the twelve links divided such that the prior and later periods each have two links, the middle period has eight links, totaling twelve? Ignorance and volitional formations are in the prior period; birth and aging-and-death are in the later period; the remaining eight links are in the middle period. As for these eight links of the middle period, do all sentient beings possess them all within one lifetime? Not all possess them all. If that is so, for what reason is it said that possessing eight links demonstrates that the five-aggregate body is complete? The meaning here is that a person (pudgala) is called complete as long as they have passed through all the stages; it does not refer to those who die prematurely, nor to the five aggregates of the form realm and the formless realm; it only refers to pudgalas of the desire realm, for whom possessing eight links constitutes completeness. 

Original text: 大缘起经说。具有故彼说。佛告阿难陀言。识若不入胎。得增广大不。不也世尊。乃至广说。有时但说二分缘起。一前际摄。二后际摄。前七支前际摄。谓无明乃至受。后五支后际摄。谓从爱至老死。前后因果二分摄故。 

Explanation: The Great Dependent Origination Sūtra says that all eight links are present, and therefore it is called complete. The Buddha told Ānanda: "If consciousness does not enter the womb, can name-and-form grow and expand?" Ānanda replied, "No, World-Honored One." And so forth, with extensive elaboration. Sometimes only a two-part dependent origination is taught: one part subsumed under the prior period, and the second part subsumed under the later period. The first seven links are subsumed under the prior period, namely from ignorance up to feeling; the latter five links are subsumed under the later period, namely from craving through to aging-and-death. This is because the causes and effects of the prior and later periods are subsumed under these two parts. 

Original text: 无明等支何法为体。颂曰。宿惑谓无明。宿诸业名行。识正结生蕴。六处前名色。从生眼等根。三和前六处。于三受因异。未了知名触。在淫爱前受。贪资具淫爱。为得诸境界。遍驰求名取。有谓正能造。牵当有果业。结当有名生。至当受老死。 

Explanation: What dharmas serve as the essence of these links such as ignorance? There is a verse: The past-life thought-delusions are called ignorance; the past-life karmic actions are called volitional formations. Consciousness is what directly binds and produces the aggregates. Name-and-form is the link prior to the six sense bases; from name-and-form the five roots such as the eye and ear are born. The link prior to the conjunction of the three—root, object, and consciousness—is the six sense bases. Because the causes for the three kinds of feeling differ, feeling is divided into three types. The link prior to being understood is contact; the link prior to the arising of sexual craving is feeling. Craving gives rise to sexual desire; because of craving for the requisites of life and for objects of desire. In order to obtain the various states of experience, running about and seeking everywhere is called grasping. Existence refers to the five-aggregate body that is presently engaged in creating karma that will draw the future karmic retribution of existence. The binding forth of future existence is called birth, and in the end one will undergo the suffering of aging and death.