Abhidharmakośa, Volume Nine

Original text: 论曰。于宿生中。诸烦恼位。至今果熟。总谓无明。彼与无明俱时行故。由无明力。彼现行故。如说王行。非无导从。王俱胜故。总谓王行。于宿生中。福等业位。至今果熟。总得行名。 

Explanation: The treatise says that all the stages of afflictions in past lives, up until their karmic fruits ripen in the present, are collectively called ignorance (avidyā), because both the afflictions and their fruits operate simultaneously with ignorance; it is by the power of ignorance that the afflictions are able to manifest. For example, when it is said that the king travels, it is not without attendants and retinue; because the king is superior in all respects, the traveling of both the king and his retinue is collectively called the king's journey. Likewise, the stages of meritorious and other karmic formations in past lives, up until their fruits ripen in the present, collectively receive the name "formations" (saṃskāra). 

Original text: 初句位言。流至老死。于母胎等正结生时。一刹那位五蕴名识。结生识后。六处生前。中间诸位。总称名色。此中应说。四处生前。而言六者。据满立故眼等已生。至根境识。未和合位。得六处名。已至三和。未了三受。因差别位。总名为触。已了三受。因差别相未起淫贪。此位名受。 

Explanation: Counting from the initial stage of life, the flow continues all the way to the stage of aging-and-death. At the time of actual rebirth-linking in the mother's womb and so forth, the five aggregates at the single-instant stage are called consciousness (vijñāna). After the rebirth-linking consciousness and before the six sense bases arise, all the intermediate stages are collectively called name-and-form (nāma-rūpa). Here it should be said that four bases arise before—yet the text says six—because it is established in terms of the full stage. When the eye and so forth have already arisen, but the faculties, objects, and consciousnesses have not yet converged and combined, the stage is given the name "six sense bases." When the threefold convergence has occurred but the three kinds of feeling are not yet discerned, the various differentiated stages in between are collectively called contact (sparśa). When the three kinds of feeling have been discerned, but the differentiated characteristics have not yet given rise to sensual craving, this stage is called feeling (vedanā). 

Explanation: Life is counted from its initial stage and flows continuously to the stage of aging-and-death. When the five aggregates are formally linked in rebirth at stages such as the mother's womb, the five aggregates at the single-instant stage have the six consciousnesses arising. The rebirth-linking of the six consciousnesses occurs at the later stage, while the earlier stage is when the six sense bases appear first; all the stages between the arising of the six sense objects and the six consciousnesses are called name-and-form. Here it should be said that four bases—the ear base, nose base, body base, and mind base—arise first, not six bases, because at this time the eye base and tongue base have not yet appeared; the statement of six bases is made in accordance with the full stage of name-and-form. Before name-and-form reaches its full stage, although the eye faculty and tongue faculty are complete, the eye consciousness and tongue consciousness cannot yet arise, and the faculty, object, and consciousness cannot converge and combine; there is only the name of the six sense bases, but not yet their function. When the faculty, object, and consciousness can converge and combine, but the three kinds of feeling have not yet arisen, all the various differentiated stages in between are called contact. When the three kinds of feeling have already appeared, and there are various differentiated characteristics in between but craving has not yet arisen, this is called feeling. 

Original text: 贪妙资具。淫爱现行。未广追求。此位名爱。为得种种上妙境界。周遍驰求。此位名取。因驰求故。积集能牵。当有果业。此位名有。由是业力。从此舍命。正结当有。此位名生。当有生支。即如今识生。刹那后渐增。乃至当来。受位总名老死。如是老死。即如今世。名色六处。触受四支。辩十二支。体别如是。 

Explanation: Due to craving for fine necessities of life, sensual craving manifests; when there has not yet been extensive pursuit, this stage is called craving (tṛṣṇā). In order to obtain various superior and wondrous states of existence, one pursues them everywhere and in every way; this stage is called grasping (upādāna). Because of this pursuit, karmic actions accumulate that can draw forth the karmic fruits of future existence; this stage is called existence (bhava). By the force of this karma, one abandons this life and actually links to future existence; this stage is called birth (jāti). The link of birth in future existence is precisely what is drawn forth by the karmic actions created by the six consciousnesses in the present. After existence and birth appear, moment by moment the name-and-form and five aggregates gradually increase, all the way into the future; the stage of feeling after birth is collectively called aging-and-death. Thus aging-and-death corresponds to the four links of the present life: name-and-form, the six sense bases, contact, and feeling. The above is the discrimination of the essential natures of the twelve links. 

Explanation: Because of craving for fine necessities of life, craving manifests; when there has not yet been extensive pursuit, this stage is called craving. In order to obtain various superior and wondrous states of the higher realms, one pursues them everywhere; this stage is called grasping. Because of this pursuit, karmic actions accumulate and can draw forth the retributive karmic fruits of future lives; this stage is called existence. Due to the karmic force of such pervasive pursuit, after one abandons this life, future existence will be formally linked in rebirth; this stage is named birth. The link of birth in future existence is precisely what is drawn forth by the karmic actions created by the six consciousnesses in the present. After birth appears, moment by moment the name-and-form and five aggregates gradually increase, extending into future lives; the stage of feeling after birth is all called the stage of aging-and-death. Thus aging-and-death is precisely the four links of the present life: name-and-form, the six sense bases, contact, and feeling. The above is the discrimination of the essential natures of the twelve links. 

Question: What phenomena in our daily lives belong to pervasive pursuit? What phenomena belong to craving?