Yogācārabhūmi Śāstra, Volume 9: Explanation of the Twelvefold Dependent Origination (13)

Original text:身行云何。谓身业。若欲界若色界。在下名福非福。在上名不动。语行云何。谓语业。余如前应知。意行云何。谓意业。若在欲界。名福非福。在上二界。唯名不动。

Explanation: What is bodily volitional formation? Bodily volitional formation refers to karmic actions created through the body—either creating karmic actions of the desire realm, or creating karmic actions of the form realm. In the formless realm, no bodily volitional formations are created, because the devas of the formless realm have no body. Who creates karmic actions through the body? It is the manas that causes the six consciousnesses to create karmic actions through the material body. In the lower desire realm, one can create meritorious formations (Puṇyābhisaṃskāra) and unmeritorious formations (apuṇya-abhisaṃskāra); in the upper form realm, what is created is pure imperturbable formation (Ānaiñjya/Āneñjya), because sentient beings in the form realm possess profound meditative concentration (samādhi); since the mind does not move amid sense objects, the body, being directed by the mind, also does not move, and thus no bodily volitional formations are created. In the formless realm there is no body, so there is no bodily volitional formation, and the mind is likewise pure and unmoving. By whom is the body directed? The body is directed by the manas; if the manas does not stir its mind, the mind consciousness does not stir, the body consciousness does not stir, and the body does not move.

What is verbal volitional formation? Verbal volitional formation refers to karmic actions created through the mouth, that is, verbal karma. Verbal volitional formations created in the lower desire realm are meritorious formations and unmeritorious formations; in the upper form realm, the devas' minds are pure, endowed fully with pure conduct (brahmacarya), their minds unmoving amid sense objects; since the mouth is directed by the mind, the mouth is pure and unmoving, and there is no verbal volitional formation. In the formless realm, because the devas have no mouth, there is no verbal volitional formation.

What is mental volitional formation? Mental volitional formation here refers to the karmic actions created by the mind consciousness. In the desire realm, the mind consciousness creates meritorious formations and unmeritorious formations; in the upper form realm and formless realm, what is created is imperturbable formation (Ānaiñjya/Āneñjya), because when the manas's mind is pure and unmoving, the mind consciousness is also pure and unmoving, as the mind consciousness is directed by the manas.

Original text:眼识云何。谓于当来依止眼根。了别色境识。所有福非福不动行。所熏发种子识。及彼种子。所生果识。如眼识如是。乃至意识。应知亦尔。由所依及境界所。起了别差别。应知此于欲界。具足六种。色界唯四。无色界唯一。

Explanation: What is the eye consciousness? The eye consciousness is the consciousness that relies on the eye faculty to discern form objects; it is the seed consciousness perfumed and generated by all meritorious formations, unmeritorious formations, and imperturbable formations, as well as the retributive consciousness born from those deposited seeds. It is thus with the eye consciousness, and likewise with the ear consciousness, nose consciousness, tongue consciousness, and body consciousness, up to the mind consciousness—these arise as different discernments depending on the five faculties they rely upon and the five sense-object realms. One should know that in the desire realm, the seed consciousness and retributive consciousness comprise six kinds, namely the six consciousnesses; in the form realm there are only four—the eye consciousness, ear consciousness, body consciousness, and mind consciousness; in the formless realm there is only one, the mind consciousness, without the first five consciousnesses.