Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra, Volume 10: Commentary on the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination (Part Six)

Original text: 问。何因缘故。无明等诸有支。作如是次第说。答。诸愚痴者。要先愚于。所应知事。次即于彼。发起邪行。由邪行故。令心颠倒。心颠倒故。结生相续。生相续故。诸根圆满。根圆满故。二受用境。

Explanation: Question: What causes and conditions make the twelve links of existence, such as ignorance, arranged in this sequence and expounded in this order? Answer: All foolish and deluded people are first ignorant of the things they should know; next, with regard to those things they do not understand, they initiate evil and unwholesome conduct. Because of such unwholesome conduct, the mind becomes inverted. Because the mind is inverted, the knots of affliction bind them so that life continues on without interruption. Because life continues on without interruption, the six faculties become complete and fully endowed. Because the six faculties are complete, there are the two kinds of enjoyment of objects: the retributive enjoyment of the five-aggregate body (the direct retribution) and the enjoyment of the living environment (the circumstantial retribution).

Original text: 受用境故。若耽着若希求。由希求故。于方觅时。烦恼滋长。烦恼滋长故。发起后有。爱非爱业。由所起业。滋长力故。于五趣生死中。苦果生。苦果生已。有老死等苦。谓内身变异。所引老死苦。及境界变异。所引忧叹苦。热恼之苦。是故。世尊如是次第。说十二支。

Explanation: Because there is the enjoyment of objects, one becomes immersed in the enjoyment of objects and unable to extricate oneself, or one gives rise to further craving. Because of craving, in the process of searching everywhere for what is sought, afflictions grow and multiply. Because afflictions grow and multiply, karmic actions of desirable and undesirable future existence in the three realms are initiated. Because of the growing force of the karmic actions that have been created, painful retributions arise within the birth-and-death cycle of the five destinies. Once the painful retribution has arisen, there are the sufferings of old age, death, and so forth—namely, the suffering of old age and death induced by the alteration of the internal body, as well as the suffering of sorrow and lamentation and the suffering of anguish and distress induced by the alteration of objective conditions. Therefore, the World-Honored One expounded the twelve links in this sequence.

Original text: 复有次第差别。谓依二种缘。建立缘起次第。一内身缘。二受用境界缘。内身缘。前六支所摄。受用境界缘。后六支所摄。先于内身。起我执等愚。由此不了。诸业所引。苦果异熟故。发起诸业。

Explanation: There are also other differences in sequence, namely, the sequence of dependent arising is established on the basis of two kinds of conditions: one is the condition of the internal body, and the other is the condition of the enjoyment of objective circumstances. The condition of the internal body is subsumed under the first six links; the condition of the enjoyment of objective circumstances is subsumed under the latter six links. The internal-body condition is subsumed under the first six links of ignorance, formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six sense bases, and contact, while the condition of the enjoyment of objective circumstances is subsumed under the latter six links of feeling, craving, grasping, existence, birth, and old age and death. Sentient beings first give rise to delusions such as self-grasping with regard to the internal body; because of such delusion, not understanding that all the karmic actions created by the five-aggregate body can lead to painful retributive results (vipāka-hetu-phala), they initiate all karmic actions.

Here it is said that the first six links subsume the internal body, the five-aggregate body. Because of ignorance, karmic formations are created and name-and-form arises; upon name-and-form, the six sense bases arise; once the six sense bases exist, the latter six links follow. The latter six links are all the objective circumstances enjoyed by the five-aggregate body, and they are also the consequences of the six sense bases coming into contact [with objects]. Thus, the twelve links of dependent arising are established on the basis of the internal body and the enjoyment of objects.

Original text: 既发起已。即随彼业。多起寻思。由业与识。为助伴故。能感当来。三种苦果。谓根初起。所摄苦果。根圆满所摄苦果。受用境界。所摄苦果。即名色为先。触为最后。

Explanation: Once the karmic actions have been initiated, one repeatedly gives rise to deliberation (manana) and seeking in accordance with those karmic actions. Because the karmic actions and consciousness serve as mutual aids, they can attract three kinds of painful retributions in the future: first, the painful retribution subsumed under the initial arising of the faculties [in the womb]; second, the painful retribution subsumed under the full development of the faculties after birth; third, the painful retribution experienced in the enjoyment of objective circumstances. The condition for the appearance of these three kinds of painful retribution is that name-and-form comes first, and contact comes last; only then can the painful retributions appear.