Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra: Commentary on the Twelve Links of Dependent Arising (18)

Original text: 问。由随眠未断。顺彼诸法。取皆得生。何故此中。但说爱为取缘。答。由希望生故。于追求时。能发随眠。及能引彼。随顺法故。

Explanation: Question: Because the latent afflictions (anuśaya) have not been eliminated, one conforms to them, and thus grasping with respect to all dharmas arises. Why then does this passage say only that craving is the condition for grasping? Answer: Because hope arises from it—when pursuing [the object of craving], one is able to activate the latent afflictions, and is also able to draw the mind to conform to those dharmas. Therefore the condition for the arising of grasping is craving, not the latent afflictions.

The meaning of "latent afflictions" (anuśaya) is that when afflictions have not been eliminated, they constantly remain hidden as seeds within the ālayavijñāna, or lie dormant within the ālayavijñāna, and when the conditions ripen, the afflictions will manifest. However, the afflictions also follow the manas and accompany the manas; when the conditions ripen, the manas will conform to the afflictions and manifest them, and karmic actions will accordingly appear. Craving is also one kind of affliction; it is because of craving that the mental action of grasping and clinging arises. But the affliction of resentment (pratigha) is a turning away—it neither conforms nor grasps. That is why it is said that craving conditions grasping, not that affliction conditions grasping.

Original text: 问。前已说无明为缘。发起业有。何故今者。说取缘有。答。由取力故。即令彼业。于彼彼生处。能引识名色等果。问。生亦以精血等为缘。何故此中。唯说有缘生耶。答。由有有故。定有余缘无阙。又有胜故。唯说彼为缘。

Explanation: Question: It has already been said earlier that ignorance serves as the condition that initiates karmic existence (bhava). Why is it now said that grasping is the condition for existence? Answer: Because of the force of grasping, those karmic actions are made able to bring forth, in their respective realms and levels of birth, the fruits of consciousness, name-and-form, and so forth. Hence it is said that grasping conditions existence.

Question: A living being is also born with the father's semen and the mother's blood as conditions. Why does this passage say only that existence is the condition for birth? Answer: Because existence exists, the other conditions are certainly present without deficiency for the birth of a living being; hence it is said that existence conditions birth. Furthermore, because existence is the most supreme among all the conditions, it alone is said to be the condition for birth.

Original text: 问。亦由远行。不避不平等。他所逼迫为缘。老死可得。何故此中。但说生缘老死耶。答。虽由彼诸缘。必以生为根本故。纵阙彼缘。但生为缘。定有老死故。

Explanation: Question: Aging and death can also come about through conditions such as long journeys, failure to avoid what is harmful and inimical, or coercion by others—when the lifespan has not yet reached its end, sudden external causes and coercion force the lifespan to terminate. Why does this passage say only that birth is the condition for aging and death? Answer: Although there are many conditions that lead to the appearance of aging and death, aging and death must have birth as their fundamental condition. Even if those other conditions are absent, so long as there is birth as the condition, aging and death will certainly occur. When there is no birth, no matter how many conditions there may be, the phenomena of aging and death will not occur. That is why it is said that birth is the condition for aging and death.