English
all of this is both the process of action and the process of result. Similarly, in two places, action is the continuity of action, in two places, result is the continuity of result, all of this is both the continuity of action and the continuity of result. In two places, action is called activity, in two places, result is called the fruit of activity, all of this is both activity and the fruit of activity. Thus, this arises with a cause, suffering, impermanent, unstable, and not lasting; from conditions, conditions arise from a cause, here no self or other is found. Conditions generate conditions, by causal aggregates; and for the cessation of causes, the Dhamma was taught by the Buddha; when causes are stopped, the wheel is cut and does not turn. Thus, for the ending of suffering, the holy life is found here; and beings are not found, neither annihilation nor eternalism. It turns, a triple round, not standing still, here, the becoming of formations is the round of action, ignorance, craving, and clinging are the defilement. The wheel of existence is threefold, That is, the wheel of kamma, the wheel of result, And the wheel of defilements, Comprising ignorance, volitional formations, Consciousness, name-and-form, the six sense bases, Contact, and feeling as the result. As long as the wheel of defilements is not cut off, This wheel of existence, due to its uninterrupted conditionality, Continues to revolve without stopping, It should be understood as constantly spinning. This revolving wheel, Its origin from the truths, its functions, Its prevention, and its similes, And the distinctions of its profound method, Should be understood appropriately. Here, since wholesome and unwholesome kamma Are said to be, without distinction, the truth of origin In the analysis of the truths, Therefore, conditioned by ignorance are volitional formations, Volitional formations are the origin of the second truth, the second truth. Conditioned by volitional formations is consciousness, Consciousness is the origin of the second truth, the first truth. Conditioned by consciousness, etc., are name-and-form, etc., Ending in feeling as result, They are the origin of the first truth, the first truth. Conditioned by feeling is craving, Craving is the origin of the first truth, the second truth. Conditioned by craving is clinging, Clinging is the origin of the second truth, the second truth. Conditioned by clinging is becoming, Becoming is the origin of the second truth, both the first and second truths. Conditioned by becoming is birth, Birth is the origin of the second truth, the first truth. Conditioned by birth are aging and death, Aging and death are the origin of the first truth, the first truth. Thus, this should be understood appropriately As 'originating from the truths'. Here, since ignorance deludes beings regarding objects And is a condition for the arising of volitional formations, Similarly, volitional formations construct the constructed And are conditions for consciousness, Consciousness also cognizes the object And is a condition for name-and-form, Name-and-form also mutually support each other And are conditions for the six sense bases, The six sense bases also operate within their respective spheres And are conditions for contact, Contact also touches the object And is a condition for feeling, Feeling also experiences the flavor of the object And is a condition for craving, Craving also is attached to things that cause attachment And is a condition for clinging, Clinging also clings to things that are to be clung to And is a condition for becoming, Becoming also... And in future lives it scatters, and is a condition for birth. Birth also generates the aggregates, by their coming into existence and continuing, and is a condition for old age and death. Old age and death also establish the ripening and dissolution of the aggregates, and are a condition for appearance in another existence, because they are the basis for sorrow and the like. Therefore, in all aspects, it should be understood appropriately, as having a twofold function. Because here, "Conditioned by ignorance are volitional formations" prevents the view of an agent, "Conditioned by volitional formations is consciousness" prevents the view of the transmigration of a self, "Conditioned by consciousness is name and form" prevents the perception of solidity, from the view of distinct objects excessively imagined as a self, and in "Conditioned by name and form are the six sense bases," etc., it prevents views such as, "A self sees... ...knows, contacts, feels, craves, clings, becomes, is born, ages, dies." Therefore, the wheel of existence, together with the prevention of wrong views, should be understood appropriately, as "prevention." Because here, like one blind from not seeing the characteristics and common characteristics of phenomena, is ignorance. Like the stumbling of a blind person, conditioned by ignorance are volitional formations. Like the falling of one who has stumbled, conditioned by volitional formations is consciousness. Like the appearance of a boil on one who has fallen, conditioned by consciousness is name and form. Like a boil breaking and causing pain, conditioned by name and form are the six sense bases. Like the rubbing of a boil, conditioned by the six sense bases is contact. Like the pain from rubbing, conditioned by contact is feeling. Like the desire for a remedy for the pain, conditioned by feeling is craving. Like taking what is unsuitable through desire for a remedy, conditioned by craving is clinging. Like applying unsuitable medicine, conditioned by clinging is becoming. Like the appearance of a diseased boil from applying unsuitable medicine, conditioned by becoming is birth. Like the breaking of a boil from the diseased condition, conditioned by birth is old age and death. Or because here, ignorance, in the form of non-practice and wrong practice, overwhelms beings like a cataract over the eyes, and the fool overwhelmed by it Covering oneself with rebirth-producing formations, like a silkworm with its cocoon. Consciousness, grasped by formations, finds a footing in the realms of existence, like a prince, embraced by advisors, in the kingdom. Imagining an object of rebirth, consciousness generates diverse forms at rebirth, like a magician creating an illusion. The six sense bases, established in name and form, attain growth, increase, and abundance, like a clump of trees established in good soil. Contact arises from the collision of the sense bases, like fire from the rubbing together of fire sticks. Feeling arises for one touched by contact, like burning for one touched by fire. Craving increases for one who feels, like thirst for one who drinks salty water. Thirsty, one desires existences, like one thirsty for water. That is grasping. Through grasping, existence is grasped, like a fish taking the bait out of greed for food. When there is existence, there is birth, like a sprout when there is a seed. For one born, aging and death are inevitable, like the falling of a tree that has arisen. Therefore, this wheel of existence, explained with similes, should be understood accordingly. And because the Blessed One, referring to the profundity in terms of meaning, in terms of the Dhamma, in terms of teaching, and in terms of realization, said, "Profound, Ānanda, is dependent origination, and profound is its appearance," therefore, this wheel of existence, endowed with profound distinctions, should be understood accordingly. Here, because aging and death do not arise from birth, nor do they arise from anywhere else without birth, but thus they arise from birth, so the state of aging and death, arisen from the condition of birth, is profound due to its difficulty to understand. Similarly, birth is conditioned by existence... ...formations are conditioned by ignorance. The state of arising from the condition of ignorance is profound. Therefore, this wheel of existence is profound in meaning. This, then, is "profoundness of meaning" here. For cause and effect are called meaning, as it is said, "Knowledge of cause and effect is the perfection of understanding of meaning." "Here" (Vibha. 720). Because in whatever way and in whatever condition ignorance is a condition for those formations, the conditionality of ignorance for formations is profound due to its difficulty to understand; likewise, the conditionality of formations…pe…of birth for aging and death is profound, therefore this cycle of existence is profound in its nature. This is the profoundness of its nature, for 'nature' is a name for cause, as it is said, "Knowledge in cause is analytical knowledge of nature." And because its teaching is also profound due to its being taught in such and such a way by that cause, no knowledge other than omniscient knowledge can find a footing there; thus, this is taught in some suttas in direct order, in some in reverse order, in some in direct and reverse order, in some starting from the middle in direct or reverse order, in some with three connections and four summaries, in some with two connections and three summaries, in some with one connection and two summaries, therefore this cycle of existence is profound in its teaching. This is the profoundness of its teaching. And because the nature of ignorance and so on here, by which penetration the phenomena of ignorance and so on are penetrated in their own characteristics, is profound due to its difficulty to comprehend, therefore this cycle of existence is profound in its penetration.