English
“Dependent on name-and-form is the sixfold sense base.” There is name, there is form. What is name there? The feeling aggregate, the perception aggregate, the volitional formations aggregate. This is called name. What is form there? The four great elements, and the form on which the mind-element and the mind-consciousness element operate. This is called form.” And the indescribable aspect of that name-and-form, which is a condition for contact and the sixfold sense base, has been specified. Similarly, regarding existence, which is a condition for birth, it cannot be said that there is no indescribable aspect, given the distinctions of what is to be excluded and included. The explanation of the tetrad of causes is finished. 4. Explanation of the tetrad of mutuality 246. Because existence is non-specific, craving is included within it. To show that it cannot be said, “Dependent on existence is also craving,” due to the absence of craving as a distinct resultant, the text states, “Because existence is non-specific,” and so on. If this were so, it should not be said, “Dependent on name is also consciousness.” However, name, being both resultant and cause, is understood as specific. Just as in phrases like, “Dependent on name is the sixth sense base,” “Dependent on name is contact,” and so on, name is taken excluding the resultant, similarly, here, in “Dependent on existence is also craving,” it is not impossible to take existence excluding the resultant. Therefore, it should be understood that “Dependent on existence is also craving” is not stated, because, just as there is no fixed conditionality of craving, so too there is no fixed mutuality of conditionality for existence, as explained previously. Here, by “mutual condition,” the associated, dissociated, and presence conditions might be intended. For it is stated, “Dependent on name-and-form is also consciousness,” but the physical basis is not a mutual condition for unwholesome consciousness; rather, it is a pre-nascent, dissociated condition. Similarly, it is stated, “Dependent on the sixth sense base is also name-and-form,” but the sixth sense base is not a mutual condition for the growth of the eye-sense, etc. and the form arisen from it are mutually conditioned, but it is post-arisen and dissociated. The description of the mutual fourfold is finished. Description of the Root-Method Matrix of Formations, etc. 247. It was said: "Because there is no unstated, mutual, ignorance-conditioned, unstated, the root-method of existence is not stated." If this is so, then "ignorance conditioned by the sixth sense-base," and similar root-methods of the sixth sense-base, etc., should not be stated. For in "ignorance conditioned by name," it is said that all four aggregates are name, conditioned by ignorance. Here, this might be the intention: the conditioning of ignorance by specific names, such as the sixth sense-base, etc., is to be stated, and so the root-methods of the sixth sense-base, etc., are stated. But whatever name is a condition for ignorance, that same name could also be said here to be "ignorance conditioned by existence." There is no specific unstated element. Therefore, because there is no unstated, it is not stated. And by "existence" here, one should understand the intrinsic phenomena that are conditions for ignorance, not birth, etc. Thus, it should be understood that because there is no unstated, it is not stated. It was said: "It could also be said, 'ignorance conditioned by ignorance'." However, just as when "feeling conditioned by name" is said, "feeling conditioned by feeling" is not said, because the condition is taken apart from the conditioned, so too it would not be here. Therefore, the word "existence" generally refers to intrinsic and non-intrinsic phenomena in the sense of becoming, and so it cannot be said that it is a condition for ignorance. Therefore, it should be understood that the root-method of existence is not stated. Just as in "existence conditioned by clinging," the word "existence," when stated first to clarify the condition, without a previously ungrasped part of existence, is all-inclusive, unlike the word "name." Such are these linguistic conventions. It should be understood that it is with this intention that "it could also be said, 'ignorance conditioned by ignorance'" was stated. It should be understood that with this same intention, the meaning "because existence is indivisible, it is not said that 'clinging is conditioned by existence'" was stated in the section on mutual conditioning. Because it is cut off there. And by this the conditionality of birth, aging, and death on ignorance is as if acknowledged. But for those being born, there is birth, not those being born by birth; and aging and death for those aging and dying, not those aging and dying by aging and death. Thus, birth and so on are not conditions for ignorance in a single mind-moment. Therefore, because of their impossibility, the methods rooted in them are not accepted. But there is also cessation, so it should be understood that it is said "because it is cut off there." For that very reason, it says "furthermore," and so on. The explanation of the matrix is finished. Explanation of the exposition of unwholesome things 248-249. "Would attachment become a condition for attachment?" "Surely this is not a fault. For sensual attachment is a condition for attachment to views, and that in turn is a condition for the other?" "True, but since sensual attachment is grasped by the grasping of craving, and since there is no specific conditionality as in the case of names, by the grasping of attachment, only views, which are conditions for becoming from the condition of craving, are grasped. This is the fault that is stated." It should be understood thus. And since in the place of attachment, the conditioned and the condition are one and the same, therefore, in the exposition of "attachment is a condition for becoming," the condition is not distinguished separately, as in the expositions of "name is a condition for contact" and "name-and-form are a condition for the six sense bases." Or even if sensual attachment is also included as a condition for becoming, it shows that "excluding attachment" is stated to prevent the conditioned becoming the condition, lest it should follow that sensual attachment is a condition for sensual attachment, and views are a condition for views, if "excluding attachment" were not said. 252. The consciousness that generates the mind-originated matter which supports the eye-base and so on, is said to be a condition for the increase of the eye-base and so on. With the intention that it is also a non-generator, it says "of which mind-originated matter," and so on. For even for these, that is, for the continuities of temperature, food, and birth, consciousness is indeed a condition by way of supporting, originating, and post-natal conditions. This is the meaning. 254. "Appropriately" means: for the five, which are called great elements, it is a co-nascent and so on condition; for the sixth, which is called the base, the condition of being arisen before, name is the condition of being arisen after for five, and for the sixth, it is the condition of being arisen together— this is the appropriate correspondence. 264. “Of which” means: “of which name, of which consciousness, there is the condition of being associated with the arisen condition”— thus it should be construed. 272. “Also name due to contact”— the activity of name, which is to be spoken of as being due to contact, is shown by its own arisen condition. Therefore, the phrase “except contact” has no meaning when said again, and to show this, he says, “nevertheless,” and so on. 280. Since there is no determination, the basis for clinging is indeed diminished— this is the connection. But the reason for filling the phrase with strong defilement is that the absence of craving has been stated in those accompanied by displeasure— thus its connection with that should be construed. Everywhere, in the third and fourth minds, etc., in “determination due to craving,” etc., the Pāli is abbreviated, showing the distinction only in the answer. Below, in the chapter on the arising of mind, etc. The description of the exposition of unwholesome states is finished. The description of the exposition of wholesome and indeterminate states 292. Serenity means faith. 306. From the saying, “Non-greed is the cause of the arising of actions,” etc., active wholesome roots become the causes of formations, not non-greed, etc., which occur like reflections of actions accompanied by non-greed, etc., in results driven by the force of action. Thus, the absence of a cause, as in the five consciousnesses, is to be seen as having fallen into the stream. Functional phenomena, being merely functional, are to be understood as having diminished ignorance, being devoid of the cause of action. Why is it said that the third and fourth turns are impossible? Are not eye-consciousness, etc., conditions for the increase of the eye-base, etc., as arisen after? They are. But it is said “impossible” with reference to the non-arising of mind-originated phenomena that support them— thus it should be understood. But at that time, name-and-form is due to consciousness by way of consciousness arisen together and arisen after, and by way of name arisen after and arisen together, and by way of eye-form, etc., arisen together and arisen before. due to name-and-form, the six sense bases are obtained, thus the third and fourth rounds are not impossible. The explanation of wholesome and unwholesome states is concluded. Explanation of wholesome states rooted in ignorance 334. By way of delusion: in the fruits of wholesome deeds, which are impermanent and therefore fearful, like a seed of a tree with a beautiful taste but poisonous, and in the wholesome deeds that produce them, by way of not seeing the danger.