English
And just as from the arising of the defilement of views, so also from... and also from the arising of the defilements of existence. As it is said: “Even those gods who are long-lived, beautiful, full of happiness, and long-abiding in high mansions, they too, having heard the Dhamma teaching of the Tathāgata, experience fear, terror, and agitation” (Saṃyutta Nikāya 3.78). Like the gods who are terrified by the fear of death after seeing the five premonitory signs. And just as from the arising of the defilements of existence, so too from the arising of the defilements of ignorance. As it is said: “That fool, monks, experiences three kinds of suffering and displeasure in this very life” (Majjhima Nikāya 3.246). Thus, because these phenomena arise from the defilements, when these phenomena are established, they establish the defilements which are the cause of ignorance. And when the defilements are established, because of their nature as a condition, ignorance is also established. Thus, it should be understood that ignorance is established here by sorrow and so on. However, since ignorance is thus established by its nature as a condition, and again, from ignorance arise formations, from formations arises consciousness— in this way, there is no end to the sequence of cause and effect. Therefore, the twelve-linked wheel of existence, which proceeds in terms of this cause-and-effect relationship, is proven to be beginningless due to ignorance. If it is said that “from ignorance arise formations” is merely a statement of the beginning, and this contradicts the above, it is not merely a statement of the beginning. Rather, it is a statement of the principal phenomenon. For ignorance is the principal of the three rounds. By grasping ignorance, the remaining round of defilements and karma and so on bind the fool, just as by grasping the head of a snake, the rest of the snake's body binds the arm. But when ignorance is eradicated, there is liberation from them, just as when the snake's head is cut off, there is liberation for the arm that was bound. As it is said: “With the complete fading away and cessation of ignorance, there is the cessation of formations,” and so on (Saṃyutta Nikāya 2.1; Mahāvagga 1). Thus, this is a statement of the principal phenomenon, by grasping which there is bondage, and by releasing which there is liberation; it is not merely a statement of the beginning. Thus, this wheel of existence is to be understood as beginningless due to ignorance. And this, because of causes such as ignorance, formations and so on. Its arising, therefore by another, by Brahmā or the like, conceived as "Brahmā, Great Brahmā, the best creator," the maker of saṃsāra, or by a self, conceived as "this self of mine is speaking and feeling," the experiencer of pleasure and pain, it is devoid. Thus, it should be known as devoid of a maker and an experiencer. Because here ignorance, being of arising and passing, is devoid of permanence. Being defiled and defiling, is devoid of beauty. Oppressed by arising and passing, is devoid of pleasure. Dependent on conditions for its being, is devoid of a self-nature, a master of itself. Similarly, the factors like formations. Or, because ignorance is not self, not belonging to self, not in self, not having a self. Similarly, the factors like formations. Therefore, this wheel of existence should be known as empty of the twelve kinds of emptiness. 653. And having known thus again, Its ignorance and craving, are the roots, and the three times, past and so on. Two, eight, and two, are the factors in them, in their true nature. Indeed, for this wheel of existence, ignorance and craving, these two phenomena, should be known as the roots. This, traced from the past, has ignorance as its root, and feeling as its end. Traced from the future, it has craving as its root, and old age and death as its end. Thus, it is twofold. Of these, the former is said for those whose conduct is based on views. The latter is for those whose conduct is based on craving. For those of views, ignorance leads saṃsāra. For those of craving, craving leads saṃsāra. Or, the first is to uproot annihilationism, by showing causes for results do not cease. The second is to uproot eternalism, by showing old age and death for what has arisen. Or, the first is for birth in the womb, showing gradual occurrence. The second is for spontaneous birth, showing simultaneous arising. And its three times are past, present, and future. Among these, in the Pāli, in their true nature, "ignorance and formations" are the two factors of the past time. Consciousness and so on, up to existence, are the eight factors of the present time. And birth, and old age and death, are the two factors of the future time. to be seen. 654. Again, "This is a collection of three connections preceded by cause and effect, and effect and cause, and four divisions; It revolves in twenty aspects, three rounds, unfixed." Thus it should be understood. Among these, between formations and rebirth-consciousness, there is one connection called cause-effect connection. Between feeling and craving, there is one connection called effect-cause connection. Between becoming and birth, there is one connection called cause-effect connection. Thus, this is to be understood as three connections preceded by cause and effect, and effect and cause. And there are four divisions established at the beginning and end of these connections. Namely: ignorance and formations are one division. Consciousness, name-and-form, six sense-bases, contact, and feeling are the second. Craving, clinging, and becoming are the third. Birth, aging, and death are the fourth. Thus, this is to be understood as four divisions. In the past, five causes; Now, five effects; Now, five causes; In the future, five effects. By these twenty aspects, which are called spokes, it is to be understood as twenty aspects. Among these, "in the past, five causes" means ignorance and formations, these two have already been stated. But since the ignorant one trembles, and having trembled, he clings, and due to that clinging, there is becoming. Therefore, craving, clinging, and becoming are also included. Thus it is said: "In the former karmic existence, delusion is ignorance, accumulation is formations, delight is craving, approach is clinging, volition is becoming—these five phenomena in the former karmic existence are conditions for rebirth here" (Paṭisambhidāmagga 1.47). Among these, "in the former karmic existence" means in the former karmic becoming, in the past life, when karma was being performed. "Delusion is ignorance" means that delusion concerning suffering, etc., at that time, by which one, deluded, performs karma—that is ignorance. "Accumulation is formations" means those former volitions of one performing that karma, just as when one generates the thought "I will give a gift," and prepares the requisites for the gift for a month or even a year, those former volitions arise. But the volition of one placing the offering in the hands of the recipients is called becoming. i. In the six swift courses, or in the single swift course, volition, striving, these are called formations. In the seventh, existence. Or any volition whatsoever, that is existence. Connected, striving, these are called formations. Longing is craving, that is, the desire, the aspiration, for the fruit, for the rebirth-existence, of one performing kamma, that is called craving. Approaching is clinging, that is, the approaching, the grasping, the holding, which occurs as a condition for kamma-existence, in the manner of, "Having done this, I will enjoy pleasures, or I will be annihilated, in such and such a place," this is called clinging. Volition is existence, the volition mentioned at the end of striving, is existence, this meaning should be understood. Now, the five fruits, from consciousness to feeling, are as stated in the Pāli. As it is said: "Here, rebirth-linking consciousness, descent is mind-and-matter, clarity is sense-base, contacted is contact, felt is feeling, these five phenomena in this rebirth-existence are conditions for kamma done previously" (Paṭi. 1.47). Therein, rebirth-linking consciousness, that which is called rebirth-linking because it arises by linking existences, that is consciousness. Descent is mind-and-matter, that is, the descent, as it were, the coming and entering of mind-and-matter phenomena into the womb, this is mind-and-matter. Clarity is sense-base, this is said in terms of the five sense-bases, such as the eye. Contacted is contact, that which arises by contacting, by touching the object, this is contact. Felt is feeling, that vipāka feeling which arises with rebirth-linking consciousness, or with contact conditioned by the six sense-bases, that is feeling, this meaning should be understood. Now, the five causes, are craving and so on, craving, clinging, and existence, as stated in the Pāli. But when existence is grasped, its preceding parts, or the formations connected with it, are already grasped. And by grasping craving and clinging, that ignorance by which one, deluded, performs kamma, is already grasped. Thus, five. Therefore it is said: "Here, due to the ripeness of the sense-bases, delusion is ignorance, striving is formations, longing is craving, approaching is clinging, volition is existence." "These five states here, in the realm of action, are conditions for rebirth in the future." Here, "here" means due to the ripeness of the sense bases, the delusion is shown at the time of performing action by one with ripened sense bases. The rest is clear in meaning. "Five fruits in the future" means the five, beginning with consciousness. These are spoken of by the term "birth." But old age and death are the old age and death of these very things.