English
English version Question: 'What is 'bhava' (becoming)?' Answer: 'Because this can produce, relying on this, this can produce that. Because one can diligently cultivate and rely on this Dharma, it can produce other Dharmas, therefore it is called 'bhava' (becoming).' Question: 'Relying on 'bhava' (becoming) as a condition for birth, what is the cause of this?' Answer: 'Relying on karma, there is birth, as mentioned earlier. Relying on actions, there is consciousness. It is the same here, it should be fully explained.' Question: 'Afflictions are also the cause and condition for the arising of the birth link, as the sutras say that the cause of craving can give rise to birth. Why only speak of 'bhava' (becoming) as the condition for birth and not 'upadana' (grasping) as the condition?' Answer: 'Because it relies on the superior cause of birth, that is why it is said in this way. What does this mean? Here, only the superior cause of the arising of phenomena is spoken of. What is meant by superior? This is hell, this is a human, this is a heaven. Like this and so on, these various bodily karmas are the proximate cause and not afflictions. These various causes also have differences in what has already arisen and in the arising of similar kinds, such as family background, strength, appearance, longevity or short life, sickness or health, enjoyment of resources, and all kinds of differences. It is the same here, because karma is of various kinds, it is known that this is the proximate cause and not afflictions. Therefore, it is said that 'bhava' (becoming) is the condition for birth, and not 'upadana' (grasping).' Question: 'If 'bhava' (becoming) can act as the cause and condition for birth, why is it said that birth arises from the condition of 'bhava' (becoming), and not that 'bhava' (becoming) arises from the condition of birth?' Answer: 'Because 'bhava' (becoming) is definite, while birth is indefinite. What does this mean? Because if there is the 'bhava' (becoming) link, there must be the birth link; but if there is the birth link, there is not necessarily 'bhava' (becoming). It is like relying on the second noble truth (suffering), there must be the first noble truth (the origin of suffering), but it is not necessarily the case that because there is the first noble truth (the origin of suffering), there is the second noble truth (suffering). If it were not so, then there would ultimately be no cause for liberation. Therefore, it is said that relying on the condition of the 'bhava' (becoming) link, there must be the birth link, and not that 'bhava' (becoming) arises from the condition of birth.' Question: 'What is the meaning of 'jara' (old age)?' Answer: 'Emaciation, wrinkles, and diminished strength are called 'jara' (old age). Some say that what is called 'jara' (old age) is due to change. This statement is not valid. Why? Because of impermanence. Because conditioned phenomena do not remain for even a moment. If conditioned phenomena do not remain for even a thought, how can it be said that change is called 'jara' (old age)? Moreover, there is a fault, the Dharma --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
若变者便应第二刹那中住，法若第二刹那住者非佛法义。又复有过，言变异者舍于实体，若即前法有变异者，彼法便应即舍本体。又若彼法不变异者，则不得言有变有异。若法不舍彼本体者，亦不得言变异名老，是故不得言有转变名为老也。先说老相，彼是老义。” 问曰：“心心数法云何知老？” 答曰：“以见心法依止法异，所谓诸根四大损减、思惟念薄、忘失所有诸法门等，闻声不了、见境界难，见如是等知心有老。” 问曰：“死有何义？” 答曰：“死者舍命终亡谢灭，异世去等是名为死。如是此死及先说老，此二合故名老死支。又复有言：根四大等后时损减微细难别，是名为老，破坏名死，如柯渐尽。又四大破坏是名为老，散尽名死，如朽故车破坏散尽。又于五阴随顺灭故，是名为老。灭名为死，如故舍坏。” 问曰：“生缘老死，此有何义？” 答曰：“坏彼法故得有此法，若无彼法亦无此法。此以何义？如初作瓶后时朽故。又先作瓶后时破坏。此亦如是，有众生生，后有老死，非是不生，是故说依生缘老死。” 问曰：“若生念中即时死者，彼中云何生缘老死？” 答曰：“命灭。此以何义？彼处有命损现前命，五阴灭故是名为老，犹如彼雨有云 现代汉语译本：如果事物会变化，那么它应该在第二个刹那（ksana，极短的时间单位）中保持不变。如果法在第二个刹那中保持不变，那就不是佛法的真义了。此外，还有另一个问题，说变化意味着舍弃实体。如果之前的法发生了变化，那么那个法就应该立即舍弃其本体。如果那个法没有发生变化，那么就不能说它有变化和差异。如果法不舍弃其本体，也不能说变化叫做衰老，所以不能说有转变叫做衰老。之前所说的衰老之相，那就是衰老的含义。 问：‘如何知道心和心所法（caitta，心理活动）会衰老？’ 答：‘通过观察心法所依赖的法发生了变化，例如诸根（indriya，感觉器官）和四大（mahābhūta，地、水、火、风）衰减、思维念头变得微弱、遗忘所有法门等等，听声音不清楚、见境界困难。见到这些现象，就知道心有衰老。’ 问：‘死亡有什么含义？’ 答：‘死亡是指舍弃生命、终结、消亡、灭尽，前往异世等等，这叫做死亡。像这样，死亡和之前所说的衰老，这两者合在一起叫做老死支（jarā-maraṇa-aṅga，十二因缘之一）。还有一种说法：根和四大等等，在后来的时间里衰减、变得微细难以分辨，这叫做衰老；破坏叫做死亡，就像树木逐渐枯竭。又或者，四大破坏叫做衰老，散尽叫做死亡，就像朽坏的旧车破坏散尽。又或者，对于五阴（pañca-skandha，色、受、想、行、识）的随顺灭去，这叫做衰老；灭去叫做死亡，就像破旧的房屋倒塌。’ 问：‘生缘老死，这有什么含义？’ 答：‘因为破坏了那个法，所以才会有这个法。如果没有那个法，也不会有这个法。这是什么意思呢？就像最初制作了瓶子，后来朽坏了。又像先制作了瓶子，后来破坏了。这也是一样，有了众生的出生，后来才有衰老和死亡，而不是没有出生，所以说依生缘老死。’ 问：‘如果生念中即时死亡，那么其中如何有生缘老死？’ 答：‘是命的灭去。这是什么意思呢？在那个地方有生命的损减，现前的生命，五阴灭去，所以叫做衰老，犹如雨中有云。’
English
English version: If something changes, then it should remain unchanged in the second kshana (an extremely short unit of time). If a dharma remains unchanged in the second kshana, then that is not the true meaning of the Buddha's teachings. Furthermore, there is another problem: saying 'change' means abandoning the substance. If the previous dharma has changed, then that dharma should immediately abandon its essence. If that dharma has not changed, then it cannot be said that it has change and difference. If a dharma does not abandon its essence, then it cannot be said that change is called aging, so it cannot be said that there is transformation called aging. The previously mentioned characteristic of aging, that is the meaning of aging. Question: 'How do we know that the mind (citta) and mental factors (caitta) age?' Answer: 'By observing that the dharmas upon which the mind depends have changed, such as the faculties (indriya, sense organs) and the four great elements (mahābhūta, earth, water, fire, wind) diminishing, thoughts becoming weak, forgetting all the dharma gates, etc., hearing sounds unclearly, seeing realms with difficulty. Seeing such phenomena, we know that the mind has aged.' Question: 'What is the meaning of death?' Answer: 'Death means abandoning life, ending, ceasing, extinguishing, going to another world, etc., this is called death. Like this, death and the previously mentioned aging, these two together are called the aging-and-death link (jarā-maraṇa-aṅga, one of the twelve links of dependent origination). There is also a saying: the faculties and the four great elements, etc., diminish, become subtle and difficult to distinguish at a later time, this is called aging; destruction is called death, like a tree gradually withering. Or, the destruction of the four great elements is called aging, complete dissipation is called death, like a decayed old cart breaking apart and scattering. Or, with regard to the sequential extinction of the five aggregates (pañca-skandha, form, feeling, perception, volition, consciousness), this is called aging; extinction is called death, like an old house collapsing.' Question: 'Birth conditions aging and death, what is the meaning of this?' Answer: 'Because that dharma is destroyed, this dharma can exist. If there is no that dharma, there will be no this dharma. What does this mean? Like a bottle that is initially made and later decays. Or like a bottle that is first made and later destroyed. It is also like this, with the birth of sentient beings, there is later aging and death, not without birth, so it is said that aging and death depend on birth.' Question: 'If one dies immediately in the thought of birth, then how can there be aging and death conditioned by birth?' Answer: 'It is the extinction of life. What does this mean? In that place there is the diminution of life, the present life, the five aggregates extinguish, so it is called aging, like clouds in the rain.' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
故雨，无云无雨，亦有有云而无有雨，彼处亦尔。” 问曰：“何故有为三相法中，一处唯说生为生支，一处说老以为老支？” 答曰：“随顺义故，法欲生时生能随顺，法欲灭时老支随顺。又老死支随顺坏法，生支与彼老死相违。老死二法迭共随顺。言随顺者，随顺破坏故名为老，死亦如是，是故老死合为一支，生者别支。” 问曰：“何故不说忧等为支？” 答曰：“不遍一切诸众生故。此以何义？忧等诸法不遍三界，以是义故不说为支。” 问曰：“无明灭则行灭者，有何次第？” 答曰：“如来次第说，无明等十二因缘能生于有，以诸众生不能识知十二因缘，堕断见故。如来次第说无明灭余亦皆灭，以诸众生不能见知无明因缘，堕常见故。又如先说，云何世间有以不见知十二因缘堕于无边？以是义故，如来说云何世间灭？以不见知何等法故堕于有边。以是义故，如来次说。如如来《迦旃延经》中说。又已说身见集谛道谛，未说身见苦谛灭谛，是故欲说。又已说染谛，未说净谛。又已说缚谛，未说解脱谛，今欲说故，是故说言无明灭行亦灭如是等。” 问曰：“此诸因缘有于几种？” 答曰：“略说四种。何者为四？一者、有时十二因缘；二者、刹那；三者 现代汉语译本： ‘就像下雨一样，有时无云也无雨，有时有云却不下雨，这里的情况也是如此。’ 问：‘为什么在有为三相法（有为法的三种相状）中，有时只说生是生支（产生的原因），有时却说老是老支（衰老的原因）？’ 答：‘这是为了随顺其意义。当法要产生时，生能够随顺；当法要灭亡时，老支能够随顺。而且，老死支（衰老和死亡的原因）随顺于坏法（导致事物败坏的法），生支与老死支相反。老和死这两种法互相随顺。所谓随顺，就是随顺于破坏，因此称为老，死也是如此，所以老死合为一个支，生则作为单独的一个支。’ 问：‘为什么不说忧愁等作为支？’ 答：‘因为忧愁等不普遍存在于一切众生之中。这是什么意思呢？忧愁等法不遍及三界（欲界、色界、无色界），因为这个原因，所以不说它们作为支。’ 问：‘如果无明（avidya）灭尽，那么行（samskara）也会灭尽，这有什么次第（paticcasamuppada）关系？’ 答：‘如来（Tathagata）按照次第来说，无明等十二因缘（dvadasanga）能够产生有（bhava），因为众生不能认识了解十二因缘，所以会堕入断见（ucchedaditthi）。如来按照次第说无明灭尽，其余的也都会灭尽，因为众生不能认识了解无明的原因，所以会堕入常见（sassataditthi）。又如先前所说，为什么世间会存在，因为不了解十二因缘而堕入无边（antananta）？因为这个原因，如来说世间如何灭尽？因为不了解什么法而堕入有边（santa）。因为这个原因，如来按照次第来说。就像如来在《迦旃延经》（Kaccayanagotta Sutta）中所说的那样。而且已经说了身见（sakkayaditthi）的集谛（samudaya satya）和道谛（magga satya），还没有说身见的苦谛（dukkha satya）和灭谛（nirodha satya），所以想要说。而且已经说了染谛（导致染污的真理），还没有说净谛（导致清净的真理）。而且已经说了缚谛（导致束缚的真理），还没有说解脱谛（导致解脱的真理），现在想要说，所以说无明灭尽，行也灭尽等等。’ 问：‘这些因缘（hetu）有多少种？’ 答：‘简略地说有四种。哪四种？第一种，有时十二因缘；第二种，刹那（ksana）；第三种，……’