因緣心論頌因緣心論釋

The twelve links, differentiated,

The Mighty Sage spoke of as dependent origination.

One, Eight, and Nine: the Afflictions;

Two and Ten are Karma.

The other seven aggregated are Suffering;

The Twelve belong only to these Three.

From the Three are born the Two;

From the Two are born the Seven.

The Seven give rise again to the Three,

And this wheel of EXISTENCE [3] turns perpetually.

All destinies arise from cause and effect;

Herein there is no sentient being.

It is from phenomena that are Empty

That phenomena which are Empty arise once more.

Like a recitation, a lamp, a mirror, a seal,

A fire, a seed, a sour fruit, a sound.

The aggregates are linked one to another,

Not departing; the wise should examine this.

With respect to that which is most subtle,

There yet remain the wrong views: eternalism and annihilationism.

Those whose causes and conditions are unwholesome

Have not yet perceived the meaning of dependent origination.

Herein there is nothing that can be removed,

Nor is there anything that can be established.

Using the True to contemplate the True,

One who sees the True attains liberation.

THE TWELVE LINKS OF DEPENDENT ORIGINATION

01) Ignorance (avidyā)

02) Volitional formations (saṃskāra) {The Afflictions (3 links): ignorance, craving, grasping.}

03) Consciousness (vijñāna)

04) Name-and-form (nāma-rūpa)

05) The six sense-bases (ṣaḍāyatana)

06) Contact (sparśa) {Karma (2 links): volitional formations, becoming.}

07) Feeling (vedanā)

08) Craving (tṛṣṇā)

09) Grasping (upādāna) {Suffering (7 links): consciousness, name-and-form, the six sense-bases, contact, feeling, birth, old age and death.}

10) Becoming (bhava)

11) Birth (jāti)

12) Old age and death (jarā-maraṇa)

EXPLANATION OF THE TREATISE ON THE HEART OF DEPENDENT ORIGINATION

Here there was a śramaṇa fond of listening, retentive of memory, penetrating in understanding, skilled in contemplation, and able to gather together the essential meanings. One day he came again before the Great Master and, in accordance with the teaching of the Tathāgata, posed a question: "The World-Honored One has spoken of the twelve links of dependent origination as differentiated from one another, and the Mighty Sage has likewise spoken of Dependent Origination; into what, then, are those twelve links subsumed?" Now I wish to hear that meaning; I beg the Great Master to explain it to me.

Knowing that this man had inquired rightly into the true meaning of the Buddha, the Great Master at once called that śramaṇa to him and said: "As for what you ask, the twelve links are wholly subsumed within three categories: the Afflictions, Karma, and Suffering."

In the scriptures there is spoken the differentiation of the twelve links of dependent origination, the twelve links. Therein there are Ten links and Two links, and so they are called the "Twelve Links." Because they possess differentiation, they are called "Differentiated." Just as the parts of a chariot are many different parts, so they are called "Links." Because he constantly keeps body and speech in tranquil silence, he is called the "Mighty Sage." To speak of the Mighty Sage's teaching is to indicate the one who proclaims and explains that doctrine.

Yet this is merely another name for "speaking"; it is not a self-nature, nor is it definitively some person. Relying upon the true character of sovereign mastery, upon the right occasion, it accords naturally with the causes and conditions that are desired. Desiring to meet the Lord of Transformation, the causes and conditions for that meeting will arise.

This is what is produced by causes and conditions.

Within these twelve differentiated links of dharma, the afflictions, karma, and suffering rely upon one another, like a bundle of reeds; those three categories are all wholly subsumed therein. To speak of the word "Wholly" means that there is nothing remaining outside.

QUESTION: What are the Afflictions? What is Karma? What is Suffering? Into what are these differentiated dharmas subsumed?

ANSWER: The beginning affliction-link (that is, the link numbered One), together with the link numbered Eight and the link numbered Nine—with respect to the differentiation among the twelve links of dharma, the beginning link of dharma (link number One) is Ignorance, link number Eight is Craving, and link number Nine is Grasping. These three links are subsumed under the Afflictions. What is Karma?

Link number Two and link number Ten are Karma. Link number Two is Volitional Formations, and link number Ten is Becoming. These two links of dharma are subsumed under Karma.

As for the other seven links of dharma, they are all subsumed under Suffering. That is to say, apart from those links of dharma subsumed under the Afflictions and under Karma, the remaining seven links of dharma are all subsumed under Suffering. These are: Consciousness, Name-and-form, The six sense-bases, Contact, Feeling, Birth, and Old age and death.

To say the word "All" is an utterance comprehensive and general, in which is included everything: "the suffering of separation from what is loved, the suffering of union with what is hated, and the suffering of not obtaining what is sought." Therefore, within these twelve links of dharma, the afflictions, karma, and suffering are all wholly subsumed. To speak of the word "Only" (belonging solely to), it carries a sense of limitation.

The links of dharma spoken of in the sūtra are wholly subsumed within only these three categories, with no link of dharma left out.

QUESTION: The meanings set forth above I have now understood; but how does the mutual arising of the afflictions, karma, and suffering come about? I beg the Great Master to expound it.

ANSWER: "From the Three are born the Two" means that from the three afflictions are born the two karmas. "From the Two are born the Seven" means that from the two karmas are born the seven links of dharma of suffering, as cited above. "The Seven give rise again to the Three" means that the afflictions arise once more from the three afflictions, which then give rise to the two karmas, and so forth.

"And this wheel of Existence turns perpetually" means: "Existence" (existence with outflows) is of three kinds—Existence in the Realm of Desire, Existence in the Realm of Form, and Existence in the Formless Realm. The causes and conditions within these three Existences flow and revolve without ceasing. Through this flowing and revolving, they become various different sentient beings, and then of themselves they drift on once more.

In this sentence there is the word "this," which manifests the meaning of indeterminacy; it does not manifest the meaning of cyclic revolution, for therein they successively give rise to the Existences. This is the meaning of indeterminacy.

QUESTION: "What, then, is the sovereign self of sentient beings? And how does it function?"

ANSWER: "The destinies (realms) are due solely to cause and effect, excepting only such things as are merely nominal designations. Herein there is no sentient being." This is the true meaning. It is not that they exist by provisional positing. Provisionally posited appearances do not constitute real things.

QUESTION: "If it be so, what is it that transmigrates from this life to another life?"

ANSWER: "There are no infinitesimal dharmas whatsoever that transmigrate from this life to another life. Nevertheless, it is from phenomena that are Empty that there arises a return once more to phenomena that are Empty. From that which is without self and without what belongs to self—afflictions, karma, the five kinds of causeless cause [4]—there arise once more the absence of self and of what belongs to self; and the seven kinds of suffering-fruits [5] of dharmas (things) are likewise without self and without what belongs to self. Nevertheless, from the self-nature of dharmas which is without self, there arise once more the self-nature of dharmas which is without self. You should understand it thus, and should speak of it thus.

QUESTION: "That from the self-nature of dharmas which is without self there arise once more the self-nature of dharmas which is without self—what may serve as a simile for this?"

ANSWER: "Like a recitation, a lamp, a mirror, a seal, a fire, a seed, and a sour fruit, a sound." These are the similes. Where it is supposed that a self-nature without self is established and the dharmas of the world are accomplished, you should understand that they are all likewise so. For example, when a teacher recites some particular passage, if it is transmitted to a disciple who recites it, then after the teacher's recitation there no longer remains the teacher's recitation.

Therefore, the teacher's recitation does not enter into the disciple's recitation. Yet neither is it that this recitation comes from somewhere else, for it has no cause and effect. Just as with the words the teacher recites, when the consciousness no longer exerts its activity, then it too is likewise.

For having been completed, it constantly passes away and does not influence another life. And that other life, too, comes from nowhere, for it has no cause and effect. Just as with the teacher's recitation and the disciple's recitation, that recited passage is precisely the teacher's words and yet is other than the teacher's words.

Truly, it cannot be readily set down as either. Relying upon the circumstance in which the consciousness no longer exerts its activity within the teacher's recitation, when one discriminates, there arises a dividing-apart of consciousness. That arising is likewise so.

That is to say, it is precisely that, and yet is other than that, and cannot be readily set down as either. In this way, from a lamp there arises the lamp's light, and depending upon it there is formed a reflected image. From a mirror there appear various reflected images.

From the marks of a seal there are formed letters. From the seminal kernel of heat there comes forth fire. From a seed there arises a sprout.

From a sour fruit there is secreted saliva. From a sound there arises the echo of the sound. This means that a thing is precisely itself and yet is other than itself, and cannot be readily set down as either.

"The aggregates are linked one to another, not departing; the wise should examine this." The aggregates are the five aggregates: form, feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness. "Linked one to another" means that from some cause it gives rise to something else. There are no infinitesimal dharmas whatsoever that transmigrate from this life to another life.

Therefore, flowing and revolving comes about from the discrimination born of false and deluded habitual tendencies. In the latter part of this sentence there is the word "should," meaning that one ought to contemplate in reverse, so as to know clearly the real nature of the dharmas. Contemplating the dharmas, one sees that they are impermanent, suffering, empty, and without self.

Contemplating thus, one is not deluded with respect to things. Being undeluded, there is no Greed. Without Greed, Hatred does not arise.

Without Hatred, there is no Karma. Without Karma, there is no Grasping. Without Grasping, one does not produce a future Becoming.

Without Becoming, there is no Birth. Without Birth, the sufferings of body and mind do not arise. In this way, with respect to the other links, when the five kinds of cause are not aggregated, the fruit of suffering does not arise.

When the fruit of suffering does not arise, this is the fruit of liberation. Therefore, one must cut off all things, cutting off even the evil views of annihilationism, eternalism, and so forth.

The explanation above is contained in the following two verses:

With respect to that which is most subtle,

There yet remain the wrong views: eternalism and annihilationism.

Those whose causes and conditions are unwholesome

Have not yet perceived the meaning of dependent origination.

Herein there is nothing that can be removed,

Nor is there anything that can be established.

Using the True to contemplate the True,

One who sees the True attains liberation.

Notes:

[1] This Treatise on the Heart of Dependent Origination is number 1654 in the Taishō Tripiṭaka. This treatise was composed by the Bodhisattva Nāgārjuna, that is, Long-Mãnh, but the name of the translator from Sanskrit into Chinese has been lost.

[2] Long-Mãnh is Nāgārjuna. According to the Great Dictionary of Buddhist Studies (in Chinese), following the Record of the Western Regions, fascicle 8, the Tang dynasty rendered the name as Long-Mãnh, whereas of old it was rendered as Long-Thọ. His name was rendered into Chinese as three names: Long-Mãnh, Long-Thắng, and Long-Thọ. However, the appellation Long-Thọ (Nāgārjuna) has more often been extolled by people of later ages. He was born in southern India, about seven hundred years after the Buddha entered Nirvāṇa.

[3] EXISTENCE refers to dharmas with outflows, which still involve fabrication, still have afflictions, and are still subject to transmigration within the three realms: the Realm of Desire, the Realm of Form, and the Formless Realm.

[4] Because factors are produced by the four great elements (earth, water, fire, wind), they are called "Cause." Cause is of 5 kinds: 1) The generating cause: the four great elements give rise to form-dharmas. 2) The dependence cause: form-dharmas rely upon the four great elements. 3) The establishing cause: form-dharmas adhere to the four great elements in order to be set up and established. 4) The maintaining cause: form-dharmas firmly preserve so as to continue without interruption. 5) The nurturing cause: that which increases and grows form-dharmas. Here, having reached the principle of Emptiness, they are called the 5 kinds of causeless cause.

[5] Where there is a cause there must be a fruit. Where there is a mind-body combined of the 5 aggregates, there are 7 kinds of suffering: birth, old age, sickness, death, separation from what is loved, union with what is hated, and not obtaining what is sought. Here, having reached the principle of Emptiness, one does not undergo the above fruits of suffering.