因緣心論頌因緣心論釋

The twelve members, each distinct,

The Mighty Sage [Muni] proclaimed as dependent origination.

One, Eight, and Nine are the Afflictions [kleśa];

Two and Ten are Karma.

The other seven aggregations are Suffering [duḥkha];

The Twelve belong only to the Three.

From the Three are born the Two,

From the Two are born the Seven.

The Seven again give rise to the Three;

This wheel of EXISTENCE [3] ever turns.

All destinies arise from cause and effect;

Herein there is no sentient being.

From phenomena that are Empty,

There again arise phenomena that are Empty.

Like the recitation, the lamp, the mirror, the seal,

The fire, the gem, the sour-plum, and the sound.

The aggregates link together,

Without separating; the wise should examine this.

With that which is most subtle,

There still remain the false views: eternalism and annihilationism.

Those unwholesome causes and conditions

Have not yet seen the meaning of dependent origination.

Herein nothing can be removed,

Nor can anything be established.

Using the True to contemplate the True,

Seeing the True, one attains liberation.

THE TWELVE LINKS OF DEPENDENT ORIGINATION

01) Ignorance [avidyā]

02) Formations [saṃskāra] {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): 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, aging-and-death.}

10) Becoming [bhava]

11) Birth [jāti]

12) Aging-and-Death [jarā-maraṇa]

EXPLANATION OF THE TREATISE ON THE HEART OF DEPENDENT ORIGINATION

Here there was a Śramaṇa who delighted in hearing, remembered well, understood thoroughly, knew how to contemplate, and knew how to summarize the essential meanings. One day, he came again before the Great Master, relying on the teaching of the Tathāgata, and posed a question: "The World-Honored One has spoken of the twelve members of dependent origination, each distinct from one another, and the Mighty Sage [Muni] has also spoken of Dependent Origination. So those twelve members—into what are they subsumed?" Now I wish to hear that meaning; I pray the Great Master to explain it for me.

Knowing that the other had asked rightly into the true meaning of the Buddha, the Great Master then called that Śramaṇa near and said to him: "As to what you have asked, within three things—the Afflictions, Karma, and Suffering—all twelve members are entirely subsumed."

In the texts there is spoken of the differentiation of the twelve members of dependent origination, that is, the twelve links. Therein there are Ten links and Two links, and so they are called the "Twelve Links." Because they have differentiation, they are called "Distinct." Just as the parts of a cart have many different parts, they are called "Links" [members]. Because one keeps body and speech ever still and silent, one is called the "Mighty Sage" [Muni].

To speak of what the Mighty Sage proclaims is precisely to point to the one who declares and explains that teaching. Yet this is merely another name for "speaking"; it is not a self-nature, nor is it definitively a person of substance. Relying on the true character that is sovereign and free, the timely occasion naturally accords with the causes and conditions that are wished for.

Wishing to meet the Lord of Transformation, the causes and conditions of meeting will arise. This is what is produced by causes and conditions.

Among these twelve distinct member-dharmas, the afflictions, karma, and suffering rely upon one another, like a bundle of reeds; those three kinds all subsume everything therein. To speak of the word "Exhaustive" [completely] means that there is nothing remaining outside of them.

QUESTION: What are the Afflictions? What is Karma? What is Suffering? Into what will these distinct dharmas be subsumed?

ANSWER: The afflictive link at the beginning (that is, link number One), together with link number Eight and link number Nine—with respect to the differentiation among the twelve member-dharmas, the member-dharma at the beginning (link number One) is Ignorance, link number Eight is Craving, and link number Nine is Grasping. Those three links are subsumed into the afflictions. What is Karma?

Link number Two and link number Ten are Karma. Link number Two is Formations, link number Ten is Becoming. These two member-dharmas are subsumed into Karma.

As for the other seven member-dharmas, they are all subsumed into Suffering. That is to say, apart from the member-dharmas subsumed into the Afflictions and into Karma, the other seven member-dharmas are all subsumed into Suffering. These are: Consciousness, Name-and-Form, the Six Sense-Bases, Contact, Feeling, Birth, Aging-and-Death.

To say the word "All" is a word of general comprehensiveness, wherein is embraced all of: "the suffering of separation from what is loved, the suffering of meeting with what is hated, and the suffering of not obtaining what is sought." Therefore, among these twelve member-dharmas, the afflictions, karma, and suffering are all entirely subsumed. As for the word "Only" (belonging exclusively to), it has a restrictive meaning.

The member-dharmas spoken of in the sūtra are entirely subsumed within only these three kinds, with no member-dharma left over.

QUESTION: The meanings above I have already understood; but how is it that the afflictions, karma, and suffering give rise to one another? I pray the Great Master to expound it for me.

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 member-dharmas of suffering, as cited above. "The Seven again give rise to the Three" means that the afflictions are again born from the three afflictions, which then give birth to the two karmas, and so forth.

"This wheel of Existence ever turns" means: "Existence" (the contaminated [sāsrava]) has three kinds, which are Existence in the Desire Realm [Kāma-bhava], Existence in the Form Realm [Rūpa-bhava], and Existence in the Formless Realm [Ārūpya-bhava]. The causes and conditions within these three kinds of Existence flow on without ceasing. Through this flowing on, they become various different sentient beings, and then they themselves wander on once more.

In this sentence there is the word "this," which reveals the meaning of indeterminacy; it does not reveal the meaning of revolving, for therein they successively give rise to the various Existences. This is the meaning of indeterminacy.

QUESTION: "Then, what is the sovereign self-body of sentient beings? What is their function?"

ANSWER: "The destinies (realms) are due only to cause and effect, with only the various designations removed [excepted]. Herein there is no sentient being. This is the true meaning. It is not that there exists something falsely established. Falsely established realm-characteristics do not become real things."

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

ANSWER: "There are no infinitesimal [subtlest] dharmas whatsoever that transmigrate from this life to another life. Nevertheless, from phenomena that are Empty there again return to phenomena that are Empty. From no-self, no-mine, afflictions, karma, and the five kinds of cause-without [4], there again arises Emptiness without self and without mine; and the seven kinds of fruit-of-suffering [5] of dharmas (things) are likewise without self and without mine. Nevertheless, from the self-nature of dharmas that is without self, there again arises the self-nature of dharmas that is without self. You should know it thus and should speak of it thus."

QUESTION: "From the self-nature of dharmas that is without self there again arises the self-nature of dharmas that is without self—what may serve as an analogy for this?"

ANSWER: "Like the recitation, the lamp, the mirror, the seal, the fire, the gem, and the sour-plum, the sound." These are the analogies. Suppose that what is established into a self-nature without self and accomplishes the worldly dharmas—you should likewise know that they are all thus. For example, when a teacher recites a certain passage, if he transmits it for a disciple to recite, then after the teacher's recitation there is no longer the recitation of that teacher.

Therefore, the recitation of the teacher does not enter into the recitation of that disciple. Yet neither does that recitation come into being from somewhere else, for it has no cause-and-effect. Like the words that the teacher recites: when the mind-consciousness no longer exerts its activity, then it too is likewise.

For once it is finished it ever passes away, having no influence upon another life. And that other life too does not come into being from anywhere, for it has no cause-and-effect. As with the teacher's recitation together with the disciple's recitation: that recited passage is precisely the words of that teacher, and yet is different from the words of that teacher.

Truly, it cannot be posited [established] easily. Relying upon the matter wherein, when the mind-consciousness no longer exerts its activity in that teacher's recitation, one discriminates, then there arises a sharing-and-dividing of mind-consciousness. That arising too is likewise.

That is to say, it is precisely that, yet again is different from that, and cannot be posited easily. In the same way, from the lamp there arises lamplight, and relying upon that, an image is formed. From the mirror there appear the various images.

From the various seals, letters are formed. From the seed-essence of vapor there comes forth fire. From the seed there arises the sprout.

From the sour-plum there is secreted saliva. From a sound there arises the echo of the sound. This means that a thing is precisely itself yet is different from itself, and cannot be posited easily.

"The aggregates link together, without separating; the wise should examine this." The Aggregates are precisely the five aggregates: form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness. "Link together" means that from some cause it gives rise to another. There are no infinitesimal [subtlest] dharmas whatsoever that move from this life to another life.

Therefore, the flowing on arises from false discriminating habit-energies. The latter part of this sentence has the word "should," which means that one should contemplate in reverse, in order to know clearly what the true substance of the dharmas is. Contemplating the dharmas, one sees that they belong to impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and no-self.

Contemplating in this way, one is not deluded with regard to all matters. Not being deluded, 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 later Existence.

Without Existence, there is no Birth. Without Birth, the sufferings of body and mind do not arise. In this way, with regard to the other member-parts, when one does not accumulate the five kinds of cause, then the fruit of suffering does not arise.

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

The explanation above belongs within the following two verses:

With that which is most subtle,

There still remain the false views: eternalism and annihilationism.

Those unwholesome causes and conditions

Have not yet seen the meaning of dependent origination.

Herein nothing can be removed,

Nor can anything be established.

Using the True to contemplate the True,

Seeing the True, one attains liberation.

Notes:

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

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

[3] EXISTENCE refers to contaminated dharmas [sāsrava], which still have activity, still have afflictions, and are still subject to transmigration within the three realms: the Desire Realm, the Form Realm, and the Formless Realm.

[4] Because the factors are produced by the four great elements (earth, water, fire, wind), they are called "Cause." There are 5 kinds of cause: 1) Generating-cause: the four great elements produce form-dharmas. 2) Supporting-cause: form-dharmas rely upon the four great elements. 3) Establishing-cause: form-dharmas adhere to the four great elements in order to be established. 4) Maintaining-cause: form-dharmas strive to keep continuity unbroken and uninterrupted. 5) Nourishing-cause: that which causes form-dharmas to grow. Here, having attained the principle of Emptiness, they are therefore called the 5 kinds of cause-without [Empty causes].

[5] Where there is a cause, there must be a fruit. Since there is a mind-body united by the 5 aggregates, there are 7 kinds of suffering: birth, aging, sickness, death, separation from what is loved, meeting with what is hated, and not obtaining what is sought. Here, having already attained the principle of Emptiness, one therefore does not undergo the above fruits of suffering.