Section Four: The Path to Liberation from the Cessation of Suffering An Explanation of the Twelve Nidānas in the Āgama Sutras

Section Four The Path to Liberation from Suffering

(290) Contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) on how contact conditions feeling and one attains liberation

Original text: 譬如两木相磨。和合生火。若两木离散。火亦随灭。如是诸受缘触集。触生触集。若彼彼触集故。彼彼受亦集。彼彼触集灭故。彼彼受集亦灭止。清凉息没。多闻圣弟子如是观者。于色解脱。于受想行识解脱。于生老病死忧悲恼苦解脱。我说彼于苦得解脱。佛说此经已。诸比丘闻佛所说。欢喜奉行。

Explanation: The Buddha said: For example, when two pieces of wood rub against each other in contact, fire arises after a while; if the two pieces of wood are separated, the fire goes out accordingly. In the same way, all feelings aggregate in dependence on contact; they arise from contact and aggregate from contact. When each and every contact aggregates, each and every feeling also aggregates. When each and every contact's aggregation ceases, each and every feeling's aggregation also ceases and stops; the mind becomes cool, tranquil, and subsided. When a disciple well-versed in the teachings contemplates in this way, he attains liberation with regard to form, liberation with regard to feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness, and liberation from birth, aging, death, sorrow, grief, suffering, and distress (śoka-parideva-duḥkha-daurmanasyopāyāsa). I say that such a person attains liberation from suffering.

The Buddha used the analogy of two pieces of wood rubbing together to produce fire to illustrate the principle of conditioned arising that when contact aggregates, feeling aggregates. When two pieces of wood rub together, fire arises; if the two pieces of wood do not touch, the condition of contact is gone, and there is no fire. The conditions for sentient beings' suffering arise from contact; if the condition of contact is gone and there is no more contact, then there is no feeling; when the condition of contact is gone, there is no sensation of feeling.

No matter which kind of feeling it is, if the condition of contact aggregates, the aggregation of feeling arises; as long as the condition keeps aggregating, it does not cease. Where there is aggregation there is contact, and where there is contact there is feeling. When contact arises and aggregates, the aggregation of feeling follows; the condition for the arising of feeling is contact first, and contact is the function of conditions—without conditions, contact is impossible. All things depend on conditions to arise and exist, and those conditions arise from the karmic conditions of past lives. When contact ceases, feeling ceases; after the aggregation of feeling ceases, the mind attains cessation, coolness, and tranquil subsidence.

The Buddha made sentient beings realize that the aggregation of contact is the aggregation of feeling; where there is contact there is feeling. Contact is illusory, and feeling is also illusory. Feeling is a feeling produced primarily by the mind consciousness; contact is produced when the six sense faculties contact the six sense objects, and this requires conditions for the contact to occur. Therefore, the arising of all things requires dependent origination—without conditions there is no arising; with conditions there is arising. Conditioned-arisen dharmas are also illusory, produced by the combination of many conditions, and thus not real. Only the eighth consciousness, the tathāgatagarbha, exists without depending on conditions and is not an aggregated, conditioned dharma.

(291) Observing the inner contact dharma to attain liberation

Original text: 尔时。世尊告诸比丘。我说内触法。汝等为取不。时有异比丘从座起。整衣服。稽首礼足。合掌白佛言。世尊所说内触法。我已取也。时彼比丘于佛前。如是如是。自记说。如是如是。世尊不悦。尔时尊者阿难。在佛后执扇扇佛。佛告阿难。如圣法律内触法。异于此比丘所说。阿难白佛。今正是时。惟愿世尊。为诸比丘。说贤圣法律内触法。诸比丘闻已。当受奉行。

Explanation: The World-Honored One told the bhikṣus: "The inner contact dharma I teach—can you grasp it?" At that time a certain bhikṣus newly arrived from outside rose from his seat, arranged his robes, bowed his head to the Buddha's feet, and with palms joined said to the Buddha: "The inner contact dharma the World-Honored One teaches, I have already grasped." Then, before the Buddha, that bhikṣu expounded in various ways, affirming himself thus and so, but whatever he said displeased the World-Honored One. At that time the Venerable Ānanda stood behind the Buddha holding a fan and fanning the Buddha. The Buddha told Ānanda: "The inner contact dharma according to the noble Dharma and Vinaya is different from what this bhikṣu has said." Ānanda said to the Buddha: "Now is precisely the time. May the World-Honored One please expound to the bhikṣus the inner contact dharma of the noble Dharma and Vinaya. When the bhikṣus hear it, they shall accept and practice it."

What is the inner contact dharma? It is the contact within the supreme faculty (indriya): the eye contacts forms, the ear contacts sounds, the nose contacts odors, the tongue contacts flavors, the body contacts tangible objects, and the manas contacts mental objects (dharmas). After contact, consciousness arises, and consciousness then contacts the sense objects.

Original text: 佛告阿难。善哉。谛听。当为汝说。此诸比丘取内触法。应如是思惟。若众生所有种种众苦生。此苦何因何集。何生何触。作如是取时。当知此苦亿波提因。亿波提集。亿波提生。亿波提转。

Explanation: The Buddha told Ānanda: "Good! Listen carefully; I shall now explain for you. If you bhikṣus wish to observe the inner contact dharma, you should deliberate (manasikāra/manana) thus: When all the various sufferings of sentient beings arise, what is the cause of this suffering? From what dharma's aggregation does it aggregate? What dharma's arising gives rise to it? What contact gives rise to it? When observing the inner contact dharma in this way, you should know that this suffering arises with grasping (upādāna) as its cause; when grasping aggregates, suffering aggregates; when grasping is born, suffering is born; when grasping flows on, suffering flows on."

Original text: 复次比丘。取内触法。又亿波提。何因何集。何生何触。彼取时当复知。亿波提爱因爱集。爱生爱触。复次比丘。取内触法。当复知爱何因何集。何生何触。如是取时。当知世间所念。谛正之色。于彼爱生而生。系而系。住而住。

Explanation: Furthermore, bhikṣus, when you observe the inner contact dharma, you should observe: what dharma is the cause for grasping to arise? What dharma's aggregation causes grasping to aggregate? What dharma's birth causes grasping to be born? What dharma's contact causes grasping to contact? When you observe, you should know that it is because of craving (tṛṣṇā/love) that grasping arises; because craving aggregates, grasping aggregates; because craving is produced, grasping is born; because craving contacts, grasping contacts.

Bhikṣus, when observing the inner contact dharma, you should further observe: due to what cause does craving arise? What dharma's aggregation causes craving to aggregate? What dharma's birth causes craving to be born? What dharma's contact causes craving to contact? When observing in this way, you should know that when worldly people's minds dwell on the refined and pure aggregate of form, craving arises and form arises; when the mind's thoughts are bound by craving, the aggregate of form is bound; when the mind's thoughts are tied up by craving, the aggregate of form is tied up.

This is part of the twelve links of dependent origination taught by the World-Honored One. Earlier, it was taught that the aggregation of contact is the cause of the aggregation of feeling; now it is taught that the aggregation of craving is the cause of the aggregation of grasping. Where there is craving there is grasping, and with grasping there is the suffering of birth, aging, death, sorrow, grief, and distress. Because of craving, one grasps at the six sense objects; after grasping there is existence (bhava); with existence there is birth; after birth, suffering emerges.

Original text: 若诸沙门婆罗门。于世间所念。谛正之色。作常想恒想。安稳想。无病想。我想我所想而见。则于此色爱增长。爱憎长已。亿波提增长。亿波提增长已。苦增长。苦增长已。则不解脱生老病死。忧悲恼苦。我说彼不解脱苦。

Explanation: If śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas, with regard to the refined and pure forms that worldly people dwell upon, hold the notions of permanence, eternity, security, freedom from illness, self, and mine, and hold such views, then their craving for the aggregates of form, feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness will grow; after craving grows, grasping grows; after grasping grows, suffering grows; after suffering grows, they cannot attain liberation from birth, aging, death, sorrow, grief, suffering, and distress. I say they are not liberated from suffering.

"Eternal" means unchanging and imperishable forever; "secure" means fixed and unchanging forever, forever being mine; "without illness" means without faults or defects. When sentient beings do not regard the six faculties, six objects, and six consciousnesses as having faults and defects, but take them as self and as belonging to self, they will pursue, crave, and grasp at them, and thus the cycle of birth and death continues unbroken. If they know that these dharmas all have faults and defects, that they can give rise to birth, aging, death, sorrow, grief, suffering, and distress, they will no longer pursue these dharmas.

With these notions, craving for form will grow, and one becomes increasingly greedy. The more craving grows, the more unending birth and death becomes, and the more suffering there is. After this craving grows, grasping will grow, and existence in the three realms will certainly grow accordingly; when existence in the three realms grows, life continues and suffering keeps growing. The heavier the craving, the more suffering grows, and the less one can be liberated from birth, aging, death, sorrow, grief, suffering, and distress. Sentient beings all pursue pleasure, yet the result is suffering, because sentient beings are constantly creating the causes of suffering—where there is craving there is suffering. An arhat has no craving and no grasping, and naturally no longer has the suffering of birth, aging, and death.

Original text: 譬如路侧。清凉池水。香味具足。有人以毒著中。阳春之月。诸行路者。风热渴逼。竞来欲饮。有人语言。士夫。此是清凉池。色香味具足。然中有毒。汝等勿饮。若当饮者。或令汝死。或近死苦。

Explanation: The Buddha gave an analogy: For example, beside a road there is a cool pond whose water is complete in color, fragrance, and taste. Someone put poison into the pond water. Then, when spring arrives and the weather turns warm, travelers passing by, tormented by heat and thirst, rush over wanting to drink the pond water. Just as they are about to drink, someone nearby tells them: "This cool pond water, though complete in color, fragrance, and taste, contains poison. Do not drink it. If you drink it, it may kill you or bring you near-death suffering."

Original text: 而彼渴者。不信而饮。虽得美味。须臾或死。或近死苦。如是沙门婆罗门。见世间可念。端正之色。作常见恒见。安稳见。无病见。我我所见。乃至不得解脱。生老病死。忧悲恼苦。

Explanation: But those who were thirsty, not believing the warning of the person nearby because of their great thirst, drank anyway. Though the water tasted cool and delicious, after drinking it the poison took effect, and they either died immediately or suffered to the point of near death. Like the analogy of the cool pond, when śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas see the lovely and beautiful forms of the world and regard them as permanent and imperishable, as secure and unchanging, as having no faults or defects, as self and belonging to self, then because of these views they cannot attain liberation from birth, aging, death, sorrow, grief, suffering, and distress.

Original text: 若诸沙门婆罗门。于世间可念端正之色。观察如病如痈。如刺如杀。无常苦空非我。彼爱则离。爱离故亿波提离。亿波提离故则苦离。苦离故则生老病死忧悲恼苦离。

Explanation: If śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas, seeing the lovely and beautiful forms of the world, contemplate them as if diseased, as if an abscess, as if a thorn, as if slaughter—impermanent, suffering, empty, and not-self—then craving departs; because craving departs, grasping departs; because grasping departs, suffering departs; because suffering departs, birth, aging, death, sorrow, grief, suffering, and distress depart.

Original text: 譬如路侧清凉池水。香味具足。有人以毒著中。阳春之月。诸行路者风热渴逼。竞来欲饮。有人语言此水有毒。汝等勿饮。若当饮者。或令汝死。或近死苦。彼则念言。此水有毒。若当饮者。或令我死。或近死苦。我且忍渴。食干麨饭。不取水饮。

Explanation: For example, beside a road there is cool pond water complete in fragrance and taste. Someone put poison into the water. When travelers, tormented by thirst, want to drink, others tell them: "This water is poisoned. Do not drink it. If you drink it, you will either die immediately or suffer as if near death." The travelers think: "This water is poisoned. Poisoned water cannot be drunk; if drunk, one will die. So for now I shall endure the thirst, eat only dry roasted grain, and not drink the water." Thus the travelers leave and do not drink the poisoned water, and therefore do not die of poisoning.

So henceforth we should keep a warning in our minds: do not drink the poisoned water again. When a thought of craving arises, tell yourself: "I must not crave anymore; I must not drink the poisoned water again." When you take a liking to some dharma, tell yourself: "I must not like it anymore; to like it is like drinking poisoned water." When you feel you cannot let go, tell yourself: "I must not cling anymore; to cling is to drink poisoned water." Gradually the craving will fade and then cease, and finally suffering will be gone. By alerting yourself little by little in this way, you can eventually walk the path of liberation.

Original text: 如是沙门婆罗门。于世间可念之色。观察如病如痈。如刺如杀。无常苦空非我。乃至解脱。生老病死。忧悲恼苦。是故阿难。于此法如是见。如是闻。如是觉。如是知。于过去未来亦如此道。如是观察。是故阿难。于此法如是见。如是闻。如是觉。如是知。于过去未来。亦如此道。如是观察。

Explanation: Thus, śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas, with regard to the lovely and desirable forms of the world, contemplate them as if diseased, as if an abscess, as if a thorn, as if slaughter, and contemplate their impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and not-self nature; thereby craving is abandoned, and they can be liberated from birth, aging, death, sorrow, grief, suffering, and distress. Therefore, Ānanda, toward this dharma one should thus see, thus hear, thus feel, thus know; toward the inner contact of the past and future, one should also treat it in this way and observe it thus. Observing again and again, one finally realizes that all dharmas are impermanent, suffering, empty, and not-self; then one no longer craves or grasps, and birth, aging, death, sorrow, grief, suffering, and distress cease, and the mind attains liberation, coolness, and tranquility.

(292) The path to the cessation of suffering

Original text: 尔时。世尊告诸比丘。云何思量观察正尽苦。究竟苦边时。思量众生所有众苦。种种差别。此诸苦何因何集。何生何触。思量取因取集。取生取触。若彼取灭无余。众苦则灭。彼所乘苦灭道迹。如实知。修行彼向次法。是名比丘向正尽苦。究竟苦边。所谓取灭。

Explanation: The World-Honored One told the bhikṣus: When deliberating (manasikāra/manana) and observing how to completely and thoroughly exhaust suffering and reach the ultimate edge of suffering, one should deliberate on all the sufferings of sentient beings and their various differentiations, deliberating on what conditions these sufferings arise from, what dharma's aggregation has summoned them forth, what cause they are born from, and what dharma's contact produces them.

Finally one deliberates that it is grasping that causes suffering to appear, that the aggregation of grasping leads to the appearance of suffering, that the birth of grasping leads to the birth of suffering, and that the contact of grasping produces suffering. If all that grasping ceases without remainder, all suffering ceases. The bhikṣus should truly understand the path of practice for the cessation of suffering, and should practice the auxiliary dharmas and secondary dharmas that lead toward the complete exhaustion of suffering. Thus the bhikṣus can tend toward the complete exhaustion of suffering and ultimately reach the edge of suffering—this is the method of extinguishing grasping.

Original text: 复次。比丘思量观察正尽苦。究竟苦边。时思量彼取何因何集。何生何触。思量彼取爱因爱集。爱生爱触。彼爱永灭无余。取亦随灭。彼所乘取灭道迹。如实知。修习彼向次法。是名比丘向正尽苦。究竟苦边。所谓爱灭。

Explanation: Furthermore, when a bhikṣu deliberates and observes how to completely exhaust suffering and reach the ultimate edge of suffering, he should deliberate on what conditions grasping arises from, what dharma's aggregation produced grasping, what dharma's production led to grasping's production, and what dharma's contact led to grasping's production. In the end he will deliberate that grasping appears because of craving, is produced by the aggregation of craving; when craving is born, grasping is born; when craving contacts, grasping is born; when craving ceases, grasping ceases accordingly. The bhikṣus should truly understand the path and route of practice for extinguishing grasping, and should practice the dharmas leading toward the cessation of suffering and the secondary dharmas that help it. This is the method by which the bhikṣu gradually tends toward the complete exhaustion of suffering and can ultimately reach the edge of suffering—namely, the exhaustion of craving.

If sentient beings extinguish grasping and no longer grasp at dharmas, all suffering will cease. How exactly to extinguish suffering, and what path should be cultivated in the meantime—we should truly understand this. Truly understanding the method of practice for extinguishing suffering means cultivating the dharmas leading toward and secondary to the complete exhaustion of suffering, namely the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment, including the four right efforts, four bases of supernatural power, five faculties, five powers, seven factors of enlightenment, and the Noble Eightfold Path. "Leading" means the direction tending toward the cessation of suffering; "secondary" means the supplementary, helpful dharmas. The main dharma is contemplating the five aggregates (pañca-skandha) to eradicate the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi-prahāṇa). The purpose of cultivating the leading and secondary dharmas is to prepare for eradicating the view of self and to fulfill the prerequisites for seeing the path, so that one can observe and practice contemplation (vipaśyanā-caryā) in accordance with reality, and finally eradicate the view of self.

Original text: 复次。比丘思量观察正尽苦。究竟苦边。则思量彼爱何因何集。何生何触。知彼爱受因受集。受生受触。彼受永灭无余。则爱灭。彼所乘爱灭道迹如实知。修习彼向次法。是名比丘向正尽苦。究竟苦边。所谓受灭。

Explanation: Furthermore, when a bhikṣu deliberates and observes how to completely exhaust suffering and reach the ultimate edge of suffering, he should deliberate on what conditions craving was born from, what dharma's aggregation produced it, what dharma's birth produced it, and what dharma's contact produced it. After deliberating and observing, he knows that craving is produced by the condition of feeling, produced by the aggregation of feeling; feeling's birth leads to craving's birth, and feeling's contact leads to craving's birth. If feeling is forever extinguished without remainder, craving will be extinguished. The bhikṣus should truly understand the path of practice for the cessation of craving, and should cultivate the leading dharmas and auxiliary dharmas; thus the bhikṣus can tend toward the complete exhaustion of suffering and reach the ultimate edge of suffering—namely, the extinguishing of feeling.

Before feeling there is contact; without contact, feeling cannot arise; without feeling there can be no craving; without craving there is no grasping. Sentient beings have unceasing contact every day; if the six faculties did not contact the six objects, they would feel unable to bear it. Why do they feel unable to bear it? Because of ignorance (avidyā)—the root of contact is ignorance. Only a genuine practitioner whose manas has been subdued, who has stopped grasping and realized emptiness/voidness (śūnyatā), will no longer wish to contact, and can bear tranquility (praśama).

Original text: 复次。比丘思量观察正尽苦。究竟苦边时。思量彼触何因何集。何生何触。当知彼触六入处因。六入处集。六入处生。六入处触。彼六入处灭无余。则触灭。彼所乘六入处灭道迹。如实知。修习彼向次法。是名比丘向正尽苦。究竟苦边。

Explanation: Furthermore, when a bhikṣu deliberates and observes how to completely exhaust suffering and reach the ultimate edge of suffering, he should further deliberate and observe what conditioned dharma contact appears in dependence on, what dharma's aggregation produced it, what dharma's birth brought it forth, and what dharma's contact gave rise to it. After observing, he should know that contact appears due to the condition of the six sense bases (ṣaḍāyatana), appears due to the aggregation of the six sense bases, that the arising of the six sense bases leads to the appearance of contact, and that the contact of the six sense bases gives rise to contact. Only when the six sense bases are extinguished without remainder does contact cease. The bhikṣus should truly understand the path of practice for the extinction of the six sense bases that they cultivate, and cultivate the leading dharmas and secondary dharmas tending toward the complete exhaustion of suffering—this is the bhikṣu tending toward the complete exhaustion of suffering and reaching the ultimate edge of suffering.

Original text: 复次。比丘思量观察正尽苦。究竟苦边时。思量彼六入处。何因何集。何生何触。知彼六入处。名色因。名色集。名色生。名色触。名色永灭无余。则六入处灭。

Explanation: Furthermore, when a bhikṣu deliberates and observes the complete exhaustion of suffering, wishing to reach the ultimate edge of suffering, he should deliberate on what conditioned dharma the six sense bases arose from, what dharma's aggregation they were born from, what dharma's birth they followed in arising, and what dharma's contact they followed in arising. After observing, he should know that the six sense bases are produced by the conditions of name-and-form (nāma-rūpa), produced by the aggregation of name-and-form, that the arising of name-and-form leads to the subsequent birth of the six sense bases, and that the contact of name-and-form gives rise to the birth of the six sense bases. When name-and-form are all extinguished without remainder, the six sense bases are extinguished accordingly.

Original text: 彼所乘名色灭道迹。如实知。修习彼向次法。是名比丘向正尽苦。究竟苦边。所谓名色灭。

Explanation: The bhikṣus should truly understand the path of practice for the extinction of name-and-form that they cultivate, and should cultivate the dharmas leading toward the path and the secondary auxiliary dharmas. This is the bhikṣu tending toward the complete exhaustion of suffering and reaching the ultimate edge of suffering—namely, the complete extinction of name-and-form.

Where there is name-and-form, the five aggregates, there are the six entrances; where there are sentient beings there are the six entrances, unless the six faculties are incomplete. The condition for the appearance of the six sense bases is precisely the existence of name-and-form. When does name-and-form begin to appear? It begins from the fertilized egg, continuing through exiting the womb and growing into a physical body, until death—this is one period of name-and-form. The five aggregates are form, feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness: form is the body, and name is the seven consciousnesses and their functions. The five aggregates constitute a sentient being; a sentient being is called name-and-form, and name-and-form is also called the five aggregates. When there is name-and-form, a fertilized egg, the five faculties of eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body will grow; once the five faculties grow, there is contact; with contact there is feeling; with feeling there is craving; after craving there is grasping; with grasping there is existence; with existence there is birth; after birth there are aging, death, sorrow, grief, suffering, and distress—this is a chain of causes and conditions of birth and death.

When the bhikṣu further deliberates and observes how to extinguish suffering and reach the ultimate edge of suffering, he should deliberate that the cause of the six entrances is all name-and-form: when name-and-form aggregate, the six entrances aggregate; when name-and-form arise, the six entrances arise; when name-and-form contact, the six entrances contact; when name-and-form are forever extinguished without remainder, the six entrances are extinguished. How to extinguish name-and-form? This requires cultivating the leading dharmas, secondary dharmas, and auxiliary dharmas; after cultivating them, one then practices contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) one by one, and can extinguish name-and-form and extinguish the five aggregates.

Original text: 复次。比丘思量观察正尽苦。究竟苦边时。思量名色。何因何集。何生何触。知彼名色。识因识集。识生识触。彼识欲灭无余。则名色灭。彼所乘识灭道迹。如实知。修习彼向次法。是名比丘向正尽苦。究竟苦边。所谓识灭。

After observing and deliberating, he knows that the birth of name-and-form is due to the conditions of the karmic seeds of the six consciousnesses, born from the aggregation of the karmic seeds of the six consciousnesses; the appearance of the karmic seeds of the six consciousnesses gives rise to the birth of name-and-form in future lives, and the contact of the karmic seeds of the six consciousnesses leads to the birth of name-and-form in future lives. If the karmic seeds of the six consciousnesses are extinguished without remainder, name-and-form will be extinguished accordingly. The bhikṣus should truly understand the path of practice for extinguishing the karmic seeds of the six consciousnesses, and should cultivate the dharmas leading toward the path and the secondary auxiliary dharmas. This is called the bhikṣu tending toward the complete exhaustion of suffering and reaching the ultimate edge of suffering—namely, the extinction of the karmic seeds of the six consciousnesses.

Original text: 复次。比丘思量观察正尽苦。究竟苦边时。思量彼识。何因何集。何生何触。知彼识行因行集。行生行触。作诸福行。善识生。作诸不福不善行。不善识生。作无所有行。无所有识生。是为彼识行因行集。行生行触。彼行欲灭无余。则识灭。彼所乘行灭道迹。如实知。修习彼向次法。是名比丘向正尽苦。究竟苦边。所谓行灭。

Explanation: Furthermore, if a bhikṣu wishes to deliberate and observe the complete exhaustion of suffering and reach the ultimate edge of suffering, he should deliberate on what conditions the karmic seeds of the six consciousnesses were produced from, what dharma's aggregation caused the karmic seeds of the six consciousnesses to appear, what dharma's birth caused the karmic seeds of the six consciousnesses to be born, and what dharma's contact caused the karmic seeds of the six consciousnesses to be born. After observation and deliberation, he knows that the karmic seeds of the six consciousnesses are produced by the conditions of bodily, verbal, and mental actions; the aggregation of bodily, verbal, and mental actions causes the karmic seeds of the six consciousnesses to be born; the arising of bodily, verbal, and mental karmic actions causes the six consciousnesses to be born; the contact of bodily, verbal, and mental karmic actions causes the karmic seeds of the six consciousnesses to be born.

If one performs meritorious formations (Puṇyābhisaṃskāra) and wholesome actions, wholesome karmic seeds of the six consciousnesses are born; if one performs unmeritorious formations/unwholesome activity (apuṇya-abhisaṃskāra), unwholesome karmic seeds of the six consciousnesses are born; if one performs actions that are neither wholesome nor unwholesome, karmic seeds of the six consciousnesses that are neither wholesome nor unwholesome are born. This is called the conditions and aggregation of bodily, verbal, and mental actions determining the birth of the karmic seeds of the six consciousnesses; the arising and contact of bodily, verbal, and mental actions lead to the birth of the karmic seeds of the six consciousnesses. If bodily, verbal, and mental actions are extinguished with not a single karmic action remaining, then the karmic seeds of the six consciousnesses will be extinguished accordingly. The bhikṣus should truly understand the path of practice for the extinction of volitional formations that they cultivate, and should cultivate the dharmas leading toward the path and the auxiliary dharmas. Thus, when volitional formations are extinguished, the bhikṣu tends toward the complete exhaustion of suffering and reaches the ultimate edge of suffering.

Because bodily, verbal, and mental karmic actions on the six faculties are unceasing, the karmic seeds of the six consciousnesses are continuously produced; once the karmic seeds are left behind, there will be name-and-form in future lives. If there are no bodily, verbal, or mental karmic actions at all, the karmic seeds of the six consciousnesses will not be born; without karmic seeds remaining, there is no name-and-form in future lives. After name-and-form arise, there are the six entrances; with the six entrances there is contact; with contact there is feeling; with feeling there is craving; with craving there is grasping (upādāna); then existence in the three realms appears, the five-aggregate body is born, and from then on life continues unbroken, and birth, aging, death, sorrow, grief, suffering, and distress cycle round again. All this is the result of unceasing bodily, verbal, and mental karmic actions.

Original text: 复次。比丘思量观察正尽苦。究竟苦边时。思量彼行何因何集。何生何触。知彼行无明因。无明集。无明生。无明触。彼福行无明缘。非福行亦无明缘。非福不福行亦无明缘。

Explanation: Furthermore, if a bhikṣu wishes to deliberate and observe the complete exhaustion of suffering and reach the ultimate edge of suffering, he should deliberate and observe what cause bodily, verbal, and mental karmic actions were produced from, what dharma's aggregation caused them to appear, what dharma's birth caused them to be born, and what dharma's contact caused them to be born. After deliberation, he knows that bodily, verbal, and mental karmic actions appear because of ignorance (avidyā); the aggregation of ignorance causes them to be born, the birth of ignorance causes them to be born, and the contact of ignorance causes them to appear. The bodily, verbal, and mental actions that create meritorious karma are produced because of ignorance; the bodily, verbal, and mental actions that create unmeritorious, unwholesome karma are produced because of ignorance; and even the mental actions that are neither meritorious nor non-meritorious bodily, verbal, and mental karmic actions are produced because of ignorance.

Original text: 是故当知。彼行无明因。无明集。无明生。无明触。彼无明永灭无余。则行灭。彼所乘无明灭道迹。如实知。修习彼向次法。是名比丘向正尽苦。究竟苦边。所谓无明灭。

Explanation: Therefore the bhikṣus should know that bodily, verbal, and mental karmic actions are born with ignorance as their condition, born from the aggregation of ignorance, born from the birth of ignorance, and born from the contact of ignorance. If the ignorance of the manas is forever extinguished without remainder, bodily, verbal, and mental karmic actions will be extinguished accordingly. The bhikṣus should truly understand the path of practice for extinguishing ignorance that they cultivate, and should cultivate the dharmas leading toward the path and the auxiliary dharmas. Only then is it called the bhikṣu tending toward the complete exhaustion of suffering and reaching the ultimate edge of suffering—namely, the complete extinction of ignorance.

Original text: 佛告比丘。于意云何。若不乐无明而生明。复缘彼无明。作福行非福行。无所有行不。

Explanation: The Buddha said to the bhikṣus: "What do you think about this? If you do not delight in ignorance and enlightenment arises in your mind, will you thereafter, in dependence on the ignorance of the manas, still perform meritorious formations and unmeritorious formations, or perform the neutral formations that are neither unmeritorious nor non-unmeritorious?"

Enlightenment and ignorance are two opposing sides: if there is ignorance there is no enlightenment; if there is enlightenment there is no ignorance. When ignorance diminishes, what remains is enlightenment; if all is enlightenment, then ignorance is gone. It is like the two ends of a balance scale: when ignorance is high, enlightenment is low; where there is ignorance there is no enlightenment, and where there is enlightenment there is no ignorance. If ignorance is gone, the six consciousnesses will not create bodily, verbal, and mental actions, and will not leave karmic seeds; they will not take rebirth, and there will be no more name-and-form; without name-and-form there are no six entrances; without the six entrances there is no contact; without contact there is no feeling; without feeling there is no craving; without craving there is no wish to grasp; without the wish to grasp and possess, there is no condition for existence, and thus no existence in the three realms; without existence, name-and-form will not be born, and then aging, death, sorrow, grief, suffering, and distress are all extinguished and will not appear again—the problem of the suffering of birth and death is solved.

Thus the bhikṣus will transcend the three realms and attain liberation. However, this liberation is not yet ultimate liberation; it is only a temporary liberation from the extinction of the one-instant ignorance (āvaraṇa of beginningless avidyā in part). There is still a great deal of subtle ignorance not yet eliminated, and therefore subtle birth-and-death (parināma-maraṇa) suffering remains unextinguished, so the liberation is not ultimate. Only the Buddha's liberation is ultimate liberation. How can one attain ultimate liberation like the Buddha? Then one should not leave the three realms; one should make great vows, continue cultivating the Mahāyāna, retain the five-aggregate body, liberate oneself and liberate others, seek the highest above and transform those below, and perfect all dharmas—only then can there be ultimate liberation.

Original text: 比丘白佛。不也世尊。所以者何。多闻圣弟子。不乐无明而生明。无明灭则行灭。行灭则识灭。如是乃至。生老病死。忧悲恼苦灭。如是如是。纯大苦聚灭。

Explanation: The bhikṣu replied to the World-Honored One: "No, World-Honored One. Why? Because if the disciple well-versed in the teachings does not delight in ignorance and enlightenment arises with the extinction of ignorance, then with the extinction of ignorance, bodily, verbal, and mental karmic actions cease; with the cessation of karmic actions, the karmic seeds of the six consciousnesses cease; after the karmic seeds of the six consciousnesses cease, birth, aging, death, sorrow, grief, suffering, and distress cease, and thus, thus, the entire great mass of suffering is extinguished."

Original text: 佛言。善哉善哉。比丘。我亦如是说。汝亦知此。于彼彼法起彼彼法。生彼彼法。灭彼彼法。灭止清凉息没。若多闻圣弟子无明离欲而生明。身分齐受所觉。身分齐受所觉时如实知。若寿分齐受所觉。寿分齐受所觉时如实知。身坏时寿命欲尽。于此诸受一切所觉。灭尽无余。

Explanation: The Buddha said: "Excellent, excellent, bhikṣus! I also teach thus, and you also know this. From such-and-such dharmas, other such-and-such dharmas arise; other such-and-such dharmas are born; other such-and-such dharmas are extinguished; finally the mind becomes quiescent and non-active, cool and tranquil, subsided and ceased. If a disciple well-versed in the teachings, with ignorance extinguished and desire abandoned, gives rise to enlightenment, there will appear on the physical body the feeling and awareness of liberation; when the feeling and awareness of liberation appear on the physical body, one should truly understand it; if the feeling and awareness of liberation appear with regard to the lifespan, at that time one should truly understand it. When the body breaks up and the lifespan is about to end, all feelings and all awareness in body and mind are extinguished without remainder."

Original text: 譬如力士取新熟瓦器。乘热置地。须臾散坏。热势悉灭。如是比丘。无明离欲而生明。身分齐受所觉如实知。寿分齐受所觉如实知。身坏命终。一切受所觉悉灭无余。

Explanation: For example, a strong man takes a newly fired clay vessel and, while it is still hot, throws it on the ground; in an instant it shatters, and all its heat is extinguished. So it is with the feelings and awareness of the body and of the lifespan—they vanish immediately. Thus, bhikṣus, when the arhat whose ignorance is extinguished and who is free from desire gives rise to enlightenment, he truly understands all the feelings and awareness on the physical body, and truly understands the feelings and awareness of the lifespan; at the breaking up of the body and the end of life, all these feelings and awareness are extinguished without remainder.