An Explanation of the Twelve Nidānas in the Āgama Sutras
Chapter Three: The Twelve Links of Dependent Origination in the Dīrgha Āgama
Section One: The Ninth Sūtra, the Mahāprajñapti-upāya Sūtra of the Dīrgha Āgama
Original text: 尔时。佛告阿难。缘生有老死。此为何义。若使一切众生。无有生者。宁有老死不。阿难答曰。无也。是故阿难。以此缘。知老死由生。缘生有老死。我所说者。义在于此。
Explanation: The Buddha told Ānanda that old age and death exist conditioned on birth. What does this mean? If all sentient beings could be without birth, would there still be old age and death? Ānanda replied: without birth there would be no old age and death. The Buddha said: Therefore, Ānanda, for this reason, it is known that old age and death arise because of birth; old age and death exist conditioned on birth. This is the meaning of what I have said.
Original text: 又告阿难。缘有有生。此为何义。若使一切众生。无有欲有。色无色有者。宁有生不。答曰。无也。 阿难。我以此缘。知生由有。缘有有生。我所说者。义在于此。
Explanation: The Buddha further told Ānanda: birth exists conditioned on existence in the three realms. What does this mean? If all sentient beings could be without existence in the desire realm, existence in the form realm, and existence in the formless realm, would there still be birth? Ānanda replied: without existence in the three realms there would be no birth. The Buddha said: Ānanda, for this reason, I know that birth arises because of existence in the three realms; only conditioned on existence in the three realms is there birth. This is exactly what I mean.
Original text: 又告阿难。缘取有有。此为何义。若使一切众生。无有欲取。见取戒取。我取者。宁有有不。答曰。无也。阿难。我以此缘。知有由取。缘取有有。我所说者。义在于此。
Explanation: The Buddha further told Ānanda: existence in the three realms exists conditioned on grasping. What does this mean? If all sentient beings were without the grasping of desire, without the grasping of the various wrong views headed by the view of self, without the view of holding to precepts in which precepts that cannot bring liberation are regarded as liberating precepts, and without the grasping of self toward the self's five aggregates, would there still be existence in the three realms? Ānanda replied: without these graspings there would be no existence in the three realms. The Buddha said: Ānanda, for this reason, I know that existence in the three realms arises because of the various graspings; precisely because there is seeking and taking of the dharmas of the three realms, there is existence in the three realms. This is exactly what I mean.
Original text: 又告阿难。缘爱有取。此为何义。若使一切众生。无有欲爱。有爱无有爱者。宁有取不。答曰。无有。阿难。我以此缘。知取由爱。缘爱有取。我所说者。义在于此。
Explanation: The Buddha further told Ānanda: grasping in the three realms arises because of craving for the dharmas of the three realms. What does this mean? If all sentient beings were without craving for the desire realm, without craving for the form realm, and without craving for the formless realm, would there still be grasping in the three realms? Ānanda replied: there could be no grasping. The Buddha said: Ānanda, for this reason, I know that grasping in the three realms arises because of craving for the three realms; precisely because there is craving for the dharmas of the three realms, there is grasping of the dharmas of the three realms. This is exactly what I mean.
Original text: 又告阿难。缘受有爱。此为何义。若使一切众生。无有乐受苦受。不苦不乐受者。宁有爱不。答曰。无也。阿难。我以此缘。知爱由受。缘受有爱。我所说者。义在于此。
Explanation: The Buddha further told Ānanda: craving arises conditioned on feeling. What does this mean? If all sentient beings were without pleasant feeling, painful feeling, and neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, would there still be craving? Ānanda replied: without feeling there could be no craving. The Buddha said: Ānanda, for this reason, I know that craving arises because of feeling; precisely because there are the various feelings, there is craving. This is exactly what I mean.
Original text: 阿难。当知因爱有求。因求有利。因利有用。因用有欲。因欲有著。因著有嫉。因嫉有守。因守有护。阿难。由有护故。有刀杖诤讼。作无数恶。我所说者。义在于此。
Explanation: Ānanda, you should know that because of craving there is seeking; because of seeking there is benefit; because of benefit there is use; because of use there is desire; because of desire there arises attachment; because of attachment there arises jealousy; because of jealousy there is guarding; because of guarding there is protection. Ānanda, because of the wish to protect, there are quarrels with weapons and staffs, and countless evil deeds are committed. This is the meaning of what I have said.
Original text: 阿难。此为何义。若使一切众生。无有护者。当有刀杖诤讼。起无数恶不。答曰。无也。是故。阿难。以此因缘。知刀杖诤讼。由护而起。缘护有刀杖诤讼。阿难。我所说者。义在于此。
Explanation: Ānanda, what does this mean? If all sentient beings no longer had the mind to protect benefits such as wealth, sensual pleasure, fame, food, and sleep, would there still be fights with weapons and staffs, disputes and quarrels, and even the commission of countless evil deeds? Ānanda replied: without the mind to protect benefits, there would be no fights, disputes, or evil deeds. The Buddha said: Therefore, Ānanda, for this reason, I know that fights with weapons and staffs and disputes and quarrels arise because of the mind that protects benefits; conditioned on protection there are weapons, staffs, and quarrels. Ānanda, this is exactly what I mean.
Original text: 又告阿难。因守有护。此为何义。若使一切众生无有守者。宁有护不。答曰。无也。阿难。我以此缘。知护由守。因守有护。我所说者。义在于此。
Explanation: The Buddha further told Ānanda: because there is the mind that guards benefits such as wealth, sensual pleasure, fame, food, and sleep for oneself, there is the behavior of protection. What does this mean? If sentient beings were without the guarding mind, would there still be protective behavior? Ānanda replied: without the guarding mind there would be no protection. The Buddha said: Ānanda, for this reason, I know that protective behavior arises because of the guarding mind; because of guarding there is protection. This is exactly what I mean.
Original text: 阿难。因嫉有守。此为何义。若使一切众生无有嫉者。宁有守不。答曰。无也。阿难。我以此缘。知守由嫉。因嫉有守。我所说者。义在于此。
Explanation: Ānanda, because of jealousy there is the mind to guard one's own benefits. What does this mean? If all sentient beings were without jealousy, would there still be the mental conduct of guarding? Ānanda replied: without jealousy there would be no guarding. The Buddha said: Ānanda, for this reason, I know that the guarding mind exists conditioned on jealousy; because of jealousy there is guarding. This is exactly what I mean.
Original text: 阿难。因著有嫉。此为何义。若使一切众生无有著者。宁有嫉不。答曰。无也。阿难。我以此缘。知嫉由著。因著有嫉。我所说者。义在于此。
Explanation: Ānanda, jealousy arises because of attachment. What does this mean? If all sentient beings were without attachment, would there still be jealousy? Ānanda replied: without attachment there would be no jealousy. The Buddha said: Ānanda, for this reason, I know that jealousy is conditioned on attachment; because of attachment there is jealousy. This is exactly what I mean.
Original text: 阿难。因欲有著。此为何义。若使一切众生无有欲者。宁有著不。答曰。无也。阿难。我以此缘。知着由欲。因欲有着。我所说者。义在于此。
Explanation: Ānanda, attachment arises because of craving/desire. What does this mean? If all sentient beings were without craving, would there still be attachment? Ānanda replied: without craving there would be no attachment. The Buddha said: Ānanda, for this reason, I know that attachment arises because of craving; only conditioned on craving is there attachment. This is exactly what I mean.
Original text: 阿难。因用有欲。此为何义。若使一切众生无有用者。宁有欲不。答曰。无也。阿难。我以此义。知欲由用。因用有欲。我所说者。义在于此。
Explanation: Ānanda, craving arises because there is benefit to be used. What does this mean? If all sentient beings no longer used things, would there still be craving? Ānanda replied: without the mind of using, there would be no craving. The Buddha said: For this reason, I know that craving appears because of the wish to use; because of wanting to use, there is craving. This is exactly what I mean by what I have said.
Original text: 阿难。因利有用。此为何义。若使一切众生无有利者。宁有用不。答曰。无也。阿难。我以此义。知用由利。因利有用。我所说者。义在于此。
阿难。因求有利。此为何义。若使一切众生无有求者。宁有利不。 答曰。无也。阿难。我以此缘。知利由求。因求有利。我所说者。义在于此。
Explanation: Ānanda, use arises because there is benefit. What does this mean? If all sentient beings were without benefit, would there still be the mind that wants to use? Ānanda replied: without benefit there would be no use. The Buddha said: Ānanda, for this reason, I know that use appears because there is benefit; because there is benefit, one wants to use. This is exactly what I mean.
Ānanda, the notion of benefit arises because there is seeking. What does this mean? If all sentient beings were without craving and seeking, what benefit could there be? Ānanda replied: without seeking there would be no such thing as benefit. The Buddha said: Ānanda, for this reason, I know that benefit exists only conditioned on seeking; because there is seeking, there is benefit. This is exactly what I mean.
Original text: 阿难。因爱有求。此为何义。若使一切众生无有爱者。宁有求不。 答曰。无也。阿难。我以此缘。知求由爱。因爱有求。我所说者。义在于此。又告阿难。因爱有求。至于守护。受亦如是。因受有求。至于守护。
Explanation: Ānanda, seeking arises because of craving. What does this mean? If all sentient beings were without craving, would there still be the mind of seeking? Ānanda replied: without craving there would be no seeking. The Buddha said: Ānanda, for this reason, I know that seeking arises because of craving; only conditioned on craving is there seeking. This is exactly what I mean. The Buddha further told Ānanda: because of craving there is seeking, all the way to guarding; feeling is also like this—because of feeling there is seeking, all the way to guarding.
Original text: 佛告阿难。缘触有受。此为何义。阿难。若使无眼无色。无眼识者。宁有触不。 答曰。无也。若无耳声耳识。鼻香鼻识。舌味舌识。身触身识。意法意识者。宁有触不。答曰。无也。
阿难。若使一切众生无有触者。宁有受不。答曰。无也。阿难。我以是义。知受由触。缘触有受。我所说者。义在于此。
Explanation: The Buddha told Ānanda: feeling exists conditioned on contact. What does this mean? Ānanda, if all sentient beings had no eye faculty and no form object, and no eye consciousness, would there still be contact? Ānanda replied: without faculties, objects, and consciousnesses, there would be no contact. The Buddha said: If all sentient beings had no ear faculty, sound object, and ear consciousness; no nose faculty, scent object, and nose consciousness; no tongue faculty, taste object, and tongue consciousness; no body faculty, touch object, and body consciousness; and no manas, dharma object, and mind consciousness, would there still be contact? Ānanda replied: without faculties, objects, and consciousnesses, there would be no contact.
The Buddha said: Ānanda, if all sentient beings were without contact, would there still be feeling? Ānanda replied: without contact there would be no feeling. The Buddha said: Ānanda, for this reason, I know that feeling arises because of contact; only conditioned on contact is there feeling. This is exactly what I mean.
Original text: 阿难。缘名色有触。此为何义。若使一切众生无有名色者。宁有心触不。 答曰。无也。 若使一切众生无形色相貌者。宁有身触不。答曰。无也。阿难。若无名色。宁有触不。答曰。无也。阿难。我以是缘。知触由名色。缘名色有触。我所说者。义在于此。
Explanation: Ānanda, contact exists conditioned on nāma-rūpa. What does this mean? If all sentient beings were without nāma-rūpa, could there still be mental contact? Ānanda replied: without nāma-rūpa there would be no contact. The Buddha said: If all sentient beings were without physical form and appearance, could there still be bodily contact? Ānanda replied: without physical form there would be no bodily contact. The Buddha said: Ānanda, if there were no nāma-rūpa, could there still be contact? Ānanda replied: without nāma-rūpa there would be no contact. The Buddha said: Ānanda, for this reason, I know that contact arises because of nāma-rūpa; only conditioned on nāma-rūpa is there contact. This is exactly what I mean.
Original text: 阿难。缘识有名色。此为何义。若识不入母胎者。有名色不。答曰。无也。若识入胎不出者。有名色不。答曰。无也。若识出胎。婴孩坏败。名色得增长不。答曰。无也。阿难。若无识者。有名色不。答曰。无也。阿难。我以是缘。知名色由识。缘识有名色。我所说者。义在于此。
Explanation: Ānanda, nāma-rūpa exists conditioned on consciousness (the Ālayavijñāna). What does this mean? If the Ālayavijñāna did not enter the mother's womb, could there be nāma-rūpa? Ānanda replied: if consciousness did not enter the womb, there could be no nāma-rūpa. The Buddha said: If the Ālayavijñāna entered the womb but did not leave the mother's womb, could there still be nāma-rūpa? Ānanda said: without leaving the womb there would be no nāma-rūpa. The Buddha said: If the Ālayavijñāna left the mother's womb but the infant's body perished and decayed, could nāma-rūpa still grow? Ānanda said: nāma-rūpa could not grow. The Buddha said: Ānanda, if there were no Ālayavijñāna, could there be nāma-rūpa? Ānanda said: without the Ālayavijñāna there would be no nāma-rūpa. Ānanda, for this reason, I know that nāma-rūpa is born from the Ālayavijñāna; only conditioned on the Ālayavijñāna is there nāma-rūpa. This is exactly what I mean.
This is the meaning of the ten links of dependent origination, which clarifies that the most direct condition for the birth of nāma-rūpa is the Ālayavijñāna; the six consciousnesses are only contributing conditions for the birth of nāma-rūpa. When the six consciousnesses are purified and no longer create karmic formations, the Ālayavijñāna cannot give birth to nāma-rūpa, and birth-and-death is brought to an end. From entering the womb to leaving the womb, the Ālayavijñāna accompanies nāma-rūpa at every stage of life, causing nāma-rūpa to continually grow and change; once the conditions for nāma-rūpa are gone, the Ālayavijñāna can no longer grow nāma-rūpa or accompany it.
Some people mistakenly believe that the consciousness in the ten links refers to the six consciousnesses. But at the time of entering the womb, the six consciousnesses have already ceased; the six consciousnesses cannot enter the womb and follow into the next life, and for a long time after entering the womb the six consciousnesses cannot arise; even the eye consciousness only arises after leaving the womb. Therefore, what enters the womb and dwells in the womb is not the six consciousnesses but the Ālayavijñāna. In the ten links of dependent origination, the Buddha directly pointed out that the fundamental cause of the birth of nāma-rūpa is the Ālayavijñāna; the Ālayavijñāna is that on which nāma-rūpa depends and its source.
Original text: 阿难。缘名色有识。此为何义。若识不住名色。则识无住处。若无住处。宁有生老病死。忧悲苦恼不。答曰。无也。阿难。若无名色。宁有识不。答曰。无也。 阿难。我以此缘。知识由名色。缘名色有识。我所说者。义在于此。
Explanation: Ānanda, the Ālayavijñāna exists conditioned on nāma-rūpa—that is, only then can the Ālayavijñāna manifest and be seen. What does this mean? If the Ālayavijñāna did not abide in nāma-rūpa, then the Ālayavijñāna would have no place of abiding. If the Ālayavijñāna had no place of abiding, could there be sentient beings' birth, old age, sickness, death, sorrow, grief, suffering, and distress? Ānanda said: if the Ālayavijñāna had no place of abiding, there would be no birth, old age, sickness, or death. The Buddha said: Ānanda, if there were no nāma-rūpa, could the Ālayavijñāna be seen and could the Ālayavijñāna manifest? Ānanda said: without nāma-rūpa, the Ālayavijñāna could not manifest. The Buddha said: Ānanda, for this reason, I know that the Ālayavijñāna has a place of abiding conditioned on nāma-rūpa, and the manifestation of the Ālayavijñāna occurs conditioned on nāma-rūpa. This is exactly what I mean.
The word "有" (exist) in "conditioned on nāma-rūpa there is consciousness" does not mean "birth," but means "manifestation" and "being seen," because the Ālayavijñāna is unborn and undying, is not born from nāma-rūpa, and nāma-rūpa cannot give birth to any dharma, much less give birth to the Ālayavijñāna. If there were no nāma-rūpa, the Ālayavijñāna would have nothing to rely on; only by relying on nāma-rūpa and abiding in nāma-rūpa can the Ālayavijñāna function, and only then can its functions manifest. The Buddha also explained later that if the Ālayavijñāna did not abide in nāma-rūpa, there would be no place of abiding; without a place of abiding there would be no nāma-rūpa, and without nāma-rūpa there would be no birth, old age, sickness, or death. The meaning of the dharma of the ten links of dependent origination is extremely profound and not easy to understand, yet it should still be correctly understood.
Original text: 阿难。是故名色缘识。识缘名色。名色缘六入。六入缘触。触缘受。受缘爱。爱缘取。取缘有。有缘生。生缘老死忧苦悲恼。大苦阴集。阿难。齐是为语。齐是为应。齐是为限。齐此为演说。齐是为智观。齐是为众生。阿难。诸比丘于此法中。如实正观。无漏心解脱。阿难。此比丘当名为慧解脱。
Explanation: Ānanda, therefore nāma-rūpa exists conditioned on the Ālayavijñāna, and the Ālayavijñāna has a place of abiding and its functions only conditioned on nāma-rūpa. With nāma-rūpa there can be the six sense bases; with the six sense bases there can be contact; with contact there can be feeling; with feeling there can be craving; with craving there can be grasping; with grasping there can be existence in the three realms; with existence there can be birth; with birth there can be old age, sickness, death, sorrow, grief, suffering, and distress—the accumulation of the great mass of suffering. Ānanda, this alone is right speech and doctrinal discussion; this alone is the dharma meaning that should most be cultivated; this alone is the most ultimate dharma gate; this alone is the true proclamation of the Buddha-dharma; this alone is observation with wisdom; this alone is the precious dharma for delivering sentient beings. Ānanda, when the bhikṣus, within this dharma, contemplate in accordance with reality and correctly, they exhaust the outflows of afflictions and their minds attain liberation. Ānanda, such a bhikṣus of correct contemplation is called an arhat liberated by wisdom (prajñā-vimukta).
For the arhat liberated by wisdom, the wisdom of liberation surpasses the cultivation of meditative concentration; his meditative concentration only reaches the first dhyāna, not possessing the profound dhyāna of the second dhyāna or above the fourth dhyāna. At the time of death, he mainly relies on the wisdom of liberation to leave the three realms and enter nirvāṇa. The wisdom of liberation is the complete and thorough realization that the five aggregates are suffering, empty, impermanent, and non-self, the exhaustion of all afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion such as grasping at self, and the complete cessation of the one-instant ignorance; then the five aggregates cease. "Liberation by wisdom" does not mean having only wisdom without meditative concentration; rather, it means that meditative concentration is not very deep, and liberation does not rely primarily on meditative concentration, on attaining liberation through meditative concentration, but relies on the wisdom of liberation to exhaust the dharmas of the three realms. The arhat liberated by wisdom must at minimum have the meditative concentration of the first dhyāna; without the first dhyāna, it is impossible to exhaust the afflictions and attain an untainted mind; if the afflictions cannot be exhausted, liberation is impossible.
Original text: 如是解脱比丘。如来终亦知。如来不终亦知。如来终不终亦知。如来非终非不终亦知。何以故。阿难。齐是为语。齐是为应。齐是为限。齐是为演说。齐是为智观。齐是为众生。如是尽知已。无漏。心解脱。比丘不知不见。如是知见。
Explanation: A bhikṣus liberated in this way knows whether the Tathāgata ultimately passes away, knows whether the Tathāgata does not ultimately pass away, knows whether the Tathāgata both ultimately passes away and does not, and knows whether the Tathāgata neither ultimately passes away nor does not. Why is this said? Ānanda, because only speaking thus is right speech; only speaking thus is most appropriate; only speaking thus is most ultimate; only speaking thus is proclaiming the dharma; only speaking thus is observation with wisdom; only speaking thus delivers sentient beings. After the mind-liberated bhikṣus thus exhaustively knows whether the Tathāgata ultimately passes away or not, his outflows of afflictions are exhausted and his mind attains liberation; the other bhikṣus do not know or see such knowledge and vision.
Original text: 阿难。夫计我者。齐几名我见。名色与受。俱计以为我。有人言受非我。我是受。或有言受非我。我非受。受法是我。或有言受非我。我非受。受法非我。但爱是我。
Explanation: Ānanda, among those who grasp at a self, up to what point is it called the view of self? Taking nāma-rūpa, the five aggregates, and feeling all together as the self—this is the view of self. Some say feeling is not the self, but the self is feeling. Some say feeling is not the self, the self is not feeling, but the dharma that feels is the self. Some say feeling is not the self, the self is not feeling, the dharma of feeling and the felt is not the self, but craving is the self.
Original text: 阿难。彼见我者。言受是我。当语彼言。如来说三受。乐受苦受。不苦不乐受。当有乐受时。无有苦受。不苦不乐受。有苦受时。无有乐受。不苦不乐受。有不苦不乐受时。无有苦受乐受。
Explanation: Ānanda, among those views in which there is a self, for those who say feeling is the self, one should tell them: the Tathāgata said there are three kinds of feeling—pleasant feeling, painful feeling, and neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling. When there is pleasant feeling, there is no painful feeling and no neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling; when there is painful feeling, there is no pleasant feeling and no neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling; when there is neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, there is no pleasant feeling and no painful feeling.
Grasping at a self means that ordinary beings in their minds always mistakenly take the five aggregates and eighteen realms to be permanent dharmas with sovereign control; this dharma refers to the worldly self, not the non-worldly eighth consciousness, the tathāgatagarbha. Because sentient beings, for beginningless kalpas, have never known that there is an eighth consciousness, do not even know there are seven consciousnesses, and do not know true and false consciousnesses, saying that the "self" in the text is the eighth consciousness is all erroneous, contrary to principle and fact. Ordinary beings have never taken nāma-rūpa and the five aggregates as the eighth consciousness, nor taken feeling as the eighth consciousness, regardless of whether the five aggregates and feeling are the eighth consciousness. Moreover, the eighth consciousness has no nāma-rūpa and no feeling; on what basis could one say feeling is the eighth consciousness or feeling is not the eighth consciousness? Both "is" and "is not" violate correct principle.
Original text: 所以然者。阿难。乐触缘生乐受。若乐触灭受亦灭。阿难。苦触缘生苦受。若苦触灭受亦灭。不苦不乐触缘。生不苦不乐受。若不苦不乐触灭受亦灭。
Explanation: The reason this is said is: Ānanda, pleasant feeling is born conditioned on pleasant contact; if pleasant contact ceases, pleasant feeling also ceases. Ānanda, painful feeling is born conditioned on painful contact; if painful contact ceases, painful feeling also ceases. Neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling is born conditioned on neither-painful-nor-pleasant contact; if neither-painful-nor-pleasant contact ceases, neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling also ceases.
Original text: 阿难。如两木相攒。则有火生。各置异处。则无有火。此亦如是。因乐触缘。故生乐受。若乐触灭。受亦俱灭。因苦触缘。故生苦受。若苦触灭。受亦俱灭。因不苦不乐触缘。生不苦不乐受。若不苦不乐触灭。受亦俱灭。阿难。此三受有为无常。从因缘生。尽法灭法。为朽坏法。彼非我有。我非彼有。当以正智如实观之。
Explanation: Ānanda, for example, when two pieces of wood are rubbed together, fire arises from between them; if the two pieces of wood are placed apart, no fire is produced. It is the same with feeling: because of the condition of pleasant contact, pleasant feeling arises; if pleasant contact ceases, pleasant feeling ceases along with it. Because of the condition of painful contact, painful feeling arises; if painful contact ceases, painful feeling ceases along with it. Because of the condition of neither-painful-nor-pleasant contact, neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling arises; if neither-painful-nor-pleasant contact ceases, neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling ceases along with it. Ānanda, these three feelings are conditioned, impermanent dharmas, born from causes and conditions, dharmas that can be exhausted and extinguished, dharmas that decay and perish. Therefore these dharmas are not the self, and the self is not these dharmas. You should observe them with such correct wisdom, in accordance with reality.
Original text: 阿难。彼见我者。以受为我。彼则为非。阿难。彼见我者。言受非我。我是受者。当语彼言。如来说三受。苦受乐受。不苦不乐受。若乐受是我者。乐受灭时。则有二我。此则为过。若苦受是我者。苦受灭时。则有二我。此则为过。若不苦不乐受是我者。不苦不乐受灭时。则有二我。此则为过。
Explanation: Ānanda, those who believe there is a self and take feeling as the self—their view is wrong. Ānanda, for those who believe there is a self and say feeling is not the self but the self is feeling, in order to rescue these people, one should tell them: the Tathāgata said there are three feelings—painful feeling, pleasant feeling, and neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling. If pleasant feeling were the self, then when pleasant feeling ceases, there would be two selves—the painful-feeling self and the neither-painful-nor-pleasant-feeling self—which of course would be wrong. If painful feeling were the self, then when painful feeling ceases, there would be two selves—the pleasant-feeling self and the neither-painful-nor-pleasant-feeling self—which would be wrong. If neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling were the self, then when neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling ceases, there would be two selves—the painful-feeling self and the pleasant-feeling self—and this is erroneous.
Original text: 阿难。彼见我者。言受非我。我是受。彼则为非。阿难。彼计我者。作此说。受非我。我非受。受法是我。当语彼言。一切无受。汝云何言有受法。汝是受法耶。对曰非是。是故阿难。彼计我者。言受非我。我非受。受法是我。彼则为非。
Explanation: Ānanda, those who believe there is a self and say feeling is not the self but the self is feeling—this view is erroneous. Ānanda, those who grasp at a self say this: feeling is not the self, the self is not feeling, but the dharma that has feeling is the self. To such people, one should say: in all dharmas there is no feeling; why do you say there is a dharma of feeling? Are you the dharma of feeling? That person would reply: I am not the dharma of feeling. Therefore, Ānanda, those who grasp at a self, saying feeling is not the self, the self is not feeling, but the dharma of feeling is the self—their view is wrong.
Original text: 阿难。彼计我者。作是言。受非我。我非受。受法非我。但爱是我者。当语彼言。一切无受。云何有爱。汝是爱耶。对曰非也。是故阿难。彼计我者。言受非我。我非受。受法非我。爱是我者。彼则为非。阿难。齐是为语。齐是为应。齐是为限。齐是为演说。齐是为智观。齐是为众生。
Explanation: Ānanda, those who grasp at a self say this: feeling is not the self, the self is not feeling, the dharma of feeling is not the self, but craving is the self. To such people, one should say: in all dharmas there is no feeling; how could there be craving? Are you craving? The other party would reply: I am not craving. Therefore, Ānanda, those who grasp at a self, saying feeling is not the self, the self is not feeling, the dharma of feeling is not the self, but craving is the self—their view is wrong. Ānanda, only speaking thus is right speech; only speaking thus corresponds to the dharma; only speaking thus is most ultimate; only speaking thus is proclaiming the true dharma; only speaking thus is observation with wisdom; only speaking thus delivers sentient beings.
Original text: 阿难。诸比丘于此法中如实正观。于无漏心解脱。阿难。此比丘当名为慧解脱。如是解脱心比丘。有我亦知。无我亦知。有我无我亦知。非有我非无我亦知。何以故。阿难。齐是为语。齐是为应。齐是为限。齐是为演说。齐是为智观。齐是为众生。如是尽知已。无漏。心解脱。比丘不知不见如是知见。
Explanation: Ānanda, when the bhikṣus, within these dharmas, contemplate correctly in accordance with reality, they will reach the untainted state and their minds will attain liberation. Ānanda, a bhikṣus with an untainted mind should be called an arhat liberated by wisdom. A bhikṣus with a mind liberated in this way knows the dharma of self, knows the dharma of non-self, knows both the dharmas of self and non-self, and also knows the dharma of neither self nor non-self. Why is this said? Ānanda, because only speaking thus is right speech; only speaking thus corresponds to the dharma; only speaking thus is most ultimate; only speaking thus is proclaiming the true dharma; only speaking thus is observation with wisdom; only speaking thus can deliver sentient beings. After the mind-liberated bhikṣus thus exhaustively realizes the dharma of non-self, his outflows of afflictions are exhausted and his mind attains liberation. The other bhikṣus do not know or see the view of non-self.
Original text: 佛语阿难。彼计我者。齐已为定。彼计我者。或言少色是我。或言多色是我。或言少无色是我。或言多无色是我。阿难。彼言少色是我者。定少色是我。我所见是。余者为非。
Explanation: The Buddha said to Ānanda: those who grasp at a self have already fixed and settled the boundaries of the self. Those who grasp at a self say either that a small portion of form is the self, or that a large portion of form is the self, or that a small portion of the formless is the self, or that a large portion of the formless is the self. Ānanda, those who say a small portion of form is the self firmly and obstinately hold that a small portion of form is the self, that what they themselves see is correct, and that the rest, which they have not seen, is incorrect.
Original text: 多色是我者。定多色是我。我所见是。余者为非。少无色是我者。定言少无色是我。我所见是。余者为非。多无色是我者。定多无色是我。我所见是。余者为非。
Explanation: Those who say a large portion of form is the self firmly and obstinately hold that a large portion of form is the self, that what they themselves see is correct, and that the rest, which they have not seen, is incorrect; those who say a small portion of the formless is the self firmly and obstinately hold that only a small portion of the formless being the self is correct, and that the rest, which they have not seen, is incorrect; those who say a large portion of the formless is the self firmly and obstinately hold that a large portion of the formless being the self is correct, and that the rest, which they have not seen, is incorrect.
Original text: 佛告阿难。七识住。二入处。诸有沙门婆罗门言。此处安隐。为救为护。为舍为灯。为明为归。为不虚妄。为不烦恼。
Explanation: The Buddha told Ānanda: there are the seven stations of consciousness and the two entrances, which you should know. Various śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas say that these seven stations of consciousness and two entrances are places of peace and security, places of rescue and protection, houses and bright lamps, light and places of refuge, places that are real and not false, places without afflictions.
Original text: 云何为七。或有众生。若干种身。若干种想。天及人。此是初识住处。诸沙门婆罗门言。此处安隐。为救为护。为舍为灯。为明为归。为不虚妄。为不烦恼。
阿难。若比丘知初识住。知集知灭。知味知过。知出要。如实知者。阿难。彼比丘言。彼非我。我非彼。如实知见。
Explanation: What are the seven? The first station of consciousness: among humans and devas of the desire realm, there are sentient beings with desire-realm human and deva bodies, of various kinds of bodies and various kinds of perception. The various śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas say that the abodes of humans and devas are peaceful and secure, can be rescued and protected, are dwellings in which to abide, are bright lamps that illuminate, are light, are places of reliance, are places that really exist and are not false, and are places without afflictions.
Ānanda, if bhikṣus know the first station of consciousness, know its arising and cessation, know its flavor and stickiness, know its faults, and know the way out of it, knowing it all in accordance with reality, then the bhikṣus will say: the station of consciousness is not the self, and the self is not the station of consciousness; I know and see this principle in accordance with reality.
Original text: 或有众生。若干种身而一想。梵光音天是。或有众生。一身若干种想。光音天是。或有众生一身一想。遍净天是。或有众生。住空处。或有众生。住识处。或有众生。住不用处。是为七识住处。
Explanation: The second station of consciousness is among the devas of the Brahma-parisadya heaven (the retinue of Brahmā) of the first dhyāna heaven of the form realm, where the devas have various kinds of bodies but only one kind of perception; the third station of consciousness is among the devas of the Ābhāsvara heaven of the second dhyāna, where the devas have only one kind of body but several kinds of perception; the fourth station of consciousness is among the devas of the Subhakṛtsna heaven of the third dhyāna, where the devas have only one kind of body and only one kind of perception; the fifth station of consciousness is among the devas of the Ākāśānantyāyatana heaven of the formless realm, who have no body and only extremely subtle perception; the sixth station of consciousness is among the devas of the Vijñānānantyāyatana heaven, who likewise have no body and only even subtler perception; the seventh station of consciousness is among the devas of the Ākiṃcanyāyatana heaven, who have no body and whose perception is even subtler and harder to know. These are the seven stations of consciousness.
Original text: 或有沙门婆罗门言。此处安隐。为救为护。为舍为灯。为明为归。为不虚妄。为不烦恼。阿难。若比丘知七识住。知集知灭。知味知过。知出要。如实知见。彼比丘言。彼非我。我非彼。如实知见。是为七识住。
Explanation: Some śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas say that these stations of abiding are peaceful and secure, have rescue and protection, are houses, are bright lamps, are light, are places to rely on and take refuge in, are places that are not false, and are places without afflictions. Ānanda, if bhikṣus can know the seven stations of consciousness, know the arising and complete cessation of the seven stations of consciousness, know the flavor and faults of the seven stations of consciousness, and know the essential way to escape the seven stations of consciousness, knowing and seeing them all in accordance with reality, then the bhikṣus will say: the seven stations of consciousness are not the self, and the self is not the seven stations of consciousness; knowing and seeing these seven stations of consciousness in accordance with reality—this is the seven stations of consciousness.
The seven stations of consciousness are respectively the humans and devas of the desire realm, and the form realm and formless realm; these refer to the abodes of sentient beings in the three good destinies, not the abodes of sentient beings in the three evil destinies. The three good destinies are places of peace and security for sentient beings, while the three evil destinies are places of insecurity and suffering for sentient beings. All seven stations of consciousness are peaceful and secure places. What consciousness does this "consciousness" refer to? If it refers to the Ālayavijñāna, that is certainly not wrong; but the Two Vehicles do not primarily teach the Ālayavijñāna; they mainly teach the six consciousnesses, and speak very little of the seventh consciousness. Therefore, the seven stations of consciousness mainly refer to the abodes of the six consciousnesses, and also include the abode of the seventh consciousness, because in the abode of the neither-perception-nor-non-perception heaven there are no six consciousnesses, only the seventh and eighth consciousnesses.
Original text: 云何二入处。无想入。非想非无想入是为。阿难。此二入处。或有沙门婆罗门言。此处安隐。为救为护。为舍为灯。为明为归。为不虚妄。为不烦恼。阿难。若比丘知二入处。知集知灭。知味知过。知出要。如实知见。彼比丘言。彼非我。我非彼。如实知见。是为二入。
Explanation: What are the two entrances? The entrance of the neither-perception-nor-non-perception heaven and the entrance of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception are the two entrances. Ānanda, regarding these two entrances, some śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas say they are peaceful and secure places, places of rescue and protection, houses, bright lamps, places of light, places of refuge, places that are not false, and places without afflictions. Ānanda, if bhikṣus know these two entrances, know their arising and complete cessation, know their flavor and faults, and know the essential way to escape them, and know and see the two entrances in accordance with reality, then the bhikṣus will say: the two entrances are not the self, and the self is not the two entrances; knowing and seeing this principle in accordance with reality—this is the two entrances.
"Neither-perception" refers to the neither-perception samādhi (asaṃjñi-samāpatti) or the neither-perception heaven; in this samādhi there is no mind consciousness and no perception of the mind consciousness, hence it is called the neither-perception samādhi. Although there is no mind consciousness in this samādhi, there is still the manas, which still grasps the form aggregate as self and is still bound, not having eradicated the view of self. Only by recognizing that the body and the manas in the neither-perception samādhi are not the self is this called the neither-perception entrance, transcending the neither-perception samādhi and the neither-perception heaven. By the same principle, the neither-perception-nor-non-perception entrance is also like this: the neither-perception-nor-non-perception samādhi and the neither-perception-nor-non-perception heaven are also not ultimate; without recognizing that a small portion of the functions of the mind consciousness and the functions of the manas are not the self, liberation is impossible.
Original text: 阿难。复有八解脱。云何八。色观色。初解脱。内无色想。观外色。二解脱。净解脱。三解脱。度色想。灭有对想。不念杂想。住空处。四解脱。度空处。住识处。五解脱。度识处。住不用处。六解脱。度不用处。住有想无想处。七解脱。灭尽定。八解脱。阿难。诸比丘于此八解脱。逆顺游行。入出自在。如是比丘得俱解脱。
Explanation: Ānanda, there are also the eight liberations. What are the eight? The first liberation: the mind has perceptions of form and craving for form, and contemplates form as impure; upon realizing the impurity of form, the mind attains liberation. The second liberation: the mind has no perceptions of form internally, and contemplates external form as impure; upon realizing the impurity of form, the mind attains liberation. The third liberation: both body and mind are pure and attain liberation. The fourth liberation: transcending perceptions of form, extinguishing the perceptions opposed to form, with no perception of form and no other miscellaneous perceptions, abiding in the samādhi of the sphere of infinite space, the mind attains liberation. The fifth liberation: passing beyond the sphere of infinite space, abiding in the samādhi of the sphere of infinite consciousness, the mind attains liberation. The sixth liberation: passing beyond the sphere of infinite consciousness, abiding in the samādhi of the sphere of nothingness, the mind attains liberation. The seventh liberation: transcending the sphere of nothingness, abiding in the samādhi of neither perception nor non-perception, the mind attains liberation. The eighth liberation: abiding in the cessation of perception and feeling (nirodha-samāpatti), the mind attains liberation.
Ānanda, when the bhikṣus, with respect to these eight liberations, whether entering them in sequence or in reverse order, are at ease in entering and emerging from samādhi, such bhikṣus have fully realized all eight liberations and are called arhats liberated in both ways (ubhayato-bhāga-vimukta), fully endowed with both the wisdom of liberation and the four dhyānas and eight samāpattis.
