An Explanation of the Twelve Nidānas in the Āgama Sutras

Chapter Five   Volume One of the Yin Chi Ru Jing

Original Text: What are the twelve kinds? They arise from seeking, such as seeking, etc. From ignorance as condition, volitional formations come to be. From volitional formations comes consciousness. From consciousness comes name-and-form. From name-and-form come the six sense bases. From the six sense bases comes contact. From contact comes feeling. From feeling comes craving. From craving comes clinging. From clinging comes becoming. From becoming comes birth. From birth come aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, and despair. Such is the arising of this whole mass of suffering. This is called the accumulation of defilements.

Explanation: What are the twelve links of dependent origination? The twelve links of dependent origination arise from a series of attachments to worldly phenomena. From the ignorance of the mental faculty as condition, bodily, verbal, and mental actions arise. From bodily, verbal, and mental actions as condition, the karmic seeds of the six consciousnesses arise. From the karmic seeds of the six consciousnesses as condition, name-and-form arises. From name-and-form as condition, the six sense bases arise. From the six sense bases as condition, contact arises. From contact as condition, feeling arises. From feeling as condition, craving arises. From craving as condition, clinging arises. From clinging as condition, becoming arises. From becoming as condition, birth arises. From birth as condition, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, despair, and all disagreeable matters causing continuous mental affliction arise. In this way, the karmic seeds of the suffering of birth and death are fully accumulated, all caused by the habit energy of contact.

Original Text: When ignorance ceases, volitional formations cease. When volitional formations cease, consciousness ceases. When consciousness ceases, name-and-form ceases. When name-and-form ceases, the six sense bases cease. When the six sense bases cease, contact ceases. When contact ceases, feeling ceases. When feeling ceases, craving ceases. When craving ceases, clinging ceases. When clinging ceases, becoming ceases. When becoming ceases, birth ceases. When birth ceases, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, and despair cease. Thus, the whole mass of suffering ceases.

Explanation: If the ignorance of the mental faculty is completely eradicated, volitional formations cease. When volitional formations cease, the karmic seeds of the six consciousnesses cease. When the karmic seeds of the six consciousnesses cease, name-and-form ceases. When name-and-form ceases, the six sense bases cease. When the six sense bases cease, contact ceases. When contact ceases, feeling ceases. When feeling ceases, craving ceases. When craving ceases, clinging ceases. When clinging ceases, becoming ceases. When becoming ceases, birth ceases. When birth ceases, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, and despair cease. In this way, the karmic seeds of the suffering of birth and death possessed by sentient beings are completely eradicated.

Original Text: What is that ignorance? Ignorance is not knowing the Four Noble Truths as they exist, not understanding, not seeing, not corresponding, not accepting. Not understanding the root of non-understanding. This is called ignorance. What is the volitional formation arising from that ignorance as condition? It is the six kinds of reception. What are the six? Form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and mental objects. These are the six receptions pertaining to the body. This is called volitional formation.

Explanation: What does that ignorance mean? Ignorance is not knowing that the Four Noble Truths exist in the world, not understanding the teachings of the Four Noble Truths as they truly are, not seeing the Four Noble Truths in the world, not corresponding to the path of liberation beyond the world, and not being able to accept the true teachings of the Four Noble Truths, not understanding liberation, not understanding the sharpness or dullness of one's own and others' faculties. Therefore, it is called ignorance.

What is the volitional formation produced by the condition of ignorance? It refers to the six kinds of reception of the six dusts (sense objects). What are the six? They are form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and mental objects (dharmas). This is called the six receptions pertaining to the physical body; in other words, it means the mental faculty yearns for the reception and experience of form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and mental objects. It is called the six hopes and inclinations of the body, also called bodily, verbal, and mental actions.

Original Text: The consciousness arising from that volitional formation as condition is the six bodily consciousnesses: eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind. These are called the six bodily consciousnesses. The name-and-form arising from that consciousness as condition: "form" refers to material form; "name" refers to the four immaterial aggregates: feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness. This is called "name." Material form is based on the four great elements, namely earth, water, fire, and wind. The above [four] are "name." These four are "form." These two connected together are called "name-and-form."

Explanation: Due to the condition of bodily, verbal, and mental actions, the seeds of the six consciousnesses are produced: eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness, nose-consciousness, tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness, and mind-consciousness. These are called the six consciousnesses pertaining to the body. If there were no bodily, verbal, and mental actions, the karmic seeds of the six consciousnesses would not be left behind. The condition of the karmic seeds of the six consciousnesses produces the name-and-form of future lives. "Form" refers to the aggregate of form. "Name" refers to the four non-material aggregates: feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness. Feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness are called "name." The physical body takes the four great elements (earth, water, fire, wind) as its fundamental seeds. The above four aggregates are "name," the four great elements are "form," and "name" and "form" connected together constitute the five aggregates of name-and-form.

Original Text: From that name-and-form as condition comes the six bodily sense bases: eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind. These are called the six bodily sense bases and their reception. From the six sense bases as condition comes the six bodily contacts: eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind. These are called the six bodily contacts. From contact as condition comes the six bodily feelings: eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind. These are called the six bodily feelings. From feeling as condition comes the six bodily cravings: craving for forms, craving for sounds, craving for smells, craving for tastes, craving for touches, craving for mental objects. These are called the six bodily cravings. From craving as condition comes clinging, which is of four kinds: 1) clinging to sensual pleasures, 2) clinging to views, 3) clinging to rites and rituals, 4) clinging to a doctrine of self. These are called the four clingings.

Explanation: Due to the condition of name-and-form, the six sense bases on the physical body arise: eye-base, ear-base, nose-base, tongue-base, body-base, and mind-base. These are called the six sense bases and their reception on the body. The contact arising from the condition of the six sense bases: eye-contact, ear-contact, nose-contact, tongue-contact, body-contact, mind-contact. These are called the six contacts of longing on the body. The feelings arising from the condition of the six contacts: eye-consciousness feeling, ear-consciousness feeling, nose-consciousness feeling, tongue-consciousness feeling, body-consciousness feeling, mind-consciousness feeling. These are called the six bodily feelings. The cravings arising from the condition of feeling: craving for forms, craving for sounds, craving for smells, craving for tastes, craving for touches, craving for mental objects. These are called the six bodily cravings. The clinging arising from the condition of craving is of four kinds: clinging to sensual pleasures, clinging to views, clinging to rites and rituals, clinging to a doctrine of self. These are called the four clingings.

Why are there six receptions on the five-aggregate body? Because there are six sense bases on the physical body, which function to contact sense objects. After contacting sense objects, feeling necessarily arises. Therefore, where there are the six sense bases, there is feeling; hence it is called the six sense bases and their reception.

Why is the contact of the six sense bases with the six dusts called the six contacts of longing? Because this contact is determined by the mental faculty. This determination by the mental faculty involves thought, hope, desire, and longing; otherwise, it would not decide to contact the six dusts. Without contact, there would be no subsequent feeling, perception, or mental formations. Contact is a crucial step. The purpose of contact is to discern and discriminate, to engage in action, to know something. This shows that the mental faculty is not tranquil; it is clinging; it wants phenomena to continue. Because the mental faculty has these mental activities, it decides to make contact. Thus, the six sense bases contact the six dusts. This precisely reflects the mental faculty functioning as the master consciousness.

When sense bases and objects contact, consciousness arises. After the six consciousnesses arise, they discern and discriminate the six dusts. Subsequently, they know the subtle aspects of the six dusts. As the six consciousnesses know the six dusts, the mental faculty accordingly knows the subtle aspects of the six dusts, and the purpose is gradually achieved. From the link of contact, one can perceive whether a person has cultivation, whether the mind is calm, whether it is introverted or outwardly clinging, whether it has desires or is free from desires, whether it is tranquil with meditative concentration. After contact, many rights and wrongs arise. Without contact, there are no rights and wrongs; the mind is tranquil and liberated regarding the six dusts. Conversely, there is bondage.

Original Text: From clinging as condition comes becoming, which is the three realms of existence: 1) the desire realm, 2) the form realm, 3) the formless realm. These are called the three existences. From becoming as condition comes birth, which is the aforementioned five aggregates, six faculties (sense bases), six objects. Having existence, having birth, having gathered, having abided, having fallen into discrimination faculties, having entered and obtained existence. This is called birth and death. What is it named? It is where every person resides. Having resided in a place, having abided, having decayed, having passed away. At the time of death, when the six faculties are blocked, this is death. The preceding state is aging; the subsequent end is death. Therefore, it is called aging and death.

Explanation: The becoming arising from the condition of clinging is the existence in the three realms: existence in the desire realm, form realm, and formless realm. This is called the three existences. The life-form arising from the condition of becoming is the aforementioned five aggregates, six sense bases, six sense objects, and six consciousnesses. Having the three existences, and having the life-form, after the life-form aggregates and the six sense bases are complete, one falls into the three existences. This is called birth and death. Why is it called birth and death? Birth and death are what every person experiences. The process of the birth, change, and extinction of the five-aggregate body is called birth and death. After birth, the period when life is sustained is called abiding. After abiding, decay is called aging. When life has ended, the six faculties are blocked and cease to function; this is called death. First comes aging, then comes death; hence it is called aging and death.

Original Text: What is the characteristic of ignorance? It is seeing darkness within darkness. As if not understanding, it causes one to fall into the state of volitional formations. What is the characteristic of volitional formations? It is what causes subsequent existence. This is the characteristic of volitional formations. From this it initiates, causing one to fall into the state of consciousness.

Explanation: What is the characteristic of ignorance? It is due to inner darkness; what is seen is all dark and unclear. If there is lack of true understanding regarding phenomena, one will fall into the characteristic state of volitional formations. What is the characteristic of volitional formations? It is what causes subsequent compliance; this is the characteristic of volitional formations. Volitional formations are like a command or directive; they signify mastery, dominance, and decision. First, the directive arises from the state of volitional formations; subsequently, compliance follows the directive from the state of volitional formations, falling into the state of the six consciousnesses, causing the six consciousnesses to arise to comply with the directive of volitional formations.

Original Text: What is the characteristic of consciousness? It is recognizing things and recognizing principles. This is the characteristic of consciousness. It causes one to fall into the state of name-and-form.

Explanation: What is the characteristic of the six consciousnesses? The six consciousnesses exist to recognize objects and recognize principles. This is the characteristic of the six consciousnesses. From the bodily, verbal, and mental actions of the six consciousnesses, one falls into the state of name-and-form in future lives. Who falls into the state of name-and-form in future lives? It is the mental faculty and the ālaya-vijñāna (storehouse consciousness). Then the name-and-form five-aggregate body is born.

Original Text: What is the characteristic of name-and-form? It is the support for all. This is the characteristic of name-and-form. It causes one to fall into the state of the six sense bases. What is the characteristic of the six sense bases? They are the faculties for discrimination. This is the characteristic of the six sense bases. It causes one to fall into the state of contact. What is the characteristic of contact? It is meeting and regeneration. This is the characteristic of contact. It causes one to fall into the state of feeling. What is the characteristic of feeling? It is further sensation. This is the characteristic of feeling. It causes one to fall into the state of craving. What is the characteristic of craving? It is generation. This is the characteristic of craving. It causes one to fall into the state of clinging.

Explanation: What is the characteristic of name-and-form? Name-and-form is the basis upon which all phenomena depend. Without name-and-form, all phenomena cease to exist. Having name-and-form leads to the production of the six sense bases. What is the characteristic of the six sense bases? They are the faculties that exist to discriminate the six dusts; this is the characteristic of the six sense bases. From the state of the six sense bases, one can fall into contact. What is the characteristic of contact? It is the phenomenon born to contact objects; this is the characteristic of contact. From contact, one can fall into feeling. What is the characteristic of feeling? It exists to cause sensation; this is the characteristic of feeling. From feeling, one can fall into craving. What is the characteristic of craving? It exists to generate nourishment and offerings; this is the characteristic of craving. From craving, one falls into the state of clinging.

Original Text: What is the characteristic of clinging? It is grasping and holding. This is the characteristic of clinging. It causes one to fall into the state of becoming. What is the characteristic of becoming? It causes one to fall into various states. This is the characteristic of becoming. It causes one to fall into the state of birth. What is the characteristic of birth? It is the presence of the five aggregates. This is the characteristic of birth. It causes one to fall into the state of aging. What is the characteristic of aging? It is maturation. This is the characteristic of aging. It causes one to fall into the state of death. What is the characteristic of death? It is the exhaustion of the life faculty. This is the characteristic of death. It causes one to fall into the state of suffering.

Explanation: What is the characteristic of clinging? It is to possess, grasp, and hold onto; this is the characteristic of clinging. From clinging, one falls into the three realms of existence. What is the characteristic of becoming? It causes the five aggregates to fall into any state within the three realms; this is the characteristic of becoming. From becoming, one falls into the state of birth. What is the characteristic of birth? It is the presence of the five-aggregate body; this is the characteristic of birth. From birth, one falls into the state of aging. What is the characteristic of aging? The maturation of the physical body is the characteristic of aging. From aging, one falls into the state of death. What is the characteristic of death? The end of life, the uselessness of the faculties; this is the characteristic of death. From death, one falls into the state of suffering.

Original Text: What is the characteristic of suffering? It is bodily distress. This is the characteristic of suffering. It causes one to fall into the disagreeable state. What is the characteristic of the disagreeable? It is mental distress. This is the characteristic of the disagreeable. It causes one to fall into distress and sorrow. What is the characteristic of distress? It is sorrow over the five aggregates. It causes one to fall into the state of grief and vexation. What is the characteristic of grief and sorrow? It is uttering sounds with the mouth, causing sorrow, vexation, and resentment. Resentment is vexation; vexation is also resentment.

Explanation: What is the characteristic of suffering? Bodily distress is the characteristic of suffering. It can cause the five aggregates to fall into the disagreeable state. What is the characteristic of the disagreeable? Mental agitation is the characteristic of the disagreeable. It can cause the five aggregates to fall into the state of distress. What is the characteristic of distress? Sorrow over the five aggregates is the characteristic of distress. It can cause the five aggregates to fall into the state of grief and vexation. What is the characteristic of grief and vexation? Uttering sounds of complaint, sighing, and resentment with the mouth, causing one to fall into grief, anger, resentment; resentment is anger, anger is also resentment. The series of suffering and decline phenomena induced by death lead to a low state of mind, feelings of depression, sorrow, and vexation, with emotions becoming increasingly inferior and deteriorating.