Saṃyuktāgama (287) Part 4

(4) Original text: I again contemplated thus: With the absence of what is there absence of volitional formations? With the cessation of what is there cessation of volitional formations? Then, through right contemplation, immediately arose the continuous wisdom of suchness: With the absence of ignorance, there is absence of volitional formations; with the cessation of ignorance, there is cessation of volitional formations. With the cessation of volitional formations comes cessation of consciousness; with the cessation of consciousness comes cessation of name-and-form; with the cessation of name-and-form comes cessation of the six sense bases; with the cessation of the six sense bases comes cessation of contact; with the cessation of contact comes cessation of feeling; with the cessation of feeling comes cessation of craving; with the cessation of craving comes cessation of clinging; with the cessation of clinging comes cessation of becoming; with the cessation of becoming comes cessation of birth; with the cessation of birth comes cessation of aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, and despair. Thus is the cessation of this entire mass of suffering.

Explanation: The Buddha said: I again contemplated thus: What factor, when absent, causes volitional formations to be absent? What factor, when extinguished, causes volitional formations to be extinguished? Immediately entering right contemplation, thereafter arose the continuous wisdom of suchness, realizing that with the absence of ignorance in the seventh consciousness (manas), volitional formations are absent; with the cessation of ignorance in the seventh consciousness, volitional formations cease. With the cessation of volitional formations, the karmic activities of the six consciousnesses cease; with the cessation of the karmic activities of the six consciousnesses, name-and-form in future lives ceases; with the cessation of name-and-form, the six sense bases cease; with the cessation of the six sense bases, contact ceases; with the cessation of contact, feeling ceases; with the cessation of feeling, craving ceases; with the cessation of craving, clinging ceases; with the cessation of clinging, becoming ceases; with the cessation of becoming, birth ceases; with the cessation of birth, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, and despair cease. Then, this entire mass of great suffering ceases.

The cycle of birth and death within the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination ultimately stems from the ignorance of the seventh consciousness (manas). The seventh consciousness is the prime instigator. Therefore, to depart from the cycle of birth and death and attain liberation, it is essential to eradicate and exhaust the ignorance of the seventh consciousness, so that the seventh consciousness no longer deludedly engages with the three realms. When the mental formations (cittasaṅkhāra) of the seventh consciousness cease—because it has realized that all dharmas are empty and devoid of self—then there is no reason or motivation to grasp at any dharma whatsoever. As long as there is no grasping, there is no suffering; this is liberation and freedom.

When the seventh consciousness ceases its mental formations towards the world of the five aggregates, ceases its volition, ceases its clinging, and ceases its grasping, it will no longer direct the six consciousnesses to create further bodily, verbal, and mental karmic actions. Then the seven consciousnesses all become purified, inactive, and tranquil. The karma of the three realms is exhausted; the karmic seeds are no more. In future lives, there will be no further world of the five aggregates, and thus no name-and-form. In this way, one temporarily enters cessation (nirodha). After immeasurable kalpas in the future, when the conditions for the Mahayana Dharma ripen, one will again emerge from the nirvana of cessation to practice the Bodhisattva path, benefiting self and others, completing the Buddha Way, and entering the true place of cessation—the non-abiding nirvana (apratiṣṭhita nirvāṇa)—without needing to undergo the annihilation of the body and cessation of wisdom (the state of Arhats and Pratyekabuddhas).

The eradication of the ignorance of the seventh consciousness begins with attaining the fruit of Stream-enterer (Srotāpanna) by realizing the emptiness of self. It continues through attaining the fruit of Pratyekabuddha, where the seeds of birth-and-death ignorance within the three realms are exhausted. Additionally, the beginningless ignorance (anādi-avidyā) and the immeasurable ignorance (like particles of dust and sand) are gradually eradicated during the cultivation and realization of the path to Buddhahood in the future. Only when all are completely exhausted does one become a Fully Enlightened World-Honored One (Samyaksaṃbuddha). Merely exhausting the ignorance of the three realms constitutes only a small part of awakening; it is not great enlightenment, nor is it ultimate enlightenment. On the Buddhist path, the resolve (bodhicitta) is crucial. The greater the resolve, the greater and more thorough the awakening, and the faster the attainment of Buddhahood.