Samyutta Nikaya, Sutta 295 (Part 2)

(2) Original Text: At that time, the World-Honored One addressed the bhikṣus: "This body is not yours, nor does it belong to anyone else. It is due to the six sense bases that, based on past practice and vows, this body is obtained. What are the six? They are the sense base of the eye, the sense base of the ear, the sense base of the nose, the sense base of the tongue, the sense base of the body, and the sense base of the mind. The learned noble disciple, rightly contemplating and observing all conditioned arising, discerns that because there is this body of six consciousnesses, there is the body of six contacts, the body of six sensations, the body of six perceptions, and the body of six volitions. It is because this exists that there is future birth, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, and anguish. Thus, in this way, the entire mass of great suffering accumulates. This is called conditioned arising — the arising of the world with cause and condition."

Explanation: The World-Honored One told the bhikṣus: "Your present material body does not belong to you, nor does it belong to anyone else. It is because the six sense bases continuously operate without cessation, fulfilling various past vows and actions, that this material body is received at birth. What are the six sense bases? They are: the sense base of eye-contact, the sense base of ear-contact, the sense base of nose-contact, the sense base of tongue-contact, the sense base of body-contact, and the sense base of mind-contact. The learned noble disciple should rightly and rationally contemplate and observe all conditioned phenomena (pratītyasamutpāda). Because there is the body of six consciousnesses, there arises the body of six contacts, the body of six sensations, the body of six perceptions, and the body of six volitions. The so-called ‘because this exists, that exists’ means that because there is the body of six consciousnesses, there is future birth, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, and anguish. Just as such, the entire mass of great suffering accumulates. This is called ‘conditioned arising’ — the world arises with cause and condition."

The Buddha said sentient beings have the body of six consciousnesses, the body of six contacts, the body of six sensations, the body of six perceptions, and the body of six volitions. The body of six consciousnesses refers to eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness, nose-consciousness, tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness, and mind-consciousness. The body of six sensations refers to sensation born from eye-contact, sensation born from ear-contact, sensation born from nose-contact, sensation born from tongue-contact, sensation born from body-contact, and sensation born from mind-contact. The body of six contacts refers to eye-contact, ear-contact, nose-contact, tongue-contact, body-contact, and mind-contact. The body of six perceptions refers to perception born from eye-contact, perception born from ear-contact, perception born from nose-contact, perception born from tongue-contact, perception born from body-contact, and perception born from mind-contact. The body of six volitions refers to volition born from eye-contact, volition born from ear-contact, volition born from nose-contact, volition born from tongue-contact, volition born from body-contact, and volition born from mind-contact. "Volition" (saṃskāra) means discernment, decision, and karmic formation. For example, when the eye faculty contacts a visual object, eye-consciousness arises with discernment and subsequent karmic formation, continuing its operation. This belongs to the aggregate of volitional formations (saṃskāra-skandha).

When the eye sees a form, eye-consciousness has volition and karmic formation — discernment and karmic action. When the ear hears a sound, ear-consciousness has discernment and karmic formation; discrimination itself is karmic action, called the body of six volitions, also called the six volitions, or the aggregate of volitional formations. Therefore, "volition" includes karmic formation. "Volition" (saṃskāra) is different from "perception" (saṃjñā). Perception is the act of discernment and grasping, or the mental activities of discrimination, thought, planning, etc., of the sixth and seventh consciousnesses. This "volition" primarily lies in discernment and the subsequent karmic formation after discernment. The karmic formations of the six consciousnesses are bodily, verbal, and mental actions. However, after discernment, it may become still and cease, without any bodily, verbal, or mental karmic formation.

"Because this exists, that exists" refers to the twelve links of dependent origination. The preceding link is the cause, and the succeeding link is the effect. Starting from the second link, each link is both the effect of the preceding one and the cause of the next. The final "mass of suffering" is only an effect, not a cause. The first link, ignorance, is only a cause, not an effect, having no prior cause — it is beginningless. The twelve links are the Dharma of dependent origination. All phenomena of the world are dependently arisen. Without causes and conditions, no phenomenon would arise. This is called "conditioned arising — the arising of the world with cause and condition." The world arises due to causes and conditions. "Conditioned cessation — the cessation of the world with cause and condition" means cessation also has causes and conditions; it does not cease without reason.

However, there is one dharma not within causes and conditions. It is not dependently arisen. It is the cause of all dharmas; all dharmas arise because of it. This is the eighth consciousness, the Ālayavijñāna (storehouse consciousness). It exists without relying on any condition. No dharma can produce it; it exists as it is by nature (dharmatā). The existence of this dharma has no "why" or cause. The existence of all other dharmas has a "why" — they have causes and conditions. Because of the eighth consciousness, all illusory appearances of the world are established: the universe, space, the great chiliocosm, and the five aggregates of sentient beings. It is the cause of all dharmas, the root of all dharmas, and the condition for all dharmas. It itself has no root and no condition.