The Oral Explanation of the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination in the Āgama

(5) Original Text: Form is not the body. Only the name is the body. Although there are eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind, they are also not the body. Why is that? If the ear were the person, it should be able to hear everything. Names are derived from form. For example, the word 'gold'. For instance, when gold is made into an object, the name is derived from it. Earth, water, fire, wind, and space — these five elements constitute the body, yet they are also not the body. Why is that? Because the body perceives tactile sensations. After a person dies, the earth element no longer perceives tactile sensations. Thus, know that earth, water, fire, wind, and space are not the body. The body is also empty, the mind is also empty, all are empty and without existence. There is also no sensation. Why is that? Because after a person dies, there is no longer any sensation. Thus, it is said to be empty. After the mind has departed from the body, there is also no sensation. It is merely due to the combination of causes and conditions. Ultimately, it returns to non-existence.

Explanation: The aggregate of form is not the sentient being's body; the four aggregates of feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness, by name, constitute the sentient being's body. Although there are eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and body, they are not the body. Why? If the ear faculty were the human body, it should be able to hear all dharmas, but in reality, the ear faculty can only hear the single dharma of sound; it cannot hear or discern other dharmas. All dharmas derive their names from their forms. For example, the word 'gold'; for instance, when gold is fashioned into gold objects, the name is derived from the form of gold — gold rings, gold bracelets, and so on.

The five great elements — earth, water, fire, wind, and space — constitute the form body, but they are not the body. Why is that said? Because the body discerns tactile sensations. After a person dies, earth, water, fire, wind, and space still exist, yet they no longer perceive tactile sensations. Therefore, one should know that earth, water, fire, wind, and space are not the body. In truth, the four mental aggregates (body) are also empty, the mind faculty is also empty, all are empty, without existence, and without sensation. Why? Because after a person dies, there is no longer any sensation. Hence, it is said that everything is empty. After the mind faculty departs from the body, there is also no sensation. The five aggregates body exists merely due to the combination of causes and conditions. When the causes and conditions disperse, it ultimately returns to non-existence, becoming empty and nothing.

Original Text: There are twelve winds in the body: the upward-wind, the downward-wind, the eye-wind, the ear-wind, the nose-wind, the back-wind, the flank-wind, the navel-wind, the arm-wind, the foot-wind, the hidden-wind, and the blade-wind. The blade-wind reaches the sick person. The blade-wind that kills living beings. The blade-wind severs human life. Birth, aging, sickness, death. Birth refers to the initial descent into the mother's womb. Once born, aging occurs immediately. Cessation refers to the cessation in the mind. Because of cessation, the breath of decay enters and exits. The fundamental nature of the body is seen.

Explanation: Within the bodies of sentient beings, there are twelve kinds of winds: the wind of upward-moving breath and the wind of downward-moving breath, the eye-wind, ear-wind, nose-wind, back-wind, flank-wind, navel-wind, arm-wind, foot-wind, hidden-wind, and blade-wind. The blade-wind can harm people; the blade-wind kills living beings and can sever human life. Humans experience birth, aging, sickness, and death. Birth is called the moment of first descending into the mother's womb. Once born, aging gradually occurs. The cessation of life is death. Cessation is the termination of the mind faculty upon the form body. Because the function of the mind faculty upon the form body ceases, the breath of decay appears. At this time, the fundamental nature of the body is known.

Original Text: Ten things combine to constitute decay. Five things within the body: 1) earth, 2) water, 3) fire, 4) wind, 5) space. The hard is earth. The soft is water. The hot is fire. The breath is wind. The space where food and drink enter and exit is space. Also, other causes and conditions combine to form a person. One conceives of it as one's own body. If one wishes to encompass all things as the body, there are also five causes and conditions combined: 1) form, 2) feeling, 3) perception, 4) mental formations, 5) consciousness. These ten things combined together make birth and death apparent.

Explanation: Ten things combine to constitute decay. There are five things within the body: 1) earth, 2) water, 3) fire, 4) wind, 5) space. The hard is earth. The soft is water. The hot is fire. The breath is wind. The space where food and drink enter and exit is space. Also, other causes and conditions combine to form a person. One conceives of this fivefold combination as one's own body. If one wishes to encompass all things as the body, add another five causes and conditions combined: 1) the aggregate of form, 2) the aggregate of feeling, 3) the aggregate of perception, 4) the aggregate of mental formations, 5) the aggregate of consciousness. These ten causes and conditions combined together make the dharmas of birth and death apparent.