Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra, Volume 92: The Section on Pratītyasamutpāda

(1) Original text: It is taught in the present existence that due to ignorance as condition, volitional formations arise; due to volitional formations as condition, consciousness arises. This consciousness within the present existence is termed the causal consciousness, for it is capable of inducing the resultant consciousness in the subsequent birth. Furthermore, collectively based on all consciousnesses, it is designated as the six consciousness aggregates. Moreover, this very consciousness is what the seed of name-and-form for the subsequent existence follows. This seed of name-and-form is what the seed of the six sense bases for the subsequent existence follows. This seed of the six sense bases is what the seed of contact for the subsequent existence follows. This seed of contact is what the seed of feeling for the subsequent existence follows. Thus, collectively this is termed the inducing cause for the subsequent existence within the intermediate state. It should be understood that through this, consciousness is induced, culminating in the reception of a single lifespan's body.

Explanation: In all presently existing dharmas, it is said that due to ignorance as condition, volitional formations arise; due to volitional formations as condition, consciousness arises. This consciousness within the presently existing dharmas is called causal consciousness, meaning that this consciousness is the originating cause; after creating karmic actions, it can induce the resultant consciousness in the future life. Furthermore, collectively referring to all consciousnesses dependent on the six sense objects, this consciousness is called the six consciousness aggregates. These six consciousness aggregates are pursued by the seed that gives rise to name-and-form in the subsequent existence, meaning that the seed for future name-and-form is left behind by the karmic actions of the six consciousness aggregates. After the six consciousness aggregates create karmic actions, the seed for future name-and-form exists; depending on this seed, future name-and-form will arise. This name-and-form seed is in turn pursued by the seed of the six sense bases for the subsequent existence, meaning that the seed of the six sense bases on future name-and-form depends on this name-and-form seed.

Moreover, the seed of the six sense bases is pursued by the seed of contact for the subsequent existence, meaning that the seed of contact on future name-and-form depends on this seed of the six sense bases. The contact seed is in turn the basis for the seed of feeling on future name-and-form, as the feeling seed depends on the contact seed. Thus, this consciousness collectively becomes the inducing cause for the arising of future name-and-form during the present life. Therefore, it should be understood that due to this consciousness capable of inducing future name-and-form, one receives a physical body for a single lifespan.

Original text: Therefore, due to the initial ignorance regarding the ripening of karmic fruits, the subsequent existence is induced. Then, due to the second ignorance regarding the fruits of feeling born from sense objects, craving arises in dependence on feelings toward sense objects. Due to this craving, either desire-seeking is aroused, or existence-seeking is aroused; either clinging to sensual attachment occurs, or clinging to views, precepts, and self-related utterances occurs. Through the combination and nourishment of this craving and clinging, the previous inducing cause is transformed into what is called "existence," which constitutes the cause for the arising of the subsequent existence. Immediately after this, when life ends, following the previous inducing cause, the induced consciousness, etc., culminates in feeling. The arising of these formations may be either gradual or sudden.

Explanation: Therefore, due to the ignorance regarding the ripening of karmic fruits from the previous life, the three realms of existence in the future are induced. The "fruit" refers to the karmically resultant five aggregates body; "ripening" means maturing in the future life. After the future existence arises, again due to the ignorance regarding feeling arising from contact with sense objects, feeling and craving arise in dependence on sense objects. Due to the craving for sense objects, the five aggregates body either arouses desire-seeking for objects, or arouses craving for dharmas within the three realms, or clings to sensual attachment, or clings to view-clinging, or clings to precept-clinging, or clings to self-related utterance clinging. Through the combination and nourishment of such craving and clinging, the name "inducing cause" from the previous six consciousness aggregates transforms into "existence" for the future; craving and clinging become the cause for the arising of the three realms in the future. After the ceaseless continuum of life ends from this point onward, following the previous inducing cause, the induced consciousness finally culminates in feeling. The arising of these karmic formations may be either gradual or sudden.