Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra, Volume 10 (The Twelve Links of Dependent Origination)

(1) Original Text: What is desire-love? It refers to the affection born from conditions based on all activities in the desire realm, the tainted craving, pursuit, thoughts, and wishes directed towards activities in the desire realm. From this craving and affection, the suffering-result of the desire realm can arise. What is form-love? It refers to the affection born from conditions based on all activities in the form realm, the tainted craving and wishes directed towards activities in the form realm. From this tainted craving, the suffering-result of the form realm can arise. What is formless-love? It refers to the affection born from conditions based on all activities in the formless realm, the tainted craving and wishes directed towards activities in the form realm. From this, the suffering-result of the formless realm can arise.

Explanation: What is desire-love? Desire-love is the affection born from all activities in the desire realm as conditions. It is the tainted craving, pursuit, thoughts, and wishes directed towards activities within the desire realm. From these cravings and affections, the suffering-result of the desire realm can arise. What is form-love? Form-love is the affection born from all activities in the form realm as conditions. It is the tainted craving and wishes directed towards activities within the form realm. From this tainted craving, the suffering-result of the form realm can arise. What is formless-love? Formless-love is the affection born from all activities in the formless realm as conditions. It is the tainted craving and wishes directed towards activities within the formless realm. From this, the suffering-result of the formless realm can arise.

The activities of the desire realm include all life activities within the desire realm, the contact arising from the coming together of the three factors (sense faculties, sense objects, and sense consciousnesses), the resultant feeling, and the defiled mental activities of craving arising when the six consciousnesses perceive all dharmas. "Defiled" refers to an impure mind, unquiescent, unattached, craving, possessing selfhood, having afflictions like greed, hatred, and delusion, and so forth. Because sentient beings' minds constantly dwell in a pit of defilement, the defilement is so severe that it is difficult for them to introspectively perceive their own defilement. They also do not know the boundary and standard between defiled and pure, believing all their mental activities to be normal, natural, and as they should be. Therefore, it is very difficult for sentient beings to enter the correct path of practice. The path of cultivation and realization is indeed long and arduous. To undergo a fundamental transformation and attain the first fruition (Srotapanna) or the stage approaching the first fruition is not an easy matter.

The form realm and formless realm have the four dhyanas and the eight samadhis. Why then do they still have cravings, still have defilement, and engage in defiled activities? Those at the first fruition (Srotapanna) and second fruition (Sakadagamin) do not possess the four dhyanas and eight samadhis. Possessing the four dhyanas and eight samadhis signifies being at the third fruition (Anagamin) or fourth fruition (Arhat). However, the four dhyanas and eight samadhis of ordinary beings can only suppress and subdue afflictions; they cannot eradicate them. They have not severed the view of self. Due to ignorance and the view of self, they have various irrational mental formations and tainted cravings. The activities of the form realm include feeling born from eye-contact, feeling born from ear-contact, feeling born from body-contact, and feeling born from mind-contact. After this, form-love arises, leading to tainted craving. The activities of the formless realm consist only of feeling born from mind-contact; attachment to the state of samadhi gives rise to tainted craving.

Similarly, beings in the form realm and formless realm heavens have tainted cravings and engage in defiled activities. Except for the third fruition (Anagamin) and fourth fruition (Arhat), all others have defilements to varying degrees. The first fruition (Srotapanna) and second fruition (Sakadagamin) do not possess the first dhyana. If they die, they can only be reborn in the desire realm heavens; they cannot reach the form or formless realm heavens. Those at the third fruition (Anagamin) possess the first dhyana or higher. At death, they will be reborn in the Pure Abodes (Suddhavasa). Some may attain the fourth fruition during the intermediate state (antarabhava) and enter parinirvana without residue. Those at the fourth fruition (Arhat) who do not turn their minds towards the Mahayana directly enter parinirvana without residue.

Therefore, the devas in the form realm and formless realm heavens are almost entirely ordinary beings who possess the four dhyanas and eight samadhis. Ordinary beings have not severed the view of self, and thus have not eradicated afflictions. Relying on samadhi, they can only subdue the coarser afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion. Because ordinary devas have not severed the view of self, they grasp at one, several, or all of the five aggregates and eighteen elements as self, clinging to them. They almost always have defiled mental activities and inclinations, almost always having defiled cravings and wishes. For example, craving for immortality, craving for eternal life, craving for the bliss and merit of samadhi – these cravings are desires, which are the karma of birth and death, capable of inducing the suffering of birth and death, preventing liberation from samsara. What suffering exists in the form and formless realms? Birth, decay, change, and death are suffering. Knowing that death is followed by rebirth is suffering. Knowing that after death one may fall into the three evil destinies to receive retribution is suffering. The impermanence of life is suffering. The inability of the body to be immortal is suffering.