Yogācārabhūmi Śāstra, Volume X: The Twelve Links of Dependent Origination

(VI) Original Text: Moreover, in the present existence, conditioned by contact, feeling arises; dependent on feeling, craving arises. Due to the condition of experiencing objects, extensive pursuit arises. Either through the gate of livelihood, or the gate of gain and offerings, or the gate of ascetic precepts, or the gate of liberation, arises the pursuit of desire, the pursuit of the inner body, and the pursuit of wrong liberation. While seeking thus, the previously arisen afflictions and the karmic causes induce the arising of the fruition of birth and death within the five destinies. Once birth is obtained, aging and death follow.

Explanation: Furthermore, in the present existing dharmas, relying on feeling (vedanā) produced by the condition of contact (sparśa), craving (tṛṣṇā) arises. Due to the condition of experiencing objects (visaya), extensive pursuit and seeking arise widely—either in the aspect of livelihood and undertakings, or in the aspect of fame, gain, and offerings, or in the aspect of adherence to ascetic precepts (śīla-vrata-parāmarśa), or in the aspect of seeking liberation from birth and death. Thus arises the greedy pursuit of desires, the pursuit of the five-aggregate body (pañcaskandha), and the pursuit of wrong liberation, not true liberation. While craving and seeking in this way, it causes the previously arisen afflictions (kleśa) and the karmic actions (karma) induced by afflictions to bring forth the fruition of birth and death (saṃsāra) within the five destinies (pañcagati). Once birth arises, aging and death follow closely behind.

Original Text: Furthermore, there is a sequential distinction. It is said that there are three assemblies of sentient beings: 1. Those who delight in the purity of transcendence (lokottara). 2. Those who delight in worldly purity. 3. Those who delight in clinging to objects. Due to the first assembly, the dependent arising ceases, and the pure and undefiled category increases. Due to the second assembly of sentient beings, not knowing the principles of the truths as they are, if they abide in right mindfulness, they may perform meritorious karma, or perform the immovable karma induced by contaminated meditative cultivation. If they do not abide in right mindfulness, they will perform non-virtuous karma, or give rise to mental continuations induced either by repentance or without repentance but by joy. Then, as before, in lower, middling, and higher states of birth sequentially, they are able to induce three kinds of suffering as future results, with name-and-form (nāmarūpa) first and contact (sparśa) last. Due to the third assembly of sentient beings, relying on the feeling born from presently experienced objects, in the present existence, following the previous sequence, the latter six limbs arise: feeling first, aging-and-death last.

Explanation: There is also a sequential distinction: there are three assemblies (pṛthagjana) of sentient beings (sattva). The first is sentient beings who delight in the pure Dharma transcending the world (lokottara). The second is sentient beings who delight in pure worldly Dharma. The third is sentient beings who delight in clinging to objects (ālambana). Because of the first assembly of sentient beings, all dependent arising (pratītyasamutpāda) ceases, and pure and undefiled karmic seeds increase.

Because of the second assembly of sentient beings, not knowing the principles of the Four Noble Truths (catvāri āryasatyāni) as they truly are, if they abide in pure right mindfulness (samyak-smṛti), they will perform some meritorious karma (puṇya-karma), or perform some contaminated (sāsrava) immovable karma (aniñjya-karma) induced by cultivation (bhāvanā), such as pure meditative concentration (dhyāna), attaining the immovable mind of the four dhyānas. If the minds of sentient beings do not abide in right mindfulness, they will perform some non-virtuous karma (apuṇya-karma). Some, having performed non-virtuous karma, will feel repentance; others, after performing non-virtuous karma, not only feel no repentance but are even joyful. These beings, again like before, are thereby able to induce the three sequential states of birth: lower, middling, and higher. From these three states of birth, three corresponding kinds of suffering will follow. Within these first six limbs of causation, name-and-form (nāmarūpa) comes first, and contact (sparśa) comes last, whereby the suffering result arises.

Because of the third assembly of sentient beings, relying on the feeling (vedanā) born from presently experienced objects (ālambana), in the present existing dharmas, following the previous sequence, the latter six limbs arise: feeling (vedanā), craving (tṛṣṇā), grasping (upādāna), becoming (bhava), birth (jāti), aging-and-death (jarāmaraṇa)—with feeling first and aging-and-death last. (The above explains the sequential contemplation of the twelve links of dependent origination.)