Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra, Volume X: Dvādaśaṅga Pratītyasamutpāda

(34) Original Text: Question: It has been stated that all the limbs do not mutually serve as conditions for one another. Why then is it established that name-and-form (nāmarūpa) and consciousness (vijñāna) are mutually conditional? Answer: In the present existence, consciousness relies on name-and-form as its condition. Conversely, name-and-form, in future existences, relies on consciousness as its condition. Why is this so? Because during the period of continuity within the mother's womb, they are said to be mutually conditional. Conditioned by consciousness, within the mother's womb, the essences of blood and color, subsumed under name, are received, combined, and together form the nature of the kalala (fertilized ovum). Then, relying on this name-and-form as a condition, that consciousness is able to abide therein.

Explanation: Question: All twelve limbs (of dependent origination) have now been explained, and the limbs do not all mutually serve as conditions for one another. Why then is it said that name-and-form and consciousness are mutually conditional? Answer: The six consciousnesses (vijñāna), in the present existence, rely on name-and-form as a condition in order to arise and function. Name-and-form, in the existences that appear later, relies on the six consciousnesses as a condition in order to arise and exist. Why is this said? Because after name-and-form continues to develop within the mother's womb, the six consciousnesses arise based upon name-and-form. Name-and-form and the six consciousnesses are mutually conditional. Conditioned by the six consciousnesses from the previous life, name-and-form within the mother's womb, consisting of the material form (rūpa) of the fertilized ovum formed from blood and semen and subsumed under the name [of mental aggregates] (nāma) received by the seventh consciousness (manas), together constitute the nature of the kalala (fertilized ovum). Then, relying on this name-and-form as a condition, once name-and-form develops, the six consciousnesses become established upon it.

In the inverse sequence of dependent origination, the ālayavijñāna (storehouse consciousness) and name-and-form are also mutually conditional. Name-and-form relies on the ālayavijñāna as a condition to become established within the mother's womb. The ālayavijñāna relies on name-and-form as a condition to manifest its functional activity within worldly phenomena. If either one is absent, worldly phenomena cannot exist.

Original Text: Question: Why is it that when Bodhisattvas contemplate the black series (the sequence of arising/saṃsāra), their contemplation proceeds only as far as the consciousness limb and then turns back, not proceeding to the other limbs? Answer: Because these two limbs are mutually conditional. Just as consciousness conditions name-and-form, so too does name-and-form condition consciousness. Therefore, the contemplating mind, upon reaching consciousness, turns back. Among the other limbs, there is no such principle of turning back. At this one point, the principle of mutual conditionality is demonstrated; hence it is called 'turning back'. In the cessation series (the sequence of cessation), name-and-form is not the cause for the cessation of the consciousness of future existence. Due to this reason, [the contemplation] proceeds further beyond [name-and-form] for observation.

Explanation: Question: Why is it that when Bodhisattvas contemplate the defiled aspect (the arising/flowing aspect leading to saṃsāra), they can only contemplate up to the consciousness limb (vijñāna), and then their mind turns back, unable to continue contemplating the subsequent limbs? Answer: This is because the consciousness limb and the name-and-form limb are mutually conditional. Just as the ālayavijñāna relies on name-and-form for its worldly functions to manifest, similarly, name-and-form relies on the ālayavijñāna to arise. Therefore, the flow of the contemplating mind, upon reaching the ālayavijñāna, turns back and cannot proceed further. When contemplating the other limbs, there is no such phenomenon of turning back.

At the point of contemplating the consciousness limb, the principle of mutual conditionality between the ālayavijñāna and name-and-form is demonstrated; hence it is called 'turning back' – reverting back to name-and-form, unable to proceed further to contemplate the formation/volition limb (saṃskāra). The ālayavijñāna is the source of name-and-form; it is the endpoint. From this, it can be seen that the ālayavijñāna gives rise to name-and-form; name-and-form originates from the ālayavijñāna. In the cessation aspect (nirodha) of dependent origination, name-and-form is not the cause for the cessation of the consciousness of future existence (i.e., the six consciousnesses of the next life). Due to this reason, [the contemplation] proceeds beyond name-and-form for further observation. The cause for the cessation of the six consciousnesses is the cessation of the volitional formations (saṃskāra) of the mental faculty (manas). The cause for the cessation of the volitional formations of the mental faculty is the cessation of ignorance (avidyā).

In the inverse contemplation of the twelve links of dependent origination, upon reaching name-and-form, a bifurcation appears, dividing the observation into two paths: one observes the six consciousnesses from name-and-form, and the other observes the source of name-and-form, the ālayavijñāna. First, one observes the limb of aging-and-death (jarāmaraṇa) and finds that aging-and-death arise because there is birth (jāti). Observing birth, one finds that birth arises because there is becoming/continued existence (bhava). Observing becoming, one finds that becoming arises because there is clinging (upādāna). Observing clinging, one finds that clinging arises because there is craving (tṛṣṇā). Observing craving, one finds that craving arises because there is feeling (vedanā). Observing feeling, one finds that feeling arises because there is contact (sparśa). Observing contact, one finds that contact arises because there are the six sense bases (ṣaḍāyatana). Observing the six sense bases, one finds that the six sense bases arise because there is name-and-form (nāmarūpa).

Reaching name-and-form is crucial. What precedes name-and-form is twofold: the six consciousnesses and the ālayavijñāna. The six consciousnesses are the condition for the arising of name-and-form in the future life because the physical, verbal, and mental actions performed by the six consciousnesses store karmic seeds, compelling one to experience their results in the next life, actualizing the karmic seeds. However, the specific arising of name-and-form is not produced by the six consciousnesses, because name-and-form can only manifest through conception in the mother's womb after the six consciousnesses of the previous life have ceased. Therefore, it is not the six consciousnesses that give rise to name-and-form, but the ālayavijñāna. This involves the other condition for the appearance of name-and-form, the ālayavijñāna. When observing the root cause for the appearance of name-and-form, one discovers that the ālayavijñāna gives rise to name-and-form. Proceeding further in observation becomes impossible; there is nothing prior to the ālayavijñāna, no condition that causes the ālayavijñāna to arise. This indicates that the ālayavijñāna is not a product of causes and conditions; it is not arisen due to any cause. Thus, it is the inherently existent, unborn and undying consciousness.