Abhidharmakośa, Volume IX

(VI) Original Text: Some commentators explain: Other sutras state that unwise attention is the cause of ignorance, and ignorance in turn gives rise to unwise attention. Unwise attention is also included within the aggregate of appropriation. Therefore, it is also mentioned in this sutra. How is this unwise attention included within the appropriation aggregate? If it is said that this occurs because it is associated with appropriation, then craving and ignorance should likewise be included within that aggregate. If it is allowed that they are included within appropriation, how can it be proven that unwise attention is the cause of ignorance? If mere inclusion within appropriation proves a cause-and-effect relationship, then since craving and ignorance are also included within appropriation, they should not be separately established as links of dependent origination.

Explanation: Some others explain that other sutras state that unwise attention is the cause of ignorance, and ignorance again gives rise to unwise attention. Unwise attention is a dharma encompassed by the aggregate of appropriation; hence, it is also discussed in this sutra. Why is this unwise attention encompassed by the appropriation aggregate? If it is said that unwise attention is associated with appropriation, then the links of craving and ignorance should also be encompassed by the appropriation aggregate. If craving and ignorance are permitted to be encompassed by appropriation, how can it be proven that unwise attention is the cause of ignorance? If mere inclusion within appropriation proves cause and effect, then since craving and ignorance are also encompassed by appropriation, they should no longer be separately established as links of dependent origination.

Original Text: Others further explain: Other sutras state that unwise attention is the cause of ignorance, and ignorance again gives rise to unwise attention. Unwise attention is described as arising at the moment of contact. Therefore, other sutras state: "With eye and form as condition, delusion arises; the defiled and turbid attention thus produced." At the stage of feeling, this necessarily induces ignorance. Hence, other sutras state: "Through contact with ignorance, the feelings thus produced serve as condition for the arising of craving." Therefore, at the moment of contact, unwise attention arises simultaneously with feeling, both conditioned by ignorance. Due to this ignorance, there is no fault of being causeless. Nor is there a need to establish additional links of dependent origination. Moreover, the links of dependent origination avoid the fault of infinite regress, because unwise attention arises from delusion.

Explanation: Still others explain that other sutras state unwise attention is the cause of ignorance, and ignorance again gives rise to unwise attention. Unwise attention arises at the moment of contact; therefore, other sutras state that with eye and form as condition, delusion arises, and the defiled and turbid attention produced from this delusion will inevitably induce ignorance at the stage of feeling. Hence, other sutras state that through contact with ignorance, the three kinds of feelings thus produced serve as condition for the arising of craving. Therefore, at the moment of contact, unwise attention operates together with feeling, both conditioned by ignorance. Due to the existence of the ignorance link, there is no fault of being causeless, nor is there a need to establish other links of dependent origination. The links of dependent origination avoid the fault of infinite regress because unwise attention arises conditioned by the delusion of ignorance.

Original Text: As the sutra states: "With eye and form as condition, delusion arises; the defiled and turbid attention thus produced." Although other sutras contain such definitive statements, this sutra should elaborate further. If it does not elaborate further, how can it be known? It is known through reasoning. What is the reasoning? Feeling cannot serve as a condition for craving apart from ignorance, because the feelings of an arhat do not produce craving. Furthermore, non-erroneous contact cannot serve as a condition for defiled feeling, nor can contact be erroneous apart from ignorance, because the contact of an arhat is not erroneous.

Explanation: As stated in the sutra: "With eye and form as condition, delusion arises; the defiled attention thus produced." Although other sutras contain such truthful words, this sutra should provide further explanation. If no further explanation is given, how can it be known that ignorance gives rise to unwise attention? It is known through reasoning. What is the reasoning? Feeling, when not divorced from ignorance, serves as a condition for the arising of craving, because an arhat, being free from ignorance, does not produce defiled craving from feeling. Moreover, it is not non-erroneous contact that serves as a condition for defiled feeling, because contact is erroneous and feeling is defiled. Nor is contact able to become erroneous apart from ignorance; rather, it is contact accompanied by ignorance that is erroneous. An arhat, being without ignorance, has non-erroneous contact and thus produces undefiled feeling.