Abhidharmakośa, Volume 9

(9) Original text: 如契经说。云何为无明。谓前际无智。乃至广说。此了义说。不可抑令成不了义。故前所说。分位缘起。经义相违。非一切经皆了义说。亦有随胜说。如象迹喻经。云何内地界。谓发毛爪等。虽彼非无余色等法。而就胜说。此亦应尔。

Explanation: For example, as stated in the āgama sūtras, what is ignorance (avidyā)? Ignorance is being without wisdom and without knowledge regarding the dharmas of the past, and so forth, extensively expounded—ignorance is also being without wisdom and without knowledge regarding the dharmas of the present and the future. This is the definitive teaching (nītārtha), and one cannot suppress a definitive teaching into a non-definitive one. Therefore, the previously stated dependent origination by way of stages (分位缘起) contradicts the meaning of the sūtras. Not all sūtras are definitive teachings; there are also teachings given in accordance with what is more excellent. For example, the Elephant's Footprint Simile Sūtra says: what is the internal earth element? The internal earth element is hair, body hair, nails, and so forth. Although the internal earth element is not without other material forms (rūpa) that could be listed and represented, the more obvious and prominent material forms are taken as representatives. Likewise, ignorance is also like this.

Original text: 所引非证。非彼经中。欲以地界辩发毛等。成非具说。然彼经中以发毛等分别地界。非有地界越发毛等。故彼契经。是具足说。此经所说无明等支。亦应如彼。成具足说。除所说外。无复有余。

Explanation: The hair, body hair, and nails cited in the sūtra are not a proof. In that sūtra, the intent is to use the earth element to clarify the attributes of hair, body hair, and nails; it is not an incomplete exposition. In that sūtra, hair and body hair are used to define the earth element; it does not say that the earth element extends beyond hair, body hair, nails, and so forth. Therefore, that sūtra is a complete exposition of the earth element. The links such as ignorance spoken of in this sūtra should also be like that, constituting a complete exposition—apart from what is stated, namely the lack of wisdom, there is no other interpretation.

Original text: 岂不地界。越发毛等洟泪等中。其体亦有洟等。皆亦说在彼经。如说复有身中余物。设复同彼有余无明。今应显示。若引异类。置无明中。此有何益。虽于诸位。皆有五蕴。然随此有无。彼定有无者。可立此法为彼法支。或有五蕴。而无有行。随福非福不动行。识乃至爱等。是故经义。即如所说。

Explanation: Is it not the case that, beyond the internal earth element of hair, body hair, and nails, there are also material forms such as mucus and tears? The body also contains material forms such as mucus, and the sūtras also contain such statements. For example, the sūtra also says that the body contains other material substances. If, in the same way, there were said to be other ignorances, they should now be shown to us. If dharmas that are not ignorance are classified as ignorance, what benefit is there in this? Although each of the stages of the twelve links of dependent origination contains the five aggregates (pañca-skandha), if the presence or absence of the five aggregates is definitively determined according to the presence or absence of the twelve links, then this dharma can be established as a link of that dharma. There are links that have the five aggregates but lack volitional formations (saṃskāra), such as the immovable formations following meritorious and unmeritorious formations, and the links of consciousness, name-and-form, the six sense bases (ṣaḍāyatana), contact, feeling, and craving, and so forth. Therefore, the meaning of the sūtra is just as stated.

Original text: 所说四句。理亦不然。若未来诸法。非缘已生者。便违契经。经说。云何缘已生法。谓无明行。至生老死。或应不许二在未来。是则坏前所立三际有说。缘起是无为法。以契经言。如来出世。若不出世。如是缘起法性常住。由如是意。理则可然。若由别意。理则不然。

Explanation: The principle of the four alternatives stated above is also not like that. If it is said that the dharmas of the future, which have not yet arisen, are not dharmas already born from conditions, this contradicts what is stated in the sūtras. The sūtra says: what are the dharmas born from conditions? Ignorance, volitional formations, up to birth and old-age-and-death—all twelve links are dharmas born from conditions. If one does not accept that the two links of cause and effect will also appear in the future, then this destroys the previously established doctrine of existence in the three periods—the past, the future, and the present. Dependent origination is an unconditioned dharma (asaṃskṛta-dharma), because the sūtra says that whether or not the Tathāgata appears in the world, the nature of such dependent origination remains permanently without perishing. Based on this principle, the reasoning holds; based on other intentions, the reasoning does not hold.