Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra, Volume 9: Explanation of the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination (Part 4)

How do the formations of the future period arise dependent on causes from the intermediate period? It means that a sentient being already born in the intermediate period undergoes two kinds of karmic results from previous actions: namely, the internal maturation result and the strengthening result arising from objects. Due to hearing non-dharma or prior habituation, this sentient being is ignorant regarding these two results.

Because of ignorance toward the internal maturation result, they do not truly understand that suffering will arise from future existence. Due to confusion about future existence, the ignorance of the future period increases in strength. As before, they engage in actions and further develop formations. Because of these newly created actions, this consciousness is called the consciousness that follows karma.

Both the sixth and seventh consciousnesses possess ignorance and delusion, can create formations, and can follow karma; therefore, both are called consciousnesses that follow karma. However, the seventh consciousness, the mind root, follows karma continuously, moment by moment, in accordance with the force of ignorance and karma. The sixth consciousness follows karma intermittently, in accordance with karma, creating formations. At the time of entering the womb for rebirth, it is the seventh consciousness that follows the karmic causes and conditions to enter the womb. Only afterward, due to the force of karma, does the sixth consciousness arise to undergo karmic results and follow karma.

Original Text:

Furthermore, within the present existence, it is said that formations arise dependent on ignorance as condition. Consciousness arises dependent on formations as condition. Within the present existence, this consciousness is called the causal consciousness, because it is capable of containing and receiving the resultant consciousness of future birth. Also, collectively based on all consciousnesses, it is called the six consciousness bodies. Moreover, this very consciousness is what the seeds of name-and-form for future existence follow. These name-and-form seeds are what the seeds of the six sense-spheres for future existence follow.

Explanation:

Within all presently existing dharmas, it is said that formations arise dependent on ignorance as the condition, and consciousness arises dependent on formations as the condition. This consciousness within the presently existing dharmas is called the causal consciousness, meaning that this consciousness is the cause; after creating karmic actions, it can induce the resultant consciousness of future lives. Considering the six consciousnesses of the previous life and the present life together, this consciousness is also called the six consciousness bodies.

This six consciousness bodies are pursued by the seeds capable of producing future name-and-form. This means that the seeds of future name-and-form are left behind by the karmic actions created by this present six consciousness bodies. After the six consciousness bodies create karmic actions, the seeds of future name-and-form exist, and depending on these seeds, future name-and-form will arise. These name-and-form seeds are, in turn, pursued by the seeds of the six sense-spheres for future existence. This means that the seeds of the six sense-spheres on the future name-and-form depend on the name-and-form seeds.

This passage clarifies the relationship between the six consciousnesses of previous and future lives. The six consciousnesses of the previous life create karma, leaving behind name-and-form seeds. The name-and-form seeds give rise to future name-and-form and the six consciousnesses. The name-and-form seeds are also what the seeds of the future six sense-spheres depend upon, because name-and-form seeds can produce name-and-form, and with name-and-form, the six sense-spheres on that name-and-form will exist.

Original Text:

These seeds of the six sense-spheres are what the seeds of contact for future existence follow. These seeds of contact are what the seeds of feeling for future existence follow. Collectively, this is called the inducing cause of future existence within the intermediate period. It should be understood that through this, consciousness can be induced, up to and including receiving a body for one lifespan.

Explanation:

The seeds of the six sense-spheres are, in turn, pursued by the seeds of contact for future existence. This means that the seeds of contact on the future name-and-form depend on these seeds of the six sense-spheres. The seeds of contact are what the seeds of feeling for future existence depend upon; the seeds of feeling depend on the seeds of contact. Collectively, during the present period, these six consciousnesses become the inducing cause for the birth of future name-and-form. Therefore, it should be understood that through this six consciousnesses, which can induce the birth of future name-and-form, one can receive a body for one lifespan.

Dedication Verse:

We dedicate all the merits from propagating the Dharma and collective practice on our online platform to all sentient beings in the Dharma realm and to the people of the world. We pray for world peace, the cessation of war; may conflict and strife never arise, and weapons be forever laid down; may all disasters completely subside! We pray that the people of all nations unite in mutual aid, treating each other with compassionate hearts; may the weather be favorable and the harvests plentiful, and may the nations be prosperous and the people at peace! May all sentient beings deeply believe in cause and effect, have compassionate hearts and abstain from killing; widely create good affinities and cultivate wholesome karma; believe in the Buddha, learn the Buddha's teachings, and increase their roots of goodness; understand suffering, abandon its origin, aspire to cessation, and cultivate the path; close the door to the evil destinies and open the road to Nirvana! We pray that Buddhism may flourish forever and the true Dharma endure eternally; may the burning house of the three realms be transformed into the lotus land of ultimate bliss!