Yogācārabhūmi Śāstra, Volume Nine: Explanation of the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination (8)

Original text: 问。为显何义建立缘起耶。答。为显因缘所摄。染污清净义故。缘起差别云何。谓于前际无知等。如经广说。

于前际无知云何。谓于过去诸行。起不如理分别。谓我于过去为曾有耶。为曾无耶。曾何体性。曾何种类。所有无知。于后际无知云何。谓于未来诸行。起不如理分别。谓我于未来。为当有耶。为当无耶。当何体性。当何种类。所有无知。

Explanation: Question: For the purpose of manifesting what dharma-meaning is dependent origination established? Answer: It is established to manifest the meaning of the defilement and purity of sentient beings as embraced by causes and conditions. What are the varieties of dependent origination? They are ignorance regarding the past, present, and future, as extensively expounded in the sūtras.

What is ignorance regarding the past? It is giving rise to unreasoned discrimination concerning the volitional formations of past lives, saying: Did I truly exist in the past? Did I truly not exist in the past? What was my nature in the past? What kind of being was I in the past? All such ignorance is ignorance regarding the past. What is ignorance regarding the future? It is giving rise to unreasoned discrimination concerning the volitional formations of future lives, saying: Will I exist in the future? Will I not exist in the future? What will my nature be in the future? What kind of being will I be in the future? All such ignorance is ignorance regarding the future.

Original text: 于前后际无知云何。谓于内起不如理犹豫。谓何等是我。我为何等。今此有情。从何所来。于此没已。当往何所。所有无知。

Explanation: What is ignorance regarding both the past and the future? It is giving rise to unreasoned doubt about oneself, saying: What is my self? What am I? Where has this sentient being come from? After perishing in this world, where will he go? All such ignorance is ignorance regarding both the past and the future.

Ignorance regarding the three periods of time is ignorance regarding cause and effect and regarding saṃsāra, ignorance regarding birth and death. This is the greatest ignorance of sentient beings, also called fundamental ignorance (ādau-avidyā) and beginningless ignorance.

Original text: 于内无知云何。谓于各别诸行。起不如理作意。谓之为我。所有无知。于外无知云何。谓于外非有情数诸行。起不如理作意。谓为我所。所有无知。于内外无知云何。谓于他相续诸行。起不如理分别。谓怨亲中所有无知。

Explanation: What is ignorance regarding what is internal? It is giving rise to unreasoned attention toward all the volitional formations within one's own body, or toward individual formations, taking them to be the self. All such ignorance concerning the five aggregates as a self and the like is ignorance regarding the internal. What is ignorance regarding what is external? It is giving rise to unreasoned attention toward external insentient objects—the six sense objects such as form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharmas—considering these dharmas to belong to the self. All such attention and the like is ignorance regarding the external. What is ignorance regarding both the internal and the external? It is giving rise to unreasoned discrimination toward the continuous stream of volitional formations of other sentient beings, considering these beings to be one's enemies, relatives, or neutrals. All such ignorance and the like is ignorance regarding both the internal and the external.

Ignorance regarding the internal: the internal refers to one's own body of the five aggregates. Ignorance regarding the external: the external refers to the six sense objects. Ignorance regarding both the internal and the external: internal and external refer to the bodies of the five aggregates of other sentient beings and the six sense objects. Taking all internal and external dharmas as self and what belongs to the self, and grasping them as real dharmas, is ignorance.