Yogācārabhūmi Śāstra, Volume 9, Explanation of the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination (10)

Original text:于因无知云何。谓起不如理分别。或计无因。或计自在。世性士夫中间等不平等因。所有无知。如于因无知。于从因所生诸行亦尔。

Explanation: What is ignorance regarding the cause? It refers to giving rise to improper discrimination toward the cause of the arising of the world of the five aggregates—either clinging to the view that sentient beings arise without a cause, or clinging to the view that they were created by Maheśvara, or clinging to the view that they were created by some kind of deity, or clinging to the view that they were created by the ātman of a god, as well as clinging to the view that they were created by various divine creators and so forth. Clinging to these creators as having created sentient beings is the unequal cause of sentient beings' arising. All not-knowing regarding the cause of the arising of the world of the five aggregates is ignorance regarding the cause. Just as there is ignorance regarding karmic causes, so too there is the same ignorance regarding the volitional formations that arise from causes.

Since one does not know the arising and origin of the world of the five aggregates, one also does not know the arising and origin of the volitional formations of the five aggregates. The arising of the world of the five aggregates should be observed from two perspectives: first, observing from the perspective of the emptiness of the Small Vehicle; second, observing from the perspective of the Mahāyāna tathāgatagarbha, the vipāka-consciousness (Ālayavijñāna). Of course, observing from the perspective of the vipāka-consciousness is the most ultimate observation, the most true observation, capable of extinguishing all ignorance regarding the causes of arising and all ignorance regarding the causes of understanding, and extinguishing all ignorance.

Original text:又彼无罪故名善。有罪故名不善。有利益故名应修习。无利益故名不应修习。黑故名有罪。白故名无罪。杂故名有分。于六触处如实通达无知云何。谓增上慢者。于所证中。颠倒思惟。所有无知。如是略说十九种无知。

Explanation: Volitional formations that are without fault are wholesome dharmas; those that are with fault are unwholesome dharmas. Those that are beneficial to oneself should be cultivated; those without benefit should not be cultivated. Karmic actions that are defiled are therefore with fault; karmic actions that are pure are without fault. Because sentient beings' karmic actions are a mixture of defilement and purity, there should be a distinction made between them.

What is ignorance regarding the true comprehension of the six contact bases? It is the ignorance of those with the conceit of superiority (adhimāna) who, in the course of their cultivation and realization, engage in inverted thinking—those who claim attainment without having attained, claim realization without having realized. They cannot truly know the six contact bases, cannot comprehend the true principle of the six contact bases; all such ignorance concerning the six contact bases is ignorance regarding the true comprehension of the six contact bases. Briefly stated, the ignorances described above total nineteen kinds.

The meaning of the conceit of superiority (adhimāna) is: giving rise to a conceited mind regarding the superior fruit. The superior fruit generally refers to the fruits from the first fruit to the fourth fruit of the Small Vehicle. When one's study, reflection, and cultivation reach a certain level and one's wisdom is enhanced, one will realize the Dharma, and the mind will correspond to the corresponding fruit-stage. But if one has not yet realized it and yet believes oneself to have realized it, that is conceit regarding the superior fruit, called the conceit of superiority. Because those with the conceit of superiority have not realized it through actual practice, they have not comprehended the six contact bases and do not truly know them. The six contact bases are the eye contact base, ear contact base, nose contact base, tongue contact base, body contact base, and mind contact base. At the six contact bases there is contact between the six faculties and the six sense objects, after which the six feelings arise. Not comprehending the six sense bases (ṣaḍāyatana), contact, and feeling, and not engaging in proper thinking and contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) regarding them, is ignorance.