Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra: Volume 9, Explanation of the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination (Part 13)

Original: What is bodily formation? It refers to bodily karma. Whether in the desire realm or the form realm, in the lower [realms] it is called meritorious or non-meritorious. In the upper [realms] it is called immovable. What is verbal formation? It refers to verbal karma. The rest should be known as previously stated. What is mental formation? It refers to mental karma. If in the desire realm, it is called meritorious or non-meritorious. In the upper two realms, it is solely called immovable.

Explanation: What is bodily formation? Bodily formation is the karmic action performed by the body, either actions performed in the desire realm or actions performed in the form realm. In the formless realm, there is no bodily formation because formless realm devas have no body. Who performs the karmic action via the body? It is the mental faculty (manas) that causes the six consciousnesses to perform karmic actions using the physical body. In the lower desire realm, meritorious and non-meritorious actions can be performed. In the upper form realm, pure, immovable actions are performed because beings in the form realm possess deep meditative concentration (dhyāna). Their minds are unmoved by objects, and thus their bodies, being directed [by the mind], are also unmoved and do not perform bodily actions. In the formless realm, there is no body, hence no bodily formation; the mind is also pure and unmoved. Who directs the body? The body is directed by the mental faculty. If the mental faculty does not move the mind, consciousness (mano-vijñāna) does not move, body consciousness (kāya-vijñāna) does not move, and the body does not move.

What is verbal formation? Verbal formation is the karmic action performed by speech, i.e., verbal action. In the lower desire realm, the verbal formations performed are meritorious and non-meritorious actions. In the upper form realm, the minds of the devas are pure, endowed with pure conduct (brahmacarya). Their minds are unmoved by objects, and speech, being directed by the mind, becomes pure and unmoved, with no verbal formation. In the formless realm, because the devas have no speech, there is no verbal formation.

What is mental formation? Mental formation here refers to the karmic action performed by mental consciousness (mano-vijñāna). Mental consciousness in the desire realm performs meritorious and non-meritorious actions. In the upper form realm and formless realm, it performs immovable actions because the mental faculty is pure and unmoved, thus mental consciousness is pure and unmoved, being dominated by the mental faculty.

Original: What is eye consciousness? It is the consciousness that, relying on the eye faculty in the future, cognizes form objects. It is the seed consciousness perfumed by all meritorious, non-meritorious, and immovable formations, and the resultant consciousness born from those seeds. As with eye consciousness, so too, up to mental consciousness, it should be understood likewise. The distinctions in cognition arise based on the supporting [faculty] and the object-field. It should be known that this [set of consciousnesses], in the desire realm, is complete with six kinds. In the form realm, there are only four. In the formless realm, there is only one.

Explanation: What is eye consciousness? Eye consciousness is the consciousness that relies on the eye faculty to cognize form objects. It is the seed consciousness perfumed by all meritorious, non-meritorious, and immovable formations, and the resultant consciousness born from those seeds. Eye consciousness is like this; likewise, ear consciousness, nose consciousness, tongue consciousness, body consciousness, and up to mental consciousness are also like this. The distinctions in cognition arise based on the supporting five faculties and the five sense-object fields. It should be understood that the seed consciousnesses and resultant consciousnesses in the desire realm possess six kinds, which are the six consciousnesses. In the form realm, there are only four: eye consciousness, ear consciousness, body consciousness, and mental consciousness. In the formless realm, there is only mental consciousness; there are no first five consciousnesses.

Dedication Verse: We dedicate all the merit from the Dharma propagation and group practice on our online platform to all beings in the Dharma realm and to the people of the world. We pray for world peace and the cessation of wars; may conflict and strife never arise, and all disasters completely subside! May the people of all nations unite in mutual aid, treating each other with compassion; may the weather be favorable and the country prosperous and its people at peace! May all beings deeply believe in cause and effect and harbor compassionate hearts, refraining from killing; may they widely form good affinities and cultivate wholesome deeds; may they believe in the Buddha, learn the Buddha Dharma, and increase their wholesome roots; may they understand suffering, abandon its origins, aspire to cessation, and cultivate the path; may they close the door to the evil destinies and open the path to Nirvana! We pray that Buddhism may flourish forever and the true Dharma abide eternally; may the burning house of the three realms be transformed into the lotus land of Ultimate Bliss!