Dīrgha-āgama, the Great Causes and Conditions Sūtra, No. 9

(5) Original text:阿难。缘识有名色。此为何义。若识不入母胎者。有名色不。答曰。无也。若识入胎不出者。有名色不。答曰。无也。若识出胎。婴孩坏败。名色得增长不。答曰。无也。阿难。若无识者。有名色不。答曰。无也。阿难。我以是缘。知名色由识。缘识有名色。我所说者。义在于此。 

Explanation: Ānanda, name-and-form arises conditioned on consciousness (the Ālayavijñāna). What does this mean? If the Ālayavijñāna does not enter the mother's womb, can there be name-and-form? Ānanda replied: No. If the Ālayavijñāna enters the womb but does not leave the mother's womb, would there still be name-and-form? Ānanda said: No. The Buddha said: If the Ālayavijñāna leaves the mother's womb and the infant's physical body perishes and dies, can name-and-form continue to grow? Ānanda said: It cannot grow. Ānanda, if there were no Ālayavijñāna, could there be name-and-form? Ānanda said: No. Ānanda, it is for this reason that I know name-and-form is born from the Ālayavijñāna, and that name-and-form exists conditioned on consciousness. This is what I meant by what I said. 

This is the meaning of the ten links of dependent origination, which clarifies that the most direct cause and condition for the birth of name-and-form is the Ālayavijñāna; the six consciousnesses are only contributing conditions for the birth of name-and-form. When the six consciousnesses are purified and no longer create karmic actions, the Ālayavijñāna cannot give birth to name-and-form, and birth-and-death is ended. From entering the womb to leaving the womb, the Ālayavijñāna accompanies name-and-form at every stage of life, causing name-and-form to continuously grow and change. Once the conditions for name-and-form are gone, the Ālayavijñāna can no longer grow name-and-form or accompany name-and-form. Some people mistakenly believe that the consciousness in the ten links refers to the six consciousnesses, but at the time of entering the womb, the six consciousnesses have already ceased and cannot enter the womb; for a long time after entering the womb, the six consciousnesses cannot arise, and even the eye consciousness only arises after leaving the womb. Therefore, what enters the womb and dwells in the womb is not the six consciousnesses, but the Ālayavijñāna. In the ten links of dependent origination, the Buddha directly pointed out that the fundamental cause of the birth of name-and-form is the Ālayavijñāna; the Ālayavijñāna is that upon which name-and-form depends and its source. 

Original text:阿难。缘名色有识。此为何义。若识不住名色。则识无住处。若无住处。宁有生老病死。忧悲苦恼不。答曰。无也。阿难。若无名色。宁有识不。答曰。无也。 阿难。我以此缘。知识由名色。缘名色有识。我所说者。义在于此。 

Explanation: Ānanda, consciousness exists conditioned on name-and-form. What does this mean? If the Ālayavijñāna does not abide in name-and-form, then the Ālayavijñāna has no place of abiding. If there is no place of abiding, could there be birth, aging, sickness, death, sorrow, grief, suffering, and distress (śoka-parideva-duḥkha-daurmanasyopāyāsa)? Ānanda replied: No. Ānanda, if there were no name-and-form, could there be the Ālayavijñāna? Ānanda said: No. Ānanda, it is for this reason that I know the Ālayavijñāna has a place of abiding conditioned on name-and-form, and that the Ālayavijñāna manifests conditioned on name-and-form. This is what I meant by what I said.

The word "有" (exists) in "consciousness exists conditioned on name-and-form" does not mean "is born," but rather "manifests," because the Ālayavijñāna is unborn and unceasing, is not born from name-and-form, and name-and-form cannot give birth to any dharma, much less give birth to the Ālayavijñāna. If there were no name-and-form, the Ālayavijñāna would have nothing to rely upon. Only by relying on name-and-form and abiding in name-and-form can the Ālayavijñāna function, and only then can its functions manifest. The Buddha also explained later that if the Ālayavijñāna does not abide in name-and-form, there is no place of abiding; without a place of abiding there is no name-and-form, and without name-and-form there is no birth, aging, sickness, or death. The meaning of the dharma of the ten links of dependent origination is extremely profound and not easy to understand, but it should still be correctly understood.