Abhidharma Kośa Śāstra: Volume IX

(10) Original text: How does ignorance condition formations? Extensively explained down to how birth conditions aging-and-death. I shall now briefly elucidate in accordance with the sūtra's meaning. It means that foolish ordinary beings, not knowing that dependently arisen phenomena are merely formations, falsely give rise to self-view and self-conceit. Seeking pleasure and neutral feeling for themselves, they create three kinds of karmic actions through body, etc. Specifically: to experience future pleasure, they create meritorious karma; to experience future pleasure and neutral feeling, they create immovable karma; to experience present pleasure, they create non-meritorious karma. This is called "ignorance conditions formations." Through the power of this projecting karma, consciousness flows in a continuous stream, like a flame moving, proceeding to various destinies. Relying on the intermediate state, it hastens toward the place of rebirth and bonds with the rebirth-existence body. This is called "formations condition consciousness."

Explanation: What does "ignorance conditions formations" mean? What does "formations condition consciousness" mean? Extensively explained down to what "birth conditions aging-and-death" means? I shall now offer a brief explanation conforming to the sūtra's meaning. "Ignorance conditions formations" means that foolish ordinary beings, unaware that dependently arisen phenomena arise solely from formations, falsely generate self-view and self-conceit. Seeking pleasurable feeling and neutral feeling for themselves, they create karmic actions of body, speech, and mind. To experience pleasurable feeling arising in future lives, they create all meritorious karma; to experience future pleasurable feeling and neutral feeling, they create immovable karmic actions; to experience present pleasurable feeling, they create non-meritorious karmic actions. These formations are produced conditioned by ignorance. Conditioned by these karmic formations, projecting karma arises. The six consciousnesses flow continuously, like a sequence of flames, leading to birth in the various paths of the six destinies. Attached to the intermediate state, they swiftly proceed to the place of rebirth and bond with the five-aggregate body within the three realms. This is called "formations condition consciousness." Here it explains that as long as sentient beings have not attained the uncontaminated fruit, as long as their mind is not free from contamination, all karmic actions they create are produced conditioned by ignorance; they are all formations of ignorance. Whether meritorious or non-meritorious formations, whether wholesome or unwholesome actions, they are all formations of ignorance. Since they are formations of ignorance, they carry the karmic force of ignorance, driving the continuous cycle through the six destinies in future lives. Therefore, as long as ignorance exists, all karma is karma of ignorance, bearing the fruit of ignorance.

Original text: If this explanation is adopted, it well accords with the sūtra. The consciousness limb, capable of discrimination, pertains to the six consciousnesses. Since consciousness is primary, within that destiny, name-and-form arises, complete with the five aggregates. They unfold continuously, persisting throughout an entire lifespan. Sūtras such as the Great Cause Discourse on Dependent Arising all state thus. As this name-and-form gradually matures, it becomes endowed with faculties like the eye, etc., called the six sense-spheres. Subsequently, upon contact with objects, consciousness arises. Due to the threefold conjunction, there is contact conducive to pleasure, etc. Based on this, the three feelings—pleasant, etc.—arise.

Explanation: If explained this way, it well accords with the meaning of the sūtra. The discriminating consciousness limb pertains to the six consciousnesses. Because consciousness is primary, within the corresponding six destinies, name-and-form arises, complete with the five aggregates. The five aggregates unfold continuously without interruption, existing throughout an entire lifespan. Sūtras like the Great Cause Discourse on explaining dependent arising all state this. When name-and-form gradually matures, it becomes fully endowed with the eye faculty, ear faculty, nose faculty, tongue faculty, body faculty, plus the mind faculty; this is called the six sense-spheres. When these subsequently come into contact with the six sense-objects, the six consciousnesses arise. Due to the conjunction of faculty, object, and consciousness, contact conducive to pleasant feeling, etc., arises. Based on this contact, the three kinds of feelings—pleasant, painful, and neutral—arise.

Original text: From these three feelings, three kinds of craving are produced. That is, oppressed by suffering, craving for pleasant feeling arises. Or, craving for pleasant feeling and neutral feeling gives rise to form realm craving. Or, craving arises solely for neutral feeling, producing formless realm craving. From delight in feeling, craving arises, giving rise to grasping such as sensual grasping, etc.

Explanation: From these three feelings, three kinds of craving are produced. Namely: due to the oppression of painful feeling, craving for pleasant feeling arises (sensual craving). Or, craving for pleasant feeling and neutral feeling gives rise to form realm craving. Or, craving arises solely for neutral feeling, producing formless realm craving. From delight in feeling, craving arises, giving rise to grasping such as sensual grasping (in the desire realm), form grasping (in the form realm), and formless grasping (in the formless realm).