Abhidharmakośa, Volume IX

(11) Original text: Here, 'desire' refers to the five subtle desires. 'View' refers to the sixty-two views, as extensively explained in the Brahmajāla Sūtra. 'Precept' refers to abstaining from unwholesome precepts. 'Observance' refers to prohibitions such as those of dogs, oxen, etc., like the various meaningless ascetic practices upheld by heterodox ascetics such as the Nirgranthas (Ājīvikas), Brāhmaṇa Pārāśarya, Vātsīputrīyas (Pudgalavādins), Śaṅkhas (a sect), and other diverse types of outsiders, including exposing their bodies, plucking out their hair, wearing deer skins, smearing ashes on their heads, holding three staffs, cutting off their beards and hair, and so forth. 'The notion of self' refers to the internal body, upon which the conception of 'I' is based.

Explanation: Here, the term 'desire' refers to the five desires, namely the craving for wealth, sensual pleasures, fame, food, and sleep arising from attachment to forms, sounds, smells, tastes, and tangibles. 'View' refers to the sixty-two views, as explained in the Brahmajāla Sūtra. 'Precept' refers to the precepts established by the Buddha, the precept of abstaining from unwholesome precepts. 'Observance' refers to adhering to habits like those of dogs, oxen, fish, etc., such as the various meaningless ascetic practices upheld by heterodox groups like the Nirgranthas (Ājīvikas), Brāhmaṇa Pārāśarya, Vātsīputrīyas (Pudgalavādins), Śaṅkhas, etc., including exposing their bodies, plucking out their hair and beards, wearing deer skins, smearing ashes on their hair, holding three staffs, cutting off their beards and hair, and so on. 'The notion of self' refers to grasping the internal body composed of the five aggregates as being the self.

Original text: Some other masters say that self-view (ātma-dṛṣṭi) and self-conceit (ātma-māna) are called 'the notion of self'. Why are these two specifically termed 'the notion of self'? Because these two kinds [of defilements] posit the existence of a 'self'. Since a self does not truly exist, it is called 'the notion of self'. As stated in the sūtra: "Bhikṣus, you should know that foolish, unlearned ordinary beings (pṛthagjana), following conventional speech, give rise to the view of self. In reality, within [the aggregates], there is no self and nothing belonging to a self." Regarding the grasping (upādāna) of the first four [nourishments], namely sensual desire, thus the Bhagavān explained in various sūtras: "What is grasping? It is precisely sensual desire (kāma-rāga)." Conditioned by grasping, various karmas that lead to future existence are accumulated; this is called 'existence' (bhava).

Explanation: Some other masters say that self-view and self-conceit are called 'the notion of self'. Why are self-view and self-conceit called 'the notion of self'? Because these two contain the notion of 'I', and since the 'I' does not truly exist, it is called 'the notion of self'. As stated in the sūtra: "Bhikṣus, you should know that foolish, unlearned ordinary beings, following false speech, give rise to the view of self. Within [the aggregates], there is indeed no self and nothing belonging to a self." The grasping of the first four [nourishments] is called sensual desire. Therefore, the Buddha explained in various sūtras: "What is grasping? Grasping is sensual desire." Conditioned by grasping, various karmas are accumulated, karmas that lead to future existence; this is called 'existence'.

Original text: As the Bhagavān told Ānanda: "Karma that leads to future existence is called 'existence' (bhava). Conditioned by existence, the stream of consciousness flows continuously, proceeding towards future rebirth. According to the principle explained before, when the five aggregates are fully assembled, it is called 'birth' (jāti). Conditioned by birth, aging and death occur. The specific characteristics of these [stages] are extensively explained in the sūtras. The phrase 'such pure [suffering]' (evam eṣa) indicates that there are only conditioned formations (saṃskāra), without self or what belongs to self. The phrase 'the great mass of suffering' (mahā-duḥkha-skandha) indicates the accumulation of suffering, which has no beginning and no end. The word 'accumulation' (samudaya) is used to indicate the arising of the aggregates of suffering. The Vibhāṣā school has explained this previously, as mentioned before.

Explanation: As the Bhagavān told Ānanda: "Karma that leads to future existence is called 'existence'. Conditioned by existence, the six consciousnesses flow continuously without cessation, proceeding towards rebirth in the future life. As with the principle explained before, when the five aggregates are fully assembled, it is called 'birth'. Conditioned by birth, aging and death arise. The characteristics of these branches (of dependent origination) all have distinctions, as extensively explained in the sūtras. Such pure statements reveal that conditioned phenomena consist only of formations, without self or what belongs to self. The statement 'the pure great mass of suffering is accumulated' (duḥkha-skandha-samudaya) reveals the accumulation of suffering, which has no initial point and no final point. Saying 'accumulation' is to reveal the arising of the aggregates of suffering. The Vibhāṣā school has explained this matter previously."