Explanation of the Twelvefold Dependent Origination in the Yogācārabhūmi Śāstra (V)

Original text:故由先异熟果愚。引后有已。又由第二境界。所生受果愚故。起缘境界受爱。由此爱故。或发欲。或发有求。或执欲取。或执见戒及我语取。

Explanation: Therefore, because of ignorance regarding the retributive result of the previous life, the threefold existence of the later life is drawn forth. The fruit is the five-aggregate body of karmic result, and the retribution matures in the later life. After the threefold existence of the later life has come into being, because one is also ignorant of the retributive feeling (vipāka-vedanā) that arises upon contact with sense objects, craving arises conditioned on the feeling toward sense objects. Because of this craving toward sense objects, the five-aggregate body either gives rise to desire for sense objects, or gives rise to craving for the dharmas of the three realms of existence, or clings to the grasping of desire for sense objects, or clings to the grasping of the view of self, or clings to the grasping of precepts and vows, or clings to the grasping of the doctrine of the body-self.

Original text:由此爱取。和合资润。令前引因。转名为有。即是后有。生因所摄。从此无间。命既终已。随先引因。所引识等。受最为后。此诸行生。或渐或顿。

Explanation: Because of such craving and grasping joining together to nourish and moisten, the name of the initiating cause (pravartaka-hetu) of the previous life is transformed into the existence of the later life; that is, the future existence, which is subsumed under the cause of birth. From this point, after the life continuum ends without interruption, following the initiating cause of the previous life, the consciousness and so forth that were drawn forth arise in this present life, and feeling comes last. The arising of these volitional formations is either gradual or instantaneous.

Original text:如是于现法中。无明触所生受为缘故爱。爱为缘故取。取为缘故有。有为缘故生。生为缘故老病死等。诸苦差别。或于生处。次第现前。或复种子随逐。应知如是。于中际中。无明缘行等。受缘爱等。为因缘故。后际诸行生。

Explanation: After the volitional formations of the later life arise, thus, among the dharmas presently existing, it is with the feeling born of contact accompanied by ignorance as the condition that craving arises; with craving as the condition, grasping arises; with grasping as the condition, the threefold existence arises; with the threefold existence as the condition, birth arises; and with birth as the condition, the various differentiated marks of suffering such as old age, sickness, and death arise. Some of these sufferings appear in sequence at the place of birth—the place of birth is the place of rebirth in the six realms of saṃsāra, that is, any place within the three realms; some sufferings, after accumulating, continue to pursue the nāma-rūpa in the form of seeds, buried within the Ālayavijñāna, and when the causes and conditions are complete and the seeds become manifest, the sufferings again arise in the place where the nāma-rūpa resides. You should know that it is like this in the present life: because there is ignorance, volitional formations arise; because there is feeling, craving arises, and so on; and these dharmas, in turn serving as causes and conditions, will give rise to all the volitional formations of the later life.

The form, feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness of this life fall away and become seeds, giving rise to the form, feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness of the later life. These dharmas arise life after life without cease, and all belong to the domain of volitional formations. When the mind is not stilled, there are volitional formations; where there are volitional formations, there are seeds; where there are seeds, there is ceaseless arising life after life.

Original text：复有先集资粮。于现法中从他闻音。及于二果诸行。若于彼因彼灭。彼趣灭行。如理作意。由此如理作意为缘。正见得生。从此次第。得学无学清净智见。由此智见。无明及爱。永断无余。由此断故。于彼所缘。不如实知。无明触所生受。亦复永断。由此断故。永离无明。于现法中。证慧解脱。

Explanation: There are also those who, in previous lives, had already accumulated the provisions for cultivating the path, and in the dharmas of the present life have the conditions to hear the sounds of others expounding the Dharma, as well as to cultivate all the practices of the two fruits of the śrāvaka and the pratyekabuddha. If such people, with regard to the initiating cause among the twelve links of dependent origination and the principle of its cessation, as well as the path-cultivation practices that tend toward cessation, can apply attention in accordance with reality (yoniśo-manaskāra), then with such attention in accordance with reality as the condition, right view will arise, and from this point onward, in sequence, they will attain the pure wisdom and vision of those still in training (śaikṣa) and those beyond training (aśaikṣa).

Because of this wisdom and vision regarding the Dharma of dependent origination, ignorance through craving within the twelve links of dependent origination will all be severed completely without remainder. Because these links of dependent origination have been severed, the non-verification of the true nature of the links of dependent origination, as well as the feeling born of contact accompanied by ignorance, are also severed forever. Because these dharmas have been severed, one is forever free from ignorance and, within the dharmas of the present life, attains liberation by wisdom (prajñā-vimukti).