Yogacarabhumi Sastra, Volume IX: Exposition of the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination (XV)

Original: What is the eye-base? The eye-base is the pure material form that is the basis upon which eye-consciousness arises and operates. Relying on this pure eye-base, one can see colors that have been seen, are being seen, and will be seen. As with the eye-base, so it is with the ear-base, nose-base, tongue-base, body-base, and even the mind-base. According to their respective functions, one should know them all. For all bases, the functional differences of the three times [past, present, future] should be explained. This is also of two kinds: the seeds of the six sense-bases included within the seeds of name-and-form, and the resultant six sense-bases produced from those [seeds]. Five [bases] exist in the desire realm and form realm; the sixth [mind-base] extends through all three realms [desire, form, formless].

Explanation: What is the eye-base? The eye-base is the pure, ultimate eye faculty upon which eye-consciousness is born and operates. Relying on the pure eye faculty, one can see past colors, present colors, and future colors. The eye-base is like this; similarly, the ear-base, nose-base, tongue-base, body-base, and even the mind-base are like this. Consciousness, relying on the mind faculty, can cognize past dharmas, present dharmas, and future dharmas; wherever it goes, it can know accordingly. The ability of the six consciousnesses to reach their respective sense-objects is all determined by the mind faculty. Only after the mind faculty makes a choice can the six consciousnesses arise, and only then can discernment occur.

In all bases—eye-base, ear-base, nose-base, tongue-base, body-base, and mind-base—there are functional differences of past, present, and future. Function is of two kinds: The first is the seeds of the six sense-bases included within the seeds of name-and-form. Name-and-form in the seed state has not yet manifested, and the six sense-bases are even less able to manifest in the seed state. The second is the resultant six sense-bases born upon name-and-form [in the manifested state]. The first five sense-bases exist in the desire realm and form realm but not in the formless realm. The sixth sense-base extends through the desire realm, form realm, and formless realm.

Original: What is eye-contact? It is that which is produced by the coming together of the three [eye faculty, visible form, and eye-consciousness], which is able to apprehend the meaning of the object such as its purity, excellence, etc. Similarly, the other contacts should be understood accordingly, each described in relation to its specific object. This is also of two kinds: the seed-contact included within the seeds of the six sense-bases, and the resultant contact produced from those [seeds]. The desire realm possesses all six [contacts]. The form realm has four. The formless realm has one.

Explanation: What is eye-contact? Eye-contact is that which is born from the coming together of the three—the eye faculty, the visible form object, and eye-consciousness—and is able to apprehend the meaning of the pure and excellent form-object. Ear-contact, nose-contact, tongue-contact, body-contact, and mind-contact are also like this; they are also born from the coming together of the three—faculty, object, and consciousness—and are all able to apprehend the aspect of their pure and excellent sense-objects. This includes two kinds: The first is the seed-contact included within the seeds of the six sense-bases. Since the first five sense-bases within the six sense-bases have not manifested in the seed state, contact cannot arise. Because the mind faculty does not cease, the mind-base does not cease, but it cannot make contact upon name-and-form. The second is the resultant bodily contact produced by the six sense-bases. In the desire realm, there are six kinds of contact. In the form realm, there are four kinds of contact (lacking nose-contact and tongue-contact). In the formless realm, there is only mind-contact, lacking the first five contacts.

Original: What is pleasant feeling? It is the agreeable, joyful feeling born with the condition of faculties and objects that are conducive to pleasure, included within the aggregate of feeling. What is painful feeling? It is the disagreeable, non-joyful feeling born with the condition of the two [faculties and objects] that are conducive to pain, included within the aggregate of feeling. What is neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling? It is the feeling that is neither agreeable nor disagreeable, born with the condition of the two [faculties and objects] that are conducive to neither-pain-nor-pleasure, included within the aggregate of feeling. The desire realm has three [feelings]. The form realm has two [pleasant and neither-painful-nor-pleasant]. From the fourth dhyāna upwards, up to the base of neither perception nor non-perception, there is only the third, the neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling. This is also of two kinds: the seed-feeling included within the seeds of contact, and the resultant feeling produced from that [contact].

Explanation: What is pleasant feeling? Pleasant feeling is the comfortable, joyful feeling born with the condition of the six faculties and objects that are conducive to happiness and pleasure, belonging to the dharmas included within the aggregate of feeling. What is painful feeling? Painful feeling is the uncomfortable, non-joyful feeling born with the condition of the six faculties and objects that are conducive to suffering and are contrary to the mind, belonging to the dharmas included within the aggregate of feeling. What is neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling? Neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling is the feeling that is neither comfortable nor uncomfortable, born with the condition of the six faculties and objects that are conducive to neither-pain-nor-pleasure, belonging to the dharmas included within the aggregate of feeling. In the desire realm, there are three kinds of feeling. In the form realm, there is only pleasant feeling and neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling; there is no painful feeling. From the fourth dhyāna upwards up to the base of neither perception nor non-perception, there is only neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling. Neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling also has two kinds: The first is the seed-feeling included within the seeds of contact, which is a feeling that has not yet manifested. The second is the resultant feeling born with the condition of the seed of contact.

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