新華嚴經論 26.8

26.8

The seventh section has two and a half lines of the sūtra. It says: 'Furthermore, fundamental ignorance conditions karmic formations.' There is the fundamental ignorance of the three times: fundamental ignorance conditioning karmic formations occurs in the present thought, and the past is the cognized prior sense-object, which is why the sūtra says: 'This contemplates the past consciousness.' From [consciousness] up to sensation is the contemplation of the present, for consciousness and sensation are present in the immediate thought, explaining that consciousness and sensation discriminate and receive present affairs. From craving up to becoming is the contemplation of the future, because the two matters of craving and becoming are future in the immediate thought; because following the consciousness and sensation in the immediate thought, one later calculates real existence, producing craving and defilement. 'Continuing in succession thereafter' means that by these—fundamental ignorance conditioning karmic formations, consciousness, sensation, craving, and becoming—the karmic suffering fruits of the three times are formed, continuing without interruption. But once fundamental ignorance ceases, karmic formations cease, and consciousness, sensation, craving, becoming, and all twelve limbs of existence completely cease. 'Severed through relative contemplation' explains that the twelve conditions are severed only by waiting upon contemplation; this is comprehensively encompassed by the meaning of the six characteristics.