大般涅槃經集解 65.50

65.50

Sengliang comments: Feeling is the initial link of consciousness. Consciousness can receive rebirth, and therefore it is named 'feeling.' Daohui's notes say: 'One should know that this feeling is precisely karmic formations and existence.' This future link of consciousness, because it is obtained from the karmic consciousness link of this life and from the karma of this life, is precisely karmic formations and existence. This karma is also named 'karmic formations' and is also named 'existence.' 'From the causal conditions of feeling arise name-and-form, ignorance, craving, grasping, existence, and karmic formations': these are all events within one future life. In these events, below name-and-form there should be the six sense bases, contact, feeling, and so forth, but these three links are abbreviated and omitted. 'Feeling, contact, consciousness, the six sense bases, and so forth; therefore, feeling is precisely the twelve links': this is again an event in a subsequent existence. Because in a future life there are ignorance, craving, grasping, existence, and karmic formations, feeling, contact, consciousness, the six sense bases, and so forth are again generated in a subsequent existence. 'The six sense bases and so forth': this abbreviates and does not set forth the names of the links below, and therefore it says 'and so forth.' 'Feeling' is still just the link of consciousness when newly born. 'Contact and consciousness' are precisely the link of name-and-form. The four aggregates are called 'name'; the substance of the four aggregates is precisely the mind and mental factors. Therefore, now saying 'contact and consciousness' brings up the mind and factors, which constitute the four aggregates. Daohui recounts Tanxian's words: The names of the various links here, which are normally concealed and not set forth, are now fully listed. It is also said: The names and items of mind and mental factors are exceedingly numerous; if they are instituted as the twelve causal conditions, they are instituted across the three times. Distinguishing the mental factors of the three times: from 'from ignorance arises craving' down to 'is precisely ignorance, craving, and grasping,' this clarifies that the past mental factors have four dharmas in total. If taken according to the meaning of the twelve causal conditions, the first three meanings are combined into the link of ignorance; craving and grasping are components of ignorance, and therefore can be combined into one link. 'One should know that it is precisely': this clarifies that the effect does not exist apart from the cause, and therefore is identical to it. Ordinary beings do not understand and think it is a single substance without mental factors successively giving rise to one another; this is an error. From 'from existence arises feeling' down to 'again grasping existence and karmic formations,' this clarifies present mental factors. 'Feeling' is the consciousness that first receives rebirth, hence it takes 'feeling' as its name. 'Karmic formations and existence' are spoken of under different names according to their meanings. Taken according to the meaning of the twelve causal conditions, it abbreviates and lacks the three links of the six sense bases, contact, and feeling. Ignorance and craving are combined into a link; grasping is the link of grasping; existence and karmic formations are the link of existence. 'Feeling, contact, consciousness, the six sense bases, and so forth' abbreviates and does not list contact and feeling. If taken according to the meaning of the twelve causal conditions, feeling is precisely the link of birth, and the rest are all combined into links. 'Therefore, feeling assists the twelve links.' Feeling is the consciousness that receives rebirth in the present; consciousness is the master of receiving rebirth. Based on its master, the three times all have the twelve.