中觀論疏 10.37

10.37

「為後起三行」者，第二次辨行支。行者以起作為義，謂起作生死果也。即身口意三行，亦是罪、福、不動等三行。問：無明既具因緣二義，經中何故但說無明緣行，不說因行？答：《婆沙》云「亦得說因。如《摩訶尼陀經》明，如生為老死因，乃至無明為行作因。又解：若言無明因行，但言是因緣。今說無明緣行，具得四緣。」成實者云：因義生於無法，緣義即二有相由。今說有有牽連即生死不絕，故說緣行不說因行。又因親緣疎，疎既牽連不絕，即因義不待說也。問：《大集經》云「無明為因、行為緣。」此義云何？答：然無明具因緣兩義，行亦義爾，但各舉一邊，是故互說。問：何故言無明緣行，不言行緣無明？答：《婆沙》云「十二前後相生，前為後緣，非後為前緣，故但無明生行，行不生無明。」問：無明皆為十二作緣，何故但言緣行？答：近為行作緣，遠為十二作緣，今說近不說遠。問：五陰中行、四識住中行、此因緣中行，三處何異？答：五陰四識中行，除四陰，餘一切有為法悉是行也。此中若別取行體，唯取善惡二業；若通相說之，亦攝一切善惡有為等法，以起是行故。「隨行墮六趣」者，隨罪行墮三惡道，隨福、無動二亦入三善道。

"For the sake of future [births], they generate the three formations": this is the second, discerning the link of formations (saṃskāra). "Formations" takes initiating action as its meaning; that is, initiating the fruit of birth and death. These are the three formations of body, speech, and mind, and also the three formations of meritorious, demeritorious, and non-agitative [karma]. Question: Since ignorance possesses the two meanings of both cause (hetu) and condition (pratyaya), why does the sūtra only say "conditioned by ignorance are formations" (avidyā-pratyayāḥ saṃskārāḥ), and not say "caused by formations"? Answer: The *Vibhāṣā* says: "It may also be called cause. As explained in the *Mahānidāna-sūtra*, just as birth is the cause of aging and death, and so on up to ignorance being the cause of formations. Another explanation: If one says ignorance is the cause of formations, that refers only to a causal condition (hetu-pratyaya). Now saying 'conditioned by ignorance are formations' encompasses all four conditions." The masters of the *Tattvasiddhi* say: The meaning of cause is producing what was nonexistent; the meaning of condition is two existents being dependent on one another. Now, speaking of existents being linked together such that birth and death do not cease, it says 'conditioned are formations' and does not say 'caused are formations'. Furthermore, causes are direct while conditions are indirect; since the indirect already links them without cessation, the meaning of cause need not be stated. Question: The *Mahāsaṃnipāta-sūtra* says: "Ignorance is the cause, formations are the conditions." What does this mean? Answer: Ignorance possesses both meanings of cause and condition, and formations are also like this; each text merely raises one aspect, and therefore they are spoken of interchangeably. Question: Why is it said that "conditioned by ignorance are formations", and not "conditioned by formations is ignorance"? Answer: The *Vibhāṣā* says: "The twelve links arise sequentially before and after; the preceding serves as the condition for the succeeding, not the succeeding as the condition for the preceding. Therefore, ignorance only produces formations, and formations do not produce ignorance." Question: Ignorance serves as a condition for all twelve; why does it only say 'conditions formations'? Answer: It is proximate as a condition for formations, and remote as a condition for the twelve; here it speaks of the proximate and not the remote. Question: How do the formations among the five aggregates, the formations among the four stations of consciousness, and the formations in this dependent origination differ in these three places? Answer: Formations among the five aggregates and four stations of consciousness comprise all conditioned dharmas excluding the other four aggregates. Here, if one specifically takes the substance of formations, it comprises only good and bad karma; if spoken of in general terms, it also subsumes all good and bad conditioned dharmas, because arising is formation. "Following formations, they fall into the six destinies": following demeritorious formations, they fall into the three evil paths; following meritorious and non-agitative formations, they enter the three good paths.