中觀論疏 7.9

7.9

It is produced on account of three meanings. First: the preceding examination of suffering refuted the effect; now, refuting formations means emptying their cause. Because sentient beings produce the three types of formations, they experience the effects of the three realms: as producing transgressive actions leads to retributive birth in the three bad destinies, producing meritorious actions leads to birth in the human and heavenly realms, and performing immovable actions leads to birth in the form and formless realms—by this meaning we know that formations are causes. Second: it explains the meaning of suffering above. The reason why conditioned phenomena are suffering is precisely because they fluctuate, arise, act, and are shifted by arising and ceasing; therefore they are suffering. Now, since there are formations of arising and ceasing, one should know that there is suffering. Third: from the chapter 'Examination of Conditions' onward, real persons and real phenomena have been refuted; now this chapter washes away illusory persons and illusory phenomena. An opponent clings: 'Although real persons and real phenomena cannot be found, illusory persons and illusory phenomena are certainly not nonexistent; and in contrast to the illusory persons and phenomena of saṃsāra, there are supramundane real persons and real phenomena.' Question: Are formations only causes, or do they also extend to effects? Answer: It possesses both meanings. If one explains the meaning of formations by fluctuating, arising, acting, and never stopping moment to moment, then all conditioned phenomena, irrespective of cause and effect, are equally called formations. Therefore the sūtra states: 'All formations are impermanent; they are phenomena of arising and ceasing.' Second: causes such as good and evil lead people constantly to traverse saṃsāra, hence they are called formations (saṃskāra). Question: This chapter says that all formations are called the five aggregates—is this causal formation or resultant formation? Answer: The five aggregates being called formations possesses both meanings: first, the five aggregates are produced from karmic formations, hence they are called formations; second, these very five aggregates arise, cease, and act, hence they are called formations. Question: Between the formation-link of the twelve links of dependent origination and the aggregate of formations among the five aggregates, what difference is there? Answer: The formation-link of the twelve links of dependent origination is only causal formation. The aggregate of formations among the five aggregates possesses both meanings: first, the aggregate of formations generates causes of good and evil, which is called formation; second, excluding the other four aggregates, all conditioned phenomena are subsumed within the aggregate of formations, hence it is called formations. As the *Miśrakābhidharma-hṛdaya* states: 'Because conditioned phenomena are numerous, they constitute one aggregate of formations, not the others.' Question: What difference is there between 'Examination of Formations' and the 'Examination of Karma' chapter? Answer: The 'Examination of Karma' chapter only refutes their cause, whereas this section examines fluctuating formations in general, and is therefore different. Furthermore, there are three kinds of formations: breathing in and out is bodily formation; investigation and analysis are verbal formation; feeling is mental formation. Speaking generally of formation, there are four kinds: first, cultivation is called formation—this is the ten thousand practices of good dharmas; second, action is called formation, extending across the three moral natures of good, evil, [and neutral]; third, impermanent arising and acting is called formation, extending across cause and effect, the three aggregates, the three natures, and so forth; fourth, the mind acting upon cognitive objects is called formation—this is only the functioning of the mind. Question: Is there a gradation of sequence or not? Answer: Master Tanying says that formations have three gradations: volition (cetanā) is true formation, body and speech are secondary; because volition directly can act, it is called formation, and body and speech, through volition, are able to initiate karma, so they are called secondary. For the remaining conditioned phenomena, two causes and conditions make them called formations: first, being produced from formations; second, being shifted by arising and ceasing in their own entity is a derivative matter—hence they are called formations. The present chapter comprehensively examines all formations as unattainable, hence it is called 'Chapter on the Examination of Formations'.