法界次第初門 2.223

2.223

次十一智而辯十二因緣者，除如實智，其餘十智皆是二乘共得。今一往明：若聲聞人，但約一世，總觀四諦，成十智則智劣。智劣故，不能侵除習氣，功德神用亦減少。若緣覺人，通約三世，細分別觀十二因緣，若成十智，則智強。智強故，能侵除習氣功德，神用亦廣。是以大聖教門別開出中乘之道，意在此也。通稱因緣者，是十二法展轉能感果故名因，互相由藉而有謂之緣也。因緣相續，則生死往還無際。若知無明，不起取有，則三界二十五有生死皆息，是為出世之要術也。教門十二因緣有三種不同：一者約三世明十二因緣、二者約果報二世辯十二因緣、三者約一念一世辯十二因緣。今無明三世十二因緣者，初二過去世攝，後二未來世攝，中八現在世攝。是中略說三事：煩惱、業、苦。是三事展轉，更互為因緣，是煩惱業因緣、業苦因緣、苦苦因緣、苦煩惱因緣。煩惱業因緣、業苦因緣、苦苦因緣，是為展轉更互為因緣，故云三世十二因緣也。

The twelve links of dependent origination are explained next after the eleven cognitions because, with the exception of the cognition of reality as it is, the remaining ten cognitions are all attained in common by the two vehicles. Now to explain broadly: if a śrāvaka merely relies on a single lifetime to contemplate the four noble truths in a general manner, when they accomplish the ten cognitions, their cognition is inferior. Because their cognition is inferior, they cannot eliminate habitual latencies, and their merits and spiritual functioning are also meager. If a pratyekabuddha thoroughly relies on the three time periods to contemplate the twelve links of dependent origination in fine detail, when they accomplish the ten cognitions, their cognition is powerful. Because their cognition is powerful, they can eliminate habitual latencies, and their merits and spiritual functioning are also vast. Therefore, the great Sage opened a teaching gate specifically revealing the path of the intermediate vehicle; this was his intention. They are collectively called 'causes and conditions' (hetupratyaya / pratītyasamutpāda) because these twelve dharmas are capable of sequentially causing fruits, and are thus called 'causes'; their existing by depending and relying on one another is called 'conditions.' When causes and conditions continue sequentially, the cycling through birth and death is boundless. If one knows ignorance and does not give rise to grasping and becoming, then birth and death across the twenty-five states of existence of the three realms all cease; this is the essential method for transcending the world. The twelve links of dependent origination in the teaching gates have three distinct forms: first, explaining the twelve links of dependent origination according to the three time periods; second, explaining the twelve links of dependent origination according to the two time periods of karmic retribution; third, explaining the twelve links of dependent origination according to a single thought and single lifetime. Now, as for the twelve links of dependent origination of the three time periods from ignorance: the first two are subsumed under the past time period, the last two are subsumed under the future time period, and the middle eight are subsumed under the present time period. Herein are briefly stated three matters: afflictions, karma, and suffering. These three matters cycle and mutually serve as causes and conditions for each other: afflictions are the condition for karma, karma is the condition for suffering, suffering is the condition for suffering, and suffering is the condition for afflictions. Afflictions being the condition for karma, karma being the condition for suffering, and suffering being the condition for suffering—this constitutes their mutually serving as causes and conditions in turn; hence they are called the twelve links of dependent origination of the three time periods.