持人菩薩經十二緣品第八
Chapter 8: The Twelve Links of Dependent Origination
佛告持人：「何謂曉了班宣諸入？十二緣起觀十二。以何觀之？以用諸法悉無明業，故名曰癡；不了無處，故曰無明；不解諸法有生無明，故曰為癡。以不了是何故無明？無明緣故有行，若不達法不行是法，故曰無明緣故便有行。有行緣故生其識，故曰從行致識。有其二相致名色矣，故從識緣而生名色。從名色便生六入，故曰從名色緣得致六入。因有更痛，故曰從六入緣便生所更。因有痛痒，故曰從所更緣致有痛痒。則生恩愛，故曰從痛痒緣便生恩愛。從恩愛緣生所受，故曰從恩愛緣便生所受。從所受便生所有，故曰從所受緣便致所有。從所有便致生矣，故曰從所有緣便致所生。從所生緣便有老病死啼哭愁慼不可意法大患苦會，故曰從生致若干苦。
The Buddha said to Chiren, "What does it mean to understand and expound upon the sense fields? It is to contemplate the twelve links of dependent origination. How does one contemplate them?
Because all phenomena arise from ignorance and karma, this is called delusion. Not understanding the nature of emptiness is called ignorance. Failing to comprehend that all phenomena arise from ignorance is called delusion.
Why is there ignorance? Because of ignorance, volitional formations arise. If one does not penetrate the Dharma, one does not practice it—thus, because of ignorance, volitional formations come to be.
Because of volitional formations, consciousness arises. Therefore, it is said that from volitional formations comes consciousness.
From consciousness, name-and-form arises. Thus, from consciousness, name-and-form is born.
From name-and-form, the six sense bases arise. Therefore, from name-and-form, the six sense bases come into being.
Because there is contact, it is said that from the six sense bases, contact arises.
Because there is sensation, it is said that from contact, sensation arises.
From sensation, craving arises. Thus, from sensation, craving is born.
From craving, grasping arises. Therefore, from craving, grasping comes to be.
From grasping, becoming arises. Thus, from grasping, becoming is produced.
From becoming, birth arises. Therefore, from becoming, birth occurs.
From birth, old age, sickness, death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, distress, and all undesirable states—this great mass of suffering—come to be. Thus, from birth, all kinds of suffering arise."
「以何等故合是眾惱？以無明故。習諸顛倒，從恩愛行忻樂貪欲，其心在在樂慕不捨，是則世俗十二品有緣起自閉，盲冥無目無明羅網，志存疽癩入於幽闇。無明為首，十二緣以觀如是，了斯無明虛偽不真。又其本際而不可知。何以故不可知？不可知，不逮明故。用無明故，其生本際而不可知。若有明智當觀察之，曉了本際則達無際，不起思想亦不無想，便斷眾想。以斷眾想不猗無明，一切諸法不違無明。是諸法者不去無明自大之心。所以者何？以捨無明，以故曰名一切諸法皆為無明矣！以能覺了一切諸法皆無明者，則達明業不更致明，以消無明則曰明業。
Why do all these afflictions come together? Because of ignorance. It is the habit of delusion, born from clinging attachments and the craving for pleasure and desire. The mind constantly seeks and clings, never letting go. This is the worldly cycle of the twelve links of dependent origination—a self-made prison, a blindness without eyes, a net of ignorance. It is like holding onto a festering sore and entering deep darkness.
Ignorance is the first link. By contemplating the twelve links in this way, one understands that this ignorance is empty and unreal. Moreover, its origin cannot be known. Why can it not be known? Because it cannot be known—it is not reached by clarity. Due to ignorance, the origin of birth cannot be known.
If one has wise insight, they should observe this. By understanding the origin, one reaches the boundless, without giving rise to thoughts or being without thought, thus cutting off all mental constructs. By cutting off all constructs, one does not rely on ignorance, yet all phenomena do not contradict ignorance. These phenomena do not depart from ignorance and the mind of self-importance. Why is this? Because by abandoning ignorance, it is said that all phenomena are ignorance! By being able to realize that all phenomena are ignorance, one attains the clarity that does not seek further clarity. By dissolving ignorance, this is called the work of clarity.
「何謂消無明者，解一切法悉無所有，一切諸法皆虛不真，處存顛倒法無所有，假託有耳！是則名曰以斷無明，亦斷有明。明與無明悉虛不真，所曰無明，用無明故有眾行業，便致十二，愚冥凡夫所不能達自投邪冥，悉無所有反造所有，故曰為行。無處無言不言不知，明亦不冥，諸行之業悉本空無，所法無有反行所有，故曰無明之緣使成諸行。
What does it mean to extinguish ignorance? It is to understand that all phenomena are ultimately without inherent existence. All phenomena are empty and unreal; they exist in a state of delusion, yet in truth, there is nothing there—they merely appear to exist through false attribution. This is called cutting off ignorance, and also cutting off the notion of "enlightenment." Both enlightenment and ignorance are empty and unreal.
What is called ignorance? Because of ignorance, all kinds of karmic actions arise, leading to the twelve links of dependent origination. Foolish, deluded ordinary beings cannot comprehend this; they plunge themselves into false darkness. In reality, there is nothing there, yet they create the illusion of something. This is called "volitional formations."
There is no place, no speech, no speaking, no knowing. There is no enlightenment, nor is there darkness. All karmic actions of volitional formations are fundamentally empty and nonexistent. The phenomena that are said to exist are actually nonexistent, yet beings act as if they exist. This is how ignorance becomes the condition that gives rise to volitional formations.
「其行無常，從是非業致眾行來。又察眾行無去來今，其無明空分別無明。諸行本空行悉自然，行無所著，因其無明故生諸行，其無明者不著諸行，明行不斷無明便消，行不除行，是行無明則發闇弊，處存顛倒無明叵得，則曰自然行不可得，亦曰自然。用幽冥塞，故曰無明，用冥無明便立行耳。
All actions are impermanent, arising from the karma of right and wrong, which gives rise to all activities. Furthermore, observe that all actions have no past, future, or present—ignorance is empty, and the discrimination of ignorance is empty. All activities are fundamentally empty; they arise spontaneously. Actions have no attachment, yet because of ignorance, all activities arise. Ignorance itself does not cling to activities. When wisdom and action are uninterrupted, ignorance naturally fades away. Actions are not eliminated by actions—this is how ignorance gives rise to darkness and confusion, leading to delusion and inversion. Ignorance cannot be grasped, and thus it is said to be spontaneous. Actions cannot be attained, and thus they too are said to be spontaneous. Because of this obscurity and blockage, it is called ignorance. Through this obscurity, ignorance gives rise to action.
「若法無無明無所有，以虛偽法便成無明，行識行無所著行，不起識行。所以者何？行不知行，行無有法所可至奏，從行識生眾顛倒。其行與識，無內無外亦無中間，無起識者，以行逸生其識耳。彼若明智求識不得，識無所生亦無所見，不別於識，名色、六入、所更、痛痒、受、有、生、老病死憂慼啼哭痛不可意大苦陰會，輪轉無際生死不斷，投于五江四瀆之間不能自濟。曉了無根悉無所著，無致無極平等之業，觀十二緣亦復如是，斯名曰明無二，故勤精進求一切諸法，以慕諸法無想不想，是柔順明入十二緣。
If a phenomenon has no ignorance and nothing exists, then through deceptive phenomena, ignorance arises. Actions and consciousness act without attachment, and consciousness does not arise. Why is this? Actions do not know actions; actions have no destination or outcome. From actions, consciousness arises, giving rise to all kinds of delusions. Actions and consciousness have no inside, no outside, and no in-between. There is no one who gives rise to consciousness; consciousness arises merely from the wandering of actions. If one wisely seeks consciousness but cannot find it, consciousness neither arises nor is perceived. Without distinguishing consciousness, there is name-and-form, the six sense bases, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, becoming, birth, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, and the great mass of suffering—all endlessly revolving in the cycle of birth and death, unable to free themselves, adrift in the five rivers and four streams, unable to save themselves. Understanding that there is no root, nothing to cling to, no attainment, no extremes, and equalizing all activities—observing the twelve links in this way is called the wisdom of non-duality. Therefore, diligently strive to seek all phenomena, aspiring to phenomena without thought or non-thought. This is the gentle and compliant wisdom that enters the twelve links.
「是為，持人！諸菩薩眾曉了頒宣十二緣起在合會緣有所生起，分別無會，是曰逮得解無所生，曉了緣起觀十二緣，不當察生不至權慧。若能達知十二緣起無所生者，乃曰曉了逮無生慧。
Therefore, O Sustainer of Humanity! The assembly of Bodhisattvas understands and proclaims that the twelve links of dependent origination arise from the convergence of conditions, and that their separation signifies the attainment of the understanding of non-arising. By comprehending the view of dependent origination through the twelve links, one should not cling to the notion of birth nor fall into expedient wisdom. Only by truly realizing that the twelve links of dependent origination have no inherent arising can one be said to have attained the wisdom of non-arising.
「是故，持人！菩薩大士欲入無生慧建立證明，當分別暢十二緣起而奉行之，以餘奉行於諸緣起而無所生，以作是觀，乃謂逮得無所生慧，以能逮得無所生慧，造立證明，乃曰逮得無所從生曉了道慧。
Therefore, Sustainer of Beings! If a Bodhisattva, a great being, wishes to enter into the wisdom of non-arising and establish realization, they should clearly discern and diligently practice the twelve links of dependent origination. By practicing the other links of dependent origination without anything arising, and by contemplating in this way, it is called attaining the wisdom of non-arising. By being able to attain the wisdom of non-arising and establishing realization, it is said that they attain the enlightened wisdom of understanding the path of non-origination.
「是故，持人！菩薩大士如是行者，於所生緣而無所生，悉斷三界，因緣證明觀無所生。若有菩薩至無生相，便疾逮得無所從生法忍，輒得親近菩薩之行，己身所奉面緣諸佛而受道決，當逮無上正真之道為最正覺，得決不久以近受決。又以自己如是色像奉行佛教，是諸正士各便受決得許信樂，分別一切世間諸法以度方俗。曉了十二緣起之元以達緣起，諸佛世尊現在目前，不復恐懼諸魔波旬。若見現在陸地水中，一切諸物覩見生死，已度眾厄拔無明根，如是比像永得安隱覩見正士。」
Therefore, O Sustainer of Beings! When a Bodhisattva practices in this manner, they perceive that all arising conditions are without actual arising. They completely sever the three realms, and through the proof of conditioned arising, they contemplate non-arising. If a Bodhisattva attains the sign of non-arising, they swiftly attain the patient acceptance of the unborn Dharma. They then draw near to the practice of Bodhisattvas, personally serve and encounter all Buddhas face-to-face, receiving the prediction of enlightenment. They will soon attain the supreme, right, and perfect enlightenment, receiving the prediction without delay, drawing close to its conferral. Moreover, by thus upholding the Buddha's teachings in such a form, these true beings each receive the prediction and gain joyful faith, discerning all worldly dharmas to guide ordinary people. They fully comprehend the origin of the twelve links of dependent arising, thereby penetrating conditioned arising. All Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, appear before them, and they no longer fear the demons like Papiyas. Whether seeing all things on land or in water, witnessing birth and death, they have crossed all perils and uprooted ignorance. In this way, they forever attain peace and security, beholding the true beings.
佛言：「持人！若有菩薩如是解了，吾我所有皆因緣故，若有聞是曉了十二緣起本末，信樂不疑，諸如來所成其根元，不久受決，得無所從生法忍，以受決本如來不久，諸如來便得道決，當逮無上正真之道為最正覺。」
The Buddha said: "O Sustainer of People! If a bodhisattva thus comprehends that all notions of 'self' and 'mine' arise from conditions, and if upon hearing this clear teaching of the twelve links of dependent arising, one believes and rejoices without doubt—such a one has planted the root of virtue at the feet of the Tathāgatas. Before long, they will receive the prediction and attain the patient acceptance of the unborn dharmas. Having received the prediction, they will swiftly approach the Tathāgatas' realization, and shall surely attain the supreme, right, and perfect enlightenment."
持人菩薩經卷第二
The Sutra of the Bodhisattva Who Upholds Humankind, Volume Two