持世經十二因緣品第五
Chapter 5: The Twelve Links of Dependent Origination
「持世！何謂菩薩摩訶薩善觀擇十二因緣？菩薩摩訶薩觀擇十二因緣，所謂無有故說名無明，於無明中無法故說名無明，不知明故說名無明。云何不知明？不知無明決定法不可得，是名無明。何以故？說無明因緣諸行，諸行無所有，而凡夫起作故，說無明因緣諸行。從行起故有識生，是故說諸行因緣識。名色二相，是故說識因緣名色。從名色生六入，是故說名色因緣六入。從六入生觸，是故說六入因緣觸。從觸生受，是故說觸因緣受。從受生愛，是故說受因緣愛。從愛生取，是故說愛因緣取。從取生有，是故說取因緣有。從有生生，是故說有因緣生。從生有老死憂悲苦惱聚集，是故說生因緣老死憂悲苦惱聚集。如是大苦惱聚，於此中為集何法？但知顛倒與明相違，無明聚為後身愛，依止喜染求處處生，則是愛集。
"Dharma Protector! What is it for a Bodhisattva Mahasattva to skillfully contemplate and examine the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination? The Bodhisattva Mahasattva contemplates and examines the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination, which means: because there is nothing, it is called ignorance. Within ignorance, there is no dharma, therefore it is called ignorance. Not knowing the nature of enlightenment, it is called ignorance. What does it mean not to know the nature of enlightenment? It is not knowing that the definite nature of ignorance is ultimately unobtainable—this is called ignorance. Why? It is said that ignorance is the condition for formations. Formations have no inherent existence, yet ordinary people act as if they do; therefore, it is said that ignorance is the condition for formations.
From formations arises consciousness; therefore, it is said that formations are the condition for consciousness. Name and form are the two aspects; therefore, it is said that consciousness is the condition for name and form. From name and form arise the six sense bases; therefore, it is said that name and form are the condition for the six sense bases. From the six sense bases arises contact; therefore, it is said that the six sense bases are the condition for contact. From contact arises feeling; therefore, it is said that contact is the condition for feeling. From feeling arises craving; therefore, it is said that feeling is the condition for craving. From craving arises grasping; therefore, it is said that craving is the condition for grasping. From grasping arises becoming; therefore, it is said that grasping is the condition for becoming. From becoming arises birth; therefore, it is said that becoming is the condition for birth. From birth arise aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, distress, and the accumulation of afflictions; therefore, it is said that birth is the condition for aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, distress, and the accumulation of afflictions.
Such a great accumulation of suffering—what is gathered here? It is only known that delusion is contrary to enlightenment. The accumulation of ignorance gives rise to craving for future existence, which relies on attachment, delight, and defilement, seeking rebirth in various realms—this is the gathering of craving."
「持世！世間如是，為十二因緣所繫縛，盲無眼故，入無明網墮黑闇中。無明為首故，具足起十二因緣。諸菩薩如是思惟觀無明實相，知無明空故本際不可得。何以故？無明無故本際無，智者觀非際是本際，則不分別本際，斷憶想分別故。不貪著無明，知一切法無所有，是法不爾如所說。若說一切法無所有，即是說知見不明，能通達一切法無所有，是為即得明。於此中更無餘明，但知見無明是名為明。云何為知見無明？所謂一切法無所有，一切法無所得，一切法虛妄顛倒，一切法不爾如所說，是名知見無明。知見無明即為是明。何以故？明無所有故。
"World-Holder! The world is bound by these twelve links of dependent arising. Blind and without eyes, it enters the net of ignorance and falls into darkness. With ignorance as the leader, the twelve links fully arise. Bodhisattvas contemplate in this way, observing the true nature of ignorance. They know that ignorance is empty, and thus its origin cannot be grasped. Why? Because ignorance does not exist, its origin does not exist. The wise see that non-origin is the origin, and thus do not discriminate about origins. They cut off the distinctions of memory and thought. They do not cling to ignorance, knowing that all phenomena have no inherent existence. These phenomena are not as they are spoken of. To say that all phenomena have no inherent existence is to say that knowing and seeing are not separate from ignorance. To fully penetrate that all phenomena have no inherent existence is to attain clarity. Here, there is no other clarity apart from this. Simply knowing and seeing ignorance is called clarity. What is knowing and seeing ignorance? It is understanding that all phenomena have no inherent existence, that all phenomena cannot be grasped, that all phenomena are illusory and inverted, that all phenomena are not as they are spoken of. This is called knowing and seeing ignorance. Knowing and seeing ignorance is itself clarity. Why? Because clarity has no inherent existence."
「無明因緣諸行者，諸法無所有，凡夫入無明闇冥中，狂惑作諸行業，是行業無形無處，是無明不能生行業，無法而起作故，說無明因緣諸行業。諸行業無有聚集，若是處若彼處來諸行業，亦非過去亦非未來亦非現在，無明無明性空，行業行業性空，諸行業無所依，但依無明起諸行業。諸行業不依無明，無明不依行業，無明不知無明，行業不知行業，如是無明諸行業，以顛倒故從無明生，此中不得無明，不得諸行業，不得無明性，不得諸行業性，但以闇冥數名闇冥。以是無明闇冥故，分別說行業從無所有法而起作故，無明行業皆無所有。
Ignorance gives rise to all conditioned actions. All phenomena are without inherent existence. Ordinary people, plunged into the darkness of ignorance, act in confusion and create various karmic deeds. These deeds have no form and no fixed location. Ignorance itself cannot produce these deeds; they arise from what is fundamentally non-existent. Therefore, it is said that ignorance is the condition for all karmic actions.
These karmic actions have no gathering or accumulation. Whether they seem to come from here or there, they are not of the past, not of the future, and not of the present. Ignorance is empty of the nature of ignorance. Karmic action is empty of the nature of karmic action. All karmic actions have no basis to rely upon; they merely arise dependent on ignorance. Yet, karmic actions do not rely on ignorance, nor does ignorance rely on karmic actions. Ignorance does not know ignorance; karmic action does not know karmic action. In this way, all actions born from ignorance arise due to delusion.
In this, one cannot grasp ignorance, cannot grasp karmic actions, cannot grasp the nature of ignorance, and cannot grasp the nature of karmic actions. It is merely labeled "darkness" due to a sequence of obscurations. Because of this ignorant darkness, we conceptually speak of actions arising from what is fundamentally non-existent. Thus, both ignorance and karmic action are ultimately without inherent existence.
「行業因緣識者，識不依行業，亦不離行業生識，行業亦不生識。何以故？行業不知行業，行業亦無持來者，但顛倒眾生從行業生識，是識不在行業內，不在行業外，亦不在中間。是識無有生者，亦無使生者，但緣行業相續不斷故有識生。智者求識相不可得，亦不得識生，識亦不知識，識亦不見識，識不依識。
The consciousness that arises from karma and conditions—this consciousness does not rely on karma, nor does it arise apart from karma. Karma does not produce consciousness. Why? Karma does not know karma, nor does karma have any bearer. It is only that deluded beings give rise to consciousness from karma. This consciousness is not within karma, not outside karma, and not in between. This consciousness has no producer, nor is there anything that makes it arise. It is only because of the continuous flow of karma that consciousness appears. The wise seek the nature of consciousness and find it unobtainable; they do not find consciousness arising. Consciousness does not know consciousness, consciousness does not perceive consciousness, and consciousness does not depend on consciousness.
「識因緣名色者，名色不依識，亦不離識生名色，是名色亦不從識中來，但緣識故。凡夫闇冥貪著名色，識亦不至名色。智者於此求名色，不可得不可見，是名色無形無方，從憶想分別起，是名色相識因緣故有，識性尚不可得，何況從識緣生名色？若決定得是名色性者，無有是處。
"Understanding the dependent arising of consciousness with name-and-form: Name-and-form does not depend on consciousness, nor does it arise apart from consciousness. This name-and-form does not come from within consciousness; it simply arises dependent on consciousness. Ordinary people, shrouded in ignorance, cling to name-and-form, yet consciousness does not reach name-and-form. The wise, seeking name-and-form here, find it unobtainable and invisible. This name-and-form is formless and without location; it arises from conceptual thinking and discrimination. The appearance of name-and-form exists due to the condition of consciousness, yet the nature of consciousness itself cannot be grasped—how much less can name-and-form arise dependent on consciousness? To insist on grasping the inherent nature of name-and-form is utterly mistaken."
「名色因緣六入者，是六入因名色起，名在身中，故有出入息利益身及心心數法，是六入皆虛誑無所有，從分別起有顛倒用。
The coming-into-being of the six senses depends on name and form. These six senses arise from name and form. Because name exists within the body, there is the activity of breathing, which benefits the body and the mental factors. All six senses are deceptive and without true substance; they arise from discriminating thought and function based on inverted views.
「六入因緣觸者，是觸依色而有，觸不觸色。何以故？色無所知，與草木瓦石無異，但從六入起故分別說觸。何以故？六入尚虛妄無所有，何況從六入生觸？觸空無所有，從憶想顛倒起，是觸無方無處，觸空以無觸性故，觸不知六入，六入亦不知觸。
「觸因緣受者，是受不在觸內，不在觸外，不在中間，是觸亦不餘處持受來，而從觸起受，是觸尚虛妄無所有，何況從觸生受？諸受無一決定相，諸受皆無所有，從顛倒起有顛倒用。
「受因緣愛者，是受不於餘處持愛來，受亦不與愛合，受亦不知愛不分別愛，愛亦不知受不分別受，愛不與受合。是愛亦不依受，亦不離受有愛，受中尚無受相，何況受因緣生愛？愛不在受內不在受外不在中間，愛亦不在愛內亦不在愛外亦不在中間，愛中愛相不可得，是愛但從虛妄憶想顛倒相應故名為愛。是愛非過去未來現在，是愛非以縛相故起，是愛亦非縛相，但以因緣相續不斷故，說受因緣愛。智者知見是愛無處無方，空無牢堅，虛妄無所有。
「愛因緣取者，愛不於餘處持取來，愛不與取合，愛亦不能生取，有愛故說名取，隨因緣和合故說。取不與愛合亦不散，愛不與取合亦不散，取不在愛內不在愛外亦不在中間，愛尚無有，何況愛因緣生取？諸取決定相不可得。智者知見是取虛妄無所有，取中無取相，是取非過去未來現在，取不在取內不在取外不在中間，是取但從顛倒起，因本緣生，今眾緣故有取。無有法若合若散，是取無有根本，無一定法可得。凡夫受是虛妄取，是諸行皆虛妄故。世間為取所繫縛，智者通達是取虛妄空無牢堅，無有根本，無一定法可得。
"Regarding craving as a condition for grasping: craving does not grasp anything from elsewhere to offer. Craving does not merge with grasping, nor does craving alone give rise to grasping. Only when there is craving is it called grasping, which arises from the harmonious convergence of conditions. Grasping does not unite with craving nor does it separate from it; similarly, craving does not unite with grasping nor separate from it. Grasping is not within craving, not outside it, nor in between. Even craving itself has no true existence—how much less could grasping arise from craving? The true nature of all forms of grasping cannot be pinned down.
The wise see that grasping is illusory and has no real substance. Within grasping, there is no grasping-nature. Grasping is not of the past, present, or future. It is neither inside itself nor outside nor in between. Grasping arises solely from delusion, emerging from initial conditions and continuing due to present circumstances. There is no phenomenon that either unites grasping with anything or separates it from anything. Grasping has no foundation and no fixed nature that can be grasped.
Ordinary people become attached to this illusory grasping, and all their actions are likewise illusory, binding them to the world. The wise, however, see through this grasping as empty, illusory, unsteady, and without foundation—with no fixed nature to ever be found."
「取因緣有者，是取不持有來，是取不能生有，而說取因緣有，是有不在取內不在取外不在中間。有不依止取，取不與有合亦不散，但以眾緣和合故說取因緣有。取不能生有，取不分別有，取尚虛妄無所有，何況從取因緣生有？有無有持來者，有中有不可得，有不在內有不在外有不在中間，是有非過去未來現在。智者通達是有虛妄，顛倒相應無合無散。有無所知無所分別，是有無處無方，是有無前際無後際無中際，是有非有故、非無故，但隨順十二因緣故說是有。智者通達有相空、無牢堅。
「有因緣生者，是有不持生來，生亦不與有合亦不散，是生不在有內不在有外不在中間。有不能生生，亦不離有有生，但示十二因緣相續，說有因緣生。有與生非緣非不緣，有尚不可得，何況從有生生？智者通達是生不依於有生，生中無生相，生中無自性，生中無根本，無一定法可得。智者通達是生無性無所有，但示十二因緣和合相續，故說有因緣生。生無有法若合若散，生不在有內不在有外亦不在中間，是生非過去非未來非現在，是生前際後際中際不可得，是生根本不可得，智者通達從眾因緣生，顛倒相應、虛妄無所有、如幻化相。
「生因緣老死憂悲苦惱者，是生不持老死憂悲苦惱來，生亦不能生老死憂悲苦惱。老死憂悲苦惱，不在生內不在生外不在中間。老死憂悲苦惱，亦不依生，以生故老死憂悲苦惱可說，但示眾因緣生法故。生不與老死憂悲苦惱合亦不散，生中生尚不可得，何況生因緣老死苦惱？老死苦惱中老死苦惱不可得。何以故？老死苦惱不在老死苦惱內，亦不在外亦不在中間。老死苦惱非過去非未來非現在，老死苦惱不與老死合亦不散，但顛倒相應眾緣和合，具足十二因緣，故說生因緣老死苦惱。老死苦惱無所依止，老死苦惱決定相不可得，老死苦惱前際後際中際不可得。智者通達老死苦惱，虛妄無所有、顛倒相應、無有根本、不作不起不生。
「如是觀十二因緣法，不見因緣法，若過去若未來若現在，亦不見因緣相。但知因緣是無緣，無生無相無作無起無根本，從本已來，一切法無所有故。通達是十二因緣，亦見是十二因緣無有作者受者。若法所從因生，是因無故是法亦無，菩薩隨無明義故，一切法不可得。入如是觀中，無緣即是十二因緣，此中無所生。菩薩觀十二因緣是虛妄生，隨順無明義，通達十二因緣。若法無者是法亦無，是故說隨順無明義，通達十二因緣，無明是不生不作不起、無根本、無一定法、無緣無所有。菩薩爾時不分別是明是無明，無明實相即是明，因無明故一切法無所有，一切法無緣無憶想分別，是故隨順無明義，通達十二因緣。
「持世！是名菩薩摩訶薩十二因緣方便智慧。若菩薩能如是通達十二因緣合散，是名菩薩善得無生智慧。何以故？以生滅觀則不能善知十二因緣，若觀十二因緣集散，是名得無生智慧。若得無生智慧，是名通達十二因緣。
「持世！是故菩薩摩訶薩欲入通達、欲證無生智慧，應當如是勤行修集是十二因緣智慧，則能觀證十二因緣無生相。
「持世！若菩薩摩訶薩知無生即是十二因緣者，即能得如是十二因緣方便，是人以無生相知見三界，疾得無生法忍。當知是菩薩於諸現在佛得近受阿耨多羅三藐三菩提記，是菩薩不久當得受記次第受記。
「持世！如是善人因與受記得安隱心，於一切法旨趣方便中，得智慧光明，是人通達十二因緣是無生，是人得近現在諸佛，是人於諸惡魔無所怖畏，是人度生死流得到陸地，是人得度無明淤泥，是人得到安隱之處。
「持世！若我今世若我滅後，若聞若信若讀誦若修習是十二因緣方便者，我與是人授記不久當得無生法忍，我亦記是人不久當於現在諸佛所得受阿耨多羅三藐三菩提記。」