13 （一三）大缘方便经

Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Buddha was staying in the country of Kuru, at the abode of Kapilavastu, together with a great assembly of 1,250 bhikṣus.

At that time, Ānanda was in a secluded place, and he thought to himself, "How wonderful! How extraordinary! The light of the Dharma of the twelve links of dependent origination spoken by the World-Honored One is profound and difficult to understand. As I contemplate it, it is like seeing it before my eyes. What is profound about it?" Then, Ānanda rose from his quiet room and went to where the World-Honored One was. He bowed his head at the Buddha's feet, sat to one side, and said to the World-Honored One, "Just now, in my quiet room, I was silently reflecting, 'How wonderful! How extraordinary! The light of the Dharma of the twelve links of dependent origination spoken by the World-Honored One is profound and difficult to understand. As I contemplate it, it is like seeing it before my eyes. What is profound about it?'"

At that time, the World-Honored One told Ānanda, "Stop! Stop! Do not say that the light of the Dharma of the twelve links of dependent origination is profound and difficult to understand. Ānanda! This twelvefold dependent origination is difficult to see and difficult to know. The gods, demons, Brahmas, śramaṇas, and brāhmaṇas who have not seen the conditions have, if they wish to contemplate, observe, and analyze its meaning, all become confused and are unable to see it. Ānanda! I now tell you that old age and death have conditions. If someone asks, 'What are the conditions for old age and death?' you should answer them, 'Birth is the condition for old age and death.' If they further ask, 'Who is the condition for birth?' you should answer them, 'Existence is the condition for birth.' If they further ask, 'Who is the condition for existence?' you should answer them, 'Grasping is the condition for existence.' If they further ask, 'Who is the condition for grasping?' you should answer them, 'Craving is the condition for grasping.' If they further ask, 'Who is the condition for craving?' you should answer them, 'Feeling is the condition for craving.' If they further ask, 'Who is the condition for feeling?' you should answer them, 'Contact is the condition for feeling.' If they further ask, 'Who is the condition for contact?' you should answer them, 'The six sense bases are the condition for contact.' If they further ask, 'Who is the condition for the six sense bases?' you should answer them, 'Name and form are the condition for the six sense bases.' If they further ask, 'Who is the condition for name and form?' you should answer them, 'Consciousness is the condition for name and form.' If they further ask, 'Who is the condition for consciousness?' you should answer them, 'Formations are the condition for consciousness.' If they further ask, 'Who is the condition for formations?' you should answer them, 'Ignorance is the condition for formations.' Ānanda! Thus, due to ignorance there are formations, due to formations there is consciousness, due to consciousness there is name and form, due to name and form there are the six sense bases, due to the six sense bases there is contact, due to contact there is feeling, due to feeling there is craving, due to craving there is grasping, due to grasping there is existence, due to existence there is birth, due to birth there is old age, death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, and distress, the great mass of suffering arises. This is the condition for the great mass of suffering."

The Buddha told Ānanda, "Dependent on birth there is old age and death. What does this mean? If all sentient beings were without birth, would there be old age and death?"

Ānanda replied, "No."

"Therefore, Ānanda, from this cause, know that old age and death are due to birth. The meaning of what I have said is in this."

He further said to Ānanda, "What is the meaning of 'due to existence there is birth'? If all sentient beings had no desire for existence, no form or formless existence, would there be birth?"

He replied, "No."

"Ānanda! I know from this cause that birth is due to existence, and that due to existence there is birth. The meaning of what I have said is in this."

He further said to Ānanda, "What is the meaning of 'existence due to grasping'? If all sentient beings had no desire-grasping, view-grasping, precept-grasping, or self-grasping, would there be existence?"

He replied, "No."

"Ānanda! I know from this cause that existence is due to grasping. The meaning of what I have said is in this."

He further said to Ānanda, "What is the meaning of grasping due to craving? If all sentient beings had no craving for existence, craving for non-existence, or craving for neither existence nor non-existence, would there be grasping?"

He replied, "No."

"Ānanda! I know from this that grasping is due to craving. The meaning of my statement that grasping arises from craving is in this."

He further asked Ānanda, "What is the meaning of saying that craving arises from feeling? If all sentient beings had no pleasant feeling, painful feeling, or neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, would there be craving?"

He replied, "No."

"Ānanda! I know from this that craving arises from feeling, and that craving arises from feeling. This is the meaning of what I have said. Ānanda! You should know that because of craving there is seeking, because of seeking there is gain, because of gain there is use, because of use there is desire, because of desire there is attachment, because of attachment there is jealousy, because of jealousy there is guarding, because of guarding there is protection. Ānanda! Because of protection, there are weapons, disputes, and the arising of countless evils. This is the meaning of what I have said. Ānanda! What is the meaning of this? If all sentient beings had no protection, would there be weapons, disputes, and the arising of countless evils?"

He replied, "No."

"Therefore, Ānanda! From this cause and condition, I know that weapons and disputes arise from protection, and that weapons and disputes arise from protection. This is the meaning of what I have said."

He further said to Ānanda, "What is the meaning of protection arising from guarding? If all sentient beings were without guarding, would there be protection?"

He replied, "No."

"Ānanda! I know from this cause that protection arises from guarding, and that protection is due to guarding. The meaning of what I have said is in this. Ānanda! What is the meaning of guarding arising from jealousy? If all sentient beings were without jealousy, would there be guarding?"

He replied, "No."

"Ānanda! I know from this cause that guarding arises from jealousy, and that guarding is due to jealousy. The meaning of what I have said is in this. Ānanda! What is the meaning of jealousy arising from attachment? If all sentient beings were without attachment, would there be jealousy?"

He replied, "No."

"Ānanda! I know from this cause that jealousy arises from attachment, and that jealousy is due to attachment. The meaning of what I have said is in this. Ānanda! What is the meaning of attachment arising from desire? If all sentient beings were without desire, would there be attachment?"

He replied, "No."

"Ānanda! I know from this cause that attachment arises from desire, and that attachment is due to desire. The meaning of what I have said is in this. Ānanda! What is the meaning of desire arising from use? If all sentient beings were without use, would there be desire?"

He replied, "No."

"Ānanda! I know from this meaning that desire arises from use, and that desire is due to use. The meaning of what I have said is in this. Ānanda! What is the meaning of use arising from profit? If all sentient beings were without profit, would there be use?"

He replied, "No."

"Ānanda! I know from this meaning that use arises from profit, and that use is due to profit. The meaning of what I have said is in this. Ānanda! What is the meaning of seeking profit? If all sentient beings were without seeking, would there be profit?"

He replied, "No."

"Ānanda! I know from this cause that profit is due to seeking, and that profit is due to seeking. The meaning of what I have said is in this. Ānanda! What is the meaning of seeking due to love? If all sentient beings were without love, would there be seeking?"

He replied, "No."

"Ānanda! I know from this cause that seeking is due to love, and that seeking is due to love. The meaning of what I have said is in this."

He also told Ānanda, "Because of love, there is seeking, and because of seeking, there is guarding. The same is true for feeling. Because of feeling, there is seeking, and because of seeking, there is guarding."

The Buddha told Ānanda, "Feeling arises from contact. What does this mean? Ānanda! If there were no eyes, no forms, and no eye consciousness, would there be contact?"

He replied, "No."

"If there were no ears, sounds, and ear consciousness, nose, smells, and nose consciousness, tongue, tastes, and tongue consciousness, body, tactile sensations, and body consciousness, and mind, mental objects, and mind consciousness, would there be contact?"

He replied, "No."

"Ānanda! If all sentient beings were without contact, would there be feeling?"

He replied, "No."

"Ānanda! I know that feeling arises from contact, and that feeling arises in dependence on contact. This is the meaning of what I have said. Ānanda! Contact arises in dependence on name and form. What does this mean? If all sentient beings were without name and form, would there be mental contact?"

He replied, "No."

"If all sentient beings were without physical form, would there be physical contact?"

He replied, "No."

"Ānanda! If there were no name and form, would there be contact?"

He replied, "No."

"Ānanda! I know from this cause that contact is due to name and form, and that contact arises from name and form. This is the meaning of what I have said. Ānanda! Name and form arise from consciousness. What does this mean? If consciousness does not enter the mother's womb, would there be name and form?"

He replied, "No."

"If consciousness enters the womb but does not emerge, would there be name and form?"

He replied, "No."

"If consciousness emerges from the womb, and the infant decays, can name and form grow?"

He replied, "No."

"Ānanda! If there is no consciousness, can there be name and form?"

He replied, "No."

"Ānanda! I say this because I know that name and form depend on consciousness, and consciousness is the condition for name and form. The meaning of what I say is this. Ānanda! Consciousness depends on name and form. What does this mean? If consciousness does not abide in name and form, then consciousness has no place to abide. If there is no place to abide, can there be birth, old age, sickness, death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, and distress?"

He replied, "No."

"Ānanda! If there is no name and form, can there be consciousness?"

He replied, "No."

Ānanda! I say that consciousness depends on name and form, and name and form depend on consciousness. The meaning of my words is here. Therefore, Ānanda! Name and form depend on consciousness, consciousness depends on name and form, name and form depend on the six sense bases, the six sense bases depend on contact, contact depends on feeling, feeling depends on craving, craving depends on grasping, grasping depends on becoming, becoming depends on birth, birth depends on old age, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair, and the great mass of suffering arises.

Ānanda! This is the limit of speech, the limit of response, the limit of definition, the limit of exposition, the limit of wisdom observation, and the limit of sentient beings. Ānanda! The bhikṣus who correctly observe this Dharma with right view attain liberation of the mind without taints. Ānanda! This bhikṣu is called one liberated by wisdom. The Tathāgata knows this kind of liberation, the Tathāgata knows the end of liberation, the Tathāgata knows the end and non-end of liberation, and the Tathāgata knows neither the end nor non-end of liberation. Why? Ānanda! This is the limit of speech, the limit of response, the limit of definition, the limit of exposition, the limit of wisdom observation, and the limit of sentient beings. Having known this completely, the bhikṣu who is liberated with mind without taints does not know or see such knowledge and vision. Ānanda! Those who conceive of a self, how many are called the view of a self? Name and form together are conceived as the self. Some say: 'Feeling is not the self, I am feeling.' Some say: 'Feeling is not the self, I am not feeling, the nature of feeling is the self.' Some say: 'Feeling is not the self, I am not feeling, the nature of feeling is not the self, but craving is the self.'

Ānanda! Those who see the self as feeling should be told: 'The Tathāgata speaks of three feelings: pleasant feeling, painful feeling, and neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling. When there is pleasant feeling, there is no painful feeling or neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling; when there is painful feeling, there is no pleasant feeling or neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling; when there is neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, there is no painful feeling or pleasant feeling.' Why? Ānanda! Pleasant contact gives rise to pleasant feeling. When pleasant contact ceases, feeling also ceases. Ānanda! Painful contact gives rise to painful feeling. When painful contact ceases, feeling also ceases; neither-painful-nor-pleasant contact gives rise to neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling. When neither-painful-nor-pleasant contact ceases, feeling also ceases. Ānanda! It is like two pieces of wood rubbing together to produce fire, but when they are placed separately, there is no fire. It is the same here. Because of pleasant contact as a condition, pleasant feeling arises. When pleasant contact ceases, feeling also ceases together; because of painful contact as a condition, painful feeling arises. When painful contact ceases, feeling also ceases together; because of neither-painful-nor-pleasant contact as a condition, neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling arises. When neither-painful-nor-pleasant contact ceases, feeling also ceases together. Ānanda! These three feelings are conditioned, impermanent, arising from causes and conditions, subject to cessation, subject to destruction, and subject to decay. They are not mine, I am not them, they should be seen as they really are with right wisdom. Ānanda! Those who see the self as feeling are mistaken.

Ānanda! Those who see the self as feeling should be told: 'The Tathāgata speaks of three feelings: painful feeling, pleasant feeling, and neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling. If pleasant feeling were the self, when pleasant feeling ceased, there would be two selves, which is a mistake. If painful feeling were the self, when painful feeling ceased, there would be two selves, which is a mistake. If neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling were the self, when neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling ceased, there would be two selves, which is a mistake.' Ānanda! Those who see the self as feeling are mistaken. Ānanda! Those who conceive of a self say: 'Feeling is not the self, I am not feeling, the nature of feeling is the self.' They should be told: 'All is without feeling. How can you say there is the nature of feeling? Are you the nature of feeling?' They reply: 'No.' Therefore, Ānanda! Those who conceive of a self say: 'Feeling is not the self, I am not feeling, the nature of feeling is the self.' They are mistaken.

Ānanda! Those who conceive of a self say: 'Feeling is not the self, I am not feeling, the nature of feeling is not the self, but craving is the self.' They should be told: 'All is without feeling. How can there be craving? Are you craving?' They reply: 'No.' Therefore, Ānanda! Those who conceive of a self say: 'Feeling is not the self, I am not feeling, the nature of feeling is not the self, craving is the self.' They are mistaken. Ānanda! This is the limit of speech, this is the limit of response, this is the limit of explanation, this is the limit of exposition, this is the limit of wisdom, this is the limit of beings. Ānanda! If bhikṣus correctly see the truth in this Dharma, they will attain liberation of mind from the contaminants. Ānanda! These bhikṣus are called 'liberated by wisdom'. Such bhikṣus, with liberated minds, know existence, know non-existence, know both existence and non-existence, and know neither existence nor non-existence. Why? Ānanda! This is the limit of speech, this is the limit of response, this is the limit of explanation, this is the limit of exposition, this is the limit of wisdom, this is the limit of beings. Having fully known this, bhikṣus with liberated minds from the contaminants do not know or see such knowledge and views.

The Buddha told Ānanda: "Those who conceive of a self have already determined it. Those who conceive of a self say: 'Some form is the self, some form is not the self, some formless is the self, some formless is not the self.' Ānanda! Those who say 'some form is the self' are determined that some form is the self, and what they see is true, while the rest is false. Those who say 'some form is not the self' are determined that some form is not the self, and what they see is true, while the rest is false. Those who say 'some formless is the self' are determined that some formless is the self, and what they see is true, while the rest is false. Those who say 'some formless is not the self' are determined that some formless is not the self, and what they see is true, while the rest is false.

The Buddha told Ānanda: "The seven abodes of consciousness, the two sense bases, some śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas say: 'This place is peaceful, a refuge, a protection, a shelter, a lamp, a light, a return, not false, not afflictive.' What are the seven? Some beings have various bodies and various perceptions, such as gods and humans. This is the first abode of consciousness. Some śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas say: 'This place is peaceful, a refuge, a protection, a shelter, a lamp, a light, a return, not false, not afflictive.' Ānanda! If a bhikṣu knows the first abode of consciousness, knows its origin, knows its cessation, knows its taste, knows its danger, and knows the way out, and knows it as it really is, then Ānanda! That bhikṣu says: 'That is not me, I am not that.' He knows and sees it as it really is. Some beings have various bodies but one perception, such as the gods of Brahmā's Light Sound Heaven. Some beings have one body but various perceptions, such as the gods of Light Sound Heaven. Some beings have one body and one perception, such as the gods of Pure Heaven. Some beings abide in the space element. Some beings abide in the consciousness element. Some beings abide in the element of neither perception nor non-perception. These are the seven abodes of consciousness. Some śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas say: 'This place is peaceful, a refuge, a protection, a shelter, a lamp, a light, a return, not false, not afflictive.' Ānanda! If a bhikṣu knows the seven abodes of consciousness, knows their origin, knows their cessation, knows their taste, knows their danger, and knows the way out, and knows them as they really are, then that bhikṣu says: 'That is not me, I am not that.' He knows and sees it as it really is. These are the seven abodes of consciousness.

What are the two sense bases? The base of non-conception and the base of neither conception nor non-conception. These, Ānanda, are the two sense bases. Some śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas say: 'This place is peaceful, a refuge, a protection, a shelter, a lamp, a light, a return, not false, not afflictive.' Ānanda! If a bhikṣu knows the two sense bases, knows their origin, knows their cessation, knows their taste, knows their danger, and knows the way out, and knows them as they really are, then that bhikṣu says: 'That is not me, I am not that.' He knows and sees it as it really is. These are the two sense bases.

Ānanda! There are also eight liberations. What are the eight? Observing forms while having form, the first liberation. Internally without form-perception, observing external forms, the second liberation. Pure liberation, the third liberation. Transcending form-perception, extinguishing opposing perceptions, not dwelling on mixed perceptions, abiding in the space element, the fourth liberation. Transcending the space element, abiding in the consciousness element, the fifth liberation. Transcending the consciousness element, abiding in the element of neither perception nor non-perception, the sixth liberation. Transcending the element of neither perception nor non-perception, abiding in the element of neither perception nor non-perception, the seventh liberation. Cessation of perception and feeling, the eighth liberation. Ānanda! Bhikṣus who can freely enter and exit these eight liberations, going against and following them, such bhikṣus attain liberation through both wisdom and concentration.

At that time, Ānanda, having heard the Buddha's teaching, joyfully received and upheld it.