Analysis of the Twelve Links of Becoming

(return to list of Contents & Translation of "Mulamadhyamakakarika: Verses from the Centre")

26. Analysis of the Twelve Links of Becoming

(Contingency)

1. ma rig bsgribs pas yang srid phyi*/
'du byed rnam pa gsum po dag/
mngon par 'du byed gang yin pa'i** /
las de dag gis 'gro bar 'gro/

[Lha. *phyir; **pa'o].

1. In order to become again, those obscured by ignorance are moved into destinies by actions which are impelled [by] the three kinds of formative impulses.

2. 'du byed rkyen can rnam par shes/
'gro ba rnams su 'jug par 'gyur/
rnam par shes pa zhugs gyur na/
ming dang gzugs ni chags* par 'gyur/

[Lha. *'chags]

2. Consciousness conditioned by formative impulses enters into destinies. When consciousness has entered, name and form develop.

3. ming dang gzugs ni chags* gyur na/
skye mched drug ni 'byung bar 'gyur/
skye mched drug la brten nas ni/
reg pa yang dag 'byung bar 'gyur/

[Lha. *'chags]

3. When name and form develop, the six senses emerge. In dependence upon the six senses, impact actually occurs.

4. ming* dang gzugs dang dran byed la/
brten nas skye ba kho na ste/
de ltar ming** dang gzugs brten nas/
rnam par shes pa skye bar 'gyur/

[Ts./Lha. *mig. Lha. **mig - Ts. has ming] [Skt. has caksuh and nama resp.]

4. Just as [it] only arises in dependence on the eye, [visual] form and attention, so consciousness arises in dependence on name and form.

[Tsongkhapa has a rather tortured way of explaining this; he compares the arising of visual consciousness from the dominant, object and immediate conditions (i.e. eye, visual form and attention) with its arising from name (= attention) and form ( = eye and visual form). But since he equates nama with the latter four skandhas, he is forced to imply that vijnana arises from vijnana, i.e. A is the cause of A. No doubt Tibetans would explain this away by arguing that A is the cause of A+1 etc., but this is not convincing in context. Tsongkhapa seems unaware that nowhere in the early canon does the Buddha include vijnana in nama. Nagarjuna, however, does seem to follow this early tradition here.]

5. mig dang gzugs dang rnam par shes/
gsum po 'dus pa gang yin pa /
de ni reg pa'o reg de las/
tshor ba kun tu 'byung bar 'gyur/

5. The gathering of the three: eye and [visual] form and consciousness, that is "impact." From impact feeling totally arises.

6. tshor ba'i rkyen gyis sred pa ste/
tshor ba'i don du sred par 'gyur/
sred par gyur na* nye bar len/
rnam pa bzhi po nyer len 'gyur/

[Lha. *nas]

6. Due to the condition of feeling, there is craving; one craves for what is felt. When one craves, one clings to the four aspects of clinging [sense objects, views, morals and rules, and views of self].

7. nyer len yod na len pa po'i/
srid pa rab tu* 'byung bar 'gyur/
gal te nye bar len med na/
grol bar 'gyur te srid mi 'gyur/

[Lha. *kun tu]

7. When there is clinging, the becoming of the clinger fully arises. When there is no clinging, one is freed; there is no [more] becoming.

8. srid pa de yang phung po lnga/
srid pa las ni skye bar 'gyur*/
rga shi dang ni mya ngan dang/
smre sngags 'don bcas sdug bsngal dang/

[Lha. *'byungs]

8. Becoming is the five aggregates; from becoming one is born. Aging, death, torment, lamentation, pain,

9. yid mi bde dang 'khrug pa rnams/
de dag skye las rab tu 'byung/
de ltar sdug bsngal phung po ni/
'ba' zhig pa* 'di 'byung bar 'gyur/

[Lha. *po]

9. mental unhappiness, anxiety: these vividly emerge from birth. Likewise, the entire mass of anguish emerges.

10. 'khor ba'i rtsa ba 'du byed de/
de phyir mkhas* rnams 'du mi byed/
de phyir mi mkhas byed po yin/
mkhas min** de nyid mthong phyir ro/

[Lha. *khams **pas]

10. The root of life is formative impulses. Therefore, the wise do not form impulses. Therefore, the unwise are formers, but not the wise since they see reality.

[mi mkhas = Skt. avidvan = the ignorant]

11. ma rig 'gags par gyur na ni/
'du byed rnams* kyang** 'byung mi 'gyur/
ma rig 'gag par 'gyur ba ni/
shes pas de nyid bsgoms pas so/

[Lha. *rnam **kun]

11. When ignorance stops, formative impulses too do not occur. The stopping of ignorance [comes] through practising that with understanding.

12. de dang de ni 'gags gyur pas/
de dang de ni mngon mi 'byung/
sdug bsngal phung po 'ba' zhig pa*/
de ni de ltar yang dag 'gag**/

[Lha. *po **dgab (corrupt)]

12. By the stopping of the former, the latter will clearly not occur. The entire mass of anguish will likewise completely stop.

srid pa'i yan lag bcu gnyis brtag pa zhes bya ba ste rab tu byed pa nyi shu drug pa'o //