八項要點
緣起過程就是五蘊的過程。緣起、五蘊與輪迴,說的是同一個身心相續的過程。
一、二根
二根是無明與愛,它們是十二支緣起的兩個根本。這並不表示它們是最初的原因,因為無明與愛也各自有其生起條件。它們是輪迴之根,也是諸蘊生起的根本原因。在圓形圖的中央,無明(avijjā)與愛(taṇhā)以粗體標示,猶如車輪的輪軸,不斷帶動輪迴之輪運轉。
二、二諦
圖中第一區下層標示為集諦(samudaya-sacca),第二區標示為苦諦(dukkha-sacca),第三區與第四區則分別標示為集諦與苦諦。將相同的項目合併,便成為二諦:集諦與苦諦。
三、四組層次
第一區是過去因的層次;第二區是現在果的層次;第三區是現在因的層次;第四區是未來果的層次。這些層次只是分屬不同的時間階段。合併來看,就是兩組因的層次與兩組果的層次。第三區也可以稱為「未來因的層次」。
四、十二支
第一區包括:
1. 無明(avijjā)。
2. 行(saṅkhāra)。
第二區包括:
1. 識(viññāṇa)。
2. 名色(nāma-rūpa)。
3. 六處(saḷāyatana)。
4. 觸(phassa)。
5. 受(vedanā)。
第三區包括:
1. 愛(taṇhā)。
2. 取(upādāna)。
3. 有(bhava;莫哥緣起圖在此特別著重業有 kammabhava)。
第四區包括:
1. 生(jāti)。
2. 老、死(jarā-maraṇa)。
圓形圖中有一支箭從上方貫穿至下方,將圓分成兩半。右半邊是無明、行、識、名色、六處、觸、受七支,由過去的無明根所帶動;左半邊是愛、取、有、生、老死五支,由現在的愛根所帶動。圖中對「有」特別著重其業有的面向。
無明根帶動七支,愛根帶動五支,合計十二支。
五、三種連結
1. 第一種連結:第一區的行,連結第二區的識。
2. 第二種連結:第二區的受,連結第三區的愛。
3. 第三種連結:第三區的有,連結第四區的生;就其能引生未來果報的作用而言,此處特別指業有。
若從因果關係來看:
1. 過去五因連結現在五果:無明、行、愛、取、有,導向識、名色、六處、觸、受。
2. 現在五果連結現在五因:識、名色、六處、觸、受,導向愛、取、有、無明、行。
3. 現在五因連結未來五果:愛、取、有、無明、行,導向識、名色、六處、觸、受。
若從層次來看:
1. 過去因的層次,連結現在果的層次。
2. 現在果的層次,連結現在因的層次。
3. 現在因的層次,連結未來果的層次。
若從聖諦來看:
1. 集諦連結苦諦,也就是第一區連結第二區。
2. 苦諦連結集諦,也就是第二區連結第三區。
3. 集諦連結苦諦,也就是第三區連結第四區。
六、三種輪轉
三種輪轉顯示有情在輪迴之中循環延續的模式。第一區標示煩惱輪轉(kilesa-vaṭṭa)與業輪轉(kamma-vaṭṭa),第四區則標示果報輪轉(vipāka-vaṭṭa)。
"Kilesa" 是煩惱,能使有情疲憊、染污而受苦;它又如烈火般焚燒有情,摧毀善法。
"Vaṭṭa" 是循環、繞圈運轉或生存的輪轉。因此,煩惱輪轉是指:煩惱在循環中壓迫、折磨有情,使有情疲憊、痛苦。第一區與第三區中的無明、愛、取,以箭頭標示為煩惱輪轉。
業輪轉是行為與業力不斷循環運作。第一區與第三區中的行與業有,以箭頭標示為業輪轉。
果報輪轉是業的結果不斷在循環中出現。圖中以八項表示果報輪轉:識、名色、六處、觸、受、生、生有(upapattibhava),以及老死。有些地方不把生有另列,因此只說七種果報輪轉。
生有是指由業所生起的諸蘊。業有與生有這兩個概念,似乎都與阿毘達磨的分析有關。一位緬甸老師說,生必須以業有為條件。
煩惱輪轉與業輪轉,是生存輪轉的原因;果報輪轉則是生存輪轉的結果。其中最根本的是煩惱輪轉。
七、三個時期
第一區屬於過去世;第二區與第三區屬於現在世;第四區屬於未來世。
八、二十種因果因素
1. 第一區有過去五因:無明、行、愛、取、有。
2. 第二區有現在五果:識、名色、六處、觸、受。
3. 第三區有現在五因:愛、取、有、無明、行。
4. 第四區有未來五果:識、名色、六處、觸、受。
合計便是二十種因果因素。
Study of the 8 points
D,A process is the khandha process. Paticcasamupada, khandhas & saṁsāra are the same thing.
1. Two roots: Ignorance & craving, these are the beginning of the 12 links of the D.A process. It doesn’t mean that it is the first cause. These are also have their cause. These are the roots of saṁsāra (rounds of existence), or the root causes of the khandhas. Written in the middle of the circle like a wheel axle in bold letters as avijjā & tanhā. They are turning the samsāric wheel on & on non-stop.
2. Two truths: It was written in the 1st section bottom layer as samudaya sacca. In the 2nd section as dukkha. sacca. And then in the 3rd & 4th section as samudaya & dukkha. saccas respectively. Combine the same together & become 2 truths; i.e samudaya & dukkha saccas.
3. Four groups of layer: In section ① it’s the layer of the past causes. In sec. ② it’s the layer of the present results. In sec. ③ is the layer of the present causes. In sec. ④ It is the layer of future results. All these are only in different periods of time. With combination become 2 layers of the causes & 2 layers of the results. Sec. ③ also can be written as the layer of the future causes.
4. Twelve factors:
Section ① includes avijjā & sȧnkhāra – (ignorance & volitional formation).
Section ② includes viññānaṁ, nāma – rūpaṁ, salayatanaṁ, phassa, & vedana (consciousness, mind-matter, 6 sense -bases, contact, feeling)
Section ③ includes tanhā, upādānaṁ & kammabhava (craving, clinging, existence)
Section ④ includes jati, jara, marana (birth, ageing, death)
There is an arrow from the top of the circle running through to the bottom & separated the circle into 2 halves. On the right hand side half are the 7 factors of avijjā, saṅkhāra, viññānaṁ....... vedana. These are leading by the past root of avijjā. On the left hand side half are the 5 factors of tanhā, upādānaṁ, kammabhava, jati, jara-marana.
These are leading by the present root of tanhā. Leading by the past root of avijjā are 7 factors & leading by the present root of tanhā are 5 factors. And totally all are 12 factors. These 12 factors with its meanings will be discussed later.
5. The 3 connections:
① The first connection; sec. ① saṅkhāra with sec. ② viññānaṁ.
② The 2nd connection; sec. ② vedana with sec. ③ tanhā.
③ The 3rd connection; sec. ③ kammabhava with sec. ④ jati.
As the causes & effects connections;
① The past 5 causes connect with the present 5 results. (i.e, avijjā ….. bhava viññānaṁ … vedana)
② The present 5 results connect with the present 5 causes. (i.e, viññānaṁ…. vedana tanhā…. saṅkhāra)
③ The present 5 causes connect with the future results. (i.e, tanhā… saṅkhāra viññānaṁ…. vedana)
As layers connections;
(1) The past cause layer connects with the present result layer.
(2) The present result layer connects with the present cause layer.
(3) The present cause layer connects with the future result layer.
As truth connections;
(1) Samudaya sacca & dukkha sacca connection (i.e, sec ① to sec ②)
(2) Dukkha sacca to samudaya sacca connection (i.e, sec ② to sec. ③)
(3) Samudaya sacca to dukkha sacca connection (i.e, sec ③ to sec. ④)
6. Three rounds of existence (3 vattas):
The 3 rounds show the cyclic pattern of existence in Saṁsāra. Written at sec. ① are kilesa vatta & kamma vatta. At sec ④ is vipaka vatta. Kilesa means it makes beings become tired, defiled & suffered. Also it is burning beings like fire & destroying wholesome dhammas.
Vatta means round of event, moving round in a circle or round of existence. Therefore kilesa vatta means oppressive dhamma which afflict or torment beings with tiredness & suffering in a circle. In see ① & sec ③ kilesa vattas are indicating by arrow as avijjā, tanhā & upādānaṁ.
Kamma vatta means actions are going on in a cycle. In sec ① & sec ③ the 2 kamma vattas are indicating by arrow as saṅkhāra & kamma bhava.
Vipaka vatta means results are going on in a circle. In sec ④ the 8 vipaka vattas are indicating by arrow as viññānaṁ … vedana, jati, upapāttibhava, jara–marana. In some places not including upapāttibhava & mentioned 7 vipaka vattas only. Upapāttibhava means khandhas arise or cause by kamma. It seemed to be kammabhava and upapāttibhava both related to the Abhidhamma. A Burmese teacher said that jati must take kammabhava.
Kilesa vatta & kamma vatta are the causes for round of existence. And vipaka – is the result of the round of existence. The most fundamental round is the round of defilements (kilesa vatta).
7. Three periods of time:
Section ① is past life. Section ② & ③ are present life. And section ④ is the future life.
8. Twenty factors of causes & effects:
① Sec. ① has the 5 past causes. These are avijjā, saṅkhāra, tanhā, upādāna & bhava.
② Sec. ② has the 5 present results. These are viññānaṁ…. vedana.
③ Sec. ③ has the 5 present causes. These are tanhā, upādāna, bhava, avijjā, saṅkhāra
④ Sec. ④ has the 5 future results. These are viññāaṁ_ _ _ _ vedana. Therefore all together are 20 factors of causes & effects.