..續本文上一頁ity stems from the state of being confused; this is how “ignorance is the condition for activity.” When confused activity exists, confused consciousness arises, which starts to make confused distinctions. This consciousness is also referred to as “the intermediate skandha body” (i.e., the intermediate existence between death and reincarnation.) When a man and woman engages in sexual intercourse, if an intermediate skandha body has causes for familial ties with that couple, it would seek rebirth as their child. The affinity between this consciousness and the couple is so strong that even if it were a thousand or ten thousand miles away and even if only the tiniest point of light were emitted by the couple during their intercourse, it would see the light and go to the couple to become a fetus in the mother”s womb. Therefore, it is said that “activity is the condition for consciousness.” “識緣名色”，識投胎了，這就有了“名色”。“名”，就是受、想、行、識四蘊；“色”，就是色蘊。受、想、行、識這四蘊，在母腹裏頭只有這麼個名稱，還沒有真實的成就。等到出生，名色具足，就有六入了；這就是“名色緣六入”。“六入”，就是六根對外境生出見性、聞性、嗅性、嘗性、覺性、知性這六種性，這叫六入。
“Consciousness is the condition for name and form.” In this context the phrase means that when the fetus comes into being, there is “name and form.” “Name” refers to the four skandhas of feeling, cognition, formations, and consciousness, while “form” refers to the form-skandha. Four of the fetus” five skandha (i.e., feeling, cognition, formations and consciousness) exist in the mother”s womb in name only; they have yet come into being. Once the child is born, all five of his skandhas (i.e., his name and form) are complete, so are the child”s six sense-faculties or entrances (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind). This is called “name and form is the condition for the six entrances.” These six perceptual faculties interact with their corresponding sense objects (sight, sounds, smells, tastes, objects of touch, and objects of mind) and give rise to the awareness of seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touch and thoughts. 由這種六入，這個小孩子就有了一種觸覺，所以說“六入緣觸”。有了觸覺，這個小孩子就有一種領受的感覺，這叫“觸緣受”。“受緣愛”，有了領受，就生出一種愛心來。生出愛心，然後就想要求取，求取這種的所愛，所以“愛緣取”。因爲求取，所以就想要占有、想要得著，這叫“取緣有”。“有緣生”，因爲想要得著，所以就又有了來生。“生緣老死”，有了來生，就又有老死。這就是十二因緣的“流轉門”。
Once the six entrances exist, the child becomes aware of contact. Therefore, it is said, “The six entrances are the condition for contact.” After contact occurs, the child starts to have feelings about his or her contact; this is called “contact is the condition for feelings.” Once there is feeling, love arises (e.g., loving pleasant situations and detesting unpleasant situations). Hence, “feeling is the condition for love.” After love arises, the child wishes to seek and grasp what he or she loves. Therefore, “love is the condition for grasping.” Thereupon one wants to possess his or her object of desires, and this grasping leads to becoming (in the desire, form or formless realms.) This is called, “grasping is the condition for becoming.” The next step, “becoming is the condition for birth” means due to grasping , and attaching, there are further births. Finally, “birth is the condition for old age and death.” After birth comes old age and death. The entire process is the revolving cycle of the Twelvefold Conditioned Arising. 如果無明沒有了呢？這行也沒有了。無明滅，則行滅；行滅，則識滅，識也沒有了；識滅，名色也滅了；名色滅 ，六入也滅了；六入滅，觸也滅了；觸滅，受也滅了；受滅，愛也滅了；愛滅，取也滅了；取滅，有也滅了；有滅，生老死都滅了。這是十二因緣的“還滅門”。所以才說“無無明盡本性空”，本性空了，沒有無明了。
What if there were no ignorance
There would be no activity. In other words, when ignorance is extinguished, activity is extinguished. When activity is extinguished, consciousness is extinguished. When consciousness is extinguished, name and form are extinguished. When name and form are extinguished, the six entrances are extinguished. When the six entrances are extinguished, contact is extinguished. When contact is extinguished, f…
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