..续本文上一页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.” “识缘名色”，识投胎了，这就有了“名色”。“名”，就是受、想、行、识四蕴；“色”，就是色蕴。受、想、行、识这四蕴，在母腹里头只有这么个名称，还没有真实的成就。等到出生，名色具足，就有六入了；这就是“名色缘六入”。“六入”，就是六根对外境生出见性、闻性、嗅性、尝性、觉性、知性这六种性，这叫六入。
“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. 由这种六入，这个小孩子就有了一种触觉，所以说“六入缘触”。有了触觉，这个小孩子就有一种领受的感觉，这叫“触缘受”。“受缘爱”，有了领受，就生出一种爱心来。生出爱心，然后就想要求取，求取这种的所爱，所以“爱缘取”。因为求取，所以就想要占有、想要得着，这叫“取缘有”。“有缘生”，因为想要得着，所以就又有了来生。“生缘老死”，有了来生，就又有老死。这就是十二因缘的“流转门”。
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. 如果无明没有了呢？这行也没有了。无明灭，则行灭；行灭，则识灭，识也没有了；识灭，名色也灭了；名色灭 ，六入也灭了；六入灭，触也灭了；触灭，受也灭了；受灭，爱也灭了；爱灭，取也灭了；取灭，有也灭了；有灭，生老死都灭了。这是十二因缘的“还灭门”。所以才说“无无明尽本性空”，本性空了，没有无明了。
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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