Long Agama Sutra, Vol. 10

 

Quotes:

"Ananda! What is meant by ‘Upon the condition of vijnana (consciousness), name and form (nāmarūpa) become’? If the vijnana does not enter the mother’s womb, would there be name and form?”

Ananda replied, "No."

"If the vijnana enters the womb without being born, would there be name and form?"

 Ananda answered, "No!"

"If the vijnana leaves the womb and the fetus decays, would name and form grow?"

 Ananda answered, "No!"

 "Ananda! Would there be name and form without vijnana?"

 Ananda replied, "No!"

"Ananda! On the basis of these conditions, I know that name and form originate from vijnana, that vijnana conditions name and form. This is the principle of what I say."

Long Agama Sutra, Vol. 10

【「阿難！緣識有名色，此為何義？若識不入母胎者，有名色不？」答曰：「無也。」「若識入胎不出者，有名色不？」答曰：「無也。」「若識出胎，嬰孩壞敗，名色得增長不？」答曰：「無也。」「阿難！若無識者，有名色不？」答曰：「無也。」「阿難！我以是緣，知名色由識，緣識有名色，我所說者，義在於此。」】

《長阿含經》卷10

Remarks:

As the quotes state, other than the name (and form) and the seven consciousnesses, there is another vijnana that exists, which the World-Honored One called "that vijnana" in the Agama Sutras to separate (differentiate) it from the seven consciousnesses (self) of sentient beings. The Buddha further pointed out that “that vijnana,” in particular, must enter and dwell in the mother’s womb to give birth to the name and form (nāma-rūpa). Moreover, it must dwell in the womb for a full term until the name and form fully mature and are born.

Furthermore, the practice of observation and contemplation of these Ten Links of Dependent Arising requires the prior elimination of a certain ignorance (avidyā). The existence of name and form is caused by “that vijnana”; they thus rely on the parents as the conditions for them to be born. If practitioners do not extinguish their avidyā and do not believe that there indeed exists an eighth vijnana that can give rise to name and form, even if they have fully contemplated the five aggregates and eighteen elements (impermanency, suffering, voidness, and no-self), or even if they have achieved access concentration (未到地定), it is still impossible for them to eliminate their self-view or three fetters. As such, they cannot attain the first fruition (srotāpanna), let alone the fruition of the solitary realizer (pratyekabuddhahood). Their realization of nirvana will thus become speculation.

The two elements of ignorance (avidyā) and formation cannot give rise to name and form because they cannot exist by themselves. They belong to the dharma of dependent arising. However, they cause name and form to arise in our next life. With ignorance and formation as conditions, the eighth vijnana (reality) enters the embryo and gives rise to name and form. Hence, the endless stream of transmigration takes place within the three realms for sentient beings.

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