The Connection between the First, Second and Tenth Links in Vaibhashika

The Vaibhashika presentation of the twelve links is quite different from their presentation in the other Indian Buddhist tenet systems. The links refer to both the twelve dependently arising stages that occur during the course of rebirth and to the dependently arisen five aggregates on the occasion of each. Vasubandhu defines them in A Treasure Trove of Special Topics of Knowledge (Chos mngon-pa’i mdzod, Skt. Abhidharmakośa) (III.21ab, 23, 24ab) (Gretil ed., Derge Tengyur vol. 140, 7B):

[1] (The link of) anti-knowing (refers to) [Tib. only: the stage when there were] (cognizings of things with) the [Skt. only: ten] disturbing mental factors in a previous (lifetime). [2] (The link of) affecting karmic impulses (refers to when there were) karmic impulses in a previous (lifetime)…. 

[8] (The link of) thirsting (refers to the stage in this lifetime when) there is longing desire for enjoyable sensory objects and sexual intercourse, [9] and (the link of) obtaining is (the stage when there is) running around for the sake of acquiring enjoyable sensory objects. [10] (The stage when) a karmic impulse acts that will bring about further existence as its result is (the link of) further existence. 

(Skt.) pūrvakleśā daśāvidyā saṃskārāḥ pūrvakarmaṇaḥ /… vittiḥ prāk maithunāt tṛṣṇā bhogamaithunarāgiṇaḥ / upādānaṃ tu bhogānāṃ prāptaye paridhāvataḥ // sa bhaviṣyat bhavaphalaṃ kurute karma tat bhavaḥ /

(Tib.) ma rig nyon mongs mngon gnas skabs/ ‘du byed dag ni sngon las kyi/… longs spyod ‘khrig pa chags can gyi/ nye bar len pa longs spyod rnams/ thob par bya ba’i phyir yongs rgyug pa’i// de srid ‘bras bu ‘byung ‘gyur ba’i / las byed de ni srid pa yin/

According to Vaibhashika, the first link, anti-knowing, refers to the ten disturbing mental factors that occurred in a previous lifetime. In that lifetime, they brought on the second link, karmic impulses. The eighth and ninth links, thirsting and obtaining, are the disturbing mental factor of longing desire that occurs at two stages in this lifetime. The two stages of longing desire lead to a karmic impulse that, at the end of this life, will bring on further existence, namely rebirth, the tenth link.

Understanding how the connection is made between the first, second land tenth links and the role of anti-knowing in this requires knowing the Vaibhashika presentation of karmic impulses. 

As in all tenet systems, there are karmic impulses for actions of body, speech and mind. Each of them may only be one of two possible valences, destructive or constructive, but not unspecified.

All tenet systems also accept that the karmic impulses for actions of the mind are the mental factor of an urging (sems-pa, Skt. cetanā) – a cognizing of something that prods the consciousness and the other mental factors congruent with it to initiate, execute and end an action of the mind. When the presentation of karmic impulses is limited to the plane of sensory objects of desire, the focus is on the ten destructive and ten constructive actions of body, speech and mind. The action of the mind is thinking over and deciding to commit an action of the body or speech. In the context of the twelve links, that action of the mind occurs at the time of the first link. The destructive actions of the mind are thinking covetously, thinking with malice, or thinking distortedly with antagonism, and the constructive ones are refraining from these three destructive ones. The actions of the body that they think over are taking the life of others, taking what was not given to us, or engaging in inappropriate sexual behavior. The actions of speech that they think over are lying, speaking divisively, speaking harshly, or chattering meaninglessly. These actions take place at the time of the second link.

When the presentation is expanded to include the planes of ethereal forms and formless beings, the actions of the mind that absorb on one of the four dhyana levels of concentration or four formless absorptions are also included. As in the case of the plane of sensory objects of desire, an action of the mind to think over and decide to engage in such a meditative absorption occurs at the time of the first link and the action of the mind that engages in it occurs at the time of the second link.

Unlike Sautrantika and Chittamatra, however, Vaibhashika and Madhyamaka assert that, although an urging also prods one of the five sense consciousnesses and the other mental factors congruent with it to initiate, execute and end the actions of body and speech at the time of the second link, they are not the karmic impulses in those actions. 

The karmic impulses for actions of the body and speech are dynamic revealing forms (rnam-par rig-byed-kyi gzugs, Skt. vijñaptirūpa). They reveal the valence (destructive or constructive) of the minds that give rise to them. Vaibhashika asserts that, in actions of the body, they are the dynamic shape the body takes as the method implemented for making the action take place that was decided upon by the action of mind. In actions of the speech, they are the sounds of the syllables of the words that are dynamically uttered as the method implemented for making the action take place that was decided upon by the action of the mind. The karmic impulses of the body and speech also include nonrevealing forms (rnam-par rig-byed-kyi ma-yin-pa’i gzugs, Skt. avijñaptirūpa), but they are not relevant to the twelve links.

The karmic impulses that constitute the second link are those of a karmic action of either the body, speech or mind, both destructive and constructive. At the time of the tenth link at the end of this lifetime, one of these karmic impulses will function as a “throwing karmic impulse” (‘phen-byed-kyi las, Skt. ākṣepaṇakarma). It will prod the consciousness, tossing it to the next moment, which will be the start of the next rebirth. The unobscured unspecified components of the aggregates at that first moment of this rebirth are the ripened result (rnam-smin-gyi ‘bras-bu, Skt. vipākaphalam) of this throwing karmic impulse. They include only the internal phenomena of that rebirth – namely, the ones connected with a consciousness. If one were reborn with the body of a fly, for instance, these results would include the type of eye sensors a fly has, the range of feelings of happiness or unhappiness that could be experienced as a fly, and so on. The external phenomena, such as the range and types of sights one could see as a fly, would be the dominating results (bdag-po’i ‘bras-bu, Skt. adhipatiphalam). 

To understand the Vaibhashika explanation of how the connection is made between the occurrences of the karmic impulses at the times of the first, second and tenth links, we need to understand the Vaibhashika presentation of the three times. 

Vaibhashika asserts that nonstatic phenomena exist over time as a continuum of three phases – a not-yet-happening phase, a presently happening phase and a no-longer-happening phase. The presently happening phase lasts just a moment, while the other two phases consist of a continuum of successive moments. Although for ease of expression, we can speak of a not-yet-happening, presently happening and no-longer happening karmic impulse, what we mean by those terms is the not yet happening and so forth of the karmic impulse performing its function of causing an action to take place.

For example, the dynamic shape of our body robbing a bank exists: 

• At the time of the first link, as the not-yet-happening shape our body will take to commit the robbery that we are thinking over and deciding to commit  
• At the time of the second link, as the presently happening dynamic shape our body takes to commit the robbery
• During the rest of the lifetime during which the second link took place, as the no-longer-happening dynamic shape our body took that we can remember. 

The not-yet-happening and no-longer-happening dynamic shapes of our body robbing a bank are not located and taking place anywhere, nevertheless they exist and function as objects that we can think about. 

The not-yet-happening phase of the unobscured unspecified components of the aggregates that will ripen from that karmic impulse for the robbing arises simultaneously with the start of the not yet happening phase of the karmic impulse itself. The presently happening phase of these components occurs at the time of the eleventh link, conception.

Each moment in the three-phased continuum of a nonstatic phenomenon is the outflow (rgyu-mthun-pa-las byung-ba, Skt. naiṣyandikī) of the preceding moment in that continuum. As an outflow of its predecessor in the continuum, each subsequent moment maintains the same identity-nature (bdag-nyid, Skt. ātman), the same emotional valence, and the ability to perform the same function as its predecessor. Thus, each moment in the continuum is the outflow result (rgyu-mthun-gyi ‘bras-bu, Skt. niṣyandaphalam) of the previous moment. Note that the literal translation of the Tibetan term for an outflow result is “a result that corresponds to its cause.” 

• In the context of the twelve links, this mechanism provides the connection between the not-yet-happening karmic impulse at the time of the first link and the presently happening one at the time of the second link. It also provides the continuity between the no longer happening one occurring immediately following the second link and the presently happening one that occurs at the time of the tenth link when it functions as a throwing karmic impulse. 
• In the case of an intermittent nonstatic phenomenon such as anti-knowing, this mechanism provides the connection between one occurrence and the next – for instance, anti-knowing at the times of the first, second and tenth links. 

Simultaneous with the start of the not-yet-happening phase of a nonstatic phenomenon is the arising of an acquiring (thob-pa, Skt. prapti) of it. An acquiring is a noncongruent affecting variable (ldan-min ‘du-byed, Skt. viprayuktasaṃskāra) – a nonstatic variable that is neither a form of physical phenomenon nor a way of knowing something and that affects other nonstatic phenomena so as to bring about a result. It connects something to the mental continuum and shares the same valence as what it connects. 

Like the nonstatic phenomenon it connects, the acquiring of it also exists over three phases. For example, from the time immediately following the second link to the time of the tenth, there is a continuum of not only no-longer-happening karmic impulses, but also a continuum of the no-longer-happening acquirings of them. 

Although, technically, acquisitions are not karmic impulses, they are called in Tibetan “completing karmic impulses” (rdzogs-par byed-pa’i las). The 13th century Kadampa master Chim Jampeyang (mChims ‘Jam-pa’i dbyangs) states in A Commentary to “A Treasure House (of Special Topics of Knowledge)”: A Filigree of Abhidharma (Chos mngon-mdzod-kyi tshig-le’ur byas-pa’i ’grel-pa mngon-pa’i rgyan) (Sera Je Library ed., 380):

Vaibhashikas say, “Tainted constructive acquirings and destructive acquirings are completing karmic impulses.”

dge ba zag bcas kyi thob pa dang mi dge ba’i thob pa de dag ni rdzogs par byed pa’i las yin no/ zhes bya ba ni bye brag tu smra ba yin no//

“Tainted” will be explained below. 

More precisely, acquirings are completing causes (rdzogs-byed-kyi rgyu). They are defined as destructive or tainted constructive phenomena that function as one of the causes giving rise to the circumstances of the rebirth state into which one is reborn or to the condition of the aggregates of that rebirth state. These circumstances may be, for example, rebirth as a dog that is the pet of a kind person, and the conditions may be rebirth with eye sensors that are blind. 

Unlike the other tenet systems, Vaibhashika asserts that a throwing karmic impulse can toss the consciousness into only one rebirth. However, several acquirings, as completing causes, may ripen into the circumstances of that rebirth. This is because countless other karmic impulses besides the throwing one and their acquirings have also arisen through the same mechanism of the twelve links. The acquirings of some of these other karmic impulses as well as the acquiring of the throwing karmic impulse will also function as completing causes. 

Vasubandhu states this in A Treasure House (IV.95ab) (Gretil ed., Derge 14B):

One (throwing karmic impulse) throws one birth. Several (completing karmic impulses) are the ones that complete (it).

(Skt.) ekaṃ janmākṣipatyekam anekaṃ paripūrakam /

(Tib.) gcig gis skye ba gcig ‘phen no/ yongs rdzogs byed pa du ma yin/

Furthermore, even during a thrown lifetime, completing karmic impulses can affect the unobscured unspecified phenomena of a rebirth state – for example, the physical cognitive sensors. Later in life, they can affect the eyes to go blind or the ears to go deaf. Chim Jampeyang explains, A Filigree of Abhidharma (380-381):

Suppose you ask, “Aren’t the (physical) cognitive sensors a result of a throwing (karmic impulse)?” Even though they are, they can enter under the efficacy of completing karmic impulses. If that were not the case, then after a rebirth had been thrown, a (physical) cognitive sensor could not become incomplete.

(Tib.) dbang po drug ‘phen byed kyi ‘bras bu ma yin nam zhe na/ de dag la yang rdzogs byed kyi las kyi nus pa ‘jug ste/ de ltar min na skye ba ‘phangs phan chad ‘ga’ yang dbang po ma tshang par mi ‘gyur ro/ 

Thus, even after a throwing karmic impulse has tossed the consciousness into a next rebirth, the continuums of that no-longer-happening karmic impulse and that no-longer-happening acquiring of it extend further during that lifetime and further lifetimes. Although the throwing karmic impulse will not have further effects, its acquiring may continue to have results from lifetime to lifetime.

We have learned that each moment of the continuum of no-longer-happening karmic impulses and their acquirings and each moment of the continuum of their not-yet-happening results and their acquirings is the outflow result of the previous moment of each in these continuums. But what drives the continuum of outflow moments? It is an urging (sems-pa, Skt. cetanā), one of the ten great mental factors grounded in all cognizing minds.

In every moment, an urging prods the consciousness and the mental factors and noncongruent affecting variables accompanying the consciousness to perform their functions. Among the functions the consciousness performs is serving as the immediately preceding condition (de-ma-thag rkyen, Skt. samanantarapratyaya) for the arising of the next moment in its continuum. If there are karmic impulses and their acquirings accompanying the consciousness, then the urging prodding them is a karmic impulse of the mind.

Not only does this karmic impulse of the mind cause the consciousness to give rise to a next moment of itself as its outflow, but also, in prodding the consciousness, it extends further (rgyas-par ‘gyur, Skt. anuśerate) both itself and the nonstatic phenomena connected to that consciousness. The karmic impulse is able to do this because it is “watered” (brlan-pa, Skt. abhiṣyandita) by a disturbing mental factor such as longing desire, as Yashomitra states in The Clarified Meaning, An Explanatory Commentary on (Vasubandhu’s) “Treasure House of Special Topics of Knowledge” (Chos mngon-pa’i mdzod-kyi ‘grel-bshad don-gsal-ba, Skt. Sphuṭārtha Abhidharmakośa-vyākhyā) (Gretil ed. 13, Derge Tengyur vol. 142, 10A):

“Longing desire and so on extend into those (tainted) phenomena” means that they (these tainted phenomena – specifically, karmic impulses) become fit (to bring about more tainted phenomena). (This is) because tainted phenomena are what have been brought about by karmic impulses watered by longing desire and so on, (as derives) from (Vasubandhu’s) statement (A Treasure House, IV.1a), “The diversity of (the tainted phenomena of) the world has been born from karmic impulses.” 

(Skt.) tathā rāgādayo 'pi teṣu dharmeṣu anuśerate. anuguṇībhavantīty arthaḥ. rāgādy abhiṣyanditakarmanirvartitā hi sāsravā dharmāḥ. karmajaṃ lokavaicitryam iti vacanāt.

(Tib.) 'dod chags la sogs pa yang chos de dag las rgyas par 'gyur zhing mthun par 'gyur ro zhes bya ba'i tha tshig go/ /las las 'jig rten sna tshogs skyes/ /zhes 'byung ba'i phyir zag pa dang bcas pa rnams ni 'dod chags la sogs pas brlan pa'i las kyis bsgrub par bya ba yin no/ 

Because karmic impulses, when watered by longing desire and so on, bring about further instances of tainted phenomena, disturbing mental factors are called “extending mental factors” (phra-rgyas, Skt. anuśaya). Note that the Sanskrit terms for extending mental factors (anuśaya) and their function of extending (anuśerate) are both inflections of the verb anuśī and thus indicate the relation between the two.

A tainted phenomenon (zag-bcas, Skt. sāsrava) is defined as one that an extending mental factor extends into and that it extends further. Karmic impulses, ripened results and the acquirings of both are tainted phenomena. Extending mental factors extend them further either by being congruent with them in the case of the karmic impulse of an urging, or by taking them as its object in the case of the karmic impulse of a revealing form or an acquiring. The disturbing mental factors themselves, such as anti-knowing, are also tainted phenomena; in extending other tainted phenomena, they also extend themselves. 

A disturbing mental factor can only be destructive or obscured unspecified. It does not, however, need to share the same valence as the tainted phenomenon into which it extends. It can also extend into a constructive karmic impulse and its acquiring and extend them both further so long as they are either no longer happening or not yet happening. For example, after refraining from saying something hurtful back to someone who was scolding us, we may feel pride at how good we were or a deluded attitude toward a transitory network identifying ourselves as “That was me, an atman, who is always so good.” 

One further variable needs to be introduced. An arouser (kun-slong, Skt. samutthāna) is something that, literally, causes a karmic impulse to arise. It is usually translated as a “motivation.” For ease of comprehension, let’s translate it here as “motivator.” It has two phases, as a causal motivator (rgyu’i kun-slong, Skt. hetusamutthāna) and as a contemporaneous motivator (dus-kyi kun-slong, Skt. kālasumutthāna). 

Vasubandhu and his Indian commentators use the two terms only in reference to the relationship between a consciousness and a karmic impulse of the body or speech (a revealing form). In an action of the mind, a mind consciousness, as a causal motivator, gives rise to a not-yet-happening revealing form when thinking over and deciding whether to implement it in order to cause the action of body or speech to take place. In an action of the body or speech, a sense consciousness, as a contemporaneous motivator, gives rise to a presently happening revealing form as the method being implemented to cause the action to take place. 

Here, as we shall see in the following passage, the Tibetan author, Sey Ngawang Tashi, adopts this pair of terms and applies them to the anti-knowings that are congruent with these two motivator consciousnesses. Although actions of the mind that think over and decide to commit an action of the body or speech have only a contemporaneous motivator, actions of the mind that are to absorb on one of the dhyana levels of concentration or on one of the formless absorptions can also have a causal phase. During the causal phase, we would think over and decide to engage in the meditation to achieve these levels of deep concentration. 

Sey Ngawang Tashi explains in Analysis of Extremes Concerning (the Twelve Links of) Dependent Arising (rTen-‘bral mtha’-dpyod chen-mo) (Drepung Gomang Library edition, 257, 258):

Concerning the self-motivator anti-knowing mental factor, there are, in fact, two – a causal motivator anti-knowing and a contemporaneous motivator anti-knowing. 

The mental factor of a stupefying mental factor that is both a cause of an affecting karmic impulse of the second link that will be self-motivated to arise (by it) and that is also its motivator (giving rise to it) – like that is the defining characteristic of the anti-knowing that serves as the causal motivator of an affecting karmic impulse of the second link…. 

The mental factor of a stupefying mental factor that is simultaneous with an affecting karmic impulse of the second link that will be self-motivated to arise (by it) and that is also its motivator (giving rise to it) – that is the defining characteristic of the anti-knowing that is the contemporaneous motivator of that karmic impulse. 

(Tib.) rang gi kun nas slong gi ma rig pa la yang rgyu’i kun slong gi ma rig pa dang/ dus kyi kun slong gi ma rig pa gnyis yod/ rang gi kun nas bslang byar gyur pa’i yan lag gnyis pa ‘du byed kyi las kyi rgyu yang yin la/ kun slong yang yin pa’i sems byung rmongs pa yin de/ de lta bu’i yan lag gnyis pa ‘du byed kyi las de’i rgyu’i kun slong du gyur pa’i ma rigs pa’i mtshan nyid//… rang gi kun nas bslang byar gyur pa’i yan lag gnyis pa ‘du byed kyi las de dang dus mnyam yin la las de’i kun slong yang yin pa’i sems byung rmongs pa de/ las de’i dus kyi kun slong gi ma rig pa’i mtshan nyid/ 

The anti-knowing at the time of the first link is the causal motivator for the not-yet-happening karmic impulses and their acquirings, while the anti-knowing at the time of the second link is the contemporaneous motivator for them when they are presently happening. These anti-knowings are “self-motivators” (rang-gi kun-nas slong-ba) since, by their own force, they give rise to a karmic impulse. As we have seen, because the karmic impulses and their acquirings are not-yet-happening at the time of the first link, anti-knowing can cause both destructive and constructive varieties of them to arise. 

An urging, as a karmic impulse of the mind, watered by a disturbing mental factor, extends the continuums of a karmic impulse and its acquiring from moment to moment. It does this from the time of the first link through to the time of the tenth link and beyond. At the time of the tenth link, anti-knowing functions once more as a contemporaneous motivator of the karmic impulse and its acquiring, empowering them to function as throwing and completing karmic impulses respectively. 

With this as a background, we can now look closely at the anti-knowing in the twelve links and the connection between the first, second and tenth links.

Vasubandhu defines the first link not merely as anti-knowing, but as “the stage when there were cognizings of things with the ten disturbing mental factors in a previous lifetime.” Sthiramati, in The Meaning of the Facts: An Annotated Subcommentary to (Vasubandhu’s) “Autocommentary to ‘A Treasure House of Special Topics of Knowledge’” (Chos mngon-pa mdzod-kyi bshad-pa'i rgya-cher ‘grel-pa don-gyi de-kho-na-nyid, Skt. Abhidharmakoṣa-bhāṣyā-ṭīkā-tattvārtha) (Derge Tengyur vol. 209, 360A), explains the reason why all ten disturbing mental factors are included: 

(Vasubandhu) says, “(The link of) the anti-knowing (refers to) the stage when there were cognizings of things with disturbing mental factors in a previous (lifetime).” When he says “previous (lifetime),” it is because in the present (lifetime) they (the ten disturbing mental factors) are condensed as (the ninth and tenth links of) thirsting and obtaining. 

Suppose you ask why all the disturbing mental factors are spoken of with the term “anti-knowing.” It is for the sake of being certain about the essential nature of the cause for the affecting factors (the throwing karmic impulses) that toss (the consciousness into) a next life. 

Because a karmic impulse that has been brought about by a disturbing mental factor comes to possess the ability to toss (the consciousness into) a next life, therefore even though there are karmic impulses (that come about) without disturbing (mental factors, such as constructive ones), they are without (the ability to toss the consciousness into) a next life. 

All (the disturbing mental factors on their own, however,) do not possess (the ability to toss the consciousness into) a next life. In other words, for inaugurating the affecting factors (throwing karmic impulses), all the (other nine) disturbing mental factors on their own – longing desire and so on – do not possess (the ability to perform that) function. Anti-knowing, without a doubt, (has that ability). Therefore, with that term (“anti-knowing mental factor”), (Vasubandhu) is speaking of all the disturbing mental factors. 

(Tib.) ma rig nyon mongs sngon gnas skabs/ zhes bya ba smos so/ sngon zhes bya ba smos pa ni da ltar ba sred pa dang len pas bsdus pa'i phyir ro/ yang ci'i phyir nyon mongs pa thams cad ma rig pa'i sgras brjod ce na, yang srid 'phen pa'i 'du byed rnams kyi rgyu'i ngo bor nges pa'i phyir ro/ gang gi phyir nyon mongs pas rab tu bsgyur ba'i las ni yang srid 'phen pa la nus pa dang ldan par 'gyur te, nyon mongs pa med pa rnams la las yod kyang yang srid med pa'i phyir ro/ thams cad yang srid can ma yin te 'du byed kyi 'jug pa la 'dod chags la sogs pa nyon mongs pa rnams thams cad kho na byed pa can ma yin no/ ma rig pa ni gdon mi za ba ste/ de'i phyir de'i sgras nyon mongs pa thams cad brjod do/

For the throwing karmic impulse to be able to toss the consciousness to the first moment of a next life at the time of the tenth link, further existence, the karmic impulse needs to be watered by a disturbing mental factor. As indicated by the eighth and ninth links of thirsting and obtaining that precede it, it is longing desire that waters it. The other nine disturbing mental factors are condensed, in this context, as longing desire. 

Although anti-knowing accompanies each of the nine other disturbing mental factors, none of these others on its own has the power to water a karmic impulse to the point where it can function as a throwing karmic impulse. Mental factors that occur without anti-knowing congruent with them, such as constructive mental factors, also lack the power. Anti-knowing is the only mental factor that has the power to do that, and thus it is the anti-knowing congruent with longing desire that provides the power to water the throwing karmic impulse, enabling it to toss the consciousness to its next rebirth.  

The second link contains both destructive and constructive karmic impulses of body, speech and mind. The destructive ones have been contemporaneously motivated by destructive mental factors and the constructive ones by constructive mental factors. At the time of the first link, however, when these karmic impulses are not yet happening, the ten disturbing mental factors, which include only destructive and obscured unspecified mental factors, are specified as their causal motivators. The ten are condensed as anti-knowing in the context of the first link to indicate that only anti-knowing has the power to water a throwing karmic impulse in the context of tenth link.   

Vasubandhu explains the relation between the first and second links in Autocommentary to “A Treasure Trove of Special Topics of Knowledge” (Chos mngon-pa’i mdzod-kyi bshad-pa, Skt. Abhidharmakośa-bhāṣyā) (Gretil ed. 139.25-140.03, Derge Tengyur vol. 140, 130B-131A):

Because of (their) cognizing of things with a state of mind that is incognizant (of the fact) that “what has dependently arisen (the aggregates) is merely an affected phenomenon,” the childish, fixated on [Tib. clinging to] cognizing things with the view of an atman and egotistic arrogance, undertake (to commit) [Tib.: initiate] the threefold karmic actions of body and so on for the sake of happiness or for the sake of happiness or of neither unhappiness nor happiness for themselves – in other words, meritorious ones for the sake of happiness and unwavering ones for the sake of happiness and of neither unhappiness nor happiness in future lives, and non-meritorious ones for the sake of happiness in this (present) life. 

(Skt.) bālo hi pratītyasamutpannaṃ saṃskāramātramidamityaprajānan ātmadṛṣṭyasmimānābhiniviṣṭa atmanaḥ sukhārtham[asukha]aduḥkhārthaṃ vā kāyādibhistrividhaṃ karmārabhate āyati sukhārthaṃ puṇyaṃ sukhāduḥkhāsukhārthamānaijjamaihikasukhārthamapuṇyaṃ 

(Tib.) byis pa ni rten cing 'brel bar 'byung ba 'du byed tsam 'di mi shes pas bdag tu lta ba dang, nga'o snyam pa'i nga rgyal la mngon par zhen cing bdag nyid bde ba'i don tam, bde ba yang ma yin sdug bsngal yang ma yin pa'i don du lus la sogs pa dag gis las rnam pa gsum rtsom ste, tshe phyi ma la bde ba'i don du bsod nams bde ba dang, bde ba yang ma yin sdug bsngal ba yang ma yin pa'i don du ni mi g-yo ba, tshe 'di la bde ba'i don du bsod nams ma yin pa rtsom ste

In The Meaning of the Facts: An Annotated Subcommentary to (Vasubandhu’s) “Autocommentary to ‘A Treasure House of Special Topics of Knowledge’” (Chos mngon-pa mdzod-kyi bshad-pa'i rgya-cher ‘grel-pa don-gyi de-kho-na-nyid, Skt. Abhidharmakoṣa-bhāṣyā-ṭīkā-tattvārtha) (Derge Tengyur vol. 209, 378A-B), Sthiramati gives a word-for-word explanation of this passage:

“The childish” are those who do not see the (sixteen aspects of the four noble) truths. As for “merely an affected phenomenon,” the word “merely” is there because it is to indicate, “there is no (atman) as the one that is affecting (the functioning of dependent arising).” By “(their) cognizing of things with a state of mind that is incognizant (of the facts about dependent arising),” it indicates an unmixed anti-knowing. 

As for “fixated on [Tib. clinging to] cognizing things with the view of an atman and egotistic arrogance,” it means “deeply embedded in a cognizing of things with the view of an atman and egotistic arrogance.” By this, it indicates the anti-knowing that is congruent with cognizing things with the view of an atman and the arrogance of (thinking and identifying oneself as an atman) “me.”

“(The childish) initiate the threefold karmic impulses of body” – (this is what anti-knowing) produces. “For themselves” is the one about whom there is the view, thinking “this (self of mine) is an atman” and (is the one that) the egotistic arrogance is about. As for “for the sake of happiness or for the sake of (neither happiness nor) unhappiness” and so on, “(the childish) initiate the threefold karmic impulses of body and so on” – (this refers to) the three types (of karmic impulses) of the body and the three types as well of (body), speech and mind. 

As for, “for the sake of happiness in future lives,” (it means) for the sake of happiness in another life. As for “meritorious,” it is for experiencing (the results) on the plane of sensory objects of desire – in other words, engaging in (acts of) generosity, ethical self-discipline and so on with the wish for happiness in another life as in this (life). This indicates (it is like that) in most cases, but some, who are deceived by distorted views, initiate non-meritorious (actions) for the sake of (experiencing) happiness in the future.

As for, “unwavering (ones) for the sake of happiness and of neither unhappiness nor happiness in future lives,” it is for experiencing (the results) on the planes of ethereal forms and of formless beings – in other words, for the sake of (experiencing) happiness in future lives (on the plane of ethereal forms) up to the realm of the third dhyāna and for the sake of (experiencing) neither happiness nor unhappiness (in the realm or on the plane) above that.

As for what applies to initiating non-meritorious acts for the sake of (experiencing) happiness in this lifetime, (these are), through the gateway of the body, taking a life and so on, and by means of the speech, lying and so on, and by means of the mind, covetous thinking and so on. 

(Tib.) byis pa zhes bya ba ni bden pa ma mthong ba'o, 'du byed tsam zhes bya ba tsam gyi sgra ni 'di na 'du byed pa po yod pa ma yin no zhes bstan par bya ba'i phyir ro, mi shes pa zhes bya bas ni ma 'dres pa'i ma rig pa ston to, bdag tu lta ba dang nga'o snyam pa'i nga rgyal la mngon par zhen cing zhes bya ba ni bdag tu lta ba dang, nga'o snyam pa'i nga rgyal dag la rab tu gnas shing zhes bya ba'i don te, 'dis ni bdag tu lta ba dang nga'o snyam pa'i nga rgyal dang mtshungs par ldan pa'i ma rig pa bstan to, lus la sogs pa dag gis las rnam pa gsum brtsam ste zhes bya ba 'byung ngo, bdag nyid ces bya ba ni gang du 'di bdag go snyam du lta ba dang, gang gis rlom pa de'o, bde ba'i don tam, sdug bsngal gyi don tam, zhes bya ba la sogs pa la, lus la sogs pa'i gsum dag gis zhes bya ste, lus kyi rnam pa gsum dang, ngag dang yid kyi yang rnam pa gsum mo, tshe phyi ma la bde ba'i don du zhes bya ba ni 'jig rten gzhan du bde ba'i don du'o, bsod nams zhes bya ba ni 'dod pa na spyod pa ste, 'di ltar 'jig rten pha rol tu bde ba 'dod pa rnams ni sbyin pa dang tshul khrims la sogs pa rnams la 'jug go, de dag ni phal che ba'i sgo nas bstan pa ste, lta ba log pas bslus pa 'ga' zhig ni phyi ma la bde ba'i don du bsod nams ma yin pa brtsam mo, bde ba dang bde ba yang ma yin sdug bsngal yang ma yin pa'i don du mi g-yo ba zhes bya ba ni, gzugs dang gzugs med pa na spyod pa ste, bsam gtan gsum pa'i bar du tshe phyi ma la bde ba'i don dang, de'i gong du bde ba yang ma yin, sdug bsngal yang ma yin pa'i don du'o, tshe 'di la bde ba'i don du ni bsod nams ma yin pa brtsam ste zhes bya bar sbyar te, lus kyi sgo nas srog gcod pa la sogs pa dang, ngag gis brdzun smra ba la sogs pa dang, yid kyis brnab sems la sogs pa dag go,

In the context of the twelve links, the anti-knowing of things is a cognizing of things that, by its own force, is incognizant of the sixteen aspects of the four noble truths – four for each noble truth. The Sanskrit term for incognizant, aprajāna, is translated into Tibetan as mi-shes-pa, which is also the translation term used for ajñāna, a synonym of avidyā. Ajñāna is a deluminating mental factor that leaves the mind in darkness, incognizant of the sixteen aspects. Because anti-knowing, by its own force, darkens and blinds the mind like this, it does not require the help of another disturbing mental factor to do this. Thus, with respect to being incognizant of the sixteen aspects, an anti-knowing mental factor is unmixed with another disturbing mental factor. As for what specifically an unmixed anti-knowing is incognizant of, it includes the first aspect of the first noble truth – the aggregates are affected by causes and conditions and therefore nonstatic. Thus, “it is incognizant of the fact that what has dependently arisen (the aggregates) is merely an affected phenomenon.”

When such an anti-knowing, incognizant of the actual causal process of the twelve links, is causing the karmic impulses of the second link to arise, it is mixed with a disturbing mental factor. The anti-knowing is “mixed” in the sense of being congruent with the egotistic arrogance (nga'o snyam pa'i nga rgyal, Skt. asmimāna) of thinking “me” or “mine.” 

In a destructive cognition, anti-knowing can be congruent, and thus mixed, with only one destructive mental factor out of the ten disturbing mental factors – in this case, egotistic arrogance. Here, cognizing things with the view of an atman (bdag-tu lta-ba, Skt. ātmadṛṣṭi), which is a type of cognizing with a distorted view (log-lta, Skt. mithyādṛṣṭi), is not an extra member from these ten. Instead, it is a type of bad discriminating (shes-rab ngan-pa, Skt. kuprajñā). As Vasubandhu states in Autocommentary (Gretil ed., Derge 67B):

Because it is said that there are some (deluded) views like these that are a particular type of discriminating awareness, the great factor grounded in all cognizing minds. A destructive (cognizing mind) joined with a (destructive deluded) view is one in which there is either a distorted view, a deluded view of holding a deluded view as supreme, or a deluded view of holding deluded morality or conduct as supreme.

(Skt.) yasmānmahābhūmika eva kaścit prajñāviśeṣo dṛṣṭirityucyate / tatrākuśalaṃ dṛṣṭiyuktaṃ yatra mithyādṛṣṭirvā dṛṣṭiparāmarśo vā śīlavrataparāmarśo vā /

(Tib.) ‘di ltar sa mang po pa kho na’i shes rab khyad par ‘ga’ zhig la lta ba zhes bya’o/ de la mi dge ba lta ba dang ldan pa ni gang la log par lta ba’am/ lta ba mchog tu ‘dzin pa’am/ tshul-khrims-dang brtul-zhugs mchog-tu ‘dzin-pa yod pa’o/      

Since discriminating is one of the ten great mental factors grounded in all cognizing minds, it can be congruent with anti-knowing and egotistic arrogance in a destructive cognition with mixed anti-knowing. Therefore, since cognizing with the view of an atman is a type of the destructive mental factor of cognizing with a distorted view, and since the destructive mental factor of cognizing with a distorted view is a type of distorted discriminating, therefore cognizing with the view of an atman can be congruent with anti-knowing mixed with egotistic arrogance.  

Egotistic arrogance is one of the seven types of the destructive mental factor of arrogance. Vasubandhu defines it in Autocommentary (Gretil 285.02-285.03, Derge 232A):

Egotistic arrogance is [Skt. only: the arrogance of] thinking of the five obtainer aggregates as being the atman or as being the atman’s (possession).

(Skt.) pañcopādānaskandhānātmata ātmīyato vā manyamānasyāsmimānaḥ /

(Tib.) nye bar len pa'i phung po lnga la bdag gam bdag gis sems pa ni nga'o snyam pa'i nga rgyal lo

Obtainer aggregates (nye-bar len-pa’i phung-po, Skt. upadānaskandha) are the aggregates that arise in a next rebirth due to a disturbing mental factor having watered and, thus, having affected the throwing karmic impulse that tossed the consciousness into that rebirth. The disturbing mental factor affected that karmic impulse by initiating a phase transition from it no longer happening to it presently happening once more in the course of the ninth link, an obtaining, giving rise to the tenth link, further existence. A disturbing mental factor also affected a phase transition from it not yet happening to it presently happening in the course of the first link, anti-knowing, giving rise to the second link, affecting mental impulses. 

In the case of the tenth link, the disturbing mental factor was anti-knowing mixed with longing desire; in the case of the first link, it was anti-knowing mixed with egotistic arrogance. In both case, however, the main force that caused the transition to take place was the anti-knowing. The stupefying effect of the anti-knowing prevented the arising of the mental factor of discriminating with a correct view. Instead, the mental factor of a distorted discriminating accompanied the anti-knowing. In the case of the first link, the distorted discriminating was cognizing with the distorted view of a static, partless, independent atman.

As we have seen, at the time of the first link, an urging prods the mind consciousness to think over and decide to commit a constructive or destructive action of the body, speech or mind. At that time, the karmic impulse for the action is in its not-yet-happening phase. Similarly, the unobscured unspecified components of the aggregates that will ripen from that karmic impulse are also in their not-yet-happening phase. The life-form of these not-yet-happening obtainer aggregates that have not yet happened is determined by whether the not yet happening karmic impulse of body or speech is meritorious or non-meritorious or whether the not yet happening karmic impulse of the mind is unwavering. This is determined by the feeling aimed for as the result of committing that action, while distortedly discriminating oneself to be an atman that will experience that feeling as a component of those aggregates and being egotistically arrogant about being such an atman. 

• A meritorious karmic impulse is a constructive karmic impulse of body or speech that aims to bring about, as a result, experiencing happiness in a future lifetime as an atman possessing the aggregates of a human or as god on the plane of sensory objects of desire. 
• An unwavering karmic impulse is a constructive action of the mind (being absorbed in meditative states of one of the dhyanas or formless realm absorptions) that aims to bring about, as a result, experiencing either (1) happiness in a future lifetime as an atman possessing the aggregates of a god in one the first three dhyana realms on the plane of ethereal forms or (2) a numb feeling that is neither happiness nor unhappiness in a future lifetime as an atman possessing the aggregates of a god in the fourth dhyana realm on the plane of ethereal forms or in one of the four realms on the plane of formless beings. 
• A non-meritorious karmic impulse is a destructive action of body or speech that aims to bring about, as a result, happiness in this lifetime as an atman possessing the aggregates of a human, although that is a misinformed, distorted hope.

In short, the Vaibhashika assertion of ignorance is that it is an anti-knowing mental factor. As a stupefying mental factor, it deluminates and obfuscates the mind in the cognition of some object, for instance the body. Like a mental block, it opposes and prevents apprehension of some attribute of it, such as its not being identical with a “me” that is an atman. In other words, it obscures the consciousness and other mental factors with which it is congruent, debilitating the cognition containing them from understanding this attribute of its object correctly and decisively. 

Although anti-knowing is doctrinally based, having learned and accepted the sixteen distorted ways of embracing the sixteen aspects of the four noble truths, it does not, by its own power, discriminate its object with one of these distorted views. It can only be ceased by a correct discriminating of the sixteen aspects and only when that discriinaagingh congruent with a seeing and then an accustoming pathway of mind.