缘起支在胎儿发育阶段的作用

The third is the six sense bases. It refers to the early development period of the five sense organs of eye, ear, nose, tongue and body. Though growing gradually, the eyes can yet see and the ears yet hear. The state before the six sense organs can establish contact with the six sense objects is named the six sense bases.

第三支是入支，也可以说处支，在十二缘起支中用“入”字。入是指眼根、耳根、鼻根等五根刚刚开始形成，虽然逐渐在发育成熟，但是眼睛还看不到东西，耳朵还听不到声音……六根尚无法接触到六尘的阶段，这个过程叫做入支。

The fourth is contact (coming together). That is when the five sense organs are fully developed and able to make contact with external objects. Why is it named contact? For example, in this state when all three conditions - the ear, the sound and ear consciousness - are present, the ear can hear the sound outside or within the uterus and can tell the volume of the sound. Contact indicates the ability to distinguish the external world, which is also a rather long process.

第四支是触，就是接触（聚合），是指眼根、耳根、鼻根等五根都已经成熟，不仅是成熟，而且能够接触到外境的阶段。为什么叫做触呢？例如，在这一阶段中，在具备了三种缘——耳根、声音、耳识，并且在这三者结合以后，耳朵就可以听到外面或母胎内的声音，而且能够辨别声音的大小。能够辨别外境的这种能力就叫做触，这也是一个比较长的过程。

The fifth is sensation. It is the pleasant or unpleasant feelings that arise after having made contact. Sensation refers to the state beginning with the ability to distinguish between pain and joy, which serves as the cause, and grows gradually to the point before karma is committed. Although children may also generate karma, it is comparatively less common for them to commit karma in the same way as adults would for their own benefit. This state lasts more than ten years.

第五支是受。在有了接触以后，就有了痛苦、快乐的感受，这些苦乐感受就叫做受支。受是指从能够辨别苦乐感受的因开始，逐渐成长，直到造业之前的这一阶段。小孩子虽然也会造业，但大体而言，像成人那样为了自己的生存而去造业的情形，在孩提时代还是比较少的。这一期间有十几年，这一过程叫做受缘起支。