釋摩訶衍論 5.4

5.4

The basic text states: Furthermore, in distinguishing the characteristics of arising and ceasing, there are two kinds. What are the two? First is the coarse, because it is concomitant with mind; second is the subtle, because it is non-concomitant with mind. Furthermore, the coarse within the coarse is the realm of ordinary people; the subtle within the coarse and the coarse within the subtle are the realm of bodhisattvas; the subtle within the subtle is the realm of the Buddha. These two kinds of arising and ceasing exist depending on the perfuming of avidyā, namely depending on the cause and depending on the condition. Depending on the cause is through the meaning of non-awakening; depending on the condition is through the meaning of falsely creating sense objects. If the cause ceases, then the condition ceases; because the cause ceases, the non-concomitant mind ceases, and because the condition ceases, the concomitant mind ceases. Question: If the mind ceases, how does it continue? If it continues, how can one speak of ultimate cessation? Answer: What is called cessation is only the cessation of the characteristics of the mind, not the cessation of the essence of the mind. Just as wind moves depending on water: if the wave-water were to cease, then the wind would be cut off and have nothing to depend upon; because water does not cease, the characteristic of wind continues; only because the wind ceases does the characteristic of movement accordingly cease, not that the water ceases. Avidyā is also like this: it moves depending on the essence of the mind; if the essence of the mind were to cease, then sentient beings would be cut off and have nothing to depend upon; because the essence does not cease, the mind is able to continue; only because delusion ceases do the characteristics of the mind accordingly cease, not that the wisdom of the mind ceases.