華嚴經探玄記 14.34

14.34

Third, "this bodhisattva knows karma..." and so forth clarifies the dense forest of karmic practices, also first specifically and then concluding. Within the specific treatment there are ten lines: First, "wholesome," and so forth, clarifies that karma can serve as the cause for the six destinies. That is, within the wholesome, superior is the cause for heavens, middling is the cause for humans, and inferior is for asuras; within the unwholesome, the three grades are causes for the three evil destinies. The indeterminate is not a cause, but is mentioned in contrast. Moreover, it can also bear the meaning of nominal karma. Second, "differentiating," and so forth, is the distinction of intrinsic nature. Volition (cetanā) is its intrinsic nature, yet it has three kinds, hence called distinctions: deliberative volition and decisive volition—these two are in the mental ground, and when they have not yet reached body and speech are called the time of planning, and not having been enacted cannot be differentiated; moving volition is when it is directly in body and speech, called the time of creating karma, and when wholesome or unwholesome karma is completed it can be differentiated. Third, "mental companions," and so forth, is the distinction of expedients. That is, this karmic volition arises together with the mental consciousness, each acting as a mental companion; according to whether it is wholesome or unwholesome, once arisen it perfuses the fundamental consciousness to form seeds. The seeds resemble that which perfuses, hence it says "it does not produce a separate fruit." This explains non-separation. Fourth, "spontaneous," and so forth, is the distinction of the accumulation and exhaustion of fruits. That is, karma from beginningless time spontaneously perishes and is destroyed moment by moment, yet its accumulated fruit is not lost. Stating "conditioned creation of karma" explains spontaneous perishing, because being conditioned it must be impermanent. "Cause exhausting yet accumulating" reveals that its efficacy does not vanish, explaining the sequence of fruit accumulation. This moment-by-moment perishing is fully capable of leading to fruit; perishing through the practice of the path also partially leads to fruit, as in transforming heavy [retribution] into light, and so forth. Such [modes] are not single, hence called "the sequence of various characteristics." Fifth, "having retribution," and so forth, is the distinction between fruits already received and not yet received. That is, past karma to be retributed in the next life that has already been received in the present is called "having retribution." Past karma to be retributed in subsequent lives that has not yet been received in the present is called "without retribution"—this does not mean entirely lacking. Sixth, "black-black," and so forth, is the distinction of contrasts: that is, contrasting four karmas to reveal their distinctions. The first two lines contrast wholesome and unwholesome, and the latter two lines contrast outflow and outflowless. Thus the Abhidharmakośa, fascicle 17, says: "All unwholesome karma is exclusively called black, due to its defiled nature. Its maturation is also black, because it is disagreeable. Wholesome [karma] of the form realm is exclusively called white, because it is unmixed with evil. Because the formless realm does not possess the two retributions of intermediate existence and birth existence, and also lacks the three karmas of body, [speech, and mind], it is not mentioned here. Wholesome karma of the desire realm is called black-and-white, because it is mixed with evil. Its maturation is also black-and-white, because it is mixed with unappealing black. All outflowless karma is called neither black nor white." It is as fully explained there. Stating "the characteristics of karma that can exhaust [karma]" refers to outflowless karma. "Karma arising" means arising relying on conditions. "The dharma of receiving karma" refers to being able to take in fruit, which the Śāstra Sūtra calls "correctly receiving." Seventh, "immeasurable," and so forth, is the distinction of causes and conditions. That is, following many causes and conditions, all can give rise to karma. Eighth, "worldly," and so forth, is the distinction of not accumulated and already accumulated. That is, supramundane is not yet accumulated, and worldly karma has already been accumulated. Ninth, "present retribution," and so forth, clarifies the determinacy and indeterminacy of the three times. Creating in the present and receiving in the present is called "present retribution"; receiving in the immediately next life is called "birth retribution"; receiving in the second life and thereafter is called "subsequent retribution"; among these three there are determinacy and indeterminacy. Tenth, "according to the various vehicles," and so forth: among the three kinds of vehicles there are determinacy and indeterminacy, meaning falling back and non-retrogression; in the non-vehicle world, being easy to save or difficult to save constitutes determinacy and indeterminacy. It can be understood that in the Śāstra Sūtra there are determinate and indeterminate karmas for both the vehicles and the non-vehicle. The conclusion below regarding the eighty-four thousand, and so forth, can be understood.