華嚴經探玄記 4.59

4.59

Within the third [section], on the profound depth of karma and its results, first there is an objection, and then an explanation. Within the objection, there are two parts: first, positing the doctrine to make the direct objection, and then, from "However, within dharmatā..." onward, refuting a defense with a renewed objection. The intention of the objection here is: if there is no self within the four great elements, who performs good and evil, and who can experience the retribution? Here, clinging to the presence of activity, there ought to be an agent; thus, it uses function to interrogate the essence as an objection. Even if the Hīnayāna were to defend, saying: "Although there is no personal self as an agent, yet because there are phenomena of good and evil causes and effects, this can happen," this is still clinging to phenomena. Therefore, the renewed objection says: "However, within dharmatā there is neither good nor evil"; this reveals the emptiness of phenomena. Since within dharmatā there is emptiness without good or evil, if there is no agent, then due to what phenomenon could there be karma and results? Therefore, we know there must be a self. Since the self genuinely exists, where is the principle of non-self? Such is the intention of the objection. Within the former part, there are two: first, one line posits the correct principle, and below, the contradiction is revealed. Within it, there are five pairs in ten lines: The first is postulating an experiencer based on receiving retribution. The second is postulating an agent based on performing karma. The third is based on the distinctions within retribution—internally regarding behavior, externally regarding the physical body: if there is no performer of karma, what is the cause of these distinctions? The fourth is based on the quantity of retribution, as the sūtras say: "One who performs much karma receives much retribution; the same applies to little." Therefore, we know there is a self. The above pertains to retribution in the next birth. The fifth is based on present and later retribution. Below, the objection refuting the defense is understandable; it is also a reversal and renewed interrogation. Within the second part, the reply, why does Ratnacūḍa reply? It means that within phenomenal events, the principle is revealed, acquiring precious and abundant jewels. Within it, there are two parts: first, one verse speaks through doctrine; below, nine verses use analogies. In the former, there are two meanings: first, presenting the principle as a direct reply; second, citing the Buddha's testimony to show that it is not something one can know on one's own. In the first, the first two lines explain that karma and results are not destroyed; the next line explains that there is no agent—that is, in accordance with the various differentiated karmas performed, they perfume the fundamental consciousness (ālaya-vijñāna); the fundamental consciousness, being dependent on other [causes], transforms to resemble the resultant retribution generated by that karma; hence, there are various differences such as abundant retributions. It is merely that the dependent origination of the consciousnesses mutually integrates without intrinsic nature; thus, karma and results can exist. It is truly not that within the four great elements there is a separate human self that can perform karma and experience results; hence it is said, "There is no creator." This means that owing to the principle of non-self-nature, dharmatā lacks good and evil; and owing to non-self-nature, causes and effects are established; thus, there are distinctions of karma and results. Here there are only causes and effects without intrinsic nature; what does this have to do with having a self or person? Hence it is said: "Within the four great elements, there is no self," and so forth. Such true Dharma, with its principle and order determined, is spoken in common by all Buddhas of the three times; hence it is said, "The Buddhas have spoken." The first fascicle of the Laṅkāvatāra says: "I always teach the dharma of emptiness, far removed from annihilation and permanence. Saṃsāra is like a dream, yet that karma is not lost." This is what it refers to. Within the nine analogies below, each has two meanings: namely, karma and results are distinct and vivid, yet nonexistent; thus, they form analogies. The first explains the analogy of other-dependence being free from intrinsic nature: the fundamental consciousness is like a mirror, appearing according to perfuming; karma and results are like reflections; this is the meaning of other-dependence. "Nonexistent within or without" clarifies the meaning of being free from intrinsic nature. This has a threefold fourfold proposition (catuṣkoṭi): First, with regard to the reflection: because it does not appear without an object, it is nonexistent within; because it does not appear without a mirror, it is nonexistent without; by being a single reflection, it is nonexistent in both; by being a reflection, it is not nonexistent in both. For wherever there is the meaning of a reflection, it must appear by relying on both inside and outside. Second, with regard to the object: because the face is south and the reflection north, it is nonexistent within the object; because it appears according to the face, it is nonexistent outside the object; both and neither are understandable. Third, with regard to the mirror: because the mirror's iron is dense and solid, without empty space between, and does not receive objects, the reflection is not internal; whenever one wishes to observe the reflection, one looks facing the mirror, so it is not external; both and neither are inferred accordingly. Being thus nonexistent, the reflection is yet distinct and vivid. Karma is like the reflection, and nature is like the mirror; hence it is said, "It is also like this." The Awakening of Faith says: "Second is the mirror of causal perfuming, meaning that all worldly spheres of cognition appear within it, neither emerging nor entering, neither lost nor destroyed, permanently abiding in the one mind, because all dharmas are of the true reality nature." This is what it refers to. The second explains the analogy of unconsciousness becoming a cause: the fundamental consciousness is like a field, and karma and the like are like seeds. Many kinds of seeds share the same fundamental consciousness, so they have no separate intrinsic essences to know one another. Yet because the function of the consciousness is not lost or destroyed, it can act as a cause. Just as pure, clean earth receiving rain produces grass—for these many grass seeds within that earth, seeking their individual natures is completely impossible, yet they can act as causes. Even if one digs deeply into the ground, the earth obtained will produce grass upon receiving rain; though the grass seeds share the earth for many years, they are not lost; this is also like that. The sūtras say: "Though karma passes through a hundred kalpas, in the end it is never lost or destroyed. When it encounters the assembly of conditions, it must repay that result." Hence it is said, "The nature of karma is also like this." Furthermore, water and earth are distant conditions, while seeds are direct causes; each mutually appropriates existence and nonexistence entirely; therefore, they do not know one another. Within the consciousness, this should be understood accordingly. The third is the analogy of the cause being able to manifest the result: the nature of karma is like a magician, and manifesting results is like illusory forms; though appearing to exist, they do not exist. The fourth is the analogy of the resultant dharma having no thought: due to the harmonious combination of causes and conditions such as the throat, sound is produced; in truth, there is no self-capacity, but from the perfuming of nominal expressions, it arises resembling speech. Like a wooden puppet emitting sound, it has neither of the two thoughts: "I can emit sound" or "A non-self emits sound." Furthermore, the wood is like the storehouse nature (tathāgatagarbha), the craftsman is like delusional karmas, and the wooden puppet is like the resultant characteristics of sentient beings; hence, there is neither self nor non-self. The fifth is the analogy of the causal essence being unmixed: when a bird is in its egg, its vocal characteristics cannot be distinguished; upon leaving the egg, distinct sounds appear according to its kind. The seeds of vocal karma in the fundamental consciousness are uniformly indeterminate in nature, lacking diverse marks; when retribution matures at the place of rebirth, they can produce various sounds. Furthermore, functions producing different results are like the bird leaving the egg; the intrinsic nature of karma being empty and without differentiation is like the bird in the egg. This analogy implies sequence, but with regard to the dharma, they are simultaneous. The sixth is the analogy of the manifest result having no coming: just as parents serve as conditions for taking rebirth, and the consciousness possesses seeds of afflictions and karma as causes; when this consciousness unites with the red and white [fluids], this is called the meeting of causes and conditions, which is named taking rebirth, with no separate entity that comes. Although there is no coming and going, yet as the retribution gradually grows, this does not hinder the sense organs from being distinct. Karma is also like this: volition moving the body and so forth creates karma without any separate place of origin; later, when it matures, it evokes differentiated retributions. The seventh is the analogy of painful retribution having no origin: because evil karma perfumes one's own mind, it causes the mind to transform into various instruments of suffering, which in turn torment oneself. Although those instruments of suffering have no external place of origin, the tormenting events are not destroyed. Karma is also like this: although it lacks intrinsic nature, the evoked retribution is not annihilated; hence it is said, "The nature of karma is also like this." The eighth is the analogy of supreme results having no root: good karma perfumes the mind, and the mind illusorily manifests results, also having no fundamental root. The Hīnayāna says that after a cakravartin passes away, the seven treasures are stored in the Iron Ring Mountains, and later when a sage king appears, the seven treasures reappear before the king. Now this is not so; it is merely transformed and manifested by karma perfuming one's own mind, with no separate substance of treasures causing them to come and go. The nature of karma is also like this. The treatise says: "Good and evil perfume the mind; why speak of them apart from the mind?" The ninth is the analogy of existence and nonexistence sharing the same nature: when defiled karma has not yet attained its result, and prior to the counteractive path, its function is maintained by the fundamental consciousness without annihilation, which is called 'establishment.' When it attains its result and attains the counteractive path, the function of karma is exhausted, which is called 'ruin.' Searching for its establishment, it comes from nowhere; seeking its ruin, it goes nowhere. Both of these do not destroy the worldly while expounding the ultimate truth.