大般涅槃經集解 68.34

68.34

Sengliang notes: For saṃskṛta dharmas, productive causes are of two kinds: first, generation by karma is called a productive cause; second, proximity is called a productive cause. Illuminating causes are also of two kinds: first, non-production of the fruit is called illuminating; second, remoteness is called illuminating. When saṃskṛta dharmas arise, a cause produces something, which is called a productive cause. And productive causes have the proximate and the remote; the remote is called illuminating. That it is also like this for the supramundane means: the supramundane is asaṃskṛta; asaṃskṛta has no arising cause and produces nothing, so it is called an illuminating cause. It has proximate and remote; the proximate is called a productive cause. The productive cause means that when defilements do not arise, that is nirvāṇa. When body, speech, and mind are pure, they all cut off defilements; the three liberations are proximate, so they are called productive causes. As for also serving as an illuminating cause for nirvāṇa: the thirty-seven factors also have proximate and remote; the remote is called an illuminating cause, clearly seeing nirvāṇa. Stating that there is no productive cause answers the question above. Seeing that nirvāṇa is a fruit, because it lacks a productive cause, it can be called permanent. Baoliang says: This clarifies that nirvāṇa is the fruit of an illuminating cause, not produced by a productive cause. Because the three gates of liberation and the like are predominant in bringing about the non-arising of defilements, even if production is posited, production is not a cause [of nirvāṇa].