大般涅槃經集解 71.42

71.42

Sengliang comments: You maintain that [the body and afflictions] exist at one time without cause and effect, whereas within my [teaching of] conditions, they exist at one time and do have cause and effect. As for the passage below concerning the wick and the light, if one says there is no cause merely because one does not see the cause of the body, then you also do not see the cause of a jar, and ought not say that clay is the cause of a jar. Baoliang comments: This is the direct answer. When it says that the body and afflictions exist at one time, these words seem not to pertain to the beginning of sentient beings, but precisely refer to the branch of consciousness within the twelve links of dependent origination. Now, for the physical embodiment of taking rebirth to occur, it is essential that both the moistening of karma and the moistening of rebirth arise in full. If there were only the moistening of karma without the craving that moistens rebirth, it would not constitute retribution. Therefore, although the arising of the branch of consciousness is due to the moistening of karma, if the moistening of rebirth did not arise further, retribution would not continue. At that moment, the body and afflictions can be said to exist at one time. Even though they exist at one time, the body must exist due to afflictions. If one says that because the body does not precede them, one knows it has no cause, one visibly sees that things such as jars are not without cause and conditions.