金光明經文句 4.8

4.8

From the verse of seven lines beginning with “Arising through the confluence of various causes and conditions” onward, the object is explained with reference to the causes of origination—that is, the truth of origination. The text has three parts: first, two lines explain the characteristics of the arising of origination; next, three and a half lines explain the mutual devouring of the characteristics of origination; next, one and a half lines explain the object of good and evil in origination. The first three are the practice of wisdom; the last one is the practice of conduct. The first three are the object of correct contemplation; the last one is the object of contemplation that aids the path. The former arises from ignorance; the latter ceases through ignorance. If one merely discusses arising and ceasing, it is not yet different from the Hīnayāna. Ignorance is originally unborn yet arises, unceasing yet ceases; arising and ceasing are not two, yet are two.

Regarding “from various causes and conditions”: both suffering and origination generally derive from causes and conditions. If one wishes to elucidate the meaning of origination, one must explain it as the causes and conditions of origination. The first three lines are the causes and conditions for the arising of nominal designations; the subsequent five lines are the causes and conditions for the arising of real dharmas. The Hīnayāna breaks down the four great elements down to fine particles bordering on empty space; from fine particles there are then coarse particles, and these are used as the causes and conditions for the arising of the provisional and the real. Now it is explained: coarse [particles] can be analyzed away entirely, and fine particles are also exhausted; when coarse and fine are both exhausted, what entity could serve as cause and condition? As for “causes and conditions”: internal delusion of ignorance is the cause, because one does not understand the two kinds of emptiness—of sentient beings and of dharmas; defiled craving directed toward the external is the condition, because one becomes attached wherever one contacts. Ignorance moistens craving, and karma of origination can arise; therefore it says, “arising because of the confluence of various causes and conditions.” Because karma arises, there is a single thought taking rebirth in the womb, incurring the fruit of suffering. This single thought taking rebirth in the womb is due to ignorance and craving: since the mind capable of producing is false, the mind produced is also false; searching into their root and branch, subject and object are entirely empty; therefore it says, “there is no solidity.”

The five lines beginning with “Arising from false imagination” explain the causes and conditions for the arising of real dharmas. Due to not understanding false imagination, with a single thought taking rebirth in the womb, the five aggregates are able to arise.

Regarding “the mechanism of the power of karma”: wholesome and unwholesome karma is the master of the mechanism; the aggregate of form is the apparatus of the mechanism; the aggregates of sensation, perception, and formations move and operate within it, coming and going, advancing and stopping, to entertain themselves. The aggregate of consciousness abides in reliance on the six sense-bases; therefore it is called an “empty village.” Made of the four great elements, it is therefore said to be “established.”

Regarding “increasing or decreasing according to the time, mutually injuring one another”: to discuss increase and decrease vertically, it is like the ten distinct periods in the *Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra*. From the period of the *kalala* it is called increasing; the prime of life is called flourishing; old age is called decreasing. To discuss increase and decrease horizontally: when fire increases, water decreases; when water increases, fire decreases; wind and earth are also like this. Furthermore, with arising and ceasing in thought after thought, arising is increase and ceasing is decrease. Furthermore, because new sense-faculties arise, there is increase; because old sense-faculties perish, there is decrease. Furthermore, a later passage says: “Mutually injuring one another according to the season: wind in spring, fire in summer, earth in autumn, and water in winter increase and decrease (and so forth).” For example, four snakes first placed in a basket is called birth; the four snakes having equal strength is called youth; their becoming mutually strong and weak is called illness; when the snakes become exhausted from fighting and temporarily rest without moving, this is called being in balance, but after resting they fight again; the snakes becoming emaciated is like old age; the snakes expiring is death. Such are increase and decrease. This is the body as fruition, and being like this is due to the karma of origination. The four temperaments: equal temperament is like earth, anger is like fire, desire is like water, and delusion is like wind; these four temperaments are mutually contrary. The *Ruiying [benqi jing]* says: “Greed brings on old age, anger brings on illness, and delusion brings on death.” By analogy, it is said that an equal temperament brings on birth. Karma of origination devours one another, causing the four great elements to increase and decrease (and so forth).

Regarding “dwelling together in one basket”: this explains that the basket is the same, but the natures are different. Snakes have poisonous stings; the four great elements have eighty-four thousand afflictions; their harmfulness is identical. The *Great Sūtra* takes the provisional body as the basket: the body depends on the four great elements as a basket stores snakes; when the basket breaks, the snakes depart; when the body perishes, the great elements disappear, like a bird in a cage (and so forth). Furthermore, the power of karma is used as the basket: karma holds the four great elements; when karma wanes, the great elements scatter, like a bird in a cage seeking an exit on every side. The bird of the mind is also like this: not for a single thought is it tethered to the basket of the body, but constantly races outward. This is to seek death in thought after thought, not the path to secure the body.

Regarding “their natures are each different”: the two that ascend are yang; the two that sink are yin. Why do they conflict? It is because their natures differ. When their natures differ, how can they harmonize to form a body? Regarding “the various directions are also two”: the four great elements correspond to the four directions: wind is east, fire is south, earth is west, water is north. They also correspond to the four seasons: wind is spring, fire is summer, earth is autumn, water is winter. East and south belong to yang and ascend; west and north belong to yin and sink; therefore it says “two ascend and two descend; the various directions are also two.” If discussed in mutual opposition: east ascends, west sinks; south rises, north falls. If discussed in terms of the four intermediate directions: the eastern direction carries two intermediate directions, one intermediate direction is yang and ascends, and one intermediate direction is yin and descends; the remaining three directions are also like this. Or it is said that within a single sense-faculty the four great elements are complete, two ascending and two descending (and so forth).

Regarding “all perish without remainder”: at first seeing dispersion and perishing, one claims that wind and fire go upward, while earth and water go downward; but when one traces upward, one cannot find wind and fire, and examining downward, one does not see earth and water; therefore it says, “all perish without remainder.” The vast divergence between the rising and sinking of the fruit of suffering is due to the complete opposition between good and evil in the karma of origination (and so forth).

Regarding “mind and consciousness have two natures, restless and never stopping”: the *Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa* says: “Mind (*citta*), mentation (*manas*), and consciousness (*vijñāna*) are different names for one single dharma: in relation to mental factors it is called ‘mind’; as that which can generate, it is called ‘mentation’; as that which discriminates, it is called ‘consciousness’.” It also says: “With differences: that which arises first is mind; that which arises next is mentation; that which subsequently discerns is consciousness; by analogy, mind and consciousness cannot be one.” As for “two natures”: mind has differing natures of wholesome and unwholesome; mentation and consciousness also have differing natures of wholesome and unwholesome; therefore it says “two natures.” “Restless”: when the mind first arises, it is also accompanied by mental factors; when mentation and consciousness subsequently arise, they are also accompanied by mental factors; therefore it is called “restless.” Furthermore, when the four great elements disintegrate, wholesome and unwholesome karma struggle to drag [the person], and it is unknown which will be followed; therefore it is called “restless.” Merely while this karma has not yet waned, the mind constantly engages in coarse and subtle mental investigation; how much more so when dragged by karma—how could it not be restless? There is being dragged by maturity and being dragged by strength. Although one performs good in this life, if evil karma from past lives is mature, then once it accords with the time, one immediately receives an evil retribution; this is called being dragged by maturity. As for being dragged by strength: although a person has done evil, at the moment of death the wholesome mind is fierce and abundant, so they immediately ascend following the good. Being dragged by maturity and being dragged by strength make the restlessness even more apparent; it also means falling into various realms of existence according to the deeds done by karma (and so forth).

The two lines beginning with “When the seeds of water, fire, and wind disperse, perish, and disintegrate” explain that when karma wanes, one discards the vessel of suffering. The breath and life-span ending is wind departing; therefore it says “disperse.” Warmth ending is fire departing; therefore it says “perish.” When water is exhausted, the body rots; therefore it says, “impurities large and small overflow to the outside.” The dispersion and perishing of earth is the separation of bones and flesh; therefore it says, “like rotten, decaying wood.” “Impurities large and small”: the torso is large and the four limbs are small; the feet and legs are large and the hands and arms are small; the hand is large and the fingers are small—in this way turning successively into large and small, all foul, impure, and overflowing. This is called aiding the path. If one subdues afflictions through correct contemplation, but the afflictions are not subdued, one should cultivate the [contemplation of] impurity to assist in breaking the mind of desire. The *Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa* says: “The three liberations are the gates to nirvāṇa; the factors of the path are the method for opening the gate; the nine notions of impurity and the like are methods that assist in opening the gate.” Impurity is the initial gate for breaking desire; if one advances to cultivate the [eight] liberations and the great impurity, one’s own body and other bodies, one body and many bodies, one country and many countries, mountains, forests, stones, and walls—all environmental and subjective [aspects] are entirely impure. Even if it is not yet so, if the power of imagination is perfected, a mind of dread arises, which can greatly aid the path and open up correct wisdom. The *Great Sūtra* says: “The contemplation of impurity is both real and unreal: because it can destroy afflictions, it is called real; because it speaks of what is pure as impure, it is unreal.” This contemplation of impurity also possesses both the emptiness of sentient beings and of dharmas. The *Great Sūtra* says: “Carefully contemplate the white bones: which one among the various joints is ‘I’? The flowing light of the eight colors is also without an ‘I’; ‘I’ cannot be found—this is the emptiness of sentient beings. When the person who refines the bones sees no eight colors, and the four great elements have no reality—this is the emptiness of dharmas.” This explains the sentient being and dharmas with reference to aiding the path, which ultimately accomplishes the correct path.