華嚴經內章門等雜孔目章 1.16

1.16

According to the Hīnayāna teaching, there are six causes and four conditions. [The four conditions are:] first, the cause condition (hetu-pratyaya); second, the equal and immediately contiguous condition (samanantara-pratyaya), also called the sequential condition; third, the objective condition (ālambana-pratyaya), also called the conditioned condition; fourth, the sovereign condition (adhipati-pratyaya). The six causes are: first, the acting cause (kāraṇa-hetu), also called the made cause; second, the co-existent cause (sahabhū-hetu), also called the shared cause; third, the associated cause (samprayuktaka-hetu); fourth, the homogeneous cause (sabhāga-hetu), also called the intrinsic-capacity cause; fifth, the universal cause (sarvatraga-hetu), also called the pervasive cause; sixth, the ripening cause (vipāka-hetu), also called the retribution cause. In the Hīnayāna, the subsumption of the four conditions among themselves is not identical in meaning with the Triyāna. Why? Because it is not grounded in the principle of condition-as-cause. The five effects produced by the six causes are: the two causes of association and co-existence induce the sovereign effect (adhipati-phala); the homogeneous cause and the universal cause induce the conditioning effect; the acting, homogeneous, associated, and co-existent [causes] induce the effect of emancipation and the virile effect (puruṣakāra-phala), also called the effect of exertion; the ripening cause induces the retribution effect (vipāka-phala). These enumerated terms of the six causes and four conditions extend throughout the Triyāna. According to the initial teaching of the Triyāna, the six causes and four conditions give rise to [phenomena], citing two causes, twenty causes, mutual causality, and so forth. The demarcation of the production of this meaning of causes and conditions is clarified by four propositions: First, the unaccomplished accomplishes the unaccomplished, as a cause causes a cause, and so on. Second, the accomplished accomplishes the accomplished, as an effect affects an effect, and so on. Third, the unaccomplished accomplishes the accomplished, as a cause accomplishes an effect. Fourth, the accomplished accomplishes the unaccomplished, as an effect makes manifest a cause. This is spoken in terms of phenomena. If spoken in terms of principle, there is only the single meaning of pratītyasamutpāda; there are no distinct causes. As for the twenty causes: First, the productive acting cause: this refers to consciousness, in relation to which the harmonious collection [of conditions] acts, because by what is done through this collection, what was originally absent now exists. Second, the sustaining acting cause: this refers to food, in relation to sentient beings already born and not yet born, because through its power they continue unbroken after being born. Third, the supporting acting cause: this refers to the great earth in relation to sentient beings, carrying them so that they do not fall. Fourth, the illuminating acting cause: this refers to a lamp in relation to forms, making clear what was obstructed by darkness. Fifth, the transforming-and-destroying acting cause: this refers to fire in relation to fuel, causing its succession to change. Sixth, the separating acting cause: this refers to a sickle in relation to what is cut, causing connected things to become two parts. Seventh, the transmuting acting cause: this refers to artisanal skill and knowledge in relation to things like gold and silver, altering their shape and parts into different forms. Eighth, the inferential acting cause: this refers to smoke in relation to fire, by which one infers what is not directly visible. Ninth, the manifesting acting cause: this refers to thesis, reason, and example in relation to the proposition to be established, by which correct certainty is obtained. Tenth, the attaining acting cause: this refers to the noble path in relation to nirvāṇa, by which one realizes it. Eleventh, the verbalizing acting cause: this refers to names, notions, and views, because following names one grasps signs, clings to them, and accordingly produces speech. Twelfth, the relative acting cause: this means that relative to this, desire for that arises, as longing for food and drink arises relative to hunger and thirst; hence this is the cause for the arising of desire for that. Thirteenth, the attracting acting cause: this refers to distant conditions, as ignorance in relation to old age and death, because through different stages it successively attracts future existence. Fourteenth, the generating acting cause: this refers to proximate conditions, as ignorance in relation to formations, because without interruption it generates future existence. Fifteenth, the receiving acting cause: this refers to other conditions, as fields, water, and manure in relation to the growth of grain; although it is produced from its own seed, these augment its power. Sixteenth, the inducing acting cause: this refers to concordant conditions, as a minister serving a king makes the king pleased, by virtue of concordant induction. Seventeenth, the differentiating acting cause: this refers to distinct conditions, as conditions of the five destinies in relation to the effects of the five destinies, because distinct self-natures attract distinct effects. Eighteenth, the co-operating acting cause: this refers to harmonious conditions, as unimpaired sense faculties, the appearance of an object, and the correct arising of attention in relation to the consciousness produced, because to accomplish its own function it must depend on other acting factors. Nineteenth, the obstructing acting cause: this refers to hindering conditions, as hailstones in relation to grain, being able to damage it. Twentieth, the non-obstructing acting cause: this refers to the absence of hindrance, as grain facing no hindrance. This is contrary to the preceding. In this differentiation of the acting cause, the reason only the harmonious collection of consciousness and the like is mentioned is to present the essentials for the wise, so that from this single perspective they may infer the rest. As for mutual causality, causes and effects are simultaneously mutual to one another, just like a bundle of reeds, and also like the flame and wick not being at separate times. This text belongs to the Triyāna; only in the Ekayāna is it fully realized. Question: Why do the enumerated terms of cause and effect increase and decrease differently across the Hīnayāna, the Triyāna, the initial teaching, and the final teaching? Answer: The Hīnayāna has few causes and effects; not having comprehended the emptiness of dharmas and not having exhausted the great principle, it does not explain them completely. The initial teaching of the Triyāna partially comprehends the emptiness of dharmas and understands the subtle order of dharmas, explaining them in detail in terms of phenomena. From the mature teaching onward, it fully realizes the emptiness of dharmas and integrates phenomena into principle; therefore, it does not say much, discussing only the four conditions, mutual causality, and the like. Those twenty causes, being distinctions of intrinsic nature within the acting cause, are subsumed within the acting cause; this is not the doctrine of the dull-witted Hīnayāna. In the doctrine of the Triyāna, the cause condition can subsume the sovereign [condition]. Why? Because, by partially comprehending the emptiness of dharmas, principles can merge and accomplish one another; hence it can subsume it. Just as water and earth are sovereign [conditions] for grain, they conversely are direct causes for their own sovereign effects. Direct causes and direct causes do not know each other; the same is true for distant conditions. Why? Because there is nothing to be known. Direct causes and distant causes are not in conflict. Why? Because there are no two characteristics. The meaning of mutual causality is subsumed by the direct cause; moreover, in sum there is only the cause condition—this is said according to the final teaching. According to the Ekayāna teaching, all causes and conditions, principle and phenomena, teaching and meaning, person and dharma, cause and effect, and so forth, are fully present. Moreover, although in sum there are causes and conditions, even 'one is all, all is one.' Rocana Buddha's practice of Samantabhadra as cause accomplishes cause and effect, which differs from the Triyāna and the rest. Question: The essential nature of Samantabhadra's doctrine of cause and effect is not the same as mundane principle and phenomena; how can the fruit of Samantabhadra's understanding and practice be accomplished from the mundane realm of ordinary beings? Answer: Samantabhadra's cause and effect is not achieved from the mundane realm of ordinary beings. Why? If it is not yet accomplished, one does not speak of Samantabhadra; if it is already accomplished, it has been like this from of old; principle, phenomena, time, and affairs are all entirely different. The dharmas of ordinary beings are originally non-existent things, and no thing can accomplish anything. Samantabhadra relative to the ordinary has never existed from of old; there is nothing that can be accomplished. It is only Samantabhadra relative to Samantabhadra of which accomplishment and non-accomplishment are spoken, as can be understood accordingly. The above doctrines subsume the teachings below: the sudden belongs to the meaning of its superior, root teaching; the gradual follows its secondary meaning, extending through the Ekayāna, the Triyāna, and the Hīnayāna. Why? Because what is designated by it, and the final teaching of the Triyāna's quiescent illumination and illuminative quiescence of single-mark true suchness, together with the initial teaching's defilement and purity being identical to emptiness, and the dull-witted Hīnayāna teaching of the truth of suffering whose explained actual dharmas, conditioned and unconditioned tenets, are completely dissimilar, their principles and doctrines are individually distinct. The chapters below should be understood by analogy with this.