法界圖記叢髓錄 2.13

2.13

The Souxuan says: "The first contemplation, on the sequence of conditional factors, remedies the clinging to the view of a self [and so forth]. The second, on relying upon the one mind, remedies the clinging to the intrinsic nature of external objects [and so forth]. The third, on personal causes, remedies the clinging to heterodox notions of causes and conditions. The fourth, on not abandoning or separating, remedies the notion of causes and effects occurring at different times. The fifth, on the three paths, remedies the clinging to discarding phenomenal events and clinging to principle regarding causes and conditions. The sixth, on the three time periods, remedies the clinging to causelessness. The seventh, on the three sufferings, remedies the clinging to bliss and purity. The eighth, on causes and conditions, remedies [the clinging to] a single cause having the power to produce an effect [and so forth]." The principle of production through causes and conditions requires that the cause have a determinate function and the condition have the capacity to bring forth the effect; only then can phenomena be produced. If there were only the causal power without the condition's capacity to bring forth the effect, the six meanings of the cause would not appear manifest [and so forth]. Furthermore, according to the Hinayana there are six causes and four conditions; if according to the three vehicles, there are ten causes, twenty causes, and so forth; if according to the One Vehicle, causes are distinguished as two in accordance with phenomena, and the causes, conditions, principle, and phenomena are each distinct yet coextensive with the dharmadhātu. Here, the meaning of the six causes can only be exhausted by the One Vehicle; this is spoken according to the distinct teaching. "The ninth contemplation, on the bondage of arising and ceasing through causes and conditions"—these bottom two contemplations only remedy mental delusions; their shared meaning can be known, referring to the clinging that causes and conditions with combined power are able to bring about effects [and so forth]. Previously, in causes and conditions producing effects, the meaning of arising was augmented and the meaning of emptiness was diminished, because phenomena of causes and conditions conform to arising so that delusion is augmented. Here, in the phenomenon of conditioning-bondage, the meaning of emptiness is augmented and the meaning of productive power is diminished, because phenomena of pratītyasamutpāda conform to arising so that non-conceptual wisdom [is brought forth]. Therefore, the sūtra below states: "The phenomena of pratītyasamutpāda are free from existence and non-existence." Although this lacks productive power, because it is established through the meaning of emptiness, it is free from arising by intrinsic nature, for the sūtra says: "Non-abiding is the root." "The tenth contemplation, on exhaustion into non-existence"—what it remedies is restricted to mental delusions, but it can also encompass all latent defilements, because conventional truth comprehensively subsumes them. Clinging that causes and conditions merely have marks conforming to the conventional, so that the meaning of the emptiness of their own substance does not appear manifest, is therefore an obstruction [and so forth]. When phenomena born of conditions do not arise, that is all; but when they arise, both appear simultaneously, just as a thirsty deer sees water in a mirage wherein dryness and wetness are both manifest, or as a mirror image manifests both defilement and purity; this is the correct principle. Question: Is the emptiness that appears here the ultimate truth? Or is it the conventional truth? Furthermore, how does this contemplation method differ from the previous arising through conditions and bondage of arising? Answer: Causes, conditions, and bondage establish only conformity with existence; the present tenth contemplation accords with both emptiness and existence. Moreover, both this emptiness and existence belong to conventional truth. Broadly explaining ultimate and conventional involves many meanings: first, the opposition between substance and marks; second, the opposition between emptiness and existence. When ultimate and conventional are distinguished in this way, their meanings are not singular. If ultimate and conventional are divided by emptiness and existence, then existence is conventional and emptiness is ultimate, which is what is known by realization-wisdom. If they are opposed as substance and marks, both emptiness and existence can be discussed as marks. According to this meaning, conventional truth encompasses both emptiness and existence; this emptiness is the emptiness of its own substance, not the emptiness of phenomenal events. Therefore the treatise states: "The mark of the tathatā of this mind can reveal the substance of the Mahāyāna." Thus we know that although it is tathatā, it receives the name of a conventional mark, not the substance. Here, emptiness and existence together form a single mark; taking conditions conforming to the nature, and principle and phenomena, as the substance of this contemplation, the text above therefore says: "The twelve links of pratītyasamutpāda are the unconditioned." The ten contemplations also have an order of generating one another: in order to know the faults of all delusions, the first is presented. Having recognized delusion, not yet knowing upon what delusive phenomena can arise, the second is presented. Having recognized what they rely upon, not yet knowing what principle there is, the third is presented. Having known the principle of production, not yet knowing relying upon what time, the fourth is presented. Having recognized time, not yet knowing according to what meaning, the fifth is explained. Having known its meaning, [not yet knowing] what is the root and what is the branch, the sixth is presented. Having known root and branch, not yet knowing what faults there are, the seventh is presented. Having known their faults, [not yet knowing] how they are established in relation to phenomenal events, the eighth is presented. Having known they are established, not yet knowing what marks they have, the ninth is presented. Having known the marks, doubting that they contradict principle, the tenth is presented. The ten rounds according to the sūtra are concluded.