止觀輔行傳弘決 7.29

7.29

Next, in explaining the contemplation of impermanence, regarding the phrase “like an ensnared bird,” and so forth: A treatise verse says: “A bird comes and enters a bottle; / A gauze net covers the mouth of the bottle. / The gauze tears and the bird flies away; / The spirit follows its karma and runs.” Explanation: Entering into retribution driven by karma is like the bird entering the bottle. Being bound by karma is like being covered by the gauze net. When the fruit ceases and one follows karma, it is like the gauze tearing and the bird departing; departed, one must pursue karma, hence it is said to “run along with it.” In the present text, the cage is an analogy for the fruit, and the bottle is an analogy for the cause. As for the expression “the cord of acquisition (prāpti)”: following the Sarvāstivāda school, “acquisition” and “acquisition-of-acquisition” are posited; the later acquisition gradually acquires the earlier acquisition, thereby enabling past karma to reach into the future. Thus in the Sarvāstivāda, karma passes into the past, while acquisition reaches into the future. When the body dies, the acquisitions cease, and the future retribution arises. For example, when a single karma is completed, a great acquisition acquires the karmic dharma, and a small acquisition in turn acquires that great acquisition. In the second instant (kṣaṇa), three great acquisitions acquire the previous two acquisitions and the karmic dharma, because the acquisitions of the first thought-moment both become dharmas. Furthermore, three small acquisitions acquire the previous three great acquisitions; together with the first instant, nine dharmas are established. In the third instant, there are twenty-seven dharmas. This doctrine of acquisition originates from the Abhidharma doctrine of dharmas. In explaining action (vijñapti) and unmanifest action (avijñapti), a treatise is quoted: “The action of the first thought-moment is completed in the present; in the second thought-moment it is completed in the past. As for unmanifest action, the first thought-moment is completed in the present, and the second thought-moment is completed in two time periods.” What is called “action” has only “concomitant with the dharma” (sahabhū) in the first thought-moment, and only “following upon the dharma” (paścājjāta) in the second thought-moment. “Concomitant with the dharma” refers to the original dharma of the first thought-moment and its great and small acquisitions. “Following upon the dharma” means that from the second thought-moment onward, each preceding thought-moment turns into a dharma, so that subsequent thought-moments are acquired by their great and small acquisitions. As for “unmanifest action”: the first thought-moment likewise has only what is concomitant with the dharma, just as explained for the first thought-moment of action. Coming to the second thought-moment, there is both acquisition concomitant with the dharma and acquisition following upon the dharma. “Following upon the dharma” is also as explained for the second thought-moment of action above. “Concomitant with the dharma” means that an unmanifest dharma and its great and small acquisitions arise simultaneously with the acquisitions following upon the dharma; thus in the second thought-moment there are three great acquisitions and three small acquisitions. Acquiring the initial three dharmas, three dharmas simultaneously arise concomitantly with them; hence in the second thought-moment nine dharmas arise concomitantly, and together with the three of the first thought-moment they make twelve dharmas. Therefore, in the second thought-moment, six acquisitions acquire what is past, which is called “completed in the past.” In addition, two acquisitions acquire the present dharma, which is called “completed in the present.” Hence it is said: “The unmanifest action of the first thought-moment is completed in the present; the unmanifest action of the second thought-moment is completed in two time periods.” Whenever “great and small acquisitions” are mentioned, the great acquisition always acquires the primary dharma, the small acquisition in turn acquires the great acquisition, and the great acquisition conversely acquires the small acquisition; thus great and small acquisitions mutually acquire one another. Hence we know that from the third thought-moment onward, it proceeds successively in this manner, with acquisitions pervading open space. In all good and evil karmas performed, if done with an inferior mind, there is only action and no unmanifest action. If done with an intense mind, there are both action and unmanifest action. Action and unmanifest action each produce acquisitions and acquisitions-of-acquisitions; karma enters the past and acquisitions reach into the future, capable of bringing about future retribution. The acquisitions of action and unmanifest action accompany only the physical form; therefore acquisition is termed an acquisition that is neither form nor mind. Hence the Abhidharmakośa-bhāṣya lists fourteen conditioned dharmas not associated with mind (citta-viprayukta-saṃskāra): acquisition, non-acquisition, generic similarity, the two absorptions including the non-conception absorption, life-faculty, marks of existence, and words, sentences, and phonemes. Thus within a single lifetime, the acquisitions produced from the volition of a single karma are already measureless—how much more so the measureless karmas and acquisitions of measureless lifetimes extending into the future! According to the Sautrāntika school, since acquisition is merely provisional, they only say that mind, body, and speech harmonise to produce karma, which is provisionally designated as seeds extending into future rebirth. Moreover, the term “karma” applies generally to preparatory acts, the fundamental act, and subsequent acts; here the designation “karma” is established in contrast to the fundamental act. In the Mahāyāna, the storehouse consciousness (ālaya-vijñāna) contains and maintains it until future lives. Although there are these differences, wherever retribution is received, one is inevitably enclosed by sperm, ovum, and the four elements. As long as one has not yet attained cessation through deliberation (pratisaṃkhyā-nirodha) and non-acquisition, one is always bound together by the cord of acquisition; because this binding is not severed, after having departed one returns again. When the present aggregates perish, it is called “having departed”; receiving life-existence again is called “returning again.” Only upon reaching the fruit of the Arhat (aśaikṣa) is it called “the cage broken.” When the karma for life-existence is exhausted, it is called “not returning.” When the material nature of the aggregates is not continued, it is called “the empty cage remaining.” Regarding “this destruction,” and so forth: this again rebukes ordinary people. When these five aggregates perish, the aggregates of life-existence are formed; exiting the aggregates and entering the aggregates, the present life, future lives, and so on (and so forth). Regarding “the seal broken, the impression formed,” and so forth: this further illustrates the cage and the bottle, though the text differs slightly. The two analogies of the cage and the bottle illustrate only cause and effect, whereas this analogy of the wax seal additionally incorporates the intermediate existence (antarābhava). Thus the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra, fascicle twenty-seven, says: “Just as when a wax seal stamps clay, the seal and the clay unite; the seal is destroyed and the impression is formed. The impression does not emerge from the clay, nor does it come from anywhere else; it is through the conditions of the seal that this impression is formed.” The sūtra matches the analogy: “When the present aggregates perish, the aggregates of the intermediate existence arise. These present aggregates never turn into the five aggregates of the intermediate existence, nor do they arise spontaneously or come from anywhere else; it is conditioned by the present aggregates that the aggregates of the intermediate existence arise.” Adducing the simile and its application, it says: “Just as when a seal stamps clay, the seal is destroyed and the impression is formed. Although their names are indistinguishable, their periods of time are different. Therefore I say that the five aggregates of the intermediate existence are not visible to the fleshy eye, but are seen by the divine eye.” Explanation: The present aggregates are like the seal; the place where the intermediate existence is born is in principle like the clay. The perishing of the present aggregates is called the seal being destroyed; the arising of the aggregates of intermediate existence is called the impression being formed. Here again, the intermediate existence is taken as the seal, and karma forcing conception is called stamping the clay. The perishing of the intermediate existence aggregates is called the seal being destroyed; the arising of future aggregates is called the impression being formed. As long as karmic seeds are not severed, the impression becomes a seal again, and the seal becomes an impression again; impression and seal generating each other can never be exhausted. The intermediate existence and the birth-existence are both called “aggregates”; when these perish, all are called “the seal being destroyed”; when these are formed, all are called “the impression being formed.” Because the names for arising and perishing are identical, it is said that they are “indistinguishable”; because their places of rebirth are different, it is said that they are “different.” If the impression does not become a seal, it is called the cause perishing. If the seal does not form an impression, and the impression also disintegrates by itself, it is called the fruit perishing. Thus the Dazhidulun says: “Karmas performed by oneself in previous lives / Transform into various forms. / Empty space suffers no harm; / One without karma is likewise so.” “The life-faculty of the Abhidharma is a dharma that is neither form nor mind”: this is also subsumed under the fourteen conditioned dharmas not associated with mind. The citation from the Great Collection Sūtra (Mahāsaṃnipāta) and so on is adduced to prove the nature of the life-faculty. A single lifetime is longevity (āyus); continuous maintenance is life (jīvita). Maintaining a single lifetime continuously without interruption of the breath-winds, inhalation and exhalation are therefore called life and longevity. Regarding “a monk not relying on seven days,” and so forth: the Dazhidulun, fascicle twenty-five, states: “The Buddha explained the meaning of the contemplation of death for the monks. A monk addressed the Buddha: ‘I can skillfully practice the contemplation of death.’ The Buddha said: ‘How do you practice it?’ He replied: ‘I count on no more than seven years.’ Some said they could not rely on seven months; some said seven days, down to six, five, four, three, two, or one day. The Buddha said: ‘This is heedlessness; it cannot be called skillful practice of impermanence.’ A monk said: ‘I do not rely on surviving from morning until mealtime.’ Another said: ‘The duration of a meal.’ The Buddha said: ‘These are all heedlessness.’ One monk said: ‘When breathing out, I do not rely on breathing in.’ The Buddha said: ‘This is diligence and the skillful practice of impermanence.’” “Calamity” (yang) means fault or guilt. The Erya says: “Rotten flesh.” When one encounters calamity, the meaning is like rotten flesh. Without a father, on whom can one depend? Without a mother, on whom can one rely? The inherent dharma-body is like an infant; without the nourishment of the parents of the two kinds of wisdom, one must know that it will certainly die without doubt. How could one rest at ease and produce the notion of permanence? “Ke” means to depart. “Ming” refers to the dark obscurity of the north, which is the shadowy path of the yin direction. Regarding “or diligently extinguishing the fire”: the water of vigor quenches the fire of indolence, just like putting out a fire, which must not be rested from even for a moment. When the fire of indolence is extinguished, it is called “extinguishing the fire.” Even if one does not rest for a moment, it may still deviate from the Way: though bodily vigorous, if one does not awaken to impermanence, it cannot be called vigor of body and mind. The Dazhidulun, fascicle eighteen, says: “When a bodhisattva-mahāsattva practices vigor, he does not neglect the four postures; he would rather lose his bodily life than neglect his practice of the Way. For example, when a fire breaks out, throwing jars of water on it, he cares only about putting out the fire and does not spare the jars. All practices are like the house, indolence is like the fire, the body is like the water jar, the mind is like the water contained, and vigor of body and mind is like throwing the jar together with the water. Therefore, vigor has the mind as its foundation and the body as its aid; hence both primary and auxiliary must be complete. If one throws an empty jar into the fire intending to extinguish it, without knowing that it is water that can extinguish fire, one exhausts oneself in vain, and the fire is never extinguished. Merely bodily vigor is also like this. Furthermore, vigor is also like a wild pheasant that saw a great forest engulfed in fire; fearing that the birds would have no shelter, it used its own strength to fly into the water, soaked its feathers, and came back to extinguish the great fire. The fire was vast and the water small; though exhausted from going back and forth, it did not consider it suffering. At that time, Śakra came and asked it: ‘What are you doing?’ It replied: ‘For the sake of sentient beings, because these forest trees provide vast shade and cool joy, and all my kin, clansmen, and all sentient beings depend on it, how could my bodily strength dare to be indolent?’ He asked: ‘How long will this vigor of yours last?’ It replied: ‘Taking death as the limit.’ Śakra said: ‘Though you speak thus, who will believe you?’ It immediately made a vow: ‘If my words are not false, let the fire be extinguished immediately.’ At that time, the devas of the Śuddhāvāsa knew the bodhisattva’s vow was vast, and immediately extinguished the fire for it. From antiquity to the present, only this forest alone has remained constantly lush and never burned by fire.” Regarding “the proverb says,” and so forth: “yan” means to transmit, and should be written as the character for “proverb” (yan). If written as yan (consoling), it means to offer condolence. All proverbs resemble the words of sages; hence from antiquity they have been taken as genuine records, and the Family Instructions of Master Yan frequently quotes them. “Piteous” is like vigor; “five charms” is like the aspiration for the Way. “Charms” (mei) means handsome appearance. Regarding “mountain, ocean, sky, and marketplace,” and so forth: the Dharmapada, chapter two, says: “There were four brothers who were brahmacārins, each possessing supernatural faculties, who knew that after seven days they would all die at the same time. They discussed among themselves: ‘With the power of our five supernatural faculties, we can overturn heaven and earth and grasp the sun and moon. Can we not avoid death?’ One said: ‘I will enter the great ocean, not reaching the seabed below nor emerging from the water above.’ One said: ‘I will enter the belly of Mount Sumeru and seal the mountain back together.’ One said: ‘I will lightly rise into the open sky.’ One said: ‘I will enter a great marketplace.’ Each said: ‘Hiding in such places, how could the death-demon of impermanence know where I am?’ Having concluded their discussion, they took leave of the king and explained their intention to depart. After seven days had passed, each of their lives ended, like ripe fruit falling. The market supervisor reported to the king: ‘A brahmacārin died suddenly in the marketplace.’ The king said: ‘Four men sought to avoid their retribution; one has already died, so how could the other three escape?’ The king then asked the Buddha. The Buddha told the king: ‘There are four matters from which one cannot be separated: first, once in the intermediate existence, one cannot avoid being born; second, once born, one cannot avoid growing old; third, once old, one cannot avoid falling ill; fourth, once ill, one cannot avoid dying.’” “White colt” refers to the sun. “Crow and rabbit” refers to the moon. Also, secular texts say: “In the moon there is a rabbit, and in the sun there is a crow.” Regarding “like a jackal,” and so forth: this is fully as cited in the fourth fascicle.