釋禪波羅蜜次第法門 1.89

1.89

1. Conforming to the characteristics of dharmas: As the Mahāsaṃnipāta Sūtra says: At the time of the kalala, there are already three things: first, life; second, warmth; third, consciousness. Inhalation and exhalation of breath are called life. Not rotting and not decaying is called warmth, which is the fire element sustained by karma, so that the form of earth, water, and so forth does not rot or decay. The mind and mentation within this are called consciousness, which is the mind of momentary awareness. When these three dharmas combine, from birth to growth, they neither increase nor decrease. Foolish persons do not understand; among them, they falsely calculate a self, a person, or a sentient being, perform various karmic actions, give rise to attachment in their minds, and through inverted causes and conditions transmigrate back and forth in the three realms. If one seeks their origin and root, they do not exceed these three dharmas; therefore, taking these three dharmas as the gates is neither too many nor too few.