宗鏡錄 73.25

73.25

答。識論頌云。由諸業習氣。二取習氣俱。前異熟既盡。復生餘異熟。諸業。謂福業罪業不動業。即有漏善不善思業。思業之眷屬。亦立業名。同招引滿異熟果故。此雖纔起無間即滅。無義能招當異熟果。而熏本識。起自功德。即此功能。說為習氣。是業氣分熏習所。成。簡曾現業。故名習氣。如是習氣。展轉相續。至成熟時。招異熟果。此顯當果勝增上緣。相見。名色。心及心所。本末。彼取。皆二取攝。彼所熏發。親能生彼本識上功能。名二取習氣。此顯來世異熟果心。及彼相應諸因緣種。謂俱業種二取種俱。是疎親緣互相助義。業招生顯。故頌先說。前異熟者。謂前前生業異熟。果餘異熟者。謂後後生業異熟果。雖二取種受果無窮。而業習氣受果有盡。由異熟果。性別難。招等流增上。性同易感。由感餘生業等種熟。前異熟果受用盡時。後別能生餘異熟果。由斯生死輪轉無窮。何假外緣方得相續。此頌意說。由業二取。生死輪迴。皆不離識。心心所法。為彼性故。釋云。此雖纔起無間即滅。無義能招當異熟果者。雖現用無有過去體。能招當來真異熟果。而現行之業當造之時。熏於本識起自業之功能。功能。即習氣。習氣展轉相續。至成熟時。招異熟果。相見名色心及心所本末。彼取。皆二。取攝者。一者相見。謂即取彼實能取。實所取。名二取。二者取名色。色者。色蘊。名者。四蘊。即是執取五蘊為義。前言相中。亦通取無為。以為本質故。今此唯顯取親所緣。不能緣得心外法故。又變無為之影相分。亦名所攝。不離心等故。三者取心及心所。一切五蘊法。不離此二故。四者本末。謂取親果。第八識。是諸異熟之根本故。又總報品。故名本。餘識等異熟別報品。故名末。即取一異熟也。五彼取者。即彼上四取也。此諸取。皆是二取所攝。即是現行之取也。雖二取種受果無窮。而業習氣受果有盡。由異熟果性別難招。等。流增上性同易感者。二取種子受果無窮。攝論說。習氣有盡。所以者何。由異熟果。一者性別。與業性殊。不多相順。二者難招。業雖招得。謂必異世果方熟故。業習氣有盡。如沈麝穢草。有萎歇故。其等流果及增上果。一者性同。體性相順。二者易感。同時生故。此念熏已。即能生果故。二取種。易感果也。何者為等流。何者為增上。增上寬。但等流必增上。等流者。謂種子與現行及自種。為俱生同類因故也。增上處無別體。即等流性故。又是等流果。故性同。是增上果。故易感。又種望現行。是增上。望自類種。是等流。業種望彼現及種。皆異性故。但是異熟。前異熟受用盡時。復不能生餘異熟果。意由感當來餘生業等種子熟故。於今身中前異熟果受用盡時。即是此身臨終之位。彼所熟業。復別能生彼餘果起。即先業盡時。後果種熟時。其異熟果而復得生。所以生死不斷絕也。由此業果無斷。生死相續。輪轉無窮。何假藉心外之緣。方得生死相續。此相續識。無有斷時。若未觸途成觀。諦了自心。皆對境生疑。執有前法。一切生死。盡是疑情。但了唯心。自然無咎。若疑蛇得病。豈有實境居懷。猶懸砂止飢。但是自心想起。如晉書樂廣傳。廣有親客。久闊不復來。廣問其故。答曰。前在座。蒙賜酒。見盃中有蛇。意甚惡之。既飲而疾。于時河南廳署。壁上有角。角邊畫作蛇。廣意盃中蛇。即角影也。復置酒前處。客豁然意解沈痾頓愈。又律中四食章。古師義門手鈔云。思食者。如饑饉之歲。小兒從母求食。啼而不止。母遂懸砂囊誑云。此是飯。兒七日諦視其囊。將為是食。其母七日後。解下視之。其兒見是砂絕望。因此命終。方驗生老病死。皆是自心。地水火風。終無別體。是以眾生耽著生死。二乘厭畏生死。皆不了心外無法。為境所留。取捨雖殊。俱非解脫。何者。眾生為生死。縛二乘被涅槃縛。如楞伽經云。復次大慧。諸聲聞眾。畏生死妄想苦。而求涅槃。不知生死涅槃差別之相。一切皆是妄分。別有。無所有故。妄計未來諸根境滅。以為涅槃。不知證自知境界。轉所依藏識。為大涅槃。彼愚癡人。不知去來現在諸佛。所說自心境界。取心外境。常於生死輪轉不絕。

Answer: The verse in the Vijñaptimātratāsiddhiśāstra states:
'Due to the vāsanās of various karmas,
together with the vāsanās of the twofold grasping,
when the previous ripening is exhausted,
another ripening is born again.'
'Various karmas' refers to meritorious karma, unmeritorious karma, and immovable karma; that is, the volitional karmas (cetanā-karma) of contaminated wholesome and unwholesome states. The associates of volitional karma are also designated as 'karma', because together they attract and complete ripening results. Although karma ceases immediately without interval as soon as it arises, and has no actual entity capable of attracting the future ripening result, it perfumes the fundamental consciousness and generates its own functional capacity; this very capacity is called a vāsanā. It is formed by the perfuming of the karmic energy component; to distinguish it from past actual karma, it is termed 'vāsanā'. Such vāsanās continue successively in an unbroken chain, and when they reach maturity, they attract the ripening result. This shows the superior adhipati-pratyaya (predominant condition) for the future result.
Nimitta and darśana, nāma and rūpa, citta and caitta, root and branches, and grasping them—all are subsumed under the 'twofold grasping'. That which is perfumed and aroused by them, the capacity on the fundamental consciousness that is directly capable of producing them, is called the 'vāsanās of the twofold grasping'. This shows the future ripening-result citta and its associated causal seeds (hetupratyaya-bīja). That they are 'together' means the karmic seeds and the seeds of the twofold grasping exist together, which means the distal and proximal conditions mutually assist one another. Because karma prominently initiates rebirth, it is stated first in the verse.
'The previous ripening' refers to the ripening results of karmas in earlier and earlier lives. 'Another ripening' refers to the ripening results of karmas in later and later lives. Although the seeds of the twofold grasping receive results without end, karmic vāsanās have an end in receiving results. Because a ripening result is different in nature [from its karma], it is difficult to attract; whereas an outflow-concordant result (niṣyanda-phala) and a predominant result (adhipati-phala) are identical in nature, and thus easy to induce. Because the seeds of karma and the like that induce other lives mature, when the enjoyment of the previous ripening result is exhausted, subsequently they can distinctively generate another ripening result. From this, birth-and-death turns endlessly in saṃsāra; why rely on external conditions for continuity to obtain? The meaning of this verse is to state: birth-and-death and saṃsāric transmigration, due to karma and the twofold grasping, are never apart from consciousness, because citta and caittas constitute their nature.

The commentary explains: Regarding 'Although this ceases immediately without interval as soon as it arises, and has no actual entity capable of attracting the future ripening result': Although the present function does not have a past substantial entity that can attract the true ripening result of the future, when present karma is performed, it perfumes the fundamental consciousness to give rise to the functional capacity of its own karma. 'Functional capacity' is precisely the vāsanā. The vāsanās continue successively in an unbroken chain, and upon reaching maturity, attract the ripening result.
Regarding 'Nimitta and darśana, nāma and rūpa, citta and caitta, root and branches, and grasping them—all are subsumed under the twofold grasping': First, nimitta and darśana: grasping what is genuinely the grāhaka (grasping subject) and genuinely the grāhya (grasped object) is termed the twofold grasping. Second, grasping nāma and rūpa: rūpa is the rūpa-skandha; nāma is the other four skandhas; this means holding and grasping the five skandhas. In the previous mention of 'nimitta', it also generally included unconditioned dharmas as the fundamental substance (mūladravya); here, it only shows the grasping of the immediate object-support (pratyakṣālambana), because one cannot perceive dharmas outside the mind. Furthermore, the objective image-aspect (nimittabhāga) transformed from unconditioned dharmas is also subsumed under nāma, because it is not apart from citta and so forth. Third, grasping citta and caitta: all dharmas of the five skandhas are not apart from these two. Fourth, root and branches: grasping the direct result; the eighth consciousness is the root of all ripenings, and because it is the category of general retribution, it is called the 'root'; the ripenings and distinct retributions of the remaining consciousnesses and so forth are called the 'branches'; this refers to grasping a single ripening. Fifth, 'grasping them': grasping the aforementioned four. All these graspings are subsumed under the twofold grasping; that is, they are active graspings.
Regarding 'Although the seeds of the twofold grasping receive results without end, karmic vāsanās have an end in receiving results. Because a ripening result is different in nature and difficult to attract, whereas an outflow-concordant result and a predominant result are identical in nature and easy to induce': The seeds of the twofold grasping receive results without end; the Mahāyānasaṃgraha says that [karmic] vāsanās have an end. Why is this so? Because for a ripening result: first, its nature is different, being distinct in nature from the karma and not largely conforming with it; second, it is difficult to attract, for although karma attracts it, its result necessarily matures only in a different life. Therefore, karmic vāsanās have an end, just as musk and foul herbs wither and dissipate. As for its outflow-concordant result and predominant result: first, they are identical in nature, their intrinsic nature mutually conforming; second, they are easy to induce, because they arise simultaneously; once perfumed in this mind-moment, they can immediately generate the result; therefore, the seeds of the twofold grasping easily induce results. What is outflow-concordant, and what is predominant? 'Predominant' is broader, but what is outflow-concordant is necessarily predominant. 'Outflow-concordant' means that the seed acts as a co-arising and homogeneous cause (sabhāga-hetu) for the present activity and for seeds of its own kind. The predominant sphere has no separate entity, for it is of the very nature of outflow-concordance. Furthermore, because it is an outflow-concordant result, its nature is identical; because it is a predominant result, it is easy to induce. Again, the seed in relation to present activity is predominant; in relation to seeds of its own class, it is outflow-concordant. Karmic seeds in relation to those present activities and seeds are of a different nature in both cases; therefore, they are only ripening. When the enjoyment of the previous ripening is exhausted, it cannot further produce another ripening result. This means: because the seeds of karma and so forth that induce future subsequent lives mature, when the enjoyment of the previous ripening result is exhausted in the present body—which is precisely the moment near death of this body—those matured karmas can again distinctively produce that other result to arise. That is, when the former karma is exhausted, and the seeds of the subsequent result mature, the ripening result is born again. Hence, birth-and-death is never cut off.
Therefore, karmic results have no interruption, and birth-and-death continues in unbroken succession, turning endlessly in saṃsāra. Why rely on conditions outside the mind for birth-and-death to continue? This continuing consciousness has no time of interruption. If one has not formed contemplation in every circumstance and clearly understood one's own citta, one will produce doubt toward objects and grasp that external dharmas exist. All birth-and-death is entirely this doubting state of mind. If one only comprehends mind-only, naturally there will be no fault. It is like falling ill from suspecting a snake—how could there be a real object residing in the mind? It is like hanging sand to stop hunger—it is merely a thought arising in one's own mind. As recorded in the biography of Yue Guang in the Book of Jin: Guang had a close guest who had not visited for a long time. Guang asked him the reason, and he replied, 'Previously while seated, I was favoured with wine, and saw a snake in the cup. I was deeply disgusted by it. After drinking, I fell ill.' At that time, on the wall of the Henan government office, there was a bow, and beside the bow was painted a snake. Guang realized that the snake in the cup was the shadow of the bow. He placed the wine in the previous spot again, and the guest suddenly had his doubt resolved, and his chronic illness was cured at once. Furthermore, in the chapter on the four nutritions in the Vinaya, the manual of the ancient masters' doctrinal gates states: Regarding nutrition by volition, during a famine year, a small child begged his mother for food, weeping without stopping. The mother hung up a bag of sand, deceiving him by saying, 'This is cooked rice.' For seven days the child stared intently at the bag, taking it to be food. After seven days, the mother untied it to show him. When the child saw it was sand, he lost all hope and died on that account. This proves that birth, old age, sickness, and death are all one's own citta; earth, water, fire, and wind ultimately have no separate entity. Therefore, sentient beings are attached to birth-and-death, and the two vehicles revile and fear birth-and-death; neither understands that there are no dharmas outside the mind, and both are detained by objects. Although their grasping and rejecting differ, neither is liberation. Why? Sentient beings are bound by birth-and-death; the two vehicles are bound by nirvāṇa. As the Laṅkāvatārasūtra says: 'Furthermore, Mahāmati, the śrāvakas, fearing the suffering of the false discrimination of birth-and-death, seek nirvāṇa, not knowing that the distinction between birth-and-death and nirvāṇa is entirely the existence of false discrimination; because it is non-existent, they falsely calculate that the future cessation of sense organs and objects is nirvāṇa, not knowing that by realizing the realm of self-realization, they transform the underlying ālayavijñāna into great nirvāṇa. Those foolish persons do not know the realm of self-mind taught by past, future, and present Buddhas; they grasp objects outside the mind, and constantly transmigrate in birth-and-death without cease.'