宗鏡錄 48.27

48.27

Answer: 'Perfuming' (xun) means to instigate, or it is like to bring about. 'Impression' (xi) means to produce, to be close to, or to repeat. That is, it instigates and brings about the fruit within the fundamental consciousness, causing seeds to arise, because it is close to their production and growth. Perfuming has two kinds: first, habitual perfuming, meaning perfuming the citta-substance to accomplish defiled or pure phenomena; second, supportive perfuming, meaning the mutual support between the active citta and its object, or between the afflictions, and so on. The Laṅkāvatārasūtra says: 'Mahāmati, inconceivable perfuming and inconceivable transformation are the causes of the manifesting consciousness. Grasping various sense-objects and the perfuming of beginningless false discrimination are the causes of the discriminating consciousness of phenomena.' Therefore, avidyā can perfume tathatā to accomplish its defiled dharmas, and original enlightenment can perfume avidyā to give rise to its pure functions. These are all instances of perfuming what cannot be perfumed, which is called inconceivable perfuming; and of transforming what cannot be transformed, which is called inconceivable transformation. The Śrīmālādevīsūtra says: 'Being undefiled yet defiled is difficult to understand; being defiled yet undefiled is difficult to understand.' The Xianshi lun says: 'As for the discriminating consciousness, if it produces the power of establishing perfuming impressions, then due to the power of perfuming impressions within the eighth consciousness—just as burning incense perfumes clothing: the substance of the incense is extinguished, but the fragrance remains in the clothing, which is called perfuming the clothing. This fragrance cannot be said to exist, because the substance of the incense is extinguished; nor can it be said not to exist, because the fragrance is present. In the same way, when the six consciousnesses produce good or evil, they leave behind perfuming power within the fundamental consciousness that can obtain future retributions; this is called seeds.'