宗鏡錄 70.15

70.15

Answer: There has never been a phenomenon outside the citta that could serve as a condition for the citta. It is merely that what is produced from one's own citta in turn serves as the characteristic for the citta. The Hai [hui jing] yihai says: "In explaining conditioned arising, take for instance when a dust-mote is seen: this dust-mote is manifested by one's own citta. Because it is manifested by one's own citta, it serves as a condition for one's own citta. Because the condition appears before it, the mental phenomena then arise. Therefore it is called a phenomenon of conditioned arising." A sūtra says: "All phenomena arise from conditions; without conditions, they do not arise." It goes on to state that one thereby knows that the substance of the dust-mote is empty and non-existent. Now, realizing that conditions are not conditions, every arising is wondrous; yet the substance of conditioned arising is tranquil, so that what arises constantly does not arise. Comprehending that substance accords with conditions, what does not arise constantly arises. One who sees in this way is said to have real knowledge and vision. What is meant by real knowledge and vision? If one sees conditions without seeing the substance, this is the view of permanence. If one sees the substance without seeing conditions, this is the view of annihilation. Now, seeing the nature from causes and conditions, one does not fall into permanence; through conditioned arising within the true nature, one does not fall into annihilation. This is called real knowledge and vision. The reason for explaining at length the active characteristics of causes and conditions is to reveal the principle by means of phenomena so that the principle is not isolated, and to accomplish phenomena by means of the principle so that phenomena are harmoniously integrated. However, according to the sūtras and treatises, as established in accordance with conventional truth, there are four causes and conditions. Conventionally posited internally and externally, they are not without active characteristics: First, the causal condition (hetupratyaya). The treatise says: "First, the causal condition means that conditioned phenomena directly bring about their own results." Its substance has two kinds: first, seeds; second, actual states. The explanation says: If all kleśa seeds, having been suppressed by preparatory wisdom (prayoga-jñāna), forever lack the function of producing actual states, then although the seeds are phenomena of causal conditions, because they cannot produce actual states they do not receive the name of causal condition. Furthermore, for instance, if one relates mental seeds to material actual states, this is also not called a causal condition. Only when mental seeds produce mental actual states, material seeds produce material actual states, and so forth, are they causal conditions. This is because it applies equally to both categories of seeds, the newly perfumed and the innate. Second, the immediately antecedent condition (samanantarapratyaya). This means the eight actual consciousnesses and their mental factors: the preceding aggregation, without interruption within its own category, equally opens the way and guides the subsequent, causing it definitely to arise. The explanation says: "The eight actual consciousnesses and their mental factors" designates the substance of the condition; it is only the darśana- and svasaṃvittibhāga. This substance of the condition is collectively called actual consciousness, thereby excluding matter, dharmas non-associated with citta, seeds, and the unconditioned, which do not have the nature of this condition. The treatise states that the immediately antecedent condition is taught solely in relation to all cittas and mental factors, because they are sustained by being opened and guided by what arose before. "Opening" has the sense of yielding, meaning yielding its place to that [subsequent one]. "Guiding" has the sense of beckoning and drawing forth, meaning that the preceding one departs, yielding its place, and beckons and draws forth the subsequent phenomenon, causing it to arise. "The preceding aggregation in relation to the subsequent" excludes simultaneous phenomena and the subsequent serving as a condition for the preceding, because these do not open and guide. "Within its own category" shows that it is not another consciousness that serves as the condition. "Without interruption" shows that although the preceding without interruption serves as a condition for the subsequent, it is not that there can be any gap in between; it must be without interruption. "Equally opens the way and guides" shows the meaning of the condition. "Causing it definitely to arise" points to the subsequent result. Even after a long duration, such as after eighty thousand kalpas, the preceding eye-consciousness, in relation to the subsequent, still serves as this condition, because that subsequent result is bound definitely to arise. This excludes the final citta upon entering the nirvāṇa without remainder, because there is no result that is bound definitely to arise, and thus it is not this condition: although it has the sense of opening, it lacks the guiding power.