宗鏡錄 70.5

70.5

The answer states: 'The verse says: / "He spoke of the āyatanas such as form / for sentient beings who can be transformed. / Relying on the prior person's reception of the Dharma, / he spoke of there being apparitional beings." / The Tathāgata, relying on their mind-karma continuing unbroken and uninterupted, therefore said there are apparitional sentient beings. Furthermore, he said: "There is no self, no sentient being, no living soul; only through the combination of causes and conditions are dharmas produced." The Tathāgata spoke of the āyatanas such as form in this way in order to enable the prior person to receive the Dharma, because that prior person did not understand that all dharmas of causes and conditions are empty in substance; it does not mean that external spheres such as forms, smells, and tastes really exist.'