宗鏡錄 71.23

71.23

Answer: The sūtras and treatises jointly establish that there are six causes and ten causes. Now, as for the six causes: First is the efficient cause (kāraṇahetu). Aside from itself, whatever else is able to act—excluding its own substance, all other phenomena that do not obstruct the arising of conditioned phenomena are collectively called efficient causes. The cause consists of all conditioned and unconditioned phenomena; it is the substance. On that substance there is the function of being able to act; being able to act is itself the cause—a karmadhāraya compound (appositional compound). Chi means to maintain, and ye means karmic function. The cause is the substance, and being able to act is the function; subsuming the function into the substance is called a karmadhāraya compound. Second is the co-arising cause (sahabhūhetu). Existing together, they are mutually effects. Mind and that which conforms to and operates along with the mind exist at the same time; the effect is simultaneous with the cause, hence it is called the co-arising cause. Those that are mutually effects are of three kinds: First, the four great elements are mutually co-arising causes and mutually virile effects (puruṣakāraphala). Second, as in the cases of the qualifying characteristic (lakṣaṇa) and the characterized phenomenon (lakṣya): the qualifying characteristic is the cause and the characterized is the effect, while the characterized is the cause and the qualifying characteristic is the effect. Third, in mental factors and the mind: the sovereign mind is the cause and the mental factors are the effect; the mental factors are the cause and the sovereign mind is the effect. Third is the homogeneous cause (sabhāgahetu). That is, the cause resembles the effect, and the effect resembles the cause. For example, among the five defiled aggregates, the matter aggregate can induce the matter aggregate; the matter aggregate induces the remaining four aggregates, and the four aggregates induce the matter aggregate; though mind and matter are different, they are alike in being of a defiled nature. Fourth is the associated cause (saṃprayuktakahetu). It definitely pertains to the mind and mental factors having the same basis—that is, the sovereign mind and mental factors possess five aspects: 1. the same supporting sense-faculty; 2. the same cognitive object; 3. the same time; 4. the same substance; 5. the same mental mode (ākāra). Possessing these five aspects is called 'associated'. As for the cause of association: for instance, when mental factors induce the sovereign mind, the sovereign mind is the associated phenomenon and is the effect, hence superior; the mental factors are the cause, hence inferior—this is a tatpuruṣa compound (determinative compound). Fifth is the omnipresent cause (sarvatragahetu), which is the cause of defilement of the same stage—namely, the eleven omnipresent afflictive forces. Omnipresent is the cause; omnipresent refers to the eleven omnipresent afflictive forces; on the substance there is the function of being the cause for the omnipresent five categories—a karmadhāraya compound. Sixth is the maturation cause (vipākahetu). Tainted wholesome and unwholesome karma are the maturation cause. The cause applies to both wholesome and unwholesome, while the effect is exclusively indeterminate (avyākṛta). Maturation is itself the cause; the cause is wholesome and unwholesome karma; on the substance there is the function of maturation—a karmadhāraya compound. As for the ten causes, the Yogācārabhūmiśāstra states: 'Among the five sciences, the speech of the Buddhas is called the inner science (adhyātmavidyā). What is the inner science? The treatise says: It reveals the characteristics of correct cause and effect, stating that there are ten kinds of causes. One should know that the establishment of non-erroneous causes encompasses all causes, whether functioning for defilement, for purity, or for worldly indeterminate phenomena such as the cultivation of various crops. What are the ten causes? 1. The conventional designation cause (anvyavahārahetu): all phenomena have names first, hence there are notions; notions are first, hence there is speech—this is called the conventional designation cause of those phenomena. 2. The relative dependence cause (apekṣāhetu): in dependence on this, and with this as the cause, one seeks or takes up such and such matters—this is called their relative dependence cause. Just as in dependence on the hand, with the hand as the cause, there is the work of grasping and holding; in dependence on the foot, with the foot as the cause, there is the work of coming and going. 3. The leading cause (ākṣepahetu): all seeds viewed in relation to their own subsequent effects are called leading causes. 4. The supporting cause (parigrahahetu): all remaining conditions aside from seeds are called supporting causes. 5. The producing cause (janakahetu): the seeds viewed in relation to their own initial effects are called producing causes. 6. The inducing cause (abhinirvṛttihetu): the initial effect produced by the seeds viewed in relation to the subsequent effect drawn forth by the seeds is called the inducing cause. 7. The distinct determination cause (pratiniyamahetu): the distinct causes and conditions for various different classes are called distinct determination causes. 8. The co-functioning cause (sahakārihetu): from the conventional designation cause through to the distinct determination cause, all such causes collectively encompassed as one are called the co-functioning cause. 9. The contrary cause (virodhahetu): causes that can obstruct the phenomena to be produced are called contrary causes. 10. The non-contrary cause (avirodhahetu): if this obstructing cause is lacking or absent, it is called the non-contrary cause. All these causes are subsumed under two causes: 1. the generative cause (jananahetu); 2. the auxiliary cause (upāyahetu). One should know that herein the leading seeds and the producing seeds are called generative causes; all the remaining causes are called auxiliary causes. One should know that herein, if it is a generative cause, it is called the condition as direct cause (hetupratyaya); if it is an auxiliary cause, it is called the sovereign condition (adhipatipratyaya). As for the immediate condition (samanantarapratyaya) and the objective condition (ālambanapratyaya), they are spoken of solely in relation to all mind and mental factors. Because all those minds and mental factors are supported by the preceding arising that opens the way, and are supported by the cognitive objects, they are only then able to arise and function. Therefore, one should know that the immediate condition and the objective condition are subsumed under the supporting cause.'