宗鏡錄 72.41

72.41

Answer: Within the fruit, there are only the two meanings of empty and existent. That is, being produced from another, it lacks substance, which is the meaning of 'empty.' Repaying the cause, this is the meaning of 'existent.' If spoken in terms of mutual cause and fruit: when it serves as the cause for another, it possesses these six meanings; when it acts as the fruit to another, it has only these two meanings. Therefore, the six meanings are only in the cause. 'Waiting on conditions' means waiting on the three conditions, such as the sovereign condition, outside the causal affair. As for the secret meaning of dependent origination, it fully possesses these six meanings. The six meanings, in terms of substance and function, each have four propositions. First, in terms of substance, the four propositions of existence and non-existence: 1. It is existent, which is the meaning of determinate. 2. It is non-existent, which is the meaning of momentary cessation. 3. It is both existent and non-existent, which combines leading to its own fruit and simultaneous existence, being non-dual. 4. It is neither existent nor non-existent, which combines constantly following and turning and waiting on multiple conditions, being non-dual. Second, regarding function, the four propositions: 1. Because of combining constantly following and waiting on multiple conditions without duality, it is not produced from itself. 2. Because of combining momentary cessation and the determinate meaning without duality, it is not produced from another. 3. Because of combining simultaneous existence and leading to its own fruit without duality, it is not produced from both. 4. Because possessing the three propositions combines the six meanings so that the meaning of cause is only then established, it is not produced causelessly. The eight negations of Madhyamaka are based on negative expression, while the six meanings are in terms of affirmative expression. The eight negations relate to negation, so truth naturally appears from sentiment; the six meanings are based on manifestation, so sentiment naturally perishes from truth. There is this reciprocal relation. As for the unfolding and combining of the six meanings: either in terms of substance it is only one, because a cause has no dual substance; or in terms of meaning it is divided into two, namely empty and existent, because of lacking self-nature and dependent origination manifesting before one; or in terms of function it is divided into three: 1. Potent, not waiting on conditions; 2. Potent, waiting on conditions; 3. Impotent, waiting on conditions. The first is entirely potent, the last is entirely impotent, and the middle is both potent and impotent. The fourth proposition, 'impotent, not waiting on conditions,' is not a cause, so it is not discussed. The six meanings are based on the self-substance of dependent origination; the six characteristics are based on the meaning-aspects of dependent origination. Because of the meanings of empty and existent in the six meanings, there is the gate of mutual identity. Because of the meanings of potent and impotent, there is the gate of mutual entry. Because of the meanings of waiting on conditions and not waiting on conditions, there is the gate of same-substance and different-substance. Through these various meaning-aspects, there can be such phenomena as a hair-tip accommodating oceans of lands. If we speak of mutual entry and mutual support, they are all due to potency and impotency. These two meanings cannot occur at the same time: if both were potent without any being impotent, that would commit the fault of multiple fruits, because each would produce separately; if both were impotent without any being potent, that would commit the fault of having no fruit, because neither would produce. A treatise says: 'Because the cause does not produce, conditions produce; because conditions do not produce, the cause produces.' Because the one is potent, it can support the many; because the many are impotent, they enter into the one. Because the many are potent, they can support the one; because the one is impotent, it enters into the many. Therefore, one dust mote is potent and can contain oceans of lands; oceans of lands are impotent and secretly enter into the one.