宗鏡錄 72.5

72.5

Answer: This applies generally to human activity as well as the function of implements. As for human activity, it refers to the technological skill and knowledge of sentient beings that can construct halls and palaces or fashion various utensils and objects. As for implements, it refers to various mundane tools, such as the implements used and enjoyed like adzes, axes, carriages, and boats. One must simply understand that all distal supporting manifest conditions that can accomplish various tasks are this basis of function. Thus, excluding seeds within consciousness, seeds of external phenomena, seeds generating manifest activity, manifest activity perfuming seeds, seeds leading to seeds, and proximal supporting manifest conditions, which are not bases of function. Here, too, the cause of apprehending is established. Ninth, the basis of human effort: within the preceding basis of function, it takes only the effort of the agent, the person. Here, too, the cause of apprehending is established. Tenth, the basis of true views: because all uncontaminated views are not false, they are called true; being that upon which all remaining uncontaminated conditioned and unconditioned dharmas rely, they are called a basis. Here, too, the cause of apprehending is established. As for these preceding six causes of apprehending: apprehending means the mutual implication and assistance of cause and effect. Simply excluding the direct causal condition, taking externally all other distal conditions that assist in producing [the result] is called the cause of apprehending. Thus the Abhidharmasamuccaya states: 'Like the sun, water, and manure with respect to cereal and wheat sprouts: though these are generated from their own seeds, increasing their strength is called the cause of apprehending.' Eleventh, the basis of conformity: all seeds and manifest activities of form, mind, and so forth have [the capacity to] conform to their own nature and to superior dharmas of the same category; hence it is called the basis of conformity. 'Conforming to its own nature' excludes other dharmas from serving as a basis and cause for it—as the seeds of the three natures within the eighth consciousness each look to the manifest activities of the three natures respectively as basis and cause. 'Superior dharmas of the same category' means that, for example, uncontaminated dharmas serve as the causal basis only for superior dharmas of their own uncontaminated conditioned and unconditioned category, not serving as causes for inferior, base, contaminated dharmas. Within contaminated stages there are likewise superior and inferior [dharmas], and their cause and effect are also like this. Here, the cause of inducement is established. 'Inducing' means leading forth; 'arising' means generating; because as a cause it can lead forth and generate the fruit. Twelfth, the basis of specific function: without distinguishing own-nature from other-nature, all dharmas each have causes and effects that correspond to them; this is called specific function. For example, wholesome karma of the five or eight precepts definitely leads to the eighth [consciousness] of humans and devas, not leading to the eighth of the three destinies, because they do not correspond. If ten unwholesome karmas, they definitely lead to the eighth of the three destinies, not leading to the eighth of humans and devas, because the nature of the cause does not correspond. Dharmas of one's own realm serve as causes for one's own realm. In this way, all contaminated dharmas of the three realms each have specific functions as their causes. It is like the one hundred and twenty administrative bureaus in Chang'an: each has its own official duties as cause, corresponding to what it administers. As for pure causes: the seeds of the three vehicles each look to the conditioned and unconditioned fruits of their own respective three vehicles as causes. Here, the cause of distinct determination is established. 'Determined' means that cause and effect correspond to one another; because they are not shared with others, it is called 'distinct'. For example, monastics corresponding to keeping the vegetarian fast and precepts is called 'determined'; because it is not shared with the fourfold occupations of laypeople, it is called 'distinct'. Thus, all dharmas looking to one another each have the cause of distinct determination. Thirteenth, the basis of combination: here the cause of co-operation is established. From the second, the basis of reception, up to the twelfth, the basis of specific function, it universally subsumes the preceding six causes and eleven bases as the essence of this basis of combination. Because the preceding eleven bases each possess combined power with respect to the fruits generated, sustained, accomplished, and attained by themselves, it is called the basis of combination. Thus based on this, the cause of co-operation is established. Because these six causes—from dependency up to distinct determination—together accomplish a single undertaking, the six causes are said to be co-operating. To elucidate by briefly taking one dharma: when the visual consciousness arises, it depends on conditions such as space and light, establishing this as the cause of dependency. Because of the existence of the two types of seeds, new and original, respectively, there are the cause of traction and the cause of origination. Next, taking the equal-and-immediate condition, faculties, objects, and so forth, they are established as the cause of apprehending. Looking to the preceding leading to the succeeding, it is the cause of inducement. Because of nominal seeds, there is the cause of distinct determination. Other dharmas are also like this. Fourteenth, the basis of hindrance, establishing the cause of contradiction: delusion can hinder wisdom, light can hinder darkness, and so forth; that is, light is the cause and darkness is established as the fruit. Based on this, the cause of contradiction is established. Fifteenth, the basis of non-hindrance, establishing the cause of non-contradiction: the Vijñaptimātratāsiddhiśāstra states: 'The fifteenth, the basis of non-hindrance, refers to dharmas that do not hinder in matters of generation, abiding, accomplishment, and attainment.' Based on this, the cause of non-contradiction is established. Briefly, there are three bases: first, the basis as causal condition, which is the co-existent basis and also the seed basis; second, the basis as sovereign condition, which is the sovereign condition; third, the basis as equal-and-immediate condition, which is the opening-and-guiding basis. First, the basis as causal condition: it refers to one's own seeds. All conditioned dharmas depend on this basis, because separated from their own causal condition they definitely do not arise. This basis as causal condition gets its name in relation to the fruit: the cause is precisely the condition; it does not take the sense of mere reason. Because this cause is that upon which the fruit relies, the manifest activity is called the fruit, and the seed capable of producing it is called the causal condition. Furthermore, 'cause' is the cause of the manifest fruit; 'condition' means that this cause has the function of directly generating the manifest fruit, hence it is called condition.