宗鏡錄 74.9

74.9

Answer: The nature of karma is fundamentally empty, yet it coalesces into many varieties. First we discuss the characteristics of black and white karma, and later explain the root causes of initiation and moistening. Now, first, regarding the characteristics of black and white: As the Mahāparinirvāṇasūtra states, the Buddha said: 'Furthermore, good sons, next one should contemplate karma. Why is this? A wise person should make this reflection: Feeling, perception, contact, and desire—which are kleśas—can perform karma that produces, but not karma that is experienced. Kleśas such as these proceed together with karma and thus are of two kinds: first, performing karma that produces; second, performing karma that is experienced. Therefore, the wise should contemplate karma. This karma is of three kinds: body, speech, and mind. Good sons, the two karmas of body and speech are also called karma and also called the fruit of karma. Mind is called only karma, not fruit. Because it is the cause of karma, it is called karma. Good sons, the two karmas of body and speech are called external karma; mental karma is called the cause. Because these three kinds of karma proceed together with kleśas, they perform two kinds of karma: first, productive karma; second, experienced karma. Good sons, principal karma is mental karma; projected karma refers to the karma of body and speech. Because it initiates first, it is called mental karma; being born from mental karma, it is called bodily and verbal karma. Therefore, mental karma gets the name of principal. Having contemplated karma, the wise next contemplate the cause of karma. The cause of karma is contact with avidyā. Because of contact with avidyā, sentient beings seek existence. The condition for seeking existence is craving. Because of the condition of craving, they create the three kinds of karma of body, speech, and mind. Good sons, having thus contemplated the cause of karma, the wise next contemplate fruit and retribution. Retribution is of four kinds: first, black-black fruit and retribution; second, white-white fruit and retribution; third, mixed-mixed fruit and retribution; fourth, neither-black-nor-white fruit and retribution. Black-black retribution means that when doing the karma it is defiled, and its retribution is also defiled. White-white retribution is called undefiled karma.' Bodhisattva Kāśyapa said to the Buddha: 'World-Honoured One, earlier you said that the undefiled has no retribution. Why do you now speak of neither-white-nor-black retribution?' The Buddha said: 'Good son, this meaning has two aspects: first, it is both fruit and retribution; second, it is only fruit and not retribution. Black-black retribution is also called fruit and also called retribution. Because it is born from a black cause, it gets the name of fruit; because it can act as a cause, it is also called retribution. Pure and mixed are also like this. Undefiled fruit is therefore called fruit; since it does not act as another cause, it is not called retribution.' Bodhisattva Kāśyapa said to the Buddha: 'World-Honoured One, this undefiled karma is not a black phenomenon. For what reason is it not called white?' 'Good son, because it has no retribution, it is not called white; because it remedies the black, it is called white. What I now speak of as experiencing retribution is called black or white. Because this undefiled karma experiences no retribution, it is not called white; it is called tranquil.' Therefore, we know that karma must not be committed, and its fruit cannot be escaped. As the verse of a sūtra says: 'Not in the sky, nor in the sea, / Nor entering within mountain rocks; / There is no place on earth / Where escaping, one does not experience karma.' Only unless it is not done will there be no fruit; when the path is attained, karma is annihilated. For instance, the caṇḍāla Qi-xu committed evil karma yet attained rebirth in heaven; Aṅgulimāla committed heinous crimes yet attained the fruit of liberation. From this we know that since receiving a body, there is no one who does not create karma. Even if one does not create it in this life, one has done so in the past. But if one awakens to this source, there is none who is not liberated. Why are they liberated? If one enters the mirror of the source, person and phenomena are naturally empty. If the person is empty, one does not see a person capable of creating karma; if phenomena are empty, one does not see a place where fruit is received. It is only because of falsely grasping at person and phenomena that karma is created, and without leaving citta and its objects that retribution is suffered. But when citta and its objects both perish, right there one is liberated. Therefore, we know that all phenomena, good and evil, have no fixed characteristics; they are turned around by the mind, and gain and loss depend on conditions. As the Mahāparinirvāṇasūtra says, the Buddha said: 'Good sons, if one says that all karma definitely receives retribution, then there could be no cultivation of the brahma-practice, nor liberation and nirvāṇa. You should know that such a person is not my disciple, but an adherent of Māra. If one says that all karma is definite or indefinite—definite meaning retribution in the present life, in the next life, or in subsequent lives; indefinite meaning it is received if conditions converge, and not received if they do not converge—by this meaning, there can be the brahma-practice, liberation, and nirvāṇa. You should know that such a person is truly my disciple, not an adherent of Māra.' Up to: 'For instance, it is like two men traveling together on a perilous road: one has eyes, and one is blind. The man with eyes crosses straight through without harm; the blind man falls, tumbling into a deep and perilous pit.' Therefore, we know that one who obtains the eyes of the mirror of the source will never fall into the peril of the three existences or sink into the pit of the five desires; naturally, they cross straight through without doubt, abiding always in the ground of awakening. Next, to explain the root causes of initiation and moistening: discriminating kleśas directly initiate karma, while innate avidyā aids in initiating karma. 'Initiate' has the sense of operation. 'Karma' has the sense of inviting [retribution]. The innate can moisten rebirth; discrimination can create karma. The fault of inviting rebirth is heavy; the innate ability to moisten rebirth has a lighter fault. If discrimination initiates human and heavenly karma, then the innate aids in initiating it, because human and heavenly karma is difficult to initiate and must rely on the aid of the innate; if discrimination initiates karma of the three destinies, it does not rely on the innate to aid its initiation, because discrimination is so fierce and sharp that it does not need assistance to initiate it.