[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [宗鏡錄](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016) › [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt) › 78.23 # 宗鏡錄 78.23 English (machine translation) 78.23 - **Language:** English ### [78.23](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt.78.23) Answer: All internal and external forms are appropriated solely by the mind and likewise perish momentarily from thought-instant to thought-instant following the mind. Outside of the mind there is not a single dharma that could be permanent, nor that could arise and perish. The Abhidharmasamuccayavyākhyā states: “Just as the mind and mental factors have momentary characteristics, one should know that form and the rest also have momentary characteristics, based on eight meanings: First, because they are appropriated by the mind. That is, the body composed of form and the rest, because it is appropriated thought-instant by thought-instant by the momentary mind, perishes momentarily, and so on. Second, because their well-being and distress are equal to the mind's. That is, the body composed of form and the rest is constantly accompanied by consciousness; if consciousness departs, it immediately rots and decays. Third, because they transform following the mind. That is, it is seen in the world that when the mind is in states of pleasure, pain, attachment, anger, and so forth, the body transforms accordingly; because it transforms following the momentary mind, the body perishes from thought-instant to thought-instant. Fourth, because they are that which the mind relies upon. That is, it is commonly known in the world that the mind relies upon the endowed physical body, just as fire relies on firewood or a sprout relies on a seed; therefore, this body is the support of the momentary mind, and hence it also perishes momentarily. Fifth, because they arise through the predominance of the mind. That is, all internal and external forms are born through the predominance of the mind; because the producing cause perishes momentarily, the produced effect also perishes momentarily. Sixth, because they transform according to the mind's mastery. That is, if one realizes a mind of supreme majesty, one can transform all forms at will; because they are produced by transformation following the momentary supreme resolution that transforms them, the principle that form and the rest arise and perish momentarily is established. Seventh, because alteration and destruction are observable in the final state. That is, regarding forms and the rest, if they initially lacked an intrinsic nature of altering and destructing from thought-instant to thought-instant, for them to suddenly alter and destruct in the final state would not be reasonable; yet this \[final destruction\] is observable. Therefore, we know that form and the rest, from the very beginning, alter and destruct from thought-instant to thought-instant; their homogeneous continuity, gradually intensifying as a cause, can lead to the final gross alteration and destruction. For this reason, form and the rest arise and perish from thought-instant to thought-instant. Eighth, because once arisen they do not depend on conditions, but naturally perish. That is, once all dharmas are born from conditions, they do not depend on conditions for destruction, but naturally perish. Therefore, we know that all destructible dharmas, the very moment they arise, immediately perish. Thus, the meaning of momentariness of all dharmas is established.” The Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa says: “If all dharmas truly existed, their characteristics should not be known by virtue of the mind and consciousness. If they are known to exist by virtue of the mind and consciousness, then they do not exist. For example, the characteristic of earth's solidity exists because it is known by the tactile organ and body-consciousness; if there were no tactile organ and body-consciousness knowing it, then the characteristic of solidity would not exist.” Furthermore, because they arise through the conjunction of causes and conditions, they are empty; because they are mind-only, they are empty. From this we know that internal form and external form are both established by consciousness; existing and non-existing according to the mind, they truly lack self-substance. - [Previous: 78.22](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt.78.22) - [Next: 78.24](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt.78.24) - [Up: 78](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt.78) ## Linked texts (1) - [宗鏡錄](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016.78.23) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt.78.23](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt.78.23) · Pramāṇa