法苑珠林 68.49

68.49

Question: Why are they named 'active performance, characteristic of non-action, and characteristic of unmanifest karma'? Answer: 'Active performance' is the act performed. 'Non-action' is what is termed an act performed [through another]. Those acts performed arise together; although the active karma perishes, the wholesome and indeterminate dharmas continue in succession without interruption. As the sūtras state: There is a faithful person who cultivates ten kinds of merit; while walking, standing, sleeping, waking, and so forth, day and night merit constantly arises and merit increases. If, apart from bodily and verbal karma, there were no unmanifest [karma], how could distinct mental dharmas increase? Therefore, one should know that apart from bodily and verbal karma there exists unmanifest dharma. Furthermore, when one does not perform it oneself but causes another to perform the karma, if there were no unmanifest [karma], how could this be accomplished? If there were no unmanifest dharma, apart from the prātimokṣa there would also be no unmanifest precepts. Therefore, one should know that there exists unmanifest dharma.