大乘百法明門論開宗義記 1.18

1.18

The treatise says: "Because it is the most supreme of all; because they are associated with this; because it is the shadow manifested by these two; because they are distinctions among the states of these three; because it is revealed by these four—such is the order." The explanation says: This explains the order of the dharmas. Because citta is the most supreme among all dharmas, citta dharmas are explained first. That is to say, this citta dharma has strong force and functioning; within the path of cognising reflection, the mind king is supreme in contact. Therefore a sūtra states: "The mind goes far and travels alone; defilement and purity depend on the mind. Among the person's six elements, the mind can guide the world; the mind can universally embrace and receive. In this way, this single dharma of the mind proceeds everywhere with sovereignty." Therefore the treatise says: "Because it is the most supreme of all." Although it is only produced after being alerted by attention (manaskāra), and after the mind has arisen it abides dependent upon the mind, this is like a minister guiding the king—it does not mean the minister is supreme. Because when citta arises there are necessarily caittas associated with it, caittas are explained second. Therefore the treatise says: "Because they are associated with this." Caittas and citta have four kinds of equality and are neither definitely one nor different; thus they form an association. Therefore the Vijñaptimātratā says: "Possessing the same time, support, ālambana, and substance is called the meaning of association." First, equality of substance: each has one substance. Second, equality of support: they rely upon the same sense faculty. Third, equality of ālambana: they take the same cognitive object. Fourth, equality of time: they occur at the same single moment. If according to the Hīnayāna, they have the same mode of understanding (ākāra), just as when taking the same blue object together they both produce an understanding of blue. Now, the Mahāyāna school does not accept having the same mode of understanding, because their functions, such as discerning and experiencing, are each distinct. Because of this, although each of the eight consciousnesses has one substance, their times, supports, and objects are not necessarily all identical; therefore the consciousnesses are not associated [with one another]. Because when citta and caittas arise they necessarily manifest shadows of rūpa, rūpa dharmas are explained third. Therefore the treatise says: "Because it is the shadow manifested by these two." That is to say, when the mind arises, it is only produced by relying on an object, and necessarily transforms into a shadow of rūpa that appears before consciousness. Therefore all rūpa dharmas are not separate from the mind; there is not a single form that is not transformed by the mind. Such things as the hell-wardens, the river of pus seen by ghosts, hair-circles floating before the eyes, and forms in dreams—all are transformed by one's own mind and are not apart from the mind at all. Does this mind transform only rūpa dharmas? Answer: It refers tentatively to rūpa because it is coarse and manifest, in order to refute the grasping at real rūpa existing apart from the mind. If even real rūpa is like this, how much more so non-rūpa? Because citta, caittas, and rūpa necessarily have states, non-associated dharmas are explained fourth. Therefore the treatise says: "Because they are distinctions among the states of these three." As the Vijñaptimātratāsiddhi reveals this meaning, saying: "Acquisition, non-acquisition, and so forth cannot be apprehended with substantial characteristics like rūpa, citta, and caittas; nor can they be apprehended with functions different from rūpa, citta, and caittas. Therefore they are not real existents, but are only posited nominally on the states of rūpa and the rest." These definitely do not have real substances or functions different from rūpa, citta, and caittas, because they are accepted as being subsumed under the aggregates, like rūpa, citta, and the rest. If they were different from citta and the rest, they would not be subsumed under citta, caittas, rūpa, or the unconditioned, like absolute non-existence, and would definitely not be real existents. Because earlier it explained all dharmas and later it reveals the nature of dharmas (dharmatā), unconditioned dharmas are explained fifth. Therefore the treatise says: "Because it is revealed by these four." As the Vijñaptimātratāsiddhi reveals this meaning, saying: "Yet all unconditioned [dharmas] are the nature of what is known, or are the nature revealed by rūpa, citta, and the rest, like rūpa, citta, and the rest; one should not cling to them as a real unconditioned nature apart from rūpa, citta, and the rest." If they were different from citta and the rest, they would not be the nature of dharmas. Therefore, unconditioned dharmas are revealed in dependence on the former four. Although they are not separate in substance from all dharmas, neither are they identical with all dharmas, because their natures of permanence and impermanence are distinct. "Such is the order" sums up the preceding discussion. Broadly speaking, the order of all dharmas has five kinds: First is arising: as with the twelve links, which arise sequentially from cause first to fruit later. Second is contemplative practice: as with the four noble truths, which are contemplated sequentially from fruit first to cause later. Third is coarse and subtle: as with the six perfections, which are cultivated sequentially from coarse first to subtle later. Fourth is superior and inferior: as with citta and caittas, which exist sequentially from superior first to inferior later. Fifth is verbal explanation: as with the correct abandonments, which are explained sequentially though without the preceding characteristics. Aligning them with the preceding five dharmas: citta, caittas, rūpa, and non-associated formations have the order of arising and of superior and inferior; they additionally explain the unconditioned in terms of the order of coarse and subtle, because conditioned affairs are coarse while the unconditioned is subtle. The Hīnayāna, relying on the order of coarse and subtle, places rūpa dharmas first, because among all dharmas rūpa is the coarsest. It also relies on contemplative practice, because the contemplation of impurity, an essential gateway of the Buddha's Dharma, relies on rūpa dharmas; and because it does not accept that all dharmas are transformed by the mind, it does not take citta as the very first.