大乘起信論廣釋卷第三．四．五 3.65

3.65

[Treatise:] One should know that all realms of the world rely on the avidyā and false mind of sentient beings to be sustained.
[Commentary:] Next below is the general conclusion. In this there are three parts: first, revealing that relying on falsity there are objective fields; next, revealing that the substance of objective fields is also non-existent; finally, concluding and explaining the reason. This is the first. "Avidyā" means fundamental avidyā. "False mind" means the karmic, evolving, and manifesting [consciousnesses]. The objective fields of the world rely on these to be formed, and abide depending on them without losing their own substance. Therefore it says, "rely on falsity to be sustained" and so forth. If so, then when the kalpa is destroyed, by whose avidyā and falsity is the remaining world sustained? Answer: Comprehensively examining the various teachings, there are four explanations. One opinion holds: the false mind of sentient beings' fundamental consciousness serves as two causal powers for the objective fields it transforms: first, as a productive cause, because through the power of seeds it produces immediate, direct fruits; second, as an inducing cause, because it induces distant residual fruits so that they do not abruptly cease. Since the internal body is like this, the external vessel world is also like that. Therefore, when the kalpa is destroyed, although there are no sentient beings, avidyā and the false mind serve as the direct productive cause; because seeds in the former consciousness have an inducing power, the world does not immediately become empty. Since this inducing power is fundamentally mind, the induced fruit is also the false mind. Another opinion holds: the previous explanation is unreasonable. When various [...] die, their bodies and vessel world abruptly perish; why is there no inducing causal power at that time? If the dharmas of the realm of sentient beings ought to perish abruptly, why should this not be so, requiring a physical inducing cause? If it were so, the residual world should exist outside the mind, because at present there is no false mind that sustains it. For this reason, one should say that what is transformed by the false mind has four propositions of common and uncommon. Thus this world is transformed collectively, either commonly experienced or uncommonly experienced; although not uncommonly experienced, it must be collectively transformed. Therefore, even if born in another realm or one's own plane, that avidyā and falsity can also sustain it; just as after death without mind, others transform the remaining skeleton, and others transform the residual world. Its principle is well established. Another opinion holds: this explanation is also not yet reasonable. The formation and destruction of a great chiliocosm must be simultaneous, without any difference in abiding or destruction between this and that. If worlds beyond the great chiliocosm are far distant, that consciousness cannot transform this realm. Otherwise, the residual realm should never become empty, because sentient beings of all worlds would constantly transform it collectively. One should not take the inverted remaining skeleton as a counter-defense, because the differences between realms, planes, and distances are distinct. One should say that when the world is about to be destroyed, there are those who possess supernormal powers who come and go, sustaining and using it; their consciousness can also transform this residual realm. Just as when various noble ones go into the bad destinies, they must transform that destiny to come and go. Otherwise, the residual realm would not be seen by noble ones; since they illuminate and see it, they must transform it and take it as an object; if they did not transform it, they would grasp external objects. Therefore, that those with supernormal powers transform it is well established in principle. Another opinion holds: this explanation is also not yet correct. The treatise says that objective fields are all sustained by the false mind; noble ones who have attained supernormal powers lack a false mind. Even if one grants that noble ones transform it, there would be the fault of having no benefit, for transforming a residual world has no utility. If it is transformed naturally due to illuminating and seeing, they would be identical to ordinary beings in having an intentional object. If it is transformed due to coming and going, the realm should not become empty, because they constantly come and go. If conditioned dharmas perish and decay by themselves, then the cause would have no efficacy regarding the fruit. Otherwise, in the residual world there are still sentient beings bound for the bad destinies, unlike the inverted case. One should say that although the residual world lacks humans and so forth, there must be other classes of sentient beings with heavy offenses whose consciousness can therefore transform this residual world. Just as with human skeletons, although the fundamental consciousness is absent, other ghosts, animals, and so forth transform and abide in them. It is said that the former hells are also intermingled among humans, not precluding Avīci from shifting its location. To say that the locations of the hells do not shift is the Hīnayāna tenet, not the Mahāyāna. Since at the time of kalpa destruction there are not no sentient beings, it is their false mind that transforms the residual world. Only when those sentient beings are exhausted does the world become empty, just as when a lamp flame is extinguished, the light is gone. Therefore, the various worlds are sustained by the false mind.