Commentary on the Mahayana Vijnaptimatrata Sutra

Chapter Eight: The Cause of Desire and the Cause of Grasping at Precepts

Original Text: Prince Mahauṣadha addressed the Buddha, saying: "World-Honored One, how does one perceive the cause of desire?" The Buddha said: "Mahauṣadha, desire arises from mutual causation, like drilling wood for fire. Two pieces of wood, through mutual causation and the addition of human effort, produce fire. Similarly, based on consciousness, and based on male and female, form, sound, scent, taste, touch, etc., desire arises."

Explanation: Prince Mahauṣadha said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One, how can one perceive the cause that generates lustful desire?" The Buddha said: "Mahauṣadha, the causes for the arising of desire involve factors from both male and female aspects. Due to their mutual attraction, desire arises. It is like drilling wood to make fire; the two pieces of wood are the cause for fire, and with the added friction of human effort, fire arises between the two pieces of wood. Desire is likewise: because there is the Ālaya-vijñāna (storehouse consciousness), the six consciousnesses, as well as the presence of a man and a woman and the six sense objects of form, sound, scent, taste, touch, and dharmas (mental objects), desire arises between the man and woman."

The desire here primarily refers to the sexual desire between men and women of beings in the desire realm, as well as the craving for the five desires and six sense objects. Beings in the desire realm have various kinds of cravings, with sexual desire being the strongest; other desires, such as desire for wealth, desire for food, desire for power, desire for fame, etc., are secondary. Mutual causation means that both sides act as cause and condition for each other; desire arises because of the other, just as two pieces of wood rubbing together produce fire—a single piece of wood cannot catch fire. It is the dual causes of male and female that generate desire. The Ālaya-vijñāna is the cause for the arising of all dharmas. Based on the Ālaya-vijñāna, along with the presence of a man and a woman, form, sound, scent, taste, touch, etc., desire then arises among beings.

Original Text: For example, fruit arises based on a flower. There is no fruit within the flower. When the fruit is born, the flower perishes. Similarly, based on the body, consciousness is manifested. Searching throughout the body for consciousness, consciousness cannot be seen.

Explanation: Furthermore, just as fruit is produced because there is a flower—yet there is no fruit within the flower—and when the fruit is born, the flower withers and perishes. Similarly, based on the five-aggregate body of beings, the function of the Ālaya-vijñāna is manifested. Yet, searching throughout the five-aggregate body, up and down and all around, for the Ālaya-vijñāna, it cannot be found. The Ālaya-vijñāna is not seen by the eye consciousness, not heard by the ear consciousness, not smelled by the nose consciousness, not tasted by the tongue consciousness, not touched by the body consciousness; therefore, it cannot be found on the physical body.

It is like having a flower which then produces fruit; there is no fruit within the flower, and when the fruit is born, the flower perishes. Based on the five-aggregate physical body of beings, the Ālaya-vijñāna is manifested, but searching for the Ālaya-vijñāna within this physical body, it cannot be found, because it is formless and colorless, yet capable of infinite functions.

Original Text: When the karmic fruit is born, the body perishes. The marrow of the body, bones, and other impure substances all disintegrate. Again, like a seed, it holds the future fruit—flavor, color, scent, and touch—and when transplanted, it grows. Consciousness, abandoning this body, carries good and evil karmas, sensations, perceptions, and mental formations, receiving the retribution of the next life. It is also like this.

Explanation: When the karmic fruit of this lifetime ends and the karmic fruit of the next lifetime ripens, the karmic conditions appear, the physical body of this life perishes, and the body's marrow, bones, internal organs, and other impure substances all disintegrate. Again, it is like a seed, carrying the flavor, color, scent, and touch of the future fruit; when transplanted into the soil, it takes root, sprouts, flowers, and bears fruit. The Ālaya-vijñāna is also like this: abandoning this body, it carries good and evil karmas, and the seeds of sensations, perceptions, and mental formations, receiving the five-aggregate retribution of the next life, and the life of the next birth then arises.

The karma created by beings in this lifetime ripens, and they must go to the next life to receive karmic retribution. Thus, the life of this period must end, so the physical body perishes, and these internal organs, marrow, bones, and other impure substances also disintegrate. The karmic fruit of the next life manifests, just as a seed holds the form, scent, flavor, and touch of the flower and fruit not yet born in the future. This seed is analogous to the Ālaya-vijñāna; the future flower and fruit not yet born symbolize the retribution of the next life, which is contained within the seed. Similarly, the retribution of beings in the next life is contained within the Ālaya-vijñāna.

When the Ālaya-vijñāna transitions to the next life, beings then have the retribution of the next life. The Ālaya-vijñāna carries the beings' good and evil karmas, carries the seeds of sensations, perceptions, mental formations, and the six consciousnesses, and then receives the fruit of the next life. The retribution body of the next life also has sensations, perceptions, and mental formations, but the retribution may be pleasant or painful, all manifested according to the good and evil karmas.

Original Text: Again, Mahauṣadha, it is like the love and desire between a man and a woman; after joyful union, they part and depart. Consciousness, karma, and afflictions combine, binding with attachment and love, tasting, playing, coveting, and clinging. When the retribution is exhausted, they separate, and according to karma, they receive retribution. Through the cause and condition of parents, the intermediate state encounters them. Born by the power of karma, consciousness obtains the bodily fruit. Love and karma are both without form or substance. Desire and form mutually cause each other, giving rise to desire. This is the cause of desire.

Explanation: The Buddha said, again, it is like when a man and a woman have desire; after their joyful union, they part and go their separate ways. The Ālaya-vijñāna is also like this; combined with karmic seeds, the five aggregates generate various kinds of greed, attachment, and bonds. They savor, play with, covet, and cling to the objects of their greed, and the afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion continuously manifest. When the karmic retribution ends, the five aggregates disappear, entering the intermediate state (antarābhava). When the cause and condition of parents appear, due to the beings' karmic power, new five aggregates are born, and the Ālaya-vijñāna causes the karmic fruit of the five-aggregate body of the next life to appear. The love, hatred, emotions, and karmic seeds and forces of beings have no form, color, or material obstruction. The mind of desire combined with the cause of the physical body gives rise to desire. This is the cause of desire for beings.

The afflictions and habits of beings exist as seeds within the Ālaya-vijñāna. When the retribution of this life is exhausted, the Ālaya-vijñāna separates from the karmic seeds and the physical body. Following other karmas, it then produces the physical body of the next life. Before the birth of the next physical body, there is the intermediate state. Within the intermediate state, it encounters the condition of parents and then takes rebirth, receiving the retribution body of the next life. The love, attachment, and good and evil karmas of beings are all formless and colorless. Due to greed and love, and with external forms, male and female forms, etc., as causes, the mind of desire is produced. The reason beings generate the mind of desire is that the internal greed and love have not been severed. Then, with conditions such as male and female forms, the mind of desire manifests. The original greed and love exist as seeds within the Ālaya-vijñāna. When the causes and conditions are complete, the seeds manifest, and the mind of desire arises. This is the cause of desire.

Original Text: Mahauṣadha, how does one perceive the cause of grasping at precepts? Precepts refer to the rules established by the Teacher: refraining from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, false speech, intoxicants, and other practices. Grasping means to cling and hold. Holding this view because of upholding these precepts, one will attain the fruit of Stream-enterer (Sotāpanna), the fruit of Once-returner (Sakadāgāmi), the fruit of Non-returner (Anāgāmi).

Explanation: Mahauṣadha, how does one know that upholding the precepts is the cause for attaining the fruits? Precepts refer to the rules established by the Teacher of gods and humans, the Buddha, the World-Honored One, such as the five precepts: abstaining from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, false speech, and intoxicants. Grasping means to cling to, to uphold, to execute. The reason for receiving and upholding the five precepts should be this: because one can abide by the five precepts, the bhikṣu precepts, the bhikṣuṇī precepts without violation, in the future one will be able to attain the fruit of the Stream-enterer (Sotāpanna), the fruit of the Once-returner (Sakadāgāmi), and the fruit of the Non-returner (Anāgāmi).

It is not mentioned here that laypeople upholding the five precepts can attain the fourth fruit of Arhatship. Generally speaking, to attain the fourth fruit of Arhatship, one must leave home to cultivate; this excludes cases where one attained the fourth fruit in a past life. But even if a layperson cultivates and attains the fourth fruit of Arhatship, because their mind is empty and without desire, they will certainly leave home; they definitely cannot remain in household life and will not adapt to household living.

Original Text: Because of this cause, one obtains superior existence, meaning receiving human or heavenly bodies, etc. These are all karmas with outflows (sāsrava-kuśala), not karmas without outflows (anāsrava-kuśala). The good without outflows has no ripening of the aggregates (vipāka-phala).

Explanation: Because of upholding the precepts and attaining the first, second, or third fruit, one obtains the superior worldly retribution within the three realms. In the next life, one can obtain a human body or a heavenly body and will not fall into the three evil destinies. However, because afflictions have not been severed, or afflictions are not completely severed, the mind still has outflows (āsrava). Having outflows means good dharmas can leak away. Therefore, these are all karmas with outflows (sāsrava-kuśala), not karmas without outflows (anāsrava-kuśala). The good without outflows is possessed only by those who have attained the fourth fruit of Arhatship. After extinguishing all afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion, all good dharmas no longer leak away. Finally, one has the capability to extinguish the five-aggregate body and enter the state of Nirvāṇa without residue (anupādhiśeṣa-nirvāṇa), which is tranquil, cool, without a trace of affliction or suffering, beyond the three realms, liberated from the suffering of the three realms.

Original Text: Now, this grasping at precepts is planted as karmas with outflows. Planting good and evil karmas within consciousness, consciousness is not pure. Because it is the cause of afflictions, one suffers the pain of heat and distress. This is perceiving the cause of grasping at precepts.

Explanation: Now, because this upholding of precepts obtains karmic seeds with outflows, planted within the Ālaya-vijñāna, where good and evil karmic seeds exist, it is still not pure enough; there is still distress and suffering, and in the future, one will still suffer the pain of afflictions. This is the reason beings uphold precepts—to obtain karmas with outflows and gain human or heavenly retribution.

The cause of grasping at precepts was not answered by the Buddha in the preceding paragraphs; it is answered here. The five precepts are the precepts established by the Buddha. The precepts established by the Buddha are abstaining from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, false speech, and intoxicants, etc. Grasping means to cling to, to uphold. Clinging to the karma of not killing, not stealing, not engaging in sexual misconduct, not speaking falsely, not consuming intoxicants is called grasping, also called upholding the precepts. Because there is a mind of good and evil, one needs to uphold precepts. If the mind is pure and without good or evil, there is no need to deliberately uphold precepts, nor will one violate them.

What retribution can be obtained by upholding these five precepts, eight precepts, or ten precepts with outflows? One can obtain the fruit of Stream-enterer (Sotāpanna, first fruit), Once-returner (Sakadāgāmi, second fruit), Non-returner (Anāgāmi, third fruit). Attaining the first, second, or third fruit means that in the future, a physical body will still be born—certainly a human or heavenly body—and one will not have a body in the three evil destinies. After the death of one who has attained the first fruit, they will return to the human and heavenly realms up to seven times—once in the human realm, once in the heavenly realm constitutes one round trip. After a maximum of seven round trips, they will attain the fourth fruit and be able to enter Nirvāṇa without residue, liberated from the suffering of birth and death in the three realms. After the death of one who has attained the second fruit, they go to heaven once and return to the human realm once; within the human realm, they can attain the fourth fruit and be liberated from the suffering of existence in the three realms. One who attains the third fruit is reborn in a heaven and then attains the fourth fruit, entering Nirvāṇa without residue. Some attain the fourth fruit within the intermediate state and enter Nirvāṇa without residue, attaining liberation. These are all called superior existences (bhavāgra). Attaining these three fruits, one receives human or heavenly bodies. Only by attaining the fourth fruit can one transcend the three realms, enter Nirvāṇa without residue, and have no more outflows of afflictions.

Although third-fruit practitioners have severed afflictions, they are not completely severed; they still belong to the category of having partial outflows. The state without outflows is the fourth fruit, where afflictions are completely severed. The good without outflows is attained by fourth-fruit practitioners. Among the six supernormal powers, there is the power of the extinction of outflows (āsravakṣaya-jñāna), which only Arhats can attain; those below the third fruit cannot attain it. In Mahāyāna, Bodhisattvas of the first ground (bhūmi) and above can attain partial good without outflows. Bodhisattvas of the eighth ground and above possess complete good without outflows. Bodhisattvas below the first ground still have outflows. Therefore, first-ground Bodhisattvas, because their minds are without outflows, can transform consciousness into wisdom (jñāna). Before the mind is awakened (明心), Bodhisattvas still have outflows and cannot transform consciousness into wisdom; because there are outflows, wisdom is not complete.

The good without outflows has no ripening of the aggregates (vipāka-phala). Like the fourth-fruit Arhat, it is good without outflows. Because there is no ripened fruit of the five aggregates in the future, there will be no five-aggregate life in the next life; at the end of life, without the five aggregates, one enters Nirvāṇa. The five precepts, eight precepts, and ten precepts we uphold all have outflows. A fourth-fruit Arhat does not need to uphold the five precepts because he has already attained the state without outflows; he has no afflictions of greed, hatred, or delusion and will never again violate these precepts with outflows.

Those below the third fruit still have both good and evil karmas and still have outflows of afflictions. For example, third-fruit practitioners still have conceit (māna), which is evil; they still have scattered minds; they still have greed for meditative concentration and the physical body; and they still have self-view (satkāya-dṛṣṭi) not completely severed—all of this is called evil. Because of these outflows of afflictions, there is the ripening of the aggregates, meaning there is still the five-aggregate retribution in the next life. Even if the intermediate state appears, it is still retribution. Being reborn in a heaven still involves the five-aggregate fruit. A fourth-fruit Arhat has no five-aggregate fruit. Because beings have afflictions, they suffer the pain of heat and distress. Born in the human realm, there is the pain of heat and distress; born in a heaven, there is also suffering, such as the manifestation of the five signs of decay. Before the physical body of a desire realm deva perishes, there is the pain of heat and distress. In summary, being able to attain the first, second, or third fruit of the Śrāvaka vehicle is the cause of grasping at precepts.