Chapter One: Four Dream Analogies (2) Selected Lectures on the Sutra of the Meeting of Father and Son

Chapter One: Four Dream Analogies (2)

Original Text: The Buddha said: Great King, when the ear hears a neutral sound, it gives rise to a perception of neutrality. It is like a person in a dream hearing another speak meaningless phrases that lack profound significance. What do you think? After this person awakens and recalls the sound heard in the dream, is that sound truly existent? The King said: No, it is not.

Explanation: The Buddha said: Great King, sentient beings hear the sound of neutrality — neither good nor evil — and cling to it as real. It is like a person who, in a dream, hears another speak some meaningless, incoherent language. Upon awakening, they continuously recall the language heard in the dream. What do you think, is this matter truly existent? King Śuddhodana said: It is not truly existent, World-Honored One.

Original Text: The Buddha said: Great King, is this person, who clings to his dream as real, a wise one? The King said: No, World-Honored One. Why? Because ultimately, there is no sound in the dream, let alone meaningless phrases. You should know that this person merely exhausts himself in vain; there is no reality to it at all.

Explanation: The Buddha said: Great King, is this person, who considers the dream he had to be truly existent, a wise person? King Śuddhodana replied: He is not a wise person, World-Honored One. Why? Because ultimately, there is no sound in the dream, let alone incoherent language. This person indeed pointlessly drives his own mind, causing it endless fatigue; fundamentally, there is no reality to it.

The mind of neutrality (upekṣā) is neither joyful nor sorrowful; it is in a state removed from both extremes — neither craving nor aversion, neither good nor bad, neither suffering nor pleasure. At this time, the mind is calm and undisturbed, without highs or lows. For example, when looking at a person, one feels no particular sensation — neither liking nor disliking — this is the mind of neutrality. If a liking arises, then one experiences pleasure, a pleasant feeling. If one finds the person somewhat repulsive, that is a painful feeling, and hatred emerges. Thus, feelings are of three kinds: painful feelings, pleasant feelings, and the neutral feeling of neither-pain-nor-pleasure (upekṣā).

The sound of neutrality refers to a sound that is neither wholesome nor unwholesome, existing in a neutral state of neither-good-nor-bad. This person, hearing another speak meaningless, incoherent language in a dream — words without significance — though feeling indifferent, took it as a real matter and continuously recalled it. Even clinging to this state of neutrality as real, being attached to this neutral perception, one fails to realize that the sense objects (viṣaya) of neutrality are equally illusory and thus cannot transcend the cycle of birth and death.

The "meaningless phrases" (不了义句) mentioned here are distinct from the "provisional sūtras" (不了义经) in the Buddhist scriptures; they are not the same concept. Buddhist scriptures are divided into definitive sūtras (了义经) and provisional sūtras (不了义经). Definitive sūtras are true, expounding the actual Dharma (实法). Provisional sūtras expound non-ultimate Dharma. Definitive sūtras speak of the Mahāyāna scriptures on the ultimate truth, the Tathāgatagarbha Dharma (第一义谛如来藏法); this is called "definitive meaning" (了义), the fundamental Dharma, the Dharma of true reality (实相法). Other scriptures, those that do not expound the Tathāgatagarbha Dharma, are not definitive sūtras. Scriptures that do not teach the true mind, the Tathāgatagarbha, are provisional (不了义), not fundamental scriptures. Of course, definitive sūtras also contain provisional sentences, and provisional sūtras contain even more provisional sentences.

Original Text: The Buddha said: Great King, so it is, so it is. Foolish ordinary beings (pr̥thagjana), hearing the sound of neutrality with their ears, do not comprehend its meaning and purport. They give rise to contempt and slander, creating foolish karma — three bodily [misdeeds], four verbal [misdeeds], and three mental [misdeeds]. When first created, these karmas immediately cease and perish. After these karmas perish, they do not abide in the east, south, west, north, the four intermediate directions, above, below, or the middle. At the final moment, when the life faculty ceases, the karmic retribution of one’s own deeds all manifests before one, like recalling upon awakening the meaningless phrases heard in a dream.

Explanation: The Buddha said: Great King, it is indeed so. Foolish, ordinary beings (异生凡夫), hearing a sound that is neither liked nor disliked with their ear faculty, do not comprehend its true meaning. They then give rise to contemptuous and slanderous speech and actions, creating foolish karma — the evil deeds of killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct with the body; the evil deeds of harsh speech, divisive speech, frivolous speech, and false speech with the mouth; and the mental karmas of greed, hatred, and delusion with the mind. After the evil karma is created, it perishes in an instant. After perishing, the karmic action does not abide in the east, south, west, north, the four intermediate directions, above, below, or the middle; it vanishes without a trace. However, at the final moment when the life faculty perishes, the karmic retribution of all the deeds created in this very life fully manifests, just like recalling the meaningless phrases heard in a dream after awakening.

What is foolishness? Not understanding is foolishness. Foolishness is ignorance (avidyā). Ignorance is not understanding — not understanding the origins and outcomes of all dharmas, not understanding the true reality of all dharmas, not understanding what the five aggregates (skandhas) are and their essence, not understanding the eighteen elements (dhātus) and their essence, not understanding how to realize the Śrāvaka doctrine of the non-self of the five aggregates, not understanding the Śrāvaka and Pratyekabuddha doctrine of the twelve links of dependent origination (pratītyasamutpāda), not understanding the Mahāyāna Tathāgatagarbha Dharma, not understanding how to achieve awakening (开悟), not understanding how to know the seed-merits of the Tathāgatagarbha, not understanding how to cultivate oneself to broadly benefit sentient beings, not understanding how to cultivate the path to Buddhahood — all these constitute ignorance, belonging to foolishness. This includes not understanding ignorance and foolishness themselves, which is also foolishness and ignorance.

Sentient beings possess immeasurable, boundless ignorance stored in the ālaya-vijñāna. When all this ignorance is completely exhausted, one becomes a Buddha. Ignorance is divided into three kinds. The first is momentary ignorance (一念无明) — attachment to the desire for the three realms (triloka) and clinging to the five-aggregate body. Exhausting this leads to the attainment of the fourth fruit (arhatship) and entry into the remainderless nirvāṇa (无余涅槃). The second is beginningless ignorance (无始无明) — since beginningless kalpas, sentient beings have not known the existence of the true mind, the Tathāgatagarbha, which gives birth to the five-aggregate bodies of life after life and the dharmas of the three realms, and is the sentient beings’ true, unborn and undying self. The third is dust-like ignorance (尘沙无明), which can also be categorized under beginningless ignorance. It means the principles not understood on the path to Buddhahood are as numerous as grains of sand; all must be eliminated before Buddhahood. It is also called the afflictions (kleśa) of cultivation. Eliminating a bit of this affliction reduces ignorance a little, bringing one closer to Buddhahood.

The less ignorance a person has, the more they know they have ignorance, and thus the more humble they are. The more ignorance a person has, the less they know they have ignorance, and the less humble and more arrogant they are. Why do sentient beings have arrogance? Because of ignorance, because of foolishness. In the sequence of eliminating afflictions, greed and hatred are easier to eliminate than ignorance. Greed is the easiest to eliminate, hatred comes next. After severing the view of self (satkāyadṛṣṭi) and attaining the first dhyāna, greed is eliminated first. After further cultivation for a period, hatred is eliminated, followed by the elimination of momentary ignorance. Cultivating to the first ground (bhūmi) of the Mahāyāna Bodhisattva, one begins to eliminate the habitual tendencies of greed, hatred, and arrogance, as well as dust-like ignorance. Exhausting dust-like ignorance leads to Buddhahood.

At various stages of cultivation, the degree and kinds of ignorance also differ. Bodhisattvas before realizing the mind (明心), after realizing the mind, and after entering the grounds (入地) — each stage corresponds to various kinds of foolishness and ignorance. Even ninth and tenth ground Bodhisattvas possess subtle remnants of foolishness and delusion. Only upon becoming a Buddha, upon attaining omniscience (一切种智), can all ignorance and delusion within the mind be completely eliminated.

Original Text: Great King, consciousness is the master. Karma is the condition. These two kinds act as causes [and conditions]. When the initial consciousness arises, [beings] may go to hell, fall among animals, the realm of Yama, or asuras, humans, or gods. Once the initial consciousness arises, each receives their retribution. Mental factors of the same type continue and follow along. When the final consciousness ceases, it is called the dead aggregate. When the initial consciousness arises, it is called the living aggregate.

Explanation: The Buddha said: Great King, the ālaya-vijñāna is the master that gives birth to the five-aggregate body of the next life. Karmic seeds are the objective condition. With the combination of these two causes and conditions, the initial consciousness of the next life is born. Beings may go to the hell realm, fall into the ghost realm, or be born into the animal realm — the three evil destinies; or be born into the asura realm, human realm, or heavenly realm — the three good destinies. Once the initial consciousness arises, sentient beings begin to receive their respective karmic retribution. Then, consciousness within the same physical body continuously operates without interruption. When the consciousness at the end of life ceases, the physical body becomes a corpse, called the dead aggregate (死蕴). The initial consciousness arising in the physical body is called the initial consciousness, and the five-aggregate physical body is called the living aggregate (生蕴).

Original Text: Great King, there is not the slightest dharma that can pass from this world to the next world. Why? Because [all dharmas] are by nature arising and ceasing. Great King, when body-consciousness arises, it comes from nowhere; when it ceases, it goes nowhere. When that karma arises, it comes from nowhere; when it ceases, it goes nowhere. When the initial consciousness arises, it comes from nowhere; when it ceases, it goes nowhere. Why? Because [its] own-nature is apart [from coming and going].

Explanation: The Buddha said: Great King, not a single dharma can transfer from this life to the next life. Why is this said? Because the self-nature of all dharmas is ceaselessly arising and ceasing; they are not permanent or eternally abiding. When the five aggregates cease at the end of life, all dharmas will cease. Great King, when body-consciousness arises, it has no source; when it ceases, it has no destination. When karmic actions are created, the karmic actions have no source; when the karmic actions cease, they have no destination. When the initial consciousness of the next life arises, it has no source; when it ceases, it has no destination. Why do all dharmas have no source and no destination? Because all dharmas are apart from all natures; the self-nature of all dharmas lacks all characteristics; their intrinsic nature is empty, utterly unobtainable.

Original Text: Knowing thus, body-consciousness is empty. One’s own karma is empty. The initial consciousness is empty. If cessation, cessation is empty. If arising, arising is empty. Knowing the turning of karma, there is no doer, nor is there a receiver. There is only the discrimination and manifestation of names and characteristics.

Explanation: One should know body-consciousness thus: know that the self-nature of body-consciousness is empty; know one’s own karmic actions created by the conscious mind thus: know that the self-nature of karmic actions is empty; know the initial consciousness thus: know that the self-nature of the initial consciousness is empty; know thus: if any dharma arises, its arising is empty; if any dharma ceases, its cessation is empty; simultaneously, one should also know that the creation and turning of karma is empty, that there is no creator and no experiencer. All dharmas are merely conventional appearances and the discrimination and manifestation of names.

All dharmas are apart from the nature of all dharmas; not a single dharma has a real intrinsic nature capable of existing independently. Knowing thus, one knows that body-consciousness is empty, karmic actions are empty, and the initial consciousness produced in the next life is also empty. If consciousness ceases, the cessation is empty; if consciousness arises, the arising is empty. The turning and creation of karma are also empty; there is no creator, and when experiencing the karmic fruit, there is no experiencer. It is all an illusory appearance, an unreal, phantom-like appearance, merely a false appearance discriminated and manifested by names and characteristics.

Original Text: Great King, you should know that the sense faculties are like illusions. Objects are like dreams. All dharmas are entirely empty and quiescent. This is called the liberation gate of emptiness. Emptiness has no characteristic of emptiness; this is called the liberation gate of signlessness. If there are no characteristics, then there is no wishing or seeking; this is called the liberation gate of wishlessness. These three dharmas proceed together with emptiness. The path leading to nirvāṇa should be determined to be like the dharmadhātu, pervading the bounds of space. These analogies should be known thus.

Explanation: Great King, you should know that the six sense faculties are like illusions, and the various objects are like dream states. All dharmas are entirely empty and quiescent; this is the liberation gate of emptiness (śūnyatā-vimokṣa-mukha). Dharmas being empty also lack the characteristic of emptiness; this is called the liberation gate of signlessness (animitta-vimokṣa-mukha). If all dharmas lack characteristics, then there should be no wishing or seeking; this is called the liberation gate of wishlessness (apraṇihita-vimokṣa-mukha). Thus, the three liberation gates of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness coexist with emptiness. To seek nirvāṇa, one must first know that all dharmas are the dharmadhātu of true reality, all are the one true dharmadhātu of the ālaya-vijñāna, pervading the bounds of the ten directions’ space. These analogies should be understood thus.

The six sense faculties — eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind — are all illusory. The various objects seen by the eye, the various sounds heard by the ear — the objects perceived by the six faculties are like things in a dream, not real. What is there left to pursue? All dharmas are entirely empty and quiescent; nothing is not empty, nothing is not quiescent; there is nothing at all. This is the liberation gate of emptiness. Realizing that all dharmas are empty, knowing they are empty, the mind is liberated.

"Emptiness has no characteristic of emptiness" is called the liberation gate of signlessness. The empty dharma has no characteristic that can be seen, spoken of, or pointed out. Even emptiness is empty; this is the liberation gate of signlessness. Knowing emptiness has no characteristic at all, not even emptiness exists, liberates the mind further. If even the characteristic of emptiness does not exist, if even emptiness is absent, then what emptiness is there to grasp? "If there are no characteristics, then there is no wishing or seeking." If there are no characteristics at all, what is there to seek? What wish is left? There is nothing more to seek; this is the liberation gate of wishlessness. Without wishes or seeking, the mind is even more liberated. Emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness — accomplishing these three liberation gates makes one a sage.

The three dharmas — emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness — proceed together with emptiness. They are not separate from emptiness, yet have no characteristic of emptiness; the three are also inseparable, progressing step by step to ultimate liberation. Sentient beings wishing to enter nirvāṇa, seeking the unborn and undying, should cultivate thus, continuously generating the mental activity of emptiness, becoming increasingly empty, until even emptiness is empty, only then is emptiness utterly pure and complete. If the mind still holds onto an idea of emptiness, then true emptiness is not yet attained; the mind grasping emptiness should still be eliminated. On the path to nirvāṇa, one should cultivate thus to realize nirvāṇa. Nirvāṇa is liberation; nirvāṇa is the unborn and undying; nirvāṇa is quiescent and unconditioned; nirvāṇa is great freedom.

The sense faculties include the six faculties: eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind. These six faculties are like illusions, conjured by the ālaya-vijñāna; this is called "like an illusion." Objects are like dreams — objects are the visible forms seen by the eye, the sounds heard by the ear, the fragrant and foul smells smelled by the nose, the sour, sweet, bitter, spicy tastes tasted by the tongue, the fatigue, lightness, softness, comfort, hunger, fullness, etc., felt by the body, and the mental objects (dharmas) perceived by the mind faculty. These objects appear to exist, but their existence is conventional, illusory, not real, just like objects in a dream.

The Buddha everywhere reveals a truth to sentient beings: all dharmas are entirely empty and quiescent. What does this mean? It means all dharmas exist due to the aggregation of various causes and conditions; fundamentally, they lack their own intrinsic nature and are not truly existent dharmas; therefore, they are said to be empty and quiescent. From another perspective, all dharmas are conjured by the ālaya-vijñāna, directed by the ālaya-vijñāna; they are the shadows of the ālaya-vijñāna. Their essence is the ālaya-vijñāna; they lack the essence of all dharmas. Therefore, it is said that all dharmas are entirely empty and quiescent. The emptiness of the Śrāvakayāna and the emptiness (śūnyatā) of the Mahāyāna both point to this truth and reality.

"The sense faculties are like illusions; objects are like dreams." To contemplate these dharmas requires deep meditative concentration (dhyāna). Within various objects, amidst the contact of the six faculties with the six objects, one must experience the illusory nature, unreality, lack of mastery, and absence of intrinsic nature of the faculties and objects. Meditative concentration and wisdom must be combined, fully integrated. Contemplate carefully: when the eye sees form, how is the eye faculty itself not free? How is the form object illusory, like a shadow? When the ear hears sound, how is this sound-object like a dream? How is the ear faculty like an illusion? How does it arise and cease? How does the function of hearing occur? When contemplation is accomplished, one can realize the emptiness and illusion of the five aggregates, their quiescence and non-arising.

Regarding the contemplation of these dharmas, preliminary understanding, even final understanding, is not equivalent to realization. Understanding is relatively easier; the conscious mind (mano-vijñāna) thinks for a while and feels it understands. But this is not realization. Realization requires meditative concentration, profound contemplation, conclusive evidence, and deep penetration into the mind faculty (manas) at the core of the mind. Only when the mind faculty truly accepts the principle is it called attaining the fruit (证果). What the sixth consciousness (mano-vijñāna) understands belongs to knowledge; without evidence or insufficient evidence, it is not realization. One must undergo deep and subtle contemplation until the mind faculty deep within truly accepts that principle; only then is it attaining the fruit.

At that time, because one has truly realized and accepted that the five aggregates are without self, that the six faculties are illusory, mental activities change, and the view of all phenomena transforms. When one truly considers oneself to be illusory, the mind inevitably changes; it cannot remain the same as before. Understanding through the conscious mind, without realization, means the inner mind does not truly know that the five aggregates are indeed without self. The perception of self does not change; the view of the five aggregates remains theoretical. Mental activities continue as usual; afflictions remain as heavy as before. If one cannot sever the three fetters (trīṇi saṃyojanāni), rebirth in the three evil destinies cannot be avoided.

This is similar to the worldly principle that "seeing is believing, hearing is doubtful." Hearing what others say is equivalent to understanding through the conscious mind; it is not verified, and one's own mind remains uncertain, not daring to be serious. Afterwards, seeing with one's own eyes, one truly knows and says, "Ah! So it is like this!" Then, regarding people and matters, one knows how to deal with them. Seeing with the eyes corresponds to realization by the mind faculty; hearing corresponds to understanding by the conscious mind. These are two completely different levels. Understanding by the conscious mind is heard from others; realization by the mind faculty is seeing with one's own eyes — it is direct perception (pratyakṣa), truly seeing.

Understanding is like hearsay; actual seeing with one's own eyes is vastly different. For example, hearing about how a certain person is, the mind gives rise to a view, forming an impression. But upon meeting and observing, one sees it is actually like this, not entirely matching the impression. The feeling and impression upon meeting are more authentic and credible, and only then can one adopt an appropriate attitude towards that person. After truly understanding and observing, one's own views, opinions, thoughts, actions, and creations differ from when one merely heard.

Therefore, studying the Dharma and cultivating requires diligent study, penetrating deep into the mind, truly contemplating that "the sense faculties are like illusions" and "the five aggregates are without self." Contemplation initially involves preliminary thinking by the sixth consciousness. After thinking, it sinks into the mind faculty, letting the mind faculty itself deliberate, letting the mind faculty verify and accept this principle — this is attaining the fruit. If the mind faculty does not accept the principle contemplated and thought by the conscious mind, it is useless. To quickly enable the mind faculty to realize, the evidence must be conclusive, striving to reach the level of direct perception. There are many procedures within contemplation, many paths to walk, many dharmas to cultivate. One must continuously accumulate various provisions and provisions for the path; one needs to continuously accumulate the provisions of merit (puṇya-saṃbhāra), as well as precepts (śīla), patience (kṣānti), meditative concentration (dhyāna), and wisdom (prajñā), continuously perfecting the conditions of these six pāramitās.

"All dharmas are entirely empty and quiescent" — this is the liberation gate of emptiness. Emptiness itself has no characteristic of emptiness; the empty dharma itself has no characteristic; it is merely a nominal concept, without form. Emptiness has no characteristic of emptiness; not a single characteristic exists; even the characteristic of emptiness is absent. This is called the liberation gate of signlessness. If all dharmas lack characteristics, what is there to seek? What wishes or aspirations remain? All dharmas are empty; what do you still hope for? There is no more wishing; this is called the liberation gate of wishlessness. Thus, these three dharmas — emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness — proceed together with emptiness, and the mind is liberated. This is called the three liberation gates. Emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness — this "wish" (愿) refers to seeking, aspiring for results, vows made. Because everything is empty, whatever one grasps is empty; even attaining Buddhahood is empty.

The *Diamond Sūtra* states that even the fruit of Buddhahood is unobtainable. If even the fruit of Buddhahood is unobtainable, what else do you wish to obtain? Whatever you feel you have obtained, upon careful analysis and reasoning, you know nothing was obtained; fundamentally, there is no obtainer, let alone an obtained dharma. Someone might ask: if nothing can be obtained, then what are we cultivating for? Cultivation is first knowing the principle that all dharmas are unobtainable, then realizing that all dharmas are indeed unobtainable. Finally, with a mind empty of everything, one attains great liberation, no longer bound by any notion of gain, liberated from all suffering of birth and death. Even though truly nothing is obtained, we must still obtain this "dharma of non-obtainment"; otherwise, the cycle of birth and death will not cease.

All dharmas are illusory and unobtainable; suffering retribution is false, yet no one wishes to suffer retribution. Creating evil actions is false, yet one should still not create evil karma. Killing is false, yet one should not kill. Hell is false, yet no one wishes to go there. Buddhahood is false, yet all wish to attain it. Cultivation is like this: false dharmas have false functions; true dharmas have true functions. Since they cannot all be eliminated, one must make the false dharmas better, more pure. The seven consciousnesses are false, yet they have great functions. Therefore, one must certainly make them perform the best functions; one cannot abandon the false altogether, for that would prevent Buddhahood. This dialectic may seem contradictory, but after realizing the fruit and awakening the mind, one knows it is not contradictory.

Original Text: The Buddha said: Great King, it is like a person in a dream anointing his body with sandalwood incense, or tagara leaf incense, or other fragrances. What do you think? After this person awakens and recalls the incense anointed in the dream, is that incense truly existent? The King said: No, it is not. The Buddha said: Great King, is this person, who clings to his dream as real, a wise one? The King said: No, World-Honored One. Why? Because ultimately, there are no fragrances in the dream, let alone anointing the body with them. You should know that this person merely exhausts himself in vain; there is no reality to it at all.

Explanation: The Buddha said: Great King, it is like a person who, in a dream, uses sandalwood incense, tagara leaf incense, or other fragrances to anoint his own body. What do you think about this matter? After this person awakens, he still recalls the fragrance anointed in the dream. Is the act of anointing incense truly existent? King Śuddhodana said: It is not truly existent. The Buddha said: Great King, is this person, who clings to the dream he had as truly existent, a wise person? King Śuddhodana said: This person is not a wise person, World-Honored One. Why say this? Because ultimately, there is no incense in the dream, let alone the act of anointing; it simply cannot exist. This person truly pointlessly deludes himself, exhausting his mind; fundamentally, there is no real matter.

The act of anointing incense in the dream is illusory; the dream itself is illusory. But did this person dream? He certainly did dream. Although dreaming is an illusory appearance, the existence of the illusory appearance is undeniable. As long as we can find a way to recognize this is a dream, we awaken. Recognizing that these dharmas are illusory appearances, finding a way to prove these dharmas are illusory — that is awakening, and in the future, one can transcend birth and death.

Apart from the ālaya-vijñāna, all dharmas are conjured, all are false. But false dharmas have false functions; when false dharmas function, it is also false. The five aggregates themselves are false, yet the function of the five-aggregate body is still needed. Sentient beings before the fourth fruit (arhat) lack the ability to eliminate the false appearance of the five aggregates. Therefore, one must make the false dharmas and appearances purer and freer to eliminate all suffering. Sentient beings, even upon becoming Buddhas, do not eliminate the false dharma of the five-aggregate body; they merely make the five aggregates supremely magnificent and pure, without a trace of defilement or ignorance, possessing the thirty-two major marks and eighty minor marks.

Cultivation is about recognizing and investigating how these false appearances arise, how they are illusory. Does the act of anointing incense in the dream exist? One cannot deny the existence of such an illusory, false appearance. The false appearance is utterly insubstantial, but how did this insubstantial dharma appear? How was it conjured? Only after investigating this does one gain great wisdom. After awakening from the dream, all activities performed by the five aggregates are equally illusory and conjured, no different from dreaming. Then, how are the five aggregates and the activities of the five aggregates conjured? Continuously contemplating and investigating like this is actual cultivation. It requires cultivating meditative concentration extensively, entering deep concentration to meditate and realize these profound principles.

Original Text: The Buddha said: Great King, so it is, so it is. Foolish ordinary beings, upon first hearing a wonderful fragrance, give rise to affection and delight. The mind becomes tainted and attached, creating such karma — three bodily [misdeeds], four verbal [misdeeds], and three mental [misdeeds]. Having created that karma, it immediately ceases and perishes. After that karma perishes, it does not abide in the four directions, the four intermediate directions, above, or below. Even until the final consciousness ceases, one’s own karma manifests, like recalling dream matters upon awakening.

Explanation: The Buddha said: Great King, it is indeed so. Foolish, ordinary beings, upon first smelling a wonderful fragrance, give rise to affection and delight. The mind is stained and attached by the fragrance. If the mind did not crave the fragrance, one would only feel indifferent, not joyful. Once the mind gives rise to affection and delight, it becomes stained, attached, and stuck; the mind is not free, not liberated. It is locked by the objects of the six destinies, revolving in birth and death, unable to be liberated. The stained mind, the attached mind, the affectionate and delighted mind — these are the fetters that firmly lock the five-aggregate body within the great prison of the three realms.

Explanation: The Buddha said: Great King, the ālaya-vijñāna is the master that gives birth to the five-aggregate body of the next life. Karmic seeds are the objective condition. With the combination of these two causes and conditions, the initial consciousness of the next life is born. Beings may go to the hell realm, fall into the ghost realm, or be born into the animal realm, etc. — the three evil destinies; or be born into the asura realm, human realm, or heavenly realm — the three good destinies. Once the initial consciousness arises, sentient beings begin to receive their respective karmic retribution. Then, consciousness within the same physical body continuously operates without interruption. When the consciousness at the end of life ceases, the physical body becomes a corpse, called the dead aggregate. The initial consciousness arising in the physical body is called the initial consciousness, and the five-aggregate physical body is called the living aggregate.

Explanation: The Buddha said: Great King, not a single dharma can transfer from this life to the next life. Why is this said? Because the self-nature of all dharmas is ceaselessly arising and ceasing; they are not permanent or eternally abiding. When the five aggregates cease at the end of life, all dharmas will cease. Great King, when body-consciousness arises, it has no source; when it ceases, it has no destination. When karmic actions are created, the karmic actions have no source; when the karmic actions cease, they have no destination. When the initial consciousness of the next life arises, it has no source; when it ceases, it has no destination. Why is it said that all dharmas have no source and no destination? Because all dharmas are apart from all natures; the self-nature of all dharmas lacks all characteristics; their intrinsic nature is empty, utterly unobtainable.