Lecture Notes on the Sūtra of the Collection of the Father and Son (197)

 All dharmas arise and cease, false and illusory

Original text: 大王。身识生时。无所从来。灭无所至。彼缘生时。无所从来。灭无所至。彼业生时。无所从来。灭无所至。大王。无有少法。从于此世。得至他世。何以故。自性空故。

如是了知。初识初识空。自业自业空。身识身识空。若灭灭空。若生生空。轮回轮回空。涅槃涅槃。皆自性空。无有作者。亦无受者。若业若报。皆不可得。但唯名相。分别显示。

Explanation: The Buddha said: Great King, when body consciousness arises, it comes from nowhere—there is no place it comes from; when it ceases, it does not go anywhere. When karmic conditions arise, they likewise come from nowhere and go nowhere; when karmic actions arise, they likewise come from nowhere and go nowhere. Great King, there is not the slightest dharma that can pass from this world to another world. Why? Because the self-nature of all dharmas is empty.

We should understand body consciousness in this way, understanding that its self-nature is empty; understand in this way the karmic actions created by our own conscious mind, understanding that the self-nature of karmic actions is empty; understand in this way the first consciousness, understanding that the self-nature of the first consciousness is empty; understand in this way that if all dharmas arise, their arising is empty, and if all dharmas cease, their ceasing is empty; at the same time, we should also understand that in the creation and transmigration of karmic actions, there is neither a creator nor a receiver—all dharmas are merely false appearances and names, displayed through discrimination.