Cause and Effect Are Both Empty and Not Empty

Cause and effect have a dual nature of being both empty and non-empty, depending on the angle from which one views them. The meaning of non-emptiness is that, from the perspective of conventional truth (saṃvṛti-satya), where there is a cause there must be an effect, and both cause and effect are conventional phenomena. For example, a wholesome karma is a cause; with this cause, there will certainly be a wholesome result. The same applies to unwholesome karma: unwholesome karma is a cause, and with this cause, there will certainly be an unwholesome result. Karma that is neither wholesome nor unwholesome is a cause; with this cause bearing a conventional dharma-mark, there will certainly be a result that is neither wholesome nor unwholesome, bearing a conventional dharma-mark. Where there is a cause there must be an effect, and conventional dharma-marks exist distinctly and clearly—this is the meaning of cause and effect being non-empty.

However, from the perspective of the ultimate truth (paramārtha-satya)—the real nature of all dharmas and the emptiness of all dharmas—wholesome and unwholesome karmic causes, as well as causes that are neither wholesome nor unwholesome, are all manifested by the tathāgatagarbha; they are subject to arising, ceasing, and change, and their essence is empty. Likewise, the karmic results—wholesome, unwholesome, and those neither wholesome nor unwholesome—are all manifested by the tathāgatagarbha; they are subject to arising, ceasing, and change, and their essence is also empty. If karmic causes were not empty, then karmic causes would exist forever—when would sentient beings ever attain liberation? If karmic results were not empty, sentient beings would forever undergo karmic retribution—when would the results end? When would sentient beings be liberated and become Buddhas? That which arises, ceases, and changes is empty; that which does not arise, cease, or change is non-empty. Since all conventional dharma-marks are subject to arising, ceasing, and change, they are all empty.

If it is said that what does not arise, cease, or change is non-empty, and this is the reason cause and effect are non-empty, then this dharma that does not arise, cease, or change is the true mind, the tathāgatagarbha. Apart from the tathāgatagarbha, if there were any other dharma that does not arise, cease, or change, then no matter what that dharma is, it would be non-empty. But apart from the tathāgatagarbha, one truly cannot find any dharma that does not arise, cease, or change. Whatever can be found are all the intrinsic qualities of the tathāgatagarbha related to its own substance. The tathāgatagarbha, which does not arise, cease, or change, can manifest the causes of conventional truth and can also manifest the results of conventional truth. Since the tathāgatagarbha is non-empty, cause and effect will certainly exist. Therefore, the tathāgatagarbha is the cause of cause and effect: when the tathāgatagarbha is non-empty, cause and effect are non-empty; when the tathāgatagarbha is empty, cause and effect are empty.

From the profound perspective of Yogācāra, the causes of conventional truth are manifested by the seven intrinsically existing great seeds of the tathāgatagarbha, and their essence is still an attribute of the tathāgatagarbha. The results of conventional truth are likewise manifested by the seven great seeds of the tathāgatagarbha, and their essence remains an attribute of the tathāgatagarbha. Therefore, the entirety of conventional truth is an attribute of the tathāgatagarbha and belongs to the tathāgatagarbha; from within conventional truth, one should be able to see the silhouette of the tathāgatagarbha.