Selected Lectures on the Pitṛputra Samāgama Sūtra

Original text: O great king, consciousness is the master, karma is the condition that grasps. These two serve as mutual causes. The initial consciousness arises. Actions performed and retributions received never perish or are lost. Beings may descend into hell, fall into the animal realm, enter the realm of Yama, or be born among asuras, humans, or devas, each receiving their respective karmic retribution. Consciousness of the same kind, along with its mental factors, continues and revolves accordingly. The final cessation of consciousness is called the aggregates of death. The initial arising of consciousness is called the aggregates of birth.

Explanation: The Buddha said: "O great king, the conscious mind is the master that creates karma and receives retribution. Karmic conditions are grasped by the conscious mind. Due to these two as causes, the initial conscious mind of the next life arises. The karmic retributions from actions performed in previous lives will not vanish without cause; all must be experienced. When retribution manifests, these beings may descend into hell, fall among animals, be born in the realm of spirits, or take rebirth as asuras, humans, or devas, each receiving their own retribution. Thus, consciousness corresponding to their karmic actions arises, continuing and revolving ceaselessly within the new aggregate-body (skandha). The final cessation of consciousness at the end of life is called the aggregates of death. The initial arising of consciousness at the beginning of life is called the aggregates of birth."

Original text: O great king, when body-consciousness arises, it comes from nowhere. When it ceases, it goes nowhere. When that condition 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. O great king, not the slightest thing passes from this world to another world. For what reason? Because intrinsic nature is empty.

Thus, one should understand: initial consciousness, initial consciousness is empty; one's own karma, one's own karma is empty; body-consciousness, body-consciousness is empty. If cessation, cessation is empty; if arising, arising is empty; saṃsāra, saṃsāra is empty; nirvāṇa, nirvāṇa is empty. All are empty in intrinsic nature. There is no doer, nor is there any experiencer. Neither karma nor its retribution can be apprehended. They are merely names and concepts, distinguished and displayed.

Explanation: The Buddha said: "O great king, when body-consciousness arises, it has no source; it comes from nowhere. When it ceases, it does not go anywhere. When karmic conditions arise, they also come from nowhere and go nowhere. When karmic actions arise, similarly, they come from nowhere and go nowhere. O great king, not the slightest thing can pass from this world to another world. Why? Because the intrinsic nature of all dharmas is empty."

"We should understand body-consciousness like this, knowing its intrinsic emptiness; understand the karmic actions created by one's own conscious mind like this, knowing that karma is empty in intrinsic nature; understand initial consciousness like this, knowing that initial consciousness is empty in intrinsic nature; understand like this that if any dharma arises, its arising is empty, and if any dharma ceases, its cessation is empty; simultaneously, one should understand that the creation and flow of karmic actions lack both a doer and an experiencer. All dharmas are merely illusory appearances and conceptual distinctions expressed through names."

Original text: O great king, the sense faculties are like illusions. All states are like dreams. The intrinsic nature of all dharmas is empty and still. This is called the gate of liberation of emptiness. Emptiness has no characteristic of emptiness; this is called the gate of liberation of signlessness. If there are no characteristics, then there is nothing to seek; this is called the gate of liberation of wishlessness. If one can thoroughly understand these three gates of liberation, walking together with emptiness, then the path to bodhi, the foremost way, is as vast as the dharmadhātu and as ultimate as empty space. Regarding this analogy, it should be understood thus.

Explanation: The Buddha said: "O great king, the six sense faculties are illusory. All perceived states are like dreams. The intrinsic nature of all dharmas is entirely empty and still. This is the gate of liberation of emptiness. The gate of liberation of emptiness has no characteristic of emptiness; it is called the gate of liberation of signlessness. If all dharmas are without characteristics, then we should harbor no further wishes or cravings; this is called the gate of liberation of wishlessness. If we can thoroughly understand these three gates of liberation, knowing they all walk together with emptiness, then the great path to nirvāṇa, the bodhi path, is as vast as the Tathāgata-garbha dharmadhātu, and its ultimate nature is like empty space. Regarding such analogies, we should understand them in this way."