What Is the Cause of Dharmas Produced by Causes and Conditions?

The condition required for all dharmas is a supportive condition and auxiliary force, meaning assistance and support, not a dominant role. The dominant role is the antecedent cause that gives rise to a dharma or result. For example, if A is beaten by B, this is an unwholesome dharma. The condition is the encounter between A and B, whereby the phenomenon of beating arises with the aid of a person or event. In reality, prior to this, there was a cause that led to the occurrence of this event. Without this antecedent cause, even if the condition were fully present, this event would not occur. If there were no antecedent cause, even if this beating incident occurred, it would then become the cause for the arising of future events. When supportive conditions arise later, due to the cause of this event, A will seek revenge on B, and B may be beaten again or experience other unpleasant behaviors.

The antecedent cause is a dharma born of causes and conditions, which is illusory. The consequence is also a dharma born of causes and conditions, equally illusory. Every dharma is born of causes and conditions and is therefore illusory and unreal. The cause is illusory, the condition is illusory, and the result is illusory—all are produced through the combined functioning of the eight consciousnesses. The driving forces are the manas (seventh consciousness) and karmic seeds, while the creator is the Tathāgatagarbha (Buddha-nature). With the cooperation of the six consciousnesses, dharmas are manifested illusorily. Among these, the seven consciousnesses are also illusory—illusory dharmas produce illusory dharmas, illusion upon illusion. Only the Tathāgatagarbha is non-illusory, and thus it can manifest all dharmas. If the Tathāgatagarbha were also illusory, then there would have to be a dharma that creates the illusory Tathāgatagarbha. Tracing further back, all would still be illusory. If there were no non-illusory dharma, the Dharma realm itself could not be established.