Commentary on the Samādhi Meditation Sūtra
Chapter Twelve The Four Noble Truths, the Thirty-Seven Factors of Enlightenment, and the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination
Original text:问曰。若无吾我无主无作。云何去来言说。死此生彼。答曰。虽无吾我。六情作因。六尘作缘。中生六识。三事和合。故触法生。念知诸业。由是去来言说。从是有生死。譬如日爱珠。因日干牛屎和合。方便故火出。五阴亦尔。因此五阴生。后世五阴出。非此五阴至后世。亦不离此五阴。得后世五阴。
Explanation: The question says: If there is no self, no master and no agent, how can there be the coming and going of the physical body and the appearance of speech, and dying here and being born there? The answer says: Although there is no self, the six sense faculties serve as the cause and the six sense objects serve as the condition, and in between the six consciousnesses arise. When the three combine, the six consciousnesses are born from contact with dharmas; the six consciousnesses can then recollect dharmas and know dharmas, and thus the coming and going, speech, and all karmic actions of the five-aggregate body arise from this—then birth and death also arise. For example, the sun-loving crystal is a fire-producing instrument; because of the expedient means of combining sunlight with dried cow dung, fire is produced. The five-aggregate body is also like this: because the five aggregates of this life arise, the five aggregates of future lives will arise. It is not that the five aggregates of this life can go to future lives, but neither is it apart from the five-aggregate body of this life that the five-aggregate body of future lives exists.
Original text:五阴但从因缘出。譬如谷子中芽出。是子非芽。亦非余芽边生。非异非一。得后世身亦尔。譬如树未有茎节枝叶华实。得时节因缘华叶具足。善恶行报亦复如是。种子坏故非常非一。芽茎叶等生故。不断不异。死生相续。亦复如是。
Explanation: The five-aggregate body is only born from causes and conditions. For example, a sprout emerges from a grain seed; the seed itself is not the sprout, yet the sprout is not born from something else either. The seed and the sprout are neither identical nor different—they are related but not the same entity. Obtaining the five-aggregate body of future lives is also like this: it is neither identical to nor different from the five-aggregate body of this life. For example, when a tree has not yet grown its trunk, nodes, branches, leaves, flowers, and fruit, when the conditions of season and time are complete, they can grow forth. The retribution of wholesome and unwholesome actions is also like this. Only when the seed decays can the subsequent branches, leaves, flowers, and fruit appear; therefore the seed is not permanent and not eternally unchanging. The subsequent sprout, stem, leaves, and so forth arise from it, so the seed is uninterrupted and is not different from the sprout, stem, leaves, and so forth. The continuity of death and birth of the five-aggregate body is also like this.
Original text:行者谓法。无常苦空无我。自生自灭。知因爱等有。知因灭是尽。知尽是道。以四种智。知十二分是正见道。众生为缚着所诳。如人有无价宝珠。不别其真。为他欺诳。是时菩萨。发大悲心。我当作佛。以正真法。化彼众生。令见正道。
Explanation: Practitioners regard all dharmas of the five-aggregate world as impermanent, suffering, empty, and non-self, arising and ceasing on their own. They understand that the five-aggregate body exists due to causes such as craving; they understand that when the cause that gives rise to the five-aggregate body is extinguished, the five-aggregate body ceases completely; they understand that the complete cessation of the five-aggregate body is the path. With these four kinds of wisdom of suffering, accumulation, cessation, and the path, they understand that each link of the twelve links of dependent origination is the correct path of view for practice. Sentient beings are all deluded and deceived by the bonds of afflictions, like a person who possesses a priceless jewel but cannot recognize it as a true treasure and is deceived by others. At this time the bodhisattva gives rise to the great compassionate mind and says: I shall become a Buddha, and with the true and correct Dharma transform and guide these sentient beings, enabling them to see the correct path.
Original text:问曰。如摩诃衍般若波罗蜜中言。诸法不生不灭。空无所有。一相无相。是名正见。云何言无常等观。名为正见。答曰。若摩诃衍中说。诸法空无相。云何言无常苦空等不实。若言不生不灭空是实相者。不应言无相。汝言前后不相应。
Explanation: The question says: As stated in the Mahāyāna Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra, all dharmas neither arise nor cease, are empty and without anything, and are all the one mark that is without marks (the tathāgatagarbha mark, the mark of intrinsically pure self-nature)—this is the correct view. Why then say that notions such as the impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and non-self of dharmas are called the right view? The answer says: If the Mahāyāna teachings say that all dharmas are empty and without marks, why say that dharmas such as impermanence, suffering, and emptiness are not real dharmas? If one says that non-arising and non-ceasing, emptiness, is the mark of ultimate reality, one should not say it is without marks—your statement is inconsistent from beginning to end.
Original text:复次佛说四颠倒。无常中常颠倒。亦有道理。一切有为无常。何以故。因缘生故。无常因无常缘。所生果云何常。先无而今有。已有便无。一切众生皆见无常。内有老病死。外见万物凋落。云何言无常不实。
Explanation: Furthermore, among the four inverted views spoken of by the Buddha, sentient beings taking impermanent dharmas as permanent is one of the inversions. This also has its rationale: all conditioned dharmas are impermanent. Why? Because they are all born of causes and conditions. With an impermanent cause and impermanent conditions, how can the resulting fruit be permanent? Not existing before but existing now, and after existing then ceasing to be—that is impermanence. All sentient beings can see impermanent dharmas: within, there is the aging, sickness, and death of the five-aggregate body; without, there are all things withering and falling. Why say that the impermanence of dharmas is not a true principle of Dharma? (Although this principle is true, it is not the truth of the Mahāyāna ultimate reality; this truth is not that truth.)
Original text:问曰。我不言有常为实。无常为不实。我言有常无常俱是不实。何以故。佛言。空中有常无常二事不可得。若着此二事是俱颠倒。答曰。汝言不与法相应。何以故。言无法。云何复言二俱颠倒。一切空无所有。是为实不颠倒。
Explanation: The question says: I do not say that permanence is real and impermanence is unreal; I say that both permanence and impermanence are unreal. Why? The Buddha said that within emptiness (within the mind of emptiness-nature there is not a single dharma, let alone permanence and impermanence—neither exists), the two things of permanence and impermanence cannot be found; if one attaches to these two things, both are inversions. (Emptiness here refers to the mind of emptiness-nature, the mind of ultimate reality. He is neither permanent nor impermanent, yet is both permanent and impermanent; the mind-essence is intrinsically empty and does not contain the two dharmas of permanence and impermanence.) The answer says: What you say does not accord with the Dharma. Why? You say there are no dharmas—why then say that both permanence and impermanence are inversions? All dharmas being empty and without anything—this is the true and non-inverted dharma. (This is still the truth of emptiness of the Small Vehicle, not the principle of ultimate emptiness of the Mahāyāna.)
Original text:若我破有常着无常。我法应破。而不实我。有常颠倒破故观无常。何以故。无常力能破有常。如毒能破余毒。如药除病。药亦俱去。当知药妙能除病故。若药不去。后药为病。此亦如是。若无常法着。应当破不实故。我不受无常法云何破。
Explanation: If I refute permanence but attach to impermanence, then my dharma that all dharmas are empty and without anything should also be refuted, and there would be no real self or dharmas. When the inversion of permanence has been refuted, one should contemplate impermanence. Why? The dharma of impermanence has great power to refute permanence, just as one poison can counter other poisons. Just as medicine removes illness, in the end the medicine should also be removed along with it. Know that the nature of medicine is such that it excels at removing illnesses, but if the medicine is not removed, the medicine itself becomes a cause of illness. This dharma of permanence and impermanence is also like this: if one attaches to the dharma of impermanence, it should be refuted, because the dharma of impermanence is not real. I do not accept the dharma of impermanence—how could you refute the dharma of impermanence in my mind?
Original text:佛言。苦是四真谛中言实苦。谁能使乐。苦因是实因。谁能令非因。苦尽是实尽。谁能令不尽。尽道是实道。谁能令非道。如日或可令冷。月或可令热。风可令不动。是四真谛终不可动转。汝于摩诃衍中不能了。但着言声。摩诃衍中诸法实相。实相不可破。无有作者。若可破可作。此非摩诃衍。
Explanation: The Buddha said: Suffering is the really existent suffering spoken of among the Four Noble Truths—who can make suffering into happiness? The cause of suffering is a really existent cause—who can make a really existent cause into a non-cause? The method of practice for the cessation of suffering is a real method—who can make suffering not cease? The method of practice for the cessation of suffering is the real path—who can make it into a non-path? Just as the sun might be made cold, the moon might be made hot, or the wind might be made motionless—these Four Noble Truths can never be moved or changed. You cannot penetrate and understand the Mahāyāna Dharma; you can only attach to words and sounds. The true reality of all dharmas in the Mahāyāna—this ultimate reality cannot be refuted; there is no agent who could refute it. If ultimate reality could be refuted or fabricated, this would not be the Mahāyāna.
Original text:如月初生一日二日。其生时甚微细。有明眼人能见指示不见者。此不见人但视其指而迷于月。明者语言。痴人何以但视我指。指为月缘指非彼月。汝亦如是。言音非实相。但假言表实理。汝更着言声。闇于实相行。若得如是正知见。观十二分和合。为因果二分。果时十二分为苦谛。因时十二分为习谛。因灭是尽谛。见因果尽是道谛。四种观果无常苦空无我。四种观因集因缘生。
Explanation: It is just like the moon newly arisen for one or two days—that is, on the first or second day of each month—when its appearance is very subtle and hard to see. Only a person with clear eyes can see it and then point it out to one who cannot see. This person who cannot see the moon only looks at his finger and does not see the moon. The clear-eyed person says: Fool, why do you only look at my finger? The finger is the condition for seeing the moon; the finger is not the moon. You are also like this: words and sounds are not the mark of ultimate reality, but one must rely on words and sounds to express the principle of ultimate reality; yet you attach to words and sounds, remaining benighted regarding the practice of ultimate reality. If one can obtain such correct view, one contemplates the combined appearance of the twelve links as two parts: cause and fruit. When the fruit is formed, the twelve links are all the truth of suffering; at the stage of cause, the twelve links are all the truth of accumulation. The cessation of the cause is the truth of cessation; seeing the complete cessation of cause and fruit is the truth of the path. These are the four contemplative practices in which the cause is the truth of accumulation—causes and conditions arise from this.
Original text:问曰。果有四种。但名苦谛。余者无谛名也。答曰。若言无常谛复疑。苦谛亦疑。无我谛亦疑。一种难处。复次若言无常谛无咎。空非我谛亦无咎。若无常苦空无我谛。于说为重故。是故于四说一。
Explanation: The question says: The fruit has four kinds—suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and non-self—but only suffering is called the truth of suffering, the truth about suffering; the other three cannot be called noble truths. The answer says: If one doubts that impermanence is a noble truth, doubts that suffering is a noble truth, and doubts that non-self is a noble truth, one falls into a kind of difficulty—there would be no true principle in the world, no noble truth. Furthermore, if one says the truth of impermanence has no fault, then the truths of emptiness and non-self also have no fault. If the truths of impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and non-self are repetitive in expression, therefore among the four truths only one, the truth of suffering, is spoken of.
Original text:问曰。苦有何异相。于三中独得名。答曰。苦是一切众生所厌患。众生所怖畏。无常不尔。或有人为苦所逼。思得无常。无有欲得苦者。问曰。有人欲得捉刀自杀针炙苦药入贼。如是种种非求苦也。答曰。非为欲得苦。欲存大乐。畏苦故取死。苦为第一患。乐为第一利。以是故离实苦得快乐。是故佛以果分独名苦谛。非无常空无我谛。
Explanation: The question says: What special characteristic does suffering have that it alone is called the truth of suffering among impermanence, emptiness, and non-self? The answer says: Suffering is what all sentient beings loathe and what all sentient beings dread, but impermanence is not like this. Some people, oppressed by suffering, wish for impermanence; in reality, there is no one who wishes to obtain suffering. The question says: Some people want to take a knife to kill themselves, want to prick themselves with needles, want to take bitter medicine, want to go among bandits—such various actions are not seeking suffering.
The answer says: None of these actions is a desire to obtain suffering; they are a desire to attain great happiness—it is out of fear of suffering that one seeks death. Suffering is the foremost affliction that sentient beings fear; happiness is the foremost benefit of sentient beings. Therefore, by leaving behind real suffering one can obtain happiness. Therefore the Buddha, in terms of the aspect of fruit, alone calls suffering the truth of suffering, and does not say that impermanence, emptiness, and non-self are also truths.
Original text:是于四谛中了了实智慧。不疑不悔。是名正见。思惟是事种种增益故。是名正觉。除邪命摄四种邪语。离余四种邪语。摄四种正语。除邪命摄身三种业。除余三种邪业名正业。离余种种邪命。是名正命。如是观时精进。是正方便。是事念不散。是名正念。是事思惟不动。是名正定。正觉如王七事随从。是名道谛。是事一心。实信不动。是名信根。一心精勤求道。是名精进根。一心念不忘失。是名念根。心住一处亦不驰散。是名定根。思惟分别无常等觉。是名慧根。是名增长得力。是名五力。
Explanation: Thus, clearly discerning real wisdom within the Four Noble Truths, without doubt and without regret, is called right view. Contemplating that these matters and principles bring various superior benefits to one's own mind is called right enlightenment. Removing the four kinds of wrong speech subsumed under wrong livelihood—false speech, frivolous speech, harsh speech, and divisive speech—and leaving these four kinds of wrong speech, one upholds the four kinds of right speech. Removing the three bodily karmas subsumed under wrong livelihood—killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct—and upholding the three karmas of the physical body of not killing, not stealing, and not committing sexual misconduct; removing the three wrong karmas of killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct is called right action. Leaving other various wrong modes of livelihood is called right livelihood. Diligently engaging in such contemplative practice is right effort. Constantly being mindful of these matters and principles without distraction is called right mindfulness. Contemplating these matters and principles in this way with an unmoving mind is called right concentration.
Correct enlightenment is like a wheel-turning sage king who is invariably followed by the seven treasures; this is called cultivating the truth of the path. Having single-minded real faith in this principle without wavering is called the faculty of faith. Single-mindedly and diligently seeking the realization of the path is called the faculty of diligence. Being mindful of the Dharma single-mindedly without forgetting is called the faculty of mindfulness. The mind abiding in one place without scattering is called the faculty of concentration. Contemplating and discerning notions such as impermanence through contemplative practice is called the faculty of wisdom. When the five faculties grow and their power becomes strong, they are called the five powers.
Original text:问曰。八正道中皆说慧念定等。根力中何以重说。答曰。随入行时初得小利。是时名为根。是五事增长得力。是时得名为力。初入无漏见谛道中。是功德名八正道。
入思惟道时名七觉意。初入道中观念身痛心法。常一心念。是名四念止。如是得善法味四种精勤。是名四正勤。如是欲、精进、定、慧初门。勤精进求如意自在。是名四神足。
Explanation: The question says: The eightfold right path already speaks of right wisdom, right mindfulness, right concentration, and so forth—why repeat them in the five faculties and five powers? The answer says: When one enters into cultivating the principle of the Four Noble Truths and has just obtained a small measure of merit and benefit, at that time it is called a faculty. When the power of the five faculties has grown and one obtains greater benefit, at that time they are called the five powers. When one first enters the uncontaminated seeing of the truths of the Four Noble Truths, that merit of seeing the truths is called the eightfold right path.
When one enters from the path of seeing the truths into the path of contemplation, it is called the seven factors of enlightenment. First entering the mindfulness factor of enlightenment among the seven factors of enlightenment, one contemplates and practices body, feeling, mind, and dharmas, constantly able to contemplate single-mindedly, with the mind being mindful of these four dharmas—this is called the contemplation of the four foundations of mindfulness. Practicing thus and obtaining the flavor of wholesome dharmas, one raises four kinds of diligence—this is called the four right efforts. Thus desiring to diligently cultivate the initial gates of concentration and wisdom, diligently and painstakingly seeking various kinds of wish-fulfilling mastery, is called the four bases of supernatural power.
Original text:虽名四念止四正勤四神足五根等。皆摄随行时。初后少多。行地缘各各得名。譬如四大各各有四大。但多得名。若地种多水火风少处名为地大。水火风亦如是。如是三十七品中各各有诸品。
如四念止中有四正勤四神足五根五力七觉八道等。如是观十二分四谛行四念止四正勤四神足五根五力七觉意八正道。其心安乐。复以此法度脱众生。一心誓愿精进求佛。
Explanation: Although the above are called the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of supernatural power, the five faculties, the five powers, and so forth, these names are respectively given according to the sequence in time of practice, the amount of effort required in cultivation, the levels of practice, and the conditions that are complete. For example, earth, water, fire, and wind each contain the four great elements; they are named according to the composition of the four great elements, taking whichever predominates. If the earth-element seed component is abundant and the seeds of water, fire, and wind are scarce, it is called earth. Water, fire, and wind are also like this: their own seed component is abundant while the other great elements are scarce.
Thus, within the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment, each one includes the other factors; for example, the four foundations of mindfulness contain the four right efforts, the four bases of supernatural power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, the eightfold right path, and so forth. Contemplating and practicing thus the twelve links of dependent origination, the Four Noble Truths, the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of supernatural power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, and the eightfold right path, the mind can obtain peace and joy. Then using these dharmas to liberate other sentient beings, with single-minded vows one diligently cultivates and studies, seeking the Buddha path.
In summary, the sequence of cultivating the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment is roughly as follows: beginning with the cultivation of the five faculties, growing the five powers; then entering the eightfold right path, initiating contemplative cultivation, cultivating the seven factors of enlightenment; within the mindfulness factor of enlightenment, cultivating the contemplation of the four foundations of mindfulness, obtaining the flavor of wholesome dharmas, raising the four right efforts; and finally, as the result, through diligent and painstaking cultivation obtaining the fruit-joy of the four bases of supernatural power, with the mind attaining freedom and liberation. Each of the thirty-seven factors of the path must be cultivated and attained not only by the mind consciousness; at the same time, the manas is also perfumed, so that the manas too cultivates the thirty-seven factors of the path, completely and fully, attaining each factor of the path and accomplishing the four bases of supernatural power.
Original text:是时心中思惟观念。我了了观知此道不应取证。有二事力故未入涅槃。一者大悲不舍众生。二者深知诸法实相。诸心心数法从因缘生。我今云何随此不实。当自思惟欲入深观十二因缘。知因缘是何法。
Explanation: At this time, one contemplates and observes one's own thoughts in the mind: I can now observe very clearly in my mind that in cultivating the Dharma of the Four Noble Truths, I should not yet realize the fourth fruit and nirvāṇa. Due to the power of two things, I am prompted not to enter nirvāṇa: first, the great compassionate mind pitying sentient beings—I cannot abandon sentient beings and disregard them; second, I deeply know the true reality of all dharmas—all mind dharmas and the mental factors of the consciousness-mind arise from causes and conditions—how can I now follow these unreal dharmas? I should contemplate carefully, enter deep meditative concentration to observe the dharma of the twelve links of dependent origination, and thoroughly understand what dharma the twelve links of dependent origination are.
Original text:复更思惟。是四种缘。因缘。次第缘。缘缘。增上缘。五因为因缘。除过去现在阿罗汉最后心。余过去现在心心数法。是次第缘。缘缘增上缘。缘一切法。
复自思惟言。若法先因缘中有。则不应言是法因缘生。若无亦不应言因缘中生。生有半无。亦不应因缘生。云何有因缘。若法未生。若过去心心数法失。云何能作次第缘。若佛法中妙法无缘。涅槃云何为缘缘。
Explanation: Contemplating further, there are four kinds of conditions: the causal condition (hetu-pratyaya), the immediate condition (samanantara-pratyaya, also called the equal-uninterrupted condition), the objective condition (ālambana-pratyaya, also called the perceived-object condition), and the dominant condition (adhipati-pratyaya). The five causes can be said to be causal conditions, including: the coexistent cause (sahabhū-hetu), the homogeneous cause (sabhāga-hetu), the associated cause (saṃprayukta-hetu), the universal cause (sarvatraga-hetu), and the retributive cause (vipāka-hetu). Apart from the final mind of past and present arhats—when the manas has eradicated self-grasping and no longer craves the dharmas of the three realms, it no longer induces future existence and is not an immediate condition—the mind dharmas and mental factors of other sentient beings, past and present, are the immediate condition, able to induce the five-aggregate body of future lives. The objective condition and the dominant condition can assist the consciousness-mind in perceiving all dharmas, growing all dharmas, and manifesting all dharmas.
Contemplating further, one says: If a dharma already existed within the cause and condition beforehand, one should not say that this dharma is born from the cause and condition. If the dharma does not exist in the cause and condition at all, one should also not say that the dharma is born from the cause and condition. If the dharma that is born exists in one of the two—cause or condition—one should also not say that the dharma is born from the cause and condition. How could there be cause and condition? If a dharma has not yet arisen, if the past minds and mental factors have all ceased, how can these consciousness-minds and mental factors serve as the immediate condition (the equal-uninterrupted condition) for the next consciousness-mind? If the wondrous dharmas in the Buddha's Dharma could arise without conditions, why would nirvāṇa be an objective condition?
Causal condition: the cause is the dharma that can induce the appearance of another dharma; the condition is the dharma that helps the cause induce the appearance of another dharma. For example, A striking B is the cause; the two meeting again is the condition; at that time it induces B's retaliation against A, likewise striking A—B striking A is a dharma born of cause and condition. Both cause and condition are expedient causes for the birth of other dharmas, like a fuse. The most fundamental cause of all dharmas is the tathāgatagarbha, the source from which all dharmas are born; both the cause and the condition, these two dharmas, are born of the most fundamental cause, the tathāgatagarbha.
The immediate condition, also called the equal-uninterrupted condition, refers to dharmas of the same kind, equal and without interruption, arising and ceasing one by one in sequence, so as to induce the arising of the next dharma of the same kind. For example, with consciousness seeds: the previous consciousness seed (such as a consciousness seed of the mind consciousness) arises at a certain place upon a certain sense object, then ceases and returns; the next identical consciousness seed (the mind consciousness) arises at the same place, then ceases and returns again; another consciousness seed arises at the same place upon the same sense object, then ceases and returns again. In this way, identical consciousness seeds continuously arise and return to cessation at the same place, forming the continuous activity of the consciousness-mind. The mental factors are also like this.
The objective condition: the "object" corresponds to the "subject." The subject is the consciousness-mind of the seven consciousnesses, which possesses subjective agency; the seven consciousness-minds can perceive all dharmas, especially the realms of the six sense objects—they are the perceiving mind; the object perceived is all dharmas or the realms of the six sense objects. The objective condition is the condition for the arising of all dharmas, the condition for the arising of the realms of the six sense objects.
The dominant condition: all other assisting conditions that can help give rise to this dharma, apart from itself.
Original text:若诸法实无性。有法不可得。若因缘果生。因此有彼。是说则不然。若因缘中各各别。若和合一处。是果不可得。云何因缘边出果。因缘中无果故。
若因缘中先无果而出者。何以不非因缘边出果。二俱无故。果属因缘。因缘边出。是因缘不自在。属余因缘。是果属余因缘。云何不自在。因缘能生果。是故果不从因缘有。亦不从非因缘有。则为非果。果无故。缘与非缘亦无也。
Explanation: If all dharmas truly lack self-nature, then the existent dharmas of the three realms cannot be found. If one says that with a cause and a condition, when cause and condition combine, a fruit is born, and therefore another dharma arises—this statement is actually incorrect. If cause and condition are each different, each with its own characteristics, when the two combine together, no fruit can possibly appear—how can one say that a fruit emerges from the edge of the cause and condition? Because there is no fruit in either the cause or the condition. (This cause and condition are both merely conditions; what actually gives birth to the fruit is the fundamental cause, the tathāgatagarbha.)
If a fruit can be born even though there was originally no fruit in the cause and condition, why is it not born from the side of non-cause and non-condition? Because there is no fruit in either non-cause or non-condition. (For example, when father and mother unite and a child is born: there is no child in the father's body, no child in the mother's body, and after their union a child still could not possibly come into being. There is no fertilized egg in the father's semen, no fertilized egg in the mother's blood, and the union of semen and blood likewise has no fertilized egg. There must be another cause that, within the combination of cause and condition, gives birth to the fertilized egg and the child—and this cause is the tathāgatagarbha.) The fruit belongs to the edge of the cause and condition, born at the edge of the cause and condition; these causes and conditions are themselves not autonomous, therefore the fruit belongs to other causes and conditions. Since the fruit is born at the side of other causes and conditions, how could it not lack autonomy? Causes and conditions can give birth to the fruit—therefore it is said that the fruit is not born from the cause and condition, nor is it born from the side of non-cause and non-condition. Therefore, fundamentally there is no fruit. Because there is fundamentally no fruit, cause and condition also do not exist.
Original text:问曰。佛言十二因缘无明缘诸行。汝云何言无因果。答曰。先以被答不应更难。若难者更当答。佛言眼因色缘。痴边生。邪忆念痴是无明。是中无明何所依住。若依眼邪。若色中若识邪。不应依眼住。若依眼住。不应待色常应痴。若依色住。不应待眼。是则外痴。何豫我事。若依识住。识无色无对。无触无分无处。无明亦尔。云何可住。
Explanation: The question says: The Buddha said that in the dharma of the twelve links of dependent origination, ignorance conditions the volitional formations—why do you say there is no cause and effect? The answer says: This has already been answered before; one should not raise objections again. If one raises objections again, I shall answer again. The Buddha said that with the eye faculty as cause and visual objects as condition, eye consciousness arises at the side of delusion; the deluded nature of the mind's wrongful recollection of dharmas is ignorance. What dharma does the ignorance here depend on and abide in? Does it abide depending on the eye faculty, abide within visual objects, or abide within eye consciousness? It should not abide in the eye faculty. If it abided in the eye faculty, it should not wait for visual objects to appear before abiding; it should be constantly deluded.
If delusion abides depending on visual objects, it should not wait for the eye faculty to appear before abiding. Therefore it is said that delusion would be an external delusion—what does it have to do with me? If delusion abides depending on the consciousness-mind, the consciousness-mind has no form or appearance, no existence of corresponding dharmas, no contact, no parts, and no location; ignorance is also like this—how could it abide?
Original text:是故无明非内非外非两中间。不从前世来。亦不住后世。非东西南北四维上下来。无有实法。无明性尔。了无明性。则变为明。一一推之痴不可得。云何无明缘行。如虚空不生不灭不有不尽。本性清净。无明亦如是。不生不灭不有不尽。本性清净。乃至生缘老死亦尔。菩萨如是观十二因缘。知众生虚诳系在苦患。易度耳。诸法若有实相。难可得度。思惟如是。则破愚痴。
Explanation: Therefore ignorance is neither internal nor external nor in between the two; it does not come from past lives, nor does it abide in future lives; it does not come from east, west, south, or north, from the four intermediate directions, up, or down. No real dharma exists; the nature of ignorance is also like this. When the nature of ignorance is fully understood, it transforms into clarity. Inferring one by one from the above, delusion cannot be found—how could there be ignorance conditioning volitional formations? Like empty space, it neither arises nor ceases, neither exists nor does not exist, intrinsically pure; ignorance is also like this: neither arising nor ceasing, neither existing nor not existing, intrinsically pure. Even the last of the twelve links of dependent origination, birth conditioning aging-and-death, is also like this.
When the bodhisattva contemplates and practices the twelve links of dependent origination in this way, he understands that sentient beings are deluded and bound within the suffering afflictions of birth and death, and that sentient beings are easy to liberate. If dharmas had a mark of ultimate reality, if they were real, then sentient beings would be difficult to liberate. Contemplating thus, one breaks through delusion and ignorance.
