Lecture Notes on the Sūtra of the Collection of the Father and Son (Pitāputrasamāgamanasūtra) (112)

All dharmas of the five-aggregate world are subject to arising and ceasing: the mind consciousness arises and ceases, the physical body arises and ceases, and all the karmic actions created by the mind consciousness and the physical body are likewise subject to arising and ceasing. All these dharmas are empty; seeds arise in one instant and cease in the next instant, and thus the physical body and the mind consciousness arise and cease moment by moment, illusory and unreal. Especially at the time of death, everything must vanish and perish entirely—even the phenomena of momentary arising and ceasing will disappear without a trace. This further demonstrates the illusory nature of the five aggregates: not a single dharma can be carried over into future lives.

In the creation of all karmic actions, there is no creator, because the mind consciousness lacks autonomy and is illusory; the physical body is illusory and lacks autonomy. Since both body and mind are like illusions, this illusory body and mind cannot create karmic actions. In the transmigration of all karmic actions, there is likewise no experiencer of retribution, because the mind consciousness is illusory, empty, and without self-nature, and therefore is not the master of retribution; the physical body is illusory, empty, and without self-nature, and is also not the master of retribution. All material form is mere appearance (lakṣaṇa), and all mind consciousness is mere name (nāma); neither has any substance—they are nothing but false appearances discriminated and manifested by the mind consciousness.

The wealth, sensuality, fame, food, and sleep of this world are likewise all empty and without self-nature, illusory and unattainable. When one is born into this life, one does not bring over the reputation of the previous life; even if one was a king or a minister in a past life, in this life not a trace of that status and power has been carried over. The family members, relatives, and wealth of past lives—none of it has been brought over. In this life one must strive from the beginning, start from scratch, and acquire wealth, sensuality, fame, food, and sleep all over again. When this life ends, the wealth, sensuality, fame, food, and sleep accumulated over a lifetime, along with family members, relatives, and everything else, will all vanish—not a single thing can be taken into the next life. Even the five aggregates and the mind consciousness cannot transmigrate into future lives; apart from the manas, the consciousness that serves as the master, everything will vanish completely.