Commentary on the Sutra of the Compendium of Fathers and Sons (144)

Why do all dharmas have no origin and no destination?

Original text: Great King, there is not the slightest dharma that can pass from this world to another world. Why is that? Because their nature is subject to arising and ceasing. Great King, when body-consciousness arises, it comes from nowhere; when it ceases, it goes nowhere. When karma arises, it comes from nowhere; when it ceases, it goes nowhere. When the initial consciousness arises, it comes from nowhere; when it ceases, it goes nowhere. Why? Because its inherent nature is free from attributes. Thus, one should understand: body-consciousness is empty of body-consciousness; one's own karma is empty of one's own karma; initial consciousness is empty of initial consciousness. If cessation occurs, cessation is empty; if arising occurs, arising is empty. Understand that the operation of karma has no doer and no experiencer, being merely nominal designations and conceptual distinctions.

Commentary: The Buddha said: Great King, not a single dharma can transfer from this life to the next life. Why is that said? Because the inherent nature of all dharmas is constantly arising and ceasing; they do not permanently exist. When the five aggregates cease at life's end, all dharmas will cease. Great King, when body-consciousness arises, it has no origin; when it ceases, it has no destination. When karma is created, karma has no origin; when karma ceases, it has no destination. When the initial consciousness of the next life arises, it has no origin; when it ceases, it has no destination.

Why do all dharmas have no origin and no destination? Because all dharmas are free from all attributes; the inherent nature of all dharmas has no characteristics, their intrinsic nature is empty and ultimately unobtainable. We should thus understand body-consciousness, knowing its inherent nature is empty; thus understand the karma created by one's own consciousness, knowing karma's inherent nature is empty; thus understand initial consciousness, knowing initial consciousness's inherent nature is empty; thus understand 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 operation of karma have no doer and no experiencer, all dharmas being merely provisional appearances and nominal distinctions.