Cause and Effect: Both Empty and Not Empty

Karma and its retribution have a dual nature of being both empty and non-empty, depending on the angle from which one views it. The meaning of non-emptiness is that, from the perspective of conventional truth (saṃvṛti-satya), where there is a cause there must be a result; cause and effect are both conventional phenomena. For example, a wholesome karma is a cause; having this cause, there will certainly be a wholesome result. The same applies to unwholesome karma: unwholesome karma is a cause, and having this cause, there will certainly be an unwholesome result. Neutral karma, being neither wholesome nor unwholesome, is a cause; having this cause of conventional dharmic characteristics, there will certainly be a neutral result of conventional dharmic characteristics. Where there is a cause there must be a result, and conventional dharmic characteristics exist distinctly and clearly—this is the meaning of karma and its retribution being non-empty.

However, from the perspective of the ultimate truth (paramārtha-satya)—the real characteristics of all dharmas and the empty characteristics of all dharmas—wholesome and unwholesome karmic causes, as well as neutral karmic causes, are all manifested by the tathāgatagarbha; they are subject to arising, ceasing, and change, and their essence is empty. Wholesome and unwholesome karmic retribution, as well as neutral karmic retribution, are likewise all manifested by the tathāgatagarbha; they are subject to arising, ceasing, and change, and their essence is also empty. If karmic causes were not empty, then karmic causes would exist forever—when would sentient beings ever attain liberation? If karmic results were not empty, sentient beings would forever undergo karmic retribution—when would the retribution end? When would sentient beings be liberated and become Buddhas? That which arises, ceases, and changes is empty; that which does not arise, cease, or change is non-empty. All conventional dharmic characteristics are subject to arising, ceasing, and change, and therefore all are empty.

If it is said that what does not arise, cease, or change is non-empty, and this is the reason why karma and its retribution are non-empty, then this dharma that does not arise, cease, or change is the intrinsic mind, the tathāgatagarbha. Apart from the tathāgatagarbha, if there were any other dharma that does not arise, cease, or change, then regardless of what that dharma is, it would be non-empty. But apart from the tathāgatagarbha, one truly cannot find any dharma that does not arise, cease, or change. Whatever can be found are all characteristics of the tathāgatagarbha's essence, related to the tathāgatagarbha itself. The tathāgatagarbha, which does not arise, cease, or change, can manifest the causes of conventional truth and can also manifest the results of conventional truth. Since the tathāgatagarbha is non-empty, cause and effect will certainly exist. Therefore, the tathāgatagarbha is the cause of cause and effect: when the tathāgatagarbha is non-empty, cause and effect are non-empty; when the tathāgatagarbha is empty, cause and effect are empty.

From the profound perspective of Yogācāra, the causes of conventional truth are manifested by the seeds of the seven great elements of the tathāgatagarbha, and their essence is still an attribute of the tathāgatagarbha. The results of conventional truth are likewise manifested by the seeds of the seven great elements of the tathāgatagarbha, and their essence is still an attribute of the tathāgatagarbha. Therefore, the entirety of conventional truth is an attribute of the tathāgatagarbha and belongs to the tathāgatagarbha; from within conventional truth, one should be able to see the figure of the tathāgatagarbha.