Selected Lectures on the Combined Sutra of Father and Son (84)

Great King, there is not even a small dharma that can go from this world to the next world. Why is that? Because of the nature of arising and ceasing. Great King, when body consciousness arises, it does not come from anywhere; when it ceases, it does not go anywhere. When karma arises, it does not come from anywhere; when it ceases, it does not go anywhere. When initial consciousness arises, it does not come from anywhere; when it ceases, it does not go anywhere. Why? Because inherent nature is detached. Thus, know that body consciousness is empty, karma is empty, initial consciousness is empty. If there is cessation, cessation is empty; if there is arising, arising is empty. Know that the turning of karma has no doer and no experiencer; it is merely names and forms, conceptually displayed.

Explanation: The Buddha said: Great King, no dharma whatsoever can flow from this world to the next world. Why is that said? Because the inherent nature of all dharmas is constantly arising and ceasing; they are not permanent or enduring. When the five aggregates cease at the time of death, all dharmas will cease. Great King, when body consciousness is born, there is no place it comes from; when it ceases, there is no place it goes to. When karma is created, karma has no place it comes from; when karma ceases, there is no place it goes to. When the initial consciousness of the next life is born, there is no place it comes from; when it ceases, there is no place it goes to. Why do all dharmas have no place they come from and no place they go to? Because all dharmas are detached from all natures; the inherent nature of all dharmas has no characteristics, its self-nature is empty, utterly unobtainable. We should thus know body consciousness, know that its inherent nature is empty; thus know the karma created by our own consciousness, know that karma's inherent nature is empty; thus know initial consciousness, know that its inherent nature is empty; thus know that if any dharma arises, its arising is empty, if any dharma ceases, its cessation is empty; at the same time, know that the creation and turning of karma has no doer and no experiencer; all dharmas are merely false appearances and conceptual designations displayed by names.