大寶積經

25. CHAPTER ON THE DISTINCTIONS AMONG THE SIX ELEMENTS

At that time, King Suddhodana and his retinue saw the asuras, up to the gods of Abundant Fruit, make offerings to the Buddha and receive predictions of awakening. They also heard the gods of the Pure Abodes recite verses in praise of the Buddha, and saw that even followers of other paths received predictions. The King thought: “This is rare and inconceivable. The Blessed One has spoken exceedingly well in this manner, and the entire world will rejoice.”

Because of his loving attachment to his son, King Suddhodana felt the deepest affection and concern for the Buddha. The Blessed One said to King Suddhodana: “The Dharma taught by the Buddha is good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end. Its meaning is profound; its flavor is wholly good, pure, unmixed, immaculate, and undefiled. It clearly reveals the Dharma of the holy life. What is this holy life? It is the Dharma gateway of discerning the six elements.

“Now, O King, listen attentively and reflect well. I shall explain it for you.”

The King said: “Excellent! I shall listen carefully. May the Buddha please teach it.”

The Buddha said: “O Great King! What is the Dharma gateway of discerning the six elements?

“O Great King, the six elements are said to constitute a person; the six bases of contact also constitute a person; and the eighteen spheres of mental consciousness also constitute a person.

“O Great King! Why does the Buddha say that the six elements constitute a person? What are the six elements? They are the earth element, water element, fire element, wind element, space element, and consciousness element.

“This is what is meant by saying that the six elements constitute a person.

“Why does the Buddha say that the six bases of contact constitute a person? What are the six bases of contact? Through the eye base of contact, visible forms are seen; the same applies to the ear, nose, tongue, and body, up to the mind base of contact, through which dharmas are known.

“This is what is meant by saying that the six bases of contact constitute a person.

“Why does the Buddha say that the eighteen spheres of mental consciousness constitute a person? What are the eighteen spheres of mental consciousness? When the eye sees an agreeable form, conceptual recollection and discrimination give rise to thought and consideration.

“When it sees a disagreeable form, conceptual recollection and discrimination likewise give rise to thought and consideration. When it sees a neutral form, conceptual recollection and discrimination likewise give rise to thought and consideration. The same applies to the ear, nose, tongue, and body. This extends to the mind knowing an agreeable dharma, a disagreeable dharma, or a neutral dharma: in every case, conceptual recollection and discrimination arise.

“This is what is meant by saying that the eighteen spheres of mental consciousness constitute a person.

“O Great King, the earth element is of two kinds: internal and external.

“The internal earth element consists of whatever within one’s own body is hard, solid, appropriated, and grasped, such as the hair of the head, body hair, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, marrow, brain, five viscera, six bowels, and excrement.

“The external earth element consists of whatever hard and solid exists outside the body and is neither appropriated nor grasped.

“O Great King! When the earth element within the body arises, it comes from nowhere; when it ceases, it goes nowhere.

“O Great King! At times a woman discriminates, ‘I am a woman.’ On seeing a man, she further discriminates, ‘He is a man.’ She then gives rise to lustful thoughts, desires union, and develops passionate attachment to that man.

“At times that man discriminates, ‘I am a man.’ On seeing the woman, he further discriminates, ‘She is a woman,’ and then develops passionate attachment.

“The man and woman both develop passionate attachment and unite. Because of their union, a kalala comes into being.

“O Great King! The man’s discrimination and that which is discriminated are both unobtainable. The man and the nature of man are also unobtainable; therefore, discrimination does not arise through any continuity. The intrinsic nature of that discrimination is itself unobtainable. Just as the intrinsic nature of discrimination is unobtainable, union and the intrinsic nature of union are also unobtainable; the kalala and the intrinsic nature of the kalala are also unobtainable.

“If their intrinsic nature is unobtainable, how could a ghana arise?

“O Great King! Through the cause of discrimination, that which is hard and solid arises. When that solidity arises, it comes from nowhere.

“O Great King! At times this body ultimately becomes a corpse. When the solidity of that corpse decomposes, it does not go east, south, north, or west, nor to any of the intermediate directions, above, or below.

“What has just been described is the earth element within the body.

“O Great King! At times this world becomes entirely empty, and afterward the palace of Brahma, made of the seven precious substances, arises. When the solid characteristic of that palace arises, it comes from nowhere.

“When the solid characteristics of the palaces made of the seven precious substances in the Heaven of Mastery over Others’ Creations, the Heaven of Delighting in Creation, the Tusita Heaven, the Yama Heaven, the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, and the Heaven of the Four Great Kings arise, they come from nowhere.

“When the solidity of the Cakravada Mountains and the Great Cakravada Mountains arises, it comes from nowhere. This extends to Mount Sumeru and throughout the entire great trichiliocosm: when any solidity therein arises, it comes from nowhere.

“This great earth is one million six hundred thousand yojanas thick. When it arises, it comes from nowhere.

“O Great King! At times this world is destroyed. When it is about to be destroyed, the great earth may be burned and shattered by fire, washed away and dissolved by water, or scattered by wind. When fire burns this great earth, not even smoke or ash remains visible, just as clarified butter consumed by fire vanishes without remainder, or as salt placed in water dissolves completely. When wind destroys it, nothing remains, just as a fierce vairambha wind scatters a flock of birds without leaving a single one behind. When the earth element therein disintegrates and ceases, it also goes nowhere.

“O Great King! So it is, so it is. When the internal earth element and the external earth element arise, they come from nowhere; when they cease, they go nowhere. At the time of arising, there is no arising; at the time of abiding, there is no abiding. The intrinsic nature of both the time of arising and the time of abiding is empty.

“O Great King! The water element is also of two kinds: internal and external.

“The internal water element consists of whatever within the body is water, has the nature or substance of water, or is moist, having the nature or substance of moisture, such as tears, nasal mucus, sweat, saliva, pus, blood, phlegm, fat, marrow, milk, and urine.

“The external water element consists of whatever outside the body is water, has the nature or substance of water, or is moist, having the nature or substance of moisture, and is neither appropriated nor incorporated into the body.

“O Great King! When that water element within the body arises, it comes from nowhere; when it ceases, it goes nowhere. For example, on seeing a loved one, tears flow from the eyes; when suffering, tears also flow from the eyes. On hearing the Dharma and giving rise to reverence and faith, tears flow; when afflicted by wind and cold, tears also flow; and the same occurs when the eyes are inflamed and red.

“When those tears arise, they come from nowhere; when they cease, they go nowhere.

“O Great King! At times the water element within the body becomes excessively abundant and can extinguish the fire element within the body. When that fire element ceases, it goes nowhere. At other times the fire element within the body becomes exceedingly intense and can dry up the water element within the body. When it has been burned away, that water element goes nowhere.

“O Great King! When the fire element and water element within the body arise, they come from nowhere; when they cease, they go nowhere. At the time of arising, they do not exist; their intrinsic nature is itself empty.

“O Great King! At times this world is destroyed. When this world is about to be destroyed, thirty-two layers of clouds arise in space and completely cover the great trichiliocosm. For five intermediate kalpas, heavy rain falls without interruption, each raindrop like the stream of urine from a king of elephants. Afterward, for another five intermediate kalpas, immense rain falls, and the floodwaters rise as high as the Brahma Heaven.

“O Great King! When that vast water element first arises, it comes from nowhere.

“O Great King! At other times this world is destroyed. When it is about to be destroyed, two suns appear in this world, whereupon all springs and small rivers dry up.

“Next, four suns appear, whereupon the sources of all the great rivers dry up completely.

“Next, five suns appear, whereupon the waters of the great ocean gradually dry up, first to a depth of one yojana, then ten yojanas, one hundred yojanas, one thousand yojanas, ten thousand yojanas, and finally forty-four thousand yojanas, all becoming dry.

“At that time, the water remaining in the great ocean decreases from forty thousand yojanas to thirty thousand, twenty thousand, ten thousand, nine thousand, eight thousand, and eventually one thousand yojanas. It gradually diminishes to nine hundred, eight hundred, and then one hundred yojanas; then to ninety and finally ten yojanas; then to nine and finally one yojana; then to five leagues, and from ten tala trees in depth to nine and finally one tala tree, until only damp puddles like footprints remain.

“At that time, only a slight trace of moisture remains in the great ocean, like ground that becomes wet in a sudden shower and immediately dries again.

“Eventually, the moisture in the great ocean is only enough to wet the surface of a fingertip.

“O Great King! As that water element gradually ceases, it goes nowhere; it does not go in any of the ten directions. At the time of arising, it does not exist; at the time of abiding, it does not exist; at the time of ceasing, it does not exist. The nature of the water element is unobtainable; only its particular function exists. Yet that function is neither male nor female and has no characteristic that can be apprehended. O Great King, the fire element is also of two kinds: internal and external.

“The internal fire element consists of whatever within the body is fire, has the substance or characteristic of fire, or is heat, having the substance or characteristic of heat. It is the warmth and heat within the body that digest the food and drink taken in, together with the various degrees of bodily temperature.

“The external fire element consists of whatever fire, substance of fire, characteristic of fire, warmth, or heat exists outside the body and is neither grasped nor appropriated.

“O Great King! At times, while the kalala is in the womb, the internal fire element becomes increasingly strong and the water element gradually diminishes; thus the kalala gradually thickens and hardens, just as an object made of metal gradually hardens through the power of fire. When the kalala has become firm and dense, it is called a ghana. Through the power of fire, the ghana develops into what is called a pesi. Through the power of fire, the pesi develops into what is called a firm mass. Through the power of fire, the firm mass develops five protrusions.

“Thus it is, O Great King! As the water element is progressively matured by the fire element, it gradually thickens and hardens into a mass of flesh.

“O Great King! When that fire element arises, it comes from nowhere, yet it can consume the water element.

“O Great King! At times the fire element within a person’s body gradually becomes completely extinguished. Because the fire element is extinguished, food and drink cannot be digested, and the sick person becomes unable to eat or drink. Because that person cannot eat or drink, the fire element is utterly extinguished, and the sick person dies.

“O Great King! When the fire element ceases, it does not go in any of the ten directions. At the time of arising, it does not exist; at the time of ceasing, it does not exist. From the beginning, the intrinsic nature of that fire element has itself been empty.

“O Great King! There are times when the world is destroyed. When the world is destroyed, the external fire element becomes intense and blazes throughout the entire great trichiliocosm.

“O Great King! When that external fire arises, it comes from nowhere.

“O Great King! At other times, after that immense mass of fire has burned throughout the great trichiliocosm, it is extinguished. When that fire ceases, it goes nowhere; it does not go in any of the ten directions.

“O Great King! At the time of arising, that external fire element does not exist; at the time of ceasing, it does not exist. Its intrinsic nature is itself empty. It is not existent and cannot be apprehended. There is only its particular function, yet that particular function is neither male nor female.

“O Great King! The wind element is also of two kinds: internal and external.

“What is the wind element within the body? It consists of whatever wind element in one’s own body or another’s body is appropriated and grasped: the substance of wind, what is designated as wind, swift movement, the substance of swift movement, and what is designated as swift movement. The wind in the four limbs; the wind in the spleen and stomach; the wind moving through the five parts of the body; the wind moving through the joints and parts of the limbs; and the inhaled and exhaled breath are all wind. In brief, whatever moves throughout the body is wind.

“At times that wind element within the body becomes intense and accumulates. It can dry up the water element and diminish the fire element. Consequently, the person’s body is neither moist nor warm; the abdomen swells, the hands and feet contract and stiffen, the blood vessels become distended, and the sinews burn, spasm, and cause intense pain, perhaps even death.

“O Great King! When that wind element within the body arises, it comes from nowhere.

“O Great King!

“A person afflicted by a wind disorder may encounter a skilled physician who administers the proper medicine, causing the wind disorder to cease completely. When that wind element ceases, it also goes nowhere. At the time of arising, it does not exist; at the time of ceasing, it does not exist. Its intrinsic nature is itself empty.

“What is the wind element outside the body?

“O Great King! Whatever exists outside the body and is neither grasped nor appropriated by the body—its substance as wind, its designation as wind, swift movement, and the designation of swift movement—is called the external wind element.

“O Great King! At times that external wind element becomes intense and accumulates, causing leaves to fall, branches to break, trees to snap and be uprooted, cliffs to crumble, and mountains to collapse and disintegrate into minute particles. This entire great trichiliocosm is rolled over and spun around by that fierce wind.

Just as a potter uses a stick to turn the potter’s wheel, so is this great trichiliocosm spun around by the wind. Just as a small amount of fine flour is dispersed by the wind until it can scarcely be seen, so this great trichiliocosm is dispersed by the fierce wind into minute particles that can scarcely be seen. Just as, during a great wind, a handful of earth cast into the wind is scattered until it can scarcely be seen, so when this great trichiliocosm is dispersed by a fierce wind, it can scarcely be seen.

“O Great King! When that external wind element arises, it comes from nowhere.

“Again, at the beginning of summer, when there is no wind, the plants and trees wither.

“O Great King! When that external wind element ceases, it goes nowhere.

“At the time of arising, that wind element does not exist; at the time of ceasing, it does not exist. Its intrinsic nature is itself empty.

“O Great King! Both the internal wind element and the external wind element are empty. Their substance is itself detached, their characteristics are also themselves detached, their nature is unobtainable, and the characteristic of their cessation is also detached.

“Why? Because that wind element is not an act and has no agent.

“O Great King! What is the space element? It is also of two kinds: internal and external.

“What is the internal space element? Whatever within one’s own body or another’s body is appropriated and grasped—that is, space, the substance of space, and what is designated as space—comprises the various cavities produced within the body that are included among the skandhas, ayatanas, and dhatus. This is called the internal space element.

“What is the external space element? Whatever exists outside the body, is not form, is empty, and contains not even a fine hair is called space. This is called the external space element.

“O Great King! At times, through the causes and conditions of karma, the various sense bases arise. After those bases have arisen, they enclose the space element, which is then counted as the internal space element.

“O Great King! When each of these dharmas is examined in this way, not a single eye base can be found; only its function exists.

“O Great King! Because of what is there emptiness? There is emptiness because the earth element is pure. Just as the earth element is empty because it is pure, so too are the water, fire, and wind elements empty because they are pure. Space comes from nowhere.

“O Great King! At times all forms decay and cease, becoming space. Why? Because the space element is inexhaustible.

“O Great King! The internal space element alone abides without movement.

“Just as the unconditioned element of nirvana abides without movement, you should know that the space element likewise pervades all places.

“O Great King! Suppose a person digs the earth in an empty wilderness to make a pond or a well. What do you think, O Great King? From where does that space come?”

“Blessed One! It comes from nowhere.”

“O Great King! If that person fills it in again with earth, what do you think, O Great King? Where does that space go?”

“Blessed One! It goes nowhere. Why? Blessed One, that space element neither comes nor goes. Why? Because the space element is neither male nor female.”

“O Great King! The external space element is also unmoving, and its nature does not change. The space element is empty and is not an existent dharma. Why? Because the space element is neither male nor female.

“O Great King! What is the consciousness element?

“The eye acts as the controlling faculty and takes visible form as its object. Because it cognizes visible form in relation to form, consciousness arises. It may discern the colors blue, yellow, red, and white, and it may also discern shapes that are long or short, large or small. All visible objects seen by eye consciousness are called the eye-consciousness element.

“Likewise, whatever knows sounds, odors, flavors, tangible objects, or dharmas, and whatever knows the objects and cognized fields of the six faculties, is called the ear-consciousness element, and so forth, up to the mind-consciousness element.

“O Great King! Furthermore, that consciousness element does not depend upon the faculties, nor does it depend upon the elements. Why? It is not purified form of the earth element that constitutes the eye base, nor is purified form of the water, fire, or wind element the eye base. Why? Neither the purified earth element together with other dharmas constitutes the eye base and the person endowed with the eye base, nor do the purified forms of the water, fire, and wind elements together with other dharmas constitute the eye base and the person endowed with the eye base. Why? Because these dharmas are without cognition or discernment, lack capability, are neither beginning, middle, nor end, and are neither internal, external, nor intermediate.

“O Great King! After the consciousness element cognizes the object before it, it immediately ceases and does not arise again. When that consciousness arises, it comes from nowhere; when it ceases, it likewise goes nowhere.

“O Great King! What is called the eye base?

“It is purified form composed of the four great elements. If the intrinsic nature of all dharmas is itself empty, what could be pure and what could be impure? Since there is neither purity nor impurity within dharmas, how could purity or impurity be perceived within them?

“Thus, O Great King, you should know that the eye base is definitively and ultimately empty and quiescent in its essential nature. Both its prior limit and subsequent limit are unobtainable. Why?

“Because the future has not yet arrived, it is unobtainable; because the past has already ceased, it is also unobtainable. The future and the things of the future are unobtainable. The eye ayatana is likewise unobtainable because it is detached from intrinsic nature. If its essential nature is unobtainable, then male nature and female nature are likewise unobtainable. Since there is neither male nature nor female nature, how could there be self or what belongs to self?

“O Great King! If there are self and what belongs to self, that is the domain of Mara. Where there are neither self nor what belongs to self, that is called the domain of the Buddhas, the Tathagatas. Why? Because all dharmas are detached from self and what belongs to self.

“O Great King! Know in accordance with reality that the eye base is empty and that the intrinsic nature of the eye base is empty. Why? Because the characteristics of that eye base are unobtainable. Therefore, the essential nature of the eye base is empty and quiescent. That emptiness is detached from the characteristics of the eye base; this is called signlessness. Because no aspiration is directed toward characteristics, it is called wishlessness. These are the three gates of liberation made manifest in relation to the eye base.

“O Great King! What are the ear-base element through the body-base element?

“O Great King! In relation to the three gates of liberation, all those dharmas are manifestly and definitively established in the ultimate dharma-dhatu, pervading the bounds of space. They cannot be named, spoken, employed, indicated, disputed, expressed in language, or measured.

“O Great King! To set the eye in relation to visible form is called inversion. To set the ear in relation to sound, the nose in relation to odor, the tongue in relation to flavor, the body in relation to tangible objects, and the mind in relation to dharmas is called inversion. Therefore, these dharmas are called the sphere of the mind.

“O Great King! When the eye base encounters visible form, looks at it, apprehends it, and clings to it, there are three kinds of obstruction: on seeing a favorable object, one gives rise to thoughts of loving attachment; on seeing an unfavorable object, one gives rise to thoughts of anger; and on seeing a neutral object, one gives rise to thoughts of neither craving nor anger. The other five bases likewise have three kinds of obstruction in relation to their objects: when engaging a favorable object, a mind of attachment arises; when engaging an unfavorable object, a mind of anger arises; and when engaging a neutral object, a deluded mind arises. Such spheres are where the mind operates. Because the mind travels everywhere, they are called the sphere of the mind.

“O Great King! When the mind operates upon an agreeable form, craving arises; when it operates upon a disagreeable form, anger arises; and when it operates upon a neutral form, delusion arises. Likewise, when the mind operates upon sounds, odors, flavors, and tangible objects, craving, anger, and delusion arise in these three ways. That is, when the mind engages a dharma agreeable to it, craving arises; when the mind engages a dharma disagreeable to it, anger arises; and when the mind engages a neutral dharma, ignorance and delusion arise.

“O Great King! Thus should one know that the faculties resemble magical illusions and that their spheres are like dreams.

“O Great King! Suppose a person in a dream enjoys himself together with palace women and a great assembly. After awakening, that person remembers the events in the dream—the great assembly and the palace women. What do you think, O Great King? Were the things seen in the dream real?”

“Blessed One! They were not real.”

“O Great King! While that person was dreaming, he considered them real. Was that wisdom?”

“Blessed One! It was not wisdom. Why? The great assembly and palace women seen in the dream were ultimately empty and unobtainable, much less could he truly enjoy himself with them. That person merely wearied himself; ultimately, nothing was real.”

“O Great King! Foolish ordinary beings who have not studied the true Dharma are likewise. On seeing an agreeable form with the eye, they give rise to attachment. Having given rise to attachment, they develop affection; having developed affection, they give rise to defiled clinging; having given rise to defiled clinging, they create the karma of attachment—namely, the three kinds of bodily karma, the four kinds of verbal karma, and the three kinds of mental karma. Once created, that karma immediately ceases. After ceasing, that karma does not abide

“in any of the ten directions. Yet when the final consciousness ceases at the time of death, the deeds done previously appear within the mind’s perceptions.

“O Great King! When that person’s own allotment of karma has been exhausted, other karma appears, just as one awakens from a dream and remembers the events in the dream.

“O Great King! Thus the final consciousness is the principal condition, and that karma serves as a cause and condition. Through these two conditions, the first consciousness and mind in the phase of rebirth arise. One may be born in hell, among animals, in the realm of Yama, among the asuras, or among humans and gods. The preceding consciousness has ceased, and the consciousness of the rebirth phase arises. The continuity of the rebirth phase persists, and the lineage of mind is not severed.

“O Great King! Not a single dharma passes from this life to another. Nevertheless, there is arising and ceasing; the karma that was performed is manifest, and the threefold result that is experienced is never lost. There is no person who creates karma and no person who receives its result.

“O Great King! When that final consciousness ceases, it is designated as death; when the initial consciousness arises, it is designated as birth.

“O Great King! When that final consciousness arises, it comes from nowhere; when it ceases, it likewise goes nowhere. When that condition arises, it comes from nowhere; when it ceases, it goes nowhere. When that karma arises, it comes from nowhere; when it ceases, it goes nowhere. When death occurs, 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. When birth occurs, it comes from nowhere; when it ceases, it goes nowhere. Why? Because all are detached from intrinsic nature.

“The final consciousness is empty of the essential nature of final consciousness. The condition is empty of the essential nature of a condition. Karma is empty of the essential nature of karma. Death is empty of the essential nature of death. The initial consciousness is empty of the essential nature of initial consciousness. Experience is empty of the essential nature of experience. The world is empty of the essential nature of the world. Nirvana is empty of the essential nature of nirvana. Arising is empty of the essential nature of arising. Destruction is empty of the essential nature of destruction.

“O Great King! Thus, the karma performed and its result are not lost. There is no person who creates karma and no person who receives its result. They exist only according to conventional truth, not according to ultimate truth.

“O Great King! You should know that all dharmas are empty and quiescent. The emptiness of all dharmas is the gate of liberation called emptiness. Because that emptiness has no characteristic of emptiness, it is the gate of liberation called signlessness. Since there are no characteristics, there is also no aspiration; this is called the gate of liberation called wishlessness.

“O Great King! Thus, all dharmas possess the three gates of liberation and proceed together with emptiness. The path ahead is nirvana: far removed from all characteristics, far removed from aspiration, ultimately established in the element of nirvana, definitively like the dharma-dhatu, and pervading the bounds of space.

“O Great King! You should know that the faculties are like illusions and their spheres are like dreams. All analogies should be understood in this way.

“O Great King! Suppose a person in a dream fights with an enemy. After awakening, that person remembers fighting with his foe. What do you think, O Great King? Was what he saw in the dream real?”

“Blessed One! It was not real.”

“O Great King! While in the dream, that person considered it real. Was that wisdom?”

“Blessed One! It was not wisdom. Why? Ultimately, there was no enemy in the dream, much less any battle. That person merely wearied himself; none of it was real.”

“O Great King! Foolish ordinary beings who have not studied the true Dharma are likewise. When their eyes see a disagreeable form, their minds take no pleasure in it, yet they cling to it and then give rise to anger, causing their minds to become turbid and disturbed. They create angry karma through the three kinds of bodily action, the four kinds of verbal action, and the three kinds of mental action. Once created, that karma immediately ceases. After ceasing, it does not abide in any of the ten directions. Yet when the final consciousness ceases at the time of death, the deeds done previously appear within the mind’s perceptions.

“O Great King! When that person sees the karma manifest, fear arises in his mind. His own allotment of karma is exhausted, and other karma appears, just as on awakening one remembers the events of a dream.

“O Great King! Thus the final consciousness is the principal condition, and that karma serves as a cause and condition. Through these two conditions, the first consciousness and mind in the phase of rebirth arise. One may be born in hell, among animals or hungry ghosts, among the asuras, or among humans and gods. After the preceding consciousness ceases, the consciousness of the rebirth phase arises. The continuity of the rebirth phase persists, and the lineage of mind is not severed.

“O Great King! Not a single dharma passes from this life to the next. Nevertheless, there is arising and ceasing; the karma that was performed is manifest, and the karmic result that is experienced is never lost. There is no person who creates karma and no person who receives its result.

“O Great King! When that final consciousness ceases, it is designated as death; when the initial consciousness arises, it is designated as birth. O Great King! When that final consciousness arises, it comes from nowhere; when it ceases, it likewise goes nowhere.

“When that condition arises, it comes from nowhere; when it ceases, it likewise goes nowhere.

“When that karma arises, it comes from nowhere; when it ceases, it likewise goes nowhere.

“When death occurs, it also comes from nowhere; when it ceases, it likewise goes nowhere.

“When the initial consciousness arises, it comes from nowhere; when it ceases, it likewise goes nowhere.

“When rebirth arises, it comes from nowhere; when it ceases, it likewise goes nowhere.

“Why? Because all are detached from intrinsic nature.

“That final consciousness is empty of the essential nature of final consciousness. That condition is empty of the essential nature of a condition. That karma is empty of the essential nature of karma. That death is empty of the essential nature of death. That initial consciousness is empty of the essential nature of initial consciousness. That rebirth is empty of the essential nature of rebirth. The world is empty of the essential nature of the world. Nirvana is empty of the essential nature of nirvana. Arising is empty of the essential nature of arising. Destruction is empty of the essential nature of destruction.

“O Great King! The karma performed and its result are thus never lost. There is no person who creates karma and no person who receives its result. They exist only according to conventional truth, not according to ultimate truth.

“O Great King! You should know that all dharmas are empty and quiescent. The emptiness of all dharmas is the gate of liberation called emptiness. Because that emptiness has no characteristic of emptiness, it is the gate of liberation called signlessness. Since there are no characteristics, there is no aspiration; thus it is called the gate of liberation called wishlessness. All dharmas possess the three gates of liberation and proceed together with emptiness. Nirvana is the path ahead: far removed from all characteristics, far removed from aspiration, ultimately established in the element of nirvana, definitively like the dharma-dhatu, and pervading the bounds of space.

“O Great King! You should know that the faculties are like illusions and their spheres are like dreams. All analogies should be understood in this way.

“O Great King! Suppose a person in a dream is tormented by a ghost and becomes terrified. On awakening, that person remembers the ghost in the dream. What do you think, O Great King? Was the ghost seen in the dream real?”

“Blessed One! It was not real.”

“O Great King! While in the dream, that person considered it real. Was that wisdom?”

“Blessed One! It was not wisdom. Why? There was not even a ghost in the dream, much less anything to fear. That person merely wearied himself; none of it was real.”

“O Great King! Foolish ordinary beings who have not studied the true Dharma are likewise. When their eyes see a neutral form, their minds cling to it and then create the karma of attachment through the three kinds of bodily action, the four kinds of verbal action, and the three kinds of mental action. Once created, that karma immediately ceases. After ceasing, it does not abide in any of the ten directions.

“Yet when the final consciousness ceases at the time of death, the karma created previously appears within the mind’s perceptions.

“O Great King! After seeing it, that person becomes terrified. His own allotment of karma is exhausted, and other karma arises, just as one awakens and remembers the events in a dream.

“O Great King! Thus the final consciousness is the principal condition, and that karma serves as a cause and condition. Through these two conditions, the first consciousness and mind in the phase of rebirth arise. One may be born in hell and so forth, up to birth among humans and gods. The preceding consciousness ceases, and the consciousness of the rebirth phase arises. The continuity of the rebirth phase persists, and the lineage of mind is not severed.

“O Great King! Not a single dharma passes from this life to the next. Nevertheless, there is arising and ceasing; the karma that was performed is manifest, and the karmic result that is experienced is never lost. There is no person who creates karma or receives its result.

“O Great King! When that final consciousness ceases, it is designated as death. When the initial consciousness arises, it is designated as birth.

“When that final consciousness arises, it comes from nowhere; when it ceases, it likewise goes nowhere.

“When that condition arises, it comes from nowhere; when it ceases, it likewise goes nowhere.

“When that karma arises, it comes from nowhere; when it ceases, it likewise goes nowhere.

“When death arises, it comes from nowhere; when it ceases, it likewise goes nowhere.

“When that initial consciousness arises, it comes from nowhere; when it ceases, it likewise goes nowhere.

“When that rebirth arises, it comes from nowhere; when it ceases, it likewise goes nowhere.

“Why? Because all are detached from intrinsic nature.

“The final consciousness is empty of the essential nature of final consciousness. The condition is empty of the essential nature of a condition. Karma is empty of the essential nature of karma. Death is empty of the essential nature of death. The initial consciousness is empty of the essential nature of initial consciousness. Rebirth is empty of the essential nature of rebirth. The world is empty of the essential nature of the world. Nirvana is empty of the essential nature of nirvana. Arising is empty of the essential nature of arising.

“O Great King! The karma performed and its result are thus never lost. There is no person who creates karma and no person who receives its result. They exist only according to conventional truth, not according to ultimate truth.

“O Great King! You should know that all dharmas are empty and quiescent. The emptiness of all dharmas is the gate of liberation called emptiness. Because that emptiness has no characteristic of emptiness, it is the gate of liberation called signlessness. Since there are no characteristics, there is no aspiration; this is the gate of liberation called wishlessness. All dharmas possess the three gates of liberation and proceed together with emptiness. Nirvana is the path ahead: far removed from all characteristics, far removed from aspiration, ultimately established in the element of nirvana, definitively like the dharma-dhatu, and pervading the bounds of space.

“O Great King! You should know that the faculties are like illusions and their spheres are like dreams. All analogies should be understood in this way.”