Faculties, Latent Tendencies, Birth-Destinies, and Habitual Tendencies

Sūtra: This bodhisattva truly knows sentient beings' faculties in their distinguishing marks of gentle, middling, and superior; the mark of whether they are distinct or not distinct with respect to the prior limit and the later limit; the mark of superior, middling, and inferior; the mark of being born together with affliction, inseparable from it; the mark of the vehicle or the non-vehicle, determined or undetermined; the mark of ripened determination; the mark of following the net of the faculties, lightly turning, breakable, grasping at marks; the mark of the faculties' own excellence, indestructible; the mark of the distinction between the faculty that turns and the faculty that does not turn; and the mark of the manifold distinctions born together through deep penetration — in brief, all the way to truly knowing the eighty-four thousand distinguishing marks of the faculties. This bodhisattva truly knows sentient beings' faith in its marks of gentle, middling, and sharp — in brief, all the way to truly knowing the eighty-four thousand distinguishing marks of faith. This bodhisattva truly knows sentient beings' natures in their marks of gentle, middling, and superior — in brief, all the way to truly knowing the eighty-four thousand distinguishing marks of nature. This bodhisattva truly knows sentient beings' minds in their marks of gentle, middling, and superior — in brief, all the way to truly knowing the eighty-four thousand distinguishing marks of mind.

Commentary: The distinctions of the thicket of faculties are of nine kinds: first, the distinction of the vessel spoken of — as the sūtra says, "this bodhisattva truly knows sentient beings' faculties in their distinguishing marks of gentle, middling, and superior." Second, the distinction of the turning of the faculties — as the sūtra says, "the mark of whether they are distinct or not distinct with respect to the prior limit and the later limit." Third, the distinction of nature — as the sūtra says, "the mark of superior, middling, and inferior." Fourth, the distinction of affliction's defilement — as the sūtra says, "the mark of being born together with affliction, inseparable from it." Fifth, the distinction of determined and undetermined — as the sūtra says, "the mark of the vehicle or the non-vehicle, determined or undetermined," and "the mark of ripened determination." Sixth, the distinction of accordant practice — as the sūtra says, "the mark of following the net of the faculties, lightly turning, breakable, grasping at marks." Seventh, the distinction of the śrāvaka's own purity — as the sūtra says, "the mark of the faculties' own excellence, indestructible." Eighth, the distinction of the bodhisattva's own purity — as the sūtra says, "the mark of the distinction between the faculty that turns and the faculty that does not turn." Ninth, showing the distinction that gathers in every faculty — as the sūtra says, "the mark of the manifold distinctions born together through deep penetration," and "in brief, all the way to truly knowing the eighty-four thousand distinguishing marks of the faculties." Here, "the distinction of the turning of the faculties" means that the prior faculty and the subsequent faculty increase or diminish relative to one another, level with one another. "The distinction of nature" means the distinction of nature within the three vehicles. "The distinction of affliction's defilement" means that the faculties of joy, pleasure, and the rest are defiled in accordance with the latent tendency of affliction. "The distinction of determined and undetermined" means being determined or undetermined, ripened or unripened, within the three vehicles, within the world. Here, among sentient beings of undetermined faculty within the small vehicle, the bodhisattva causes them to turn toward the great vehicle; among those of determined faculty, the bodhisattva causes them to cross over; but among the two vehicles, those determined in the recompense of liberation, he relinquishes. "The distinction of accordant practice" has three kinds of accordant practice: first, accordant practice dependent on the body, since the six sense-fields, bound mutually together, turn on one another in succession; second, accordant practice of arising and ceasing, since it is light and easily broken; third, contemplative practice grasping at marks. "The distinction of the śrāvaka's own purity" means that, his practice having become excellent, the hindrance is extinguished, since he is able to accomplish this meaning. "The distinction of the bodhisattva's own purity" means the distinction between the ground that turns and the ground that does not turn. "The distinction gathering in every faculty" means the distinction of the faculty that, from the outset of practice through skillful means, ripens into recompense. Faith, nature, and mind, in their marks of gentle, middling, and superior and the rest, boundless in their distinctions, are all truly known — as the sūtra says, "this bodhisattva truly knows sentient beings' faith in its marks of gentle, middling, and superior," all the way to "truly knowing the eighty-four thousand distinguishing marks of mind." This should be understood as the entry into nature. What, then, is the distinction of the thicket of latent tendencies?

Sūtra: This bodhisattva truly knows the latent tendencies in their mark of being born together with the deep mind and born together with the mind; the mark of according or not according with the mind, yet not separate from it; the mark of penetrating far within; the mark of being, from beginningless time, not to be feared; the mark of standing in contradiction to the correct cultivation of every meditative concentration, liberation, samādhi, samāpatti, and spiritual power; the mark of firmly binding, bound within the three realms; the mark of the mind's continuous gathering from beginningless time; the mark of the gathering that opens every sense-gate; the mark of the reality attained through the antidote; the mark of according or not according with entry into the grounds; and the mark of extinguishing the movement not different from the noble path — in brief, all the way to truly knowing the eighty-four thousand manifold distinguishing marks of the latent tendencies.

Commentary: Here, "latent tendency" means the meaning of following after and binding. As for the distinctions of this thicket of latent tendencies — where do they follow after? By what do they follow after? This matter is shown through its own distinctions. As for "where they follow after": it is the mind of retribution and the mind not of retribution — as the sūtra says, "this bodhisattva truly knows the latent tendencies in their mark of being born together with the deep mind and born together with the mind," since the mind is not separate from the manifest matter. It is the distinction of superior, middling, and inferior within the realm of desire, the realm of form, and the formless realm — as the sūtra says, "the mark of according or not according with the mind, yet not separate from it." It accords all the way up to the peak of existence — as the sūtra says, "the mark of penetrating far within." Throughout boundless worlds, only wisdom — feared as one fears an enemy or a bandit — since he has never yet attained the wisdom born of hearing, reflection, and cultivation, it is for this reason not extinguished — as the sūtra says, "the mark of being, from beginningless time, not to be feared." Worldly meditative concentration and the rest are unable to extinguish the mind's accordant activity — as the sūtra says, "the mark of standing in contradiction to the correct cultivation of every meditative concentration, liberation, samādhi, samāpatti, and spiritual power." As for "by what they follow after": there are six kinds of following-after, set out in six clauses. First, following-after through what is unbroken, since it is through a latent tendency unbroken and continuous in kind that binding is done — as the sūtra says, "the mark of firmly binding, bound within the three realms." Second, following-after across distant time — as the sūtra says, "the mark of the mind's continuous gathering from beginningless time." Third, following-after born together within a single body, since the six kinds of consciousness gathered and born through the sense-gates such as the eye and the rest are born together with it, following after it, and it follows after through the perfuming of the ālaya-consciousness as well — as the sūtra says, "the mark of the gathering that opens every sense-gate." Fourth, following-after that is not real, since it is the true meaning of the antidote — as the sūtra says, "the mark of the reality attained through the antidote." Fifth, subtle following-after, since, throughout the six sense-fields within the nine grounds, affliction follows after the body — as the sūtra says, "the mark of according or not according with entry into the grounds." Sixth, following-after that departs from suffering, since no practice other than the supramundane practice is able to depart from it — as the sūtra says, "the mark of extinguishing the movement not different from the noble path — in brief, all the way to truly knowing the eighty-four thousand manifold distinguishing marks of the latent tendencies." What, then, is the distinction of the thicket of birth-destinies?

Sūtra: This bodhisattva truly knows the mark of the manifold distinctions among births; the mark of birth in accordance with karma; the mark of the distinctions among hell-beings, animals, hungry ghosts, asuras, humans, and gods; the mark of the distinctions of birth with form and without form; the mark of the distinctions of birth with conception and without conception. Karma is the field, craving is the water, ignorance is the darkness, and consciousness is the seed; the subsequent body is the mark of the sprout of birth; name-and-form is born together, inseparable in mark; there is the mark of the continuity of ignorant craving and seeking; there is the mark of the boundless continuity of sentient beings who desire to receive and desire the pleasure of birth; and there is the mark of the manifestation of attachment to the three realms — all of these he truly knows.

Commentary: The distinctions of the thicket of birth-destinies are of eight kinds: first, the manifold varieties of body — as the sūtra says, "this bodhisattva truly knows the mark of the manifold distinctions among births." Second, the manifold varieties of karma — as the sūtra says, "the mark of birth in accordance with karma." Third, the manifold varieties of dwelling-place — as the sūtra says, "the mark of the distinctions among hell-beings, animals, hungry ghosts, asuras, humans, and gods." Fourth, the manifold varieties of higher and lower material mark — as the sūtra says, "the mark of the distinctions of birth with form and without form," and "the mark of the distinctions of birth with conception and without conception." Fifth, the manifold varieties of the external cause resembling matter — as the sūtra says, "karma is the field, craving is the water, ignorance is the darkness, and consciousness is the seed; the subsequent body is the mark of the sprout of birth." Sixth, the manifold varieties of one's own mark — as the sūtra says, "name-and-form is born together, inseparable in mark." Seventh, the manifold varieties of the fundamental, accordant cause of birth — as the sūtra says, "there is the mark of the continuity of ignorant craving and seeking." Eighth, showing forth the manifold distinctions of the truth of the origin of suffering — as the sūtra says, "there is the mark of the boundless continuity of sentient beings who desire to receive and desire the pleasure of birth," and "there is the mark of the manifestation of attachment to the three realms — all of these he truly knows." Here, "desiring to receive" means grasping together with pleasure and craving, seeking everywhere. "Desiring birth" means, further, that there are sentient beings who take pleasure in craving their own body and the body of others, their mind attached to marks, coming and going, grasping and attached within the higher and lower realms. Small, great, and boundless, and the mark of the absence of conception — these show forth, in manifold distinctions, the truth of the origin of suffering, turning about within the wheel of existence. What, then, is the distinction of the thicket of habitual tendencies?

Sūtra: This bodhisattva truly knows the distinguishing marks of habitual tendencies, active and inactive: there is the habitual tendency perfumed in accordance with the destiny of birth on the path; there is the habitual tendency in accordance with practice alongside sentient beings; there is the habitual tendency in accordance with karma and affliction; there is the habitual tendency in accordance with wholesome, unwholesome, and indeterminate dharmas; there is the habitual tendency of subsequent existence; there is the habitual tendency of successive following-after; there is the habitual tendency drawn onward by affliction, deeply entered and unbroken; there is the habitual tendency, whether real or unreal; and there is the habitual tendency perfumed through seeing, hearing, and drawing near to śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, and tathāgatas — all of these he truly knows.

Commentary: The distinctions of the thicket of habitual tendencies are of ten kinds: first, the distinction of whether the habitual tendency is present or not present together with its fruit — as the sūtra says, "this bodhisattva truly knows the distinguishing marks of habitual tendencies, active and inactive." Second, the distinction of the perfuming of the path — as the sūtra says, "there is the habitual tendency perfumed in accordance with the destiny of birth on the path." Third, the distinction of the perfuming of drawing near to sentient beings — as the sūtra says, "there is the habitual tendency in accordance with practice alongside sentient beings." Fourth, the distinction of the perfuming of karmic action and affliction — as the sūtra says, "there is the habitual tendency in accordance with karma and affliction." Fifth, the distinction of the perfuming of wholesome karma and the rest — as the sūtra says, "there is the habitual tendency in accordance with wholesome, unwholesome, and indeterminate dharmas." Sixth, the distinction of the perfuming of the intermediate state — as the sūtra says, "there is the habitual tendency of subsequent existence." Seventh, the distinction of the perfuming that is in sequence together with its fruit — as the sūtra says, "there is the habitual tendency of successive following-after." Eighth, the distinction of the perfuming of the cause that departs from worldly meditative concentration, since, penetrating far within, the perfuming of unbroken affliction is drawn onward by affliction — as the sūtra says, "there is the habitual tendency drawn onward by affliction, deeply entered and unbroken." Ninth, the distinction of the perfuming of the practice of liberation, whether the same in dharma or different, as with the followers of other paths — as the sūtra says, "there is the habitual tendency, whether real or unreal." Tenth, showing forth the distinction of the perfuming of the vehicle — as the sūtra says, "there is the habitual tendency perfumed through seeing, hearing, and drawing near to śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, and tathāgatas — all of these he truly knows." What, then, is the distinction of the thicket differentiated by the threefold grouping?