Madhyamaka Treatise (Zhong Lun), Fascicle One
「佛所說思者，所謂意業是；
"What the Buddha calls volition is mental karma;
所從思生者，即是身口業。」
what arises from volition is bodily karma and verbal karma."
思是心數法，諸心數法中能發起、有所作，故名業。因是思故起外身口業。雖因餘心心數法有所作，但思為所作本，故說思為業。是業今當說相。
Volition is a mental factor; among the mental factors it can initiate and accomplish something, so it is called karma. Because of this volition, outward bodily karma and verbal karma arise. Although actions depend on other minds and mental factors as well, volition is the root of action, so volition is said to be karma. Now the marks of this karma should be explained.
「身業及口業，作與無作業，
"Bodily karma and verbal karma, karma that is performed and not performed,
如是四事中，亦善亦不善。
in these four matters, there is also good and also not good.
從用生福德，罪生亦如是，
From enjoyment arises merit, and the arising of sin is likewise,
及思為七法，能了諸業相。」
and volition: together these are seven dharmas that distinguish the marks of the various karmas."
口業者，四種口業。身業者，三種身業。是七種業有二種差別，有作、有無作。作時名作業，作已常隨逐生，名無作業。是二種有善、不善。不善名不止惡，善名止惡。復有從用生福德，如施主施受者，若受者受用，施主得二種福：一從施生；二從用生。如人以箭射人，若箭殺人，有二種罪：一者從射生；二者從殺生。若射不殺，射者但得射罪，無殺罪。是故偈中說罪福從用生，如是名為六種業。第七名思，是七種即是分別業相。是業有今世、後世果報，是故決定有業、有果報故，諸法不應空。
Verbal karma is of four kinds. Bodily karma is of three kinds. These seven kinds of karma have two distinctions: informative and non-informative. While being done, it is called karma; when finished, what keeps arising afterward is called non-informative karma. These two kinds include good and not good. Not good is called not restraining evil; good is called restraining evil. There is also merit arising from enjoyment: for example, when a donor gives to a recipient, if the recipient enjoys it, the donor obtains two kinds of merit: one from giving and the other from the enjoyment. Like a man shooting an arrow at a person, if the arrow kills the person, there are two sins: one from shooting and one from killing. If he shot but did not kill, the shooter obtains only the sin of shooting and not the sin of killing. Therefore the verse says that sin and merit arise from enjoyment. These are called six kinds of karma. The seventh is called volition. These seven are the distinguishing of the marks of karma. This karma has retribution in this life and the next, so karma and retribution definitely exist, and dharmas should not be empty.
答曰：
The answerer said:
「業住至受報，是業即為常；
"If karma lasts until receiving retribution, this karma is permanent;
若滅即無業，云何生果報？」
if it ceases, there is no karma; how can it still produce retribution?"
業若住至受果報，即為是常。是事不然。何以故？業是生滅相，一念尚不住，何況至果報！若謂業滅，滅則無，云何能生果報？
If karma lasts until receiving its fruit, that is permanence. This is not right. Why? Karma has the mark of arising and ceasing, and even one thought does not abide; how can it last until retribution! If one says that karma ceases, then having ceased it is non-existent; how can it produce retribution?
問曰：
The questioner said:
「如芽等相續，皆從種子生，
"Like a sprout and so on in continuity, all arising from a seed,
從是而生果，離種無相續。
from this the fruit arises, and apart from the seed there is no continuity.
從種有相續，從相續有果，
From the seed there is continuity, from the continuity there is fruit,
先種後有果，不斷亦不常。
first the seed and afterward the fruit, neither cut off nor permanent.
如是從初心，心法相續生，
So from the initial mind, mental dharmas arise in continuity,
從是而有果，離心無相續。
from this there is fruit, and apart from the mind there is no continuity.
從心有相續，從相續有果，
From the mind there is continuity, from the continuity there is fruit,
先業後有果，不斷亦不常。」
first karma and afterward the fruit, neither cut off nor permanent."
如從穀有芽，從芽有莖葉等相續，從是相續而有果生。離種無相續生，是故從穀子有相續，從相續有果。先種後有果，故不斷亦不常。如穀種喻，業果亦如是。初心起罪福，猶如穀種。因是心，餘心心數法相續生，乃至果報。先業後果故，不斷亦不常。若離業有果報，則有斷常。是善業因緣果報者，所謂：
Like a sprout from a grain, and from the sprout the stalk, leaves, and so on in continuity, and from this continuity the fruit arises. Apart from the seed, there is no continuous arising, so from the grain there is continuity, and from the continuity there is fruit. First the seed and afterward the fruit, so it is neither cut off nor permanent. Like the analogy of the grain seed, so too is the fruit of karma. The initial mind that gives rise to sin or merit is like the grain seed. Because of this mind, the other minds and mental factors arise in continuity until retribution. First karma and afterward the fruit, so it is neither cut off nor permanent. If apart from karma there were still retribution, there would be annihilation and permanence. As for the retribution of good karma by cause and condition:
「能成福德者，是十白業道，
"What can accomplish merit is the ten white paths of action,
二世五欲樂，即是白業報。」
the pleasures of the five desires in two lives are the retribution of white karma."
白名善淨。成福德因緣者，從是十白業道生，不殺、不盜、不邪婬、不妄語、不兩舌、不惡口、不無益語、不嫉、不恚、不邪見，是名為善。從身口意生是果報者，得今世名利，後世天人中貴處生。佈施恭敬等雖有種種福德，略說則攝在十善道中。
White is called good and pure. The causes and conditions that accomplish merit arise from these ten white paths of action: not killing, not stealing, not committing sexual misconduct, not lying, not slandering, not speaking harshly, not speaking idly, not being envious, not being angry, and not holding wrong views; this is called good. From body, speech, and mind arise these results: in this life one obtains fame and gain, and in later lives one is born in honored places among gods and humans. Although giving, reverence, and the like have various kinds of merit, in brief they are all included in the ten good paths.
答曰：
The answerer said:
「若如汝分別，其過則甚多，
"If you discriminate in this way, the faults are very many,
是故汝所說，於義則不然。」
so what you say is not right in meaning."
若以業果報相續故，以穀子為喻者，其過甚多，但此中不廣說。汝說穀子喻者，是喻不然。何以故？穀子有觸有形，可見有相續。我思惟是事，尚未受此言，況心及業，無觸無形不可見。生滅不住欲以相續，是事不然。復次從穀子有芽等相續者，為滅已相續？為不滅相續？若穀子滅已相續者，則為無因。若穀子不滅而相續者，從是穀子常生諸穀。若如是者，一穀子則生一切世間穀。是事不然，是故業果報相續則不然。
If one takes grain as an analogy because of the continuity of the retribution of karma, the faults are very many, but I will not go into them at length here. The analogy of grain that you have given is not right. Why? Grain has touch and form, can be seen, and has continuity. When I reflect on this matter, I have not yet accepted these words, much less mind and karma, which have no touch, no form, cannot be seen, and arise and cease without abiding, yet one wants to speak of them in terms of continuity; this is not right. Furthermore, does the continuity of a sprout and so on from a grain come after the grain has ceased, or while it has not ceased? If continuity comes after the grain has ceased, it is without cause. If it continues without the grain having ceased, then from this grain all kinds of grain would constantly be produced. If so, one grain would produce all the grain of the whole world. This is not right, so the continuity of the retribution of karma is not right.
問曰：
The questioner said:
「今當復更說，順業果報義，
"Now I will further speak of the meaning of retribution in accord with karma,
諸佛辟支佛，賢聖所稱歎。」
which is praised by the Buddhas, pratyekabuddhas, and sages."
所謂：
This is as follows:
「不失法如券，業如負財物，
"The non-loss dharma is like a deed or contract, and karma is like an owed debt,
此性則無記，分別有四種。
its nature is indeterminate, and it is divided into four kinds.
見諦所不斷，但思惟所斷，
What is not cut off by seeing the truths is only cut off by cultivation,
以是不失法，諸業有果報。
because of this non-loss dharma, karmas have their retribution.
若見諦所斷，而業至相似，
If it were cut off by seeing the truths, and karma still reached the similar,
則得破業等，如是之過咎。
one would incur this kind of fault of the destruction of karma and so on.
一切諸行業，相似不相似，
All conditioned karmas, similar and dissimilar,
一界初受身，爾時報獨生。
when first receiving a body in one realm, at that time the retribution arises alone.
如是二種業，現世受果報，
Thus these two kinds of karma receive retribution in this life,
或言受報已，而業猶故在。
or it is said that after receiving retribution, the karma still remains.
若度果已滅，若死已而滅，
Or it ceases after crossing to the fruit, or ceases after death,
於是中分別，有漏及無漏。」
and within this, there are discriminated the contaminated and the uncontaminated."
不失法者當知如券，業者如取物。是不失法，欲界繫、色界繫、無色界繫亦不繫。若分別善、不善、無記中，但是無記。是無記義，阿毘曇中廣說。見諦所不斷，從一果至一果，於中思惟所斷。是以諸業，以不失法故果生。若見諦所斷而業至相似，則得破業過。是事阿毘曇中廣說。復次不失法者，於一界諸業相似不相似，初受身時果報獨生，於現在身從業更生業。是業有二種，隨重而受報。或有言，是業受報已業猶在，以不念念滅故。若度果已滅、若死已而滅者，須陀洹等度果已而滅，諸凡夫及阿羅漢死已而滅。於此中分別有漏及無漏者，從須陀洹等諸賢聖，有漏、無漏等應分別。
What is called the non-loss dharma should be understood as like a deed or contract; karma is like the goods taken away. This non-loss dharma: it is bound to the desire realm, the form realm, and the formless realm, and it can also be unbound. If one discriminates good, not good, and indeterminate, it is only indeterminate. The meaning of this indeterminate is explained at length in the Abhidharma. What is not cut off by seeing the truths, from one fruit to another fruit, within that is cut off by cultivation. Therefore karmas, because of this non-loss dharma, produce their fruit. If it were cut off by seeing the truths and karma still reached the similar, there would be the fault of the destruction of karma. This matter is explained at length in the Abhidharma. Furthermore, what is called the non-loss dharma: within one realm, karmas similar or dissimilar, when first receiving a body the retribution arises alone; in the present body, from karma further karma arises. This karma is of two kinds, and the heavier one receives retribution. Some say: after this karma has received retribution, the karma still remains, because it does not cease moment by moment. What is meant by ceasing after crossing the fruit and ceasing after death: srota-apannas and others cease after crossing to the fruit, and ordinary beings and arhats cease after death. Within this distinguish the contaminated and the uncontaminated: from srota-apannas and the other sages, one should distinguish the contaminated, the uncontaminated, and so on.
答曰：是義俱不離斷常過，是故亦不應受。
The answerer said: All these meanings do not leave the faults of annihilation and permanence, so they also should not be accepted.
問曰：若爾者，則無業果報。
The questioner said: If so, there is no retribution of karma.
答曰：
The answerer said:
「雖空亦不斷，雖有亦不常，
"Though empty it is not cut off, though existent it is not permanent,
業果報不失，是名佛所說。」
the retribution of karma is not lost; this is what the Buddha taught."
此論所說義離於斷常。何以故？業畢竟空、寂滅相、自性離，有何法可斷、何法可失？顛倒因緣故，往來生死亦不常。何以故？若法從顛倒起則是虛妄無實，無實故非常。復次貪著顛倒不知實相故，言業不失。此是佛所說。復次：
The meaning spoken in this treatise is apart from annihilation and permanence. Why? Karma is ultimately empty, with the mark of stillness, self-nature far removed; what dharma is there to cut off, what dharma to lose? Because of the causes and conditions of inversion, one goes and comes in birth and death, and it is also not permanent. Why? If a dharma arises from inversion, it is false and unreal; because it is unreal, it is not permanent. Furthermore, it is by clinging to inversion and not knowing true reality that one says karma is not lost. This is what the Buddha taught. Furthermore:
「諸業本不生，以無定性故；
"Karmas originally do not arise, because they have no fixed nature;
諸業亦不滅，以其不生故。
karmas also do not cease, because they do not arise.
若業有性者，是則名為常，
If karma has a nature, then it is called permanent,
不作亦名業，常則不可作。
what is not made would also be called karma, but the permanent cannot be made.
若有不作業，不作而有罪，
If there were unmade karma, one would have sin without doing,
不斷於梵行，而有不淨過。
without breaking the holy life, one would have the fault of impurity.
是則破一切，世間語言法，
In this way the dharma of all worldly speech would be destroyed,
作罪及作福，亦無有差別。
making sin and making merit would also have no difference.