Land of Enlightened Wisdom

Chapter Eight Analysis of Agent and Action

That which is an agent does not
Perform something that is an action.
A nonagent does not
Perform a nonaction. [8.1]

That which is an agent would have no activity.
There would also be action without an agent.
That which is an action is not performed,
So the agent would be lacking its action. [8.2]

If a nonagent were to perform
That which is not an action,
The action would have no cause
And the agent would have no cause either. [8.3]

If there is no cause,
Cause and effect become untenable.
Without these, action, agent, and activity
Will all be nonsensical as well. [8.4]

If action and so forth are unreasonable,
There can be no Dharma and non-Dharma,
And without Dharma and non-Dharma,
Their effects do not exist either. [8.5]

Without such effects, paths to liberation
And to the higher realms do not make sense.
All activities would indeed
End up entirely meaningless. [8.6]

That which both is and is not an agent
Does not perform something that both is and is not.
Since being and not being are incompatible in one thing,
How could this ever be the case? [8.7]

One that is an agent does not perform
Something that is not an action,
Nor does one that is not perform something that is.
Because the same flaws would ensue. [8.8]

The agent involved does not
Perform any nonaction,
Or something that both is and is not an action.
The arguments have already been given. [8.9]

That which is not an agent
Does not perform any action,
Or something that both is and is not an action.
The arguments have already been given. [8.10]

One that both is and is not an agent
Does not perform an action or a nonaction.
Here as well it should be understood
That the arguments have already been given. [8.11]

Agent comes about in dependence on action,
And action, in turn, in dependence on agent.
Apart from that we do not see
Any cause of their establishment. [8.12]

Appropriation should be understood in the same way,
As here action and agent have been excluded.
Agent and action will provide
Understanding of the remaining issues. [8.13] <- Prev Next ->

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