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無因有果

Pronunciations

Basic Meaning: existence of an effect without a cause

Senses:

  • The second of the four categories of mistaken non-Buddhist understandings regarding causation 外道四執. Every effect that comes into existence must have a cause, and thus this statement reflects a non-Buddhist way of thinking, specifically known as the acausal heresy 無因外道. See also 自然外道. This is the view of the Vaiśeṣikas 勝論宗, who held that the effect does not exist within the cause; therefore the cause and the effect are different and separate. 〔無量壽經宗要 T 1747.37.131a20〕 [Charles Muller; source(s): Ui, Nakamura, Iwanami]
  • In the Sanlun xuanyi, Jizang explains like this:

    There are also non-Buddhists who strongly assert that the myriad things ultimately have no basis. Therefore they are said to be without cause; yet we can clearly see the existence of all phenomena, so we should understand that there is such a thing as effect. It is, for, example like the story told by Zhuang Zhou (Zhuangzi 莊子), where Penumbra questions Shadow.1 The shadow exists based on the shape of something; the shape is based on creation, and since creation has no basis, it is originally independently existent, and thus it is not caused. Based on this, 'not having cause, but having effect' is asserted. 〔三論玄義 T 1852.45.1b24〕

    [Charles Muller; source(s): Jizang]
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    • Notes

    1. From the second chapter of the Zhuangzi (Discussion on the Equality of Things 齊物論). Penumbra asked Shadow: "Before you moved, now you stop. Before you sat, now you get up. Why are you so inconstant?" Shadow said: "Shall I wait before doing anything? Is what I am waiting for also waiting for something? Shall I wait for the scales of a snake, or the wings of a cicada? How do I know why it is so? How do I know why it isn't so?" Muller, trans., Zhuangzi, http://www.acmuller.net/con-dao/zhuangzi.html.[back]


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    [Dictionary References]

    Bukkyō jiten (Ui) 1031

    Bulgyo sajeon 227a

    Iwanami bukkyō jiten 778

    Bukkyōgo daijiten (Nakamura) 1314b

    Ding Fubao {Digital Version}

    Bukkyō daijiten (Oda) 705-1-12*1691-3

    Copyright provisions

    The rights to textual segments (nodes) of the DDB are owned by the author indicated in the brackets next to each segment. For rights regarding the compilation as a whole, please contact Charles Muller. Please do not reproduce without permission. And please do not copy into Wikipedia without proper citation!

    Entry created: 2006-06-25

    Updated: 2021-08-01