The Basis for Valid Cognition of Not-Yet-Happenings (Continued)
We have been talking about the basis for an imputation phenomenon and the basis for a negation phenomenon in terms of the not-yet-happening of a karmic result of a karmic action. The mental continuum is the basis for the imputation phenomenon “the absence of the present-happening of a karmic result.” The absence of the present-happening of a karmic result, in turn, is the basis for the negation phenomenon “the not-yet-happening of a karmic result.”
I’m surprised that the basis for the negation for the not-yet-happening is the absence of the result because then the basis for the negation is a negation. I would have expected that it’s the mental continuum or something.
Both a basis for an imputation phenomenon and a basis for a negation phenomenon can be either an affirmation phenomenon or a negation phenomenon. But let’s continue.
As I was saying, the mental continuum is the basis for the imputation phenomenon “the absence of the present-happening of a karmic result.” The mental continuum is also the basis for the imputation phenomenon “the conventional ‘me’” and the conventional “me” is the basis for the imputation phenomenon “the karmic tendency for the present-happening of a karmic result.” The not-yet-happening of a karmic result is a facet of that karmic tendency, and the karmic tendency is the basis for the imputation phenomenon “the not-yet-happening of a karmic result.” The not-yet-happening of a karmic result cannot exist or be known independently of the tendency for the present-happening of the karmic result. The basis for the negation phenomenon “the not-yet-happening of a karmic result” is the absence of the present-happening of the karmic result on the mental continuum. Only on the basis of that absence can there be the not-yet-happening of a karmic result.
When, conceptually, we explicitly apprehend this karmic tendency, which is an affirmation phenomenon, we implicitly apprehend this facet, which is a negation phenomenon – namely, an implicative negation phenomenon. As an implicative negation phenomenon, when this not-yet-happening of a result explicitly excludes the present-happening of the karmic result, it tosses in its wake or shadow (bkag-shul) the negation phenomenon (temporarily-not-giving-rise-to-its-result) and the affirmation phenomenon (the giving rise to its result when the circumstances for its giving rise to its result are all complete).
When there is an absence of a karmic result on the mental continuum as its basis for imputation, there is also an absence of its karmic cause. That absence of a karmic cause can be the absence of a karmic cause that is no longer happening or a karmic cause that never happened. In the case of this absence being the absence of a no-longer-happening karmic cause, there is a karmic tendency with a facet that is the not-yet-happening of its karmic result. In the case of this absence being the absence of a karmic cause that never happened, there is no karmic tendency and thus no not-yet-happening of a karmic result. This is in accord with one of the laws of karma – if we have not committed a karmic cause, we will not experience its karmic result. But whether or not we have committed the karmic cause, an absence of a karmic result can arise of the mental continuum
Let’s give an example – my rebirth as a frog – and let me simplify it a bit. A rebirth as a frog is the karmic result of a karmic cause for such a rebirth. Okay, I look at myself in a mirror, and I see the form of a human and not the form of a frog. I do not see the form of a frog because there is an absence of the present-happening of my rebirth as a frog on my mental continuum. My mental continuum is the basis for the imputation phenomenon “an absence of the present-happening of my rebirth as a frog.” But is that absence of the present-happening of my rebirth as a frog a basis for the negation phenomenon “the not-yet-happening of my further rebirth as a frog”?
My mental continuum is the basis for the imputation phenomenon “the absence of anything other than what is presently happening on this mental continuum.” That absence can be the basis, dependent on which there can be two different sets of negation phenomena. One set is “the no-longer-happening of the karmic cause for my rebirth as a frog” and “the not-yet-happening of my further rebirth as a frog as a result of that karmic cause that is no-longer-happening.” The second set is “the absence of a karmic cause for my rebirth as a frog” and “the not-happening of my further rebirth as a frog as a result of a karmic cause that never happened.” Only in the case of the first set will my mental continuum also be the basis for the imputation phenomenon “a karmic potential for a further rebirth as a frog,” where that karmic potential will have as a facet “the not-yet-happening of my further rebirth as a frog.”
Do you see the difference? I mean, this is very important in terms of what a Buddha sees. All that could ever be manifest is a mental continuum and an absence of anything other than what is presently happening on that mental continuum. That’s all that could appear. Okay?
In the last session, you were talking about the basis or the location of a negation, and now you are talking about the basis for imputation.
Right. My mental continuum is both the basis for the imputation phenomenon “the absence of the present-happening of my rebirth as a frog” as well as its location. In the case of the not-yet-happening of my further rebirth as a frog, the absence of the present-happening of my rebirth as a frog is the basis for this negation phenomenon, but the location of this negation phenomenon “the not-yet-happening of my further rebirth as a frog” is the karmic tendency for the present-happening of my further rebirth as a frog, since this not-yet-happening is a facet of this karmic tendency. But let me go on.
The absence of the present-happening of a karmic result is a static nonimplicative negation phenomenon – it doesn’t change from moment to moment (it’s always the case) – but it ceases to exist with the arising of the presently-happening karmic result. The not-yet-happening of a karmic result is a nonstatic implicative negation phenomenon, since each moment, in a sense, it’s getting closer to the arising of the presently-happening karmic result. Once there is the present-happening of the arising of the karmic result, there will no longer be an absence of the present-happening of the karmic result. If the karmic tendency is only going to give rise to a result once, then the karmic tendency for the present-happening of the result won’t be there anymore once the karmic result has arisen. At that point, the not-yet-happening of a karmic result will cease to exist because it lacks both a basis for a negation (an absence of the present-happening of the result) and a location of a negation (a karmic tendency for the present-happening of a result). Do you follow?
We’re not talking about after the result is finished presently happening. Then again, there’s an absence of the present-happening karmic result, but that’s because there is a no-longer-happening of the karmic result. Is this clear?