釋摩訶衍論 6.8

6.8

已說圓滿功德門，次說問答決疑門。就此門中即有二門。云何為二？一者發起略問難違門、二者發起廣答解釋門。問者難意，其相云何？謂舉說文相違前後雜亂，審其理故。前後之文云何相違？所謂真如決擇分中作如是說：心真如者，即是一法界大總相法門體，所謂心性不生不滅，一切諸法唯依妄念而有差別；若離心念，則無一切境界之相。是故一切法從本已來離言說相、離名字相、離心緣相，畢竟平等、無有變異、不可破壞，唯是一心，故名真如。自相大義決擇分中作如是說：從本已來性自滿足一切功德，所謂自體有大智慧光明義故、遍照法界義故、真實識知義故、自性清淨心義故、常樂我淨義故、清涼不變自在義故。具足如是過於恒沙不離不斷不異不思議佛法，乃至滿足無有所少義故，名為如來藏，亦名如來法身。如是相違，故以為難。如本問曰：上說真如其體平等離一切相，云何復說體有如是種種功德故。

Having explained the gate of perfect merits, next we explain the gate of questions and answers to resolve doubts. Within this gate there are two gates. What are the two? First is the gate of raising a brief question and objecting to contradiction; second is the gate of raising an extensive answer and explaining. What is the character of the questioner's intent in raising the objection? It means adducing textual statements that contradict each other and are disordered before and after, in order to examine their principle. How do the earlier and later texts contradict each other? In the Section Determining Tathatā, it is said: "The tathatā of the mind is the essence of the great universal characteristic dharma-gate of the one dharmadhātu, namely, the nature of the mind is neither arising nor ceasing. All dharmas possess distinctions only on the basis of false thoughts; if one is free from mental thoughts, then there are no characteristics of any external sphere. Therefore, all dharmas have from the beginning been free from the characteristic of speech, free from the characteristic of names, and free from the characteristic of mental objects; they are ultimately equal, without change or variation, and indestructible; being only the one mind, it is therefore called tathatā." In the Section Determining the Great Meaning of Intrinsic Characteristic, it is said: "From the beginning, it is intrinsically and naturally complete with all merits, that is to say, its intrinsic essence possesses the meaning of the radiance of great wisdom; the meaning of universally illuminating the dharmadhātu; the meaning of true cognition and knowing; the meaning of the mind pure in its self-nature; the meaning of permanence, bliss, self, and purity; and the meaning of cool, unchanging sovereignty. Endowed in this way with Buddha-dharmas exceeding the sands of the Ganges that are not separated, uninterrupted, not different, and inconceivable, even unto being complete without any deficiency, it is called the tathāgatagarbha and is also called the Tathāgata's dharmakāya." Such is the contradiction, which is therefore raised as an objection. As the root text says: "Question: Earlier it was said that tathatā is equal in its essence and free from all characteristics; why is it now said again that its essence possesses such various merits?"