般若心經略疏連珠記 1.4

1.4

Second, the main text has three parts: first, generally indicating the meaning of the name; second, opening the sections to explain the text; third, rejoicing, praising, and dedication of merit. The first has two: first, comprehensively stating the profound framework to reveal the great doctrine of prajñā; second, [...]. The first has two: first, directly stating its unfathomable depth; which has three: first, transcending words to point to the essence; which has two: first, the profundity of the essence. "Now, regarding..." and so forth: "now" is an introductory particle, and "regarding" signifies "by means of" or "deriving from." "True source": that which is not false conceptual thought is called "true"; the essential nature of all phenomena is called "source"; this is the signless tathatā of true-mark prajñā. Qingliang, in explaining the samādhi of the limit of an instant, says: "It means plumbing the true source of dharmas, which is to say that when one plumbs the temporal marks of that instant, all is completely still; thus the instant is without limit. This is because one has realized that pure tathatā is fundamentally signless." Thus, he takes signless tathatā to be the true source. The Zhenyuan [commentary] says: "Delusion shifts according to objects; the essence moves following marks; they beat upon the true source, vast and boundless." That [text] takes the secret store of the pearl in the garment to be the true source of the nature of things. Caotang says: "The mind of prajñā is the essence of the myriad dharmas." He also says: "True emptiness is the numinous and wondrous source of the mind. Precisely because it is fundamentally the one mind of tathatā, which when combined with arising and ceasing is named ālayavijñāna, producing through transformation the sense faculties, bodies, receptacle world, form, and all other phenomena—when investigated, these lack an essence and return to the emptiness of the true mind; thus paramārtha-śūnyatā is the primal source of all phenomena, hence it is called the true source." The treatise states: "Because there is the principle of emptiness, all dharmas can be established." The sūtra says: "From the non-abiding basis, all dharmas are established." Zhenguo says: "Non-abiding, emptiness of intrinsic nature, and tathatā are all different names for dharmatā." The commentary master also says: "To cause those with capacity to realize the true source and enter the ocean of fruition." Thus he takes the ocean of fruition to be the true source. "Pure model": "pure" indicates absence of blemish; "model" holds to intrinsic nature. It means its essence is like ice and frost, its nature is like pearls and jade, and within the mire of afflictions it does not change its unyielding purity. The treatise says: "Because all defiled phenomena that exceed the sands of the Ganges are completely empty, without anything existing within the essence of tathatā." The commentary master says: "The pure model transcends emotion; emptiness and existence are thereby mutually eradicated." "Vast and quiet": "vast" means deep and profound; "quiet" means broad and far-reaching. The commentary master also says: "Vast without boundaries, it transcends seeing and hearing; deep without limit, it resists thought and deliberation." The treatise says: "Transcending the sphere of reflection, cutting off the realm of peering glimpses—how could this ever be captured by fish traps or hare nets?" A fish trap is an implement for catching fish; a hare net is a mesh for hares. These serve as metaphors for the separation between words, thought, and true principle.