般若心經略疏連珠記 2.27

2.27

From the sūtra's "Therefore" onward is the third major division: clarifying what is transcended, which has two parts: first, directly explaining the meaning of the sūtra, in four sections: first, the gateway of the expansion and contraction of dharmas, which has two parts: first, citing the sūtra. From "Third" onward is the second part: determining and explaining it, which has two parts: first, an overall determination. Regarding "However, true [emptiness]" and so forth: true emptiness is the tathatā capable of transcending delusional dharmas; what is traversed are the defiled delusional dharmas of the skandhas and so forth, which are posited as having a fixed, real nature and are thus to be transcended. When it says 'empty and non-existent', it means being devoid of these defiled dharmas, not that the principle of non-empty tathatā is non-existent. In brief summary there are four categories, but if expounded extensively there are over eighty sections. "Expansion and contraction of dharmas" refers to the skandhas, dhātus, and āyatanas being expanded or contracted according to the faculties [of sentient beings]. From "The first is" onward is the second part: a specific explanation, in two parts: first, indicating the sūtra's purport to reconcile with the middle way. Regarding "The first is" and so forth: precisely because the emptiness of the supreme meaning (paramārtha-śūnyatā) is devoid of self-nature and therefore empty, whereas dharmas such as the skandhas are posited as having a fixed, real nature, existence and non-existence are mutually contradictory; therefore, these dharmas do not exist herein. From "This approaches" onward reconciles it with the middle way, which is the aforementioned meaning of mutual contradiction. Now saying "non-existent" means that because emptiness negates form, there is no form within it. Regarding "does not destroy form": this means that they do not obstruct each other and mutually effect one another. Emptiness is true emptiness and does not hinder illusory form; if it obstructed form, it would not be true emptiness. Regarding "self-nature" and so forth: since it exists from conditions, its arising is itself non-existent, and so it does not await destruction. People of recent times have failed to realize this, asserting that it only reveals the principle of emptiness, without understanding that it is wholly wondrous existence. From "Herein" onward is the second part: demonstrating expansion and contraction in terms of dharmas. First, it clarifies the five skandhas. They are also called the five aggregates (yīn). The Essay on Aggregates says: "Question: What is the meaning of skandha? Answer: All forms whatsoever—past, future, or present, internal or external, subtle or coarse, far or near, superior or inferior—all of them are spoken of in summary as the form skandha due to the meaning of accumulation, like an accumulation of wealth, and so on up to the consciousness skandha." This question and answer reveals how the name is acquired. Moreover, because the marks of suffering are vast, it is called a skandha (accumulation). As the sūtra says: "Because purely vast masses of suffering accumulate," and so on. Again it asks: "In what way are skandhas real existents? How many are real existents? For what purpose does one contemplate them as real existents? Answer: These other faculties and sense-objects are real existents. All are real existents; one contemplates them as real existents in order to abandon attachment to real existence." Regarding this meaning of skandha: in the Śrāvaka teachings, it is real; in the Initial Teaching, it is empty; in the Final Teaching, it is suchness; in the Sudden Teaching, it is ineffable; and in the One Vehicle, it is the dharmadhātu. From "Second, there are no [twelve āyatanas]" onward is the emptiness of the twelve āyatanas. The Essay on Āyatanas says: "The ten material dhātus are the ten material āyatanas." That it does not mention the half is due to brevity. The essay states: "Question: What is the meaning of āyatana? Answer: The sense of being the gateway for the arising and growth of consciousness is the meaning of āyatana. One should know that it is subsumed under the meaning of seeds." From "Third, no eye [dhātu]" onward is the third part: the emptiness of the eighteen dhātus. The Essay on Dhātus says: "How are the dhātus established? The form skandha comprises ten dhātus: the five sense-faculty dhātus of the eye and so on, and the five sense-object dhātus of forms and so on. And a portion of the dharma-āyatana—the sensation, perception, and formation skandhas—comprises a portion of the dharma-dhātu. The consciousness skandha comprises the seven consciousness dhātus, namely the six consciousnesses of the eye and so on, and the mind dhātu." Thus it is said that "form and mind are both expanded." For those who perform the contemplation of the three sixes, the meaning is also apparent. The essay states: "Question: What is the meaning of dhātu? Answer: The meaning of seeds of all dharmas. That is to say, based on the seeds of all dharmas within the ālayavijñāna, they are called dhātus, because dhātu has the meaning of cause. Furthermore, the capacity to maintain its own mark is the meaning of dhātu, in its broad sense." From "Its explanation here" onward directs to the extensive explanation.