般若心經略疏連珠記 2.28

2.28

From the sūtra's "No [ignorance]" onward is the second gateway: the forward and reverse gateways of pratītyasamutpāda, which has two parts: first, citing the sūtra. This is the contemplation of pratītyasamutpāda. Zhenguo says: "The profound meaning of pratītyasamutpāda is the core doctrine of the Buddhist teaching. According to the grades of vehicles and wisdom, there are many depths and shallows." Nāgārjuna said: "Causes and conditions are of two kinds: first, internal; second, external. The external are water, earth, grain, and sprout; the internal are the twelve links of pratītyasamutpāda." Now we are specifically examining the internal. However, the external is transformed by the internal, the fundamental and derivative mutually include each other, and together they contain the one great pratītyasamutpāda of the dharmadhātu. Within the text of the Great Sūtra, ten levels are briefly stated, exhaustively fathoming nature and marks in order to reveal the inexhaustible meaning of the One Vehicle. This is extensive, as in its commentary. The pratītyasamutpāda of the three vehicles also possesses ten gateways, as in the Yingluo jing: "When the wisdom of the three vehicles contemplates it, each attains its own fruit." The extensive exposition is as found elsewhere. From "Second, clarifying" onward is the second part: providing the explanation. Those ten gateways all possess the forward and reverse: the reverse is the cessation of conditions; the forward is the arising of conditions. This approaches cyclic turning and returning to cessation as forward and reverse, which means going against saṃsāra and going along with saṃsāra. If one speaks of ignorance conditioning karmic formations and so on, this is going along with saṃsāra; when ignorance ceases, karmic formations cease, and so on, which is going against saṃsāra. Going along is the gateway of cyclic turning (saṃsāra); going against is the gateway of returning to cessation (nirvāṇa). As for each of the two gateways speaking of forward and reverse, it is fully detailed as in the tenth fascicle of the Tanxuan [ji]. Regarding "Because its" and so forth: because the nature of the three paths is empty, and because for dharmas produced through causes and conditions arising is devoid of arising. Regarding "The reverse contemplation" and so forth: because arising does not exist, cessation is also unobtainable. The sūtra says: "All dharmas from the very beginning / Are eternally of the mark of quiescent cessation." Therefore, there is nothing to be exhausted. From "This cites" onward applies this analogously to the remaining links.