妙法蓮華經文句 9.2

9.2

The passage on neither far nor near has three parts: first, a general indication of the object and wisdom; second, a separate explanation; third, a conclusion. "Contemplates": this is the wisdom that contemplates the Middle Way. "All phenomena": this is the objective realm of the ten dharma realms. If one were to discuss wisdom alone, wisdom would have nothing to contemplate; therefore it mentions all [phenomena] to reveal that all are empty. From "in accordance with reality" onward is the separate explanation. The fact that the two extremes and the three truths have no oneness or difference is called "accordance" (tathā); because they are not the seven expedient means, they are called "real"; taking the real as their mark, it says "in accordance with their real marks." "Undiverted": free from the eight inversions. "Unshaken": not moved by the two kinds of death. "Non-retrogressing": every single thought is extinguished, entering the ocean of sarvajñā. "Non-turning": not like worldlings turning in birth-and-death, and not like the two vehicles turning between the mundane and the holy. "Like empty space": existing merely as a name, while the name is ungraspable; the wisdom that contemplates the Middle Way likewise has merely a name, and seeking it, it is ungraspable. "Without nature of existence": free from natures such as self-arising, other-arising, joint-arising, or uncaused arising. "The path of all words is cut off": inconceivable. "Unproduced": delusions, wisdom, and principle all do not arise. "Not emerging": having been cured by the Tathāgata, they ultimately do not break out again. "Not arising": all expedient means are entirely extinguished. "Nameless": names cannot name it. "Markless": marks cannot characterize it. "Inexistent": free from the existence of the two extremes. "Measureless": not an enumerated phenomenon. "Boundless": without spatial location. "Unobstructed and unimpeded": pervasive in all places. "Existing only through causes and conditions": this concludes [the section]. The above directly clarified the contemplative wisdom of the Middle Way; here it clarifies doubly illuminating the two extremes: the nature of principle is ultimately pure as explained above, being neither liberation nor delusion; yet from the causes and conditions of delusion, birth-and-death arises, and from the causes and conditions of understanding, nirvāṇa arises. Furthermore, existing through causes and conditions, existence pertains to nirvāṇa; that which arises from inversion arises in birth-and-death. This shows the intent of double illumination. "Constantly delighting in contemplating such phenomena": namely, such phenomena as the three truths. Furthermore, "existing only through causes and conditions, arising from inversion" concludes the inconceivable objective realm of the three truths. "Therefore it is said" is the inconceivable teaching. "Constantly delighting in contemplating" concludes the inconceivable three contemplations. Furthermore, contemplating all phenomena as empty in accordance with their real marks indicates the substance of contemplation; the nine phrases from "undiverted" onward explain the marks of contemplation. Not being shaken by the two extremes and the eight inversions is called undiverted and unshaken; not falling into the two grounds of the two vehicles and worldlings is called non-retrogressing and non-turning. These two phrases clarify wisdom's application of principle. Not being future, it is unproduced; not being past, it does not emerge; not being present, it does not arise. The Commentary, fascicle 51, states: "Like empty space, it has no marks of entering, emerging, or abiding." The Mahāyānasaṃgraha is also like this: having no entering place in the future, no emerging place in the past, and no abiding place in the present. Fascicle 43 states: "Not arising on the side of causes is called not emerging; not arising on the side of conditions is called unproduced." In all there are nineteen phrases: the first phrase is general, and the subsequent eighteen phrases correspond to the eighteen kinds of emptiness in the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā. "Real marks" is the emptiness of the ultimate truth (paramārtha-śūnyatā). "Undiverted" is internal emptiness (adhyātma-śūnyatā), internally lacking the six sense bases, self, and what belongs to self. "Undiverted and unshaken" is external emptiness (bahirdhā-śūnyatā), externally not being swept around by the six sense objects. "Non-retrogressing" is internal and external emptiness (adhyātma-bahirdhā-śūnyatā); because the twelve sense bases are empty, it says non-retrogressing. "Non-turning" is the emptiness of emptiness (śūnyatā-śūnyatā): emptiness destroys all phenomena; phenomena are what is destroyed, and emptiness is what destroys them; no phenomena remain, but only emptiness exists, and this emptiness is also empty; hence it is called the emptiness of emptiness. Since emptiness is already empty, there is no longer anything that can turn; hence it says non-turning. "Like empty space" is great emptiness (mahā-śūnyatā): grasping at directions and conceptualizations are broken; hence it says like empty space. "Without nature of existence" is ultimate emptiness (atyanta-śūnyatā): because all phenomena have no residue, it is called ultimate emptiness; because of ultimate emptiness, there is no nature of existence. "The path of all words is cut off" is all-inclusive emptiness (sarva-śūnyatā): all emptiness cannot be spoken; hence the path of words is cut off. "Unproduced" is the emptiness of the conditioned (saṃskṛta-śūnyatā): the conditioned is the combination of causes and conditions; since there is no combination, there is no production. "Not emerging" is the emptiness of the unconditioned (asaṃskṛta-śūnyatā): having no name of deliverance; because the phenomena of deliverance are empty, it is called not emerging. "Not arising" is beginningless emptiness (anavarāgra-śūnyatā): seeking a primal origin is impossible; hence there is no arising. "Nameless" is the emptiness of nature (prakṛti-śūnyatā), which can be understood. "Markless" is the emptiness of marks (lakṣaṇa-śūnyatā). "Truly having no existence" is the emptiness of the ungraspable (anupalambha-śūnyatā). "Measureless" is the emptiness of existing phenomena (bhāva-śūnyatā): an existing phenomenon has measure; since having measure is already empty, it says measureless. "Boundless" is the emptiness of non-existing phenomena (abhāva-śūnyatā): a non-existing phenomenon is an edge or limit; being now empty, it is boundless. "Unobstructed" is the emptiness of both existing and non-existing phenomena (bhāvābhāva-śūnyatā): both being ungraspable, it says unobstructed. "Unimpeded" is scattered emptiness (vikiraṇa-śūnyatā): impediments and obstacles being ungraspable, it says unimpeded. The eighteen kinds of emptiness are all the correct wisdom of the Middle Way; all are called empty, and are spoken of as eighteen merely in accordance with the eighteen kinds of objective realms. The Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra says: "Because the Tathāgata constantly cultivates the meaning of the eighteen kinds of emptiness." Therefore the eighteen kinds of emptiness are used to explain the eighteen phrases.