觀音玄義 2.7

2.7

Question: If one contemplates the ten dharma-realms as neither empty nor provisional, does this destroy all cause and effect? Answer: If one does not understand the middle way, one will not recognize what is neither expedient nor real, nor will there be expedient or real, and thus there would be no four sets of cause and effect. If one understands the middle way, then both the expedient and real are illuminated together, allowing the existence of three kinds of expedient causes and effects of suffering and origination of the four truths, three kinds of causes and effects of the path and cessation, and up to the worldly and world-transcending causes and effects of the one real, uncreated four truths to be distinctly and fully present in a single thought-moment of the mind. Why is this? Because awakening to all dharmas as neither empty nor existent through the wisdom of the true mark, it is called the Buddha Jewel; the principle of dharma-nature that is awakened to, being complete with the three truths, is the Dharma Jewel; such awakening wisdom being in harmony with principle and phenomena is called the Saṅgha Jewel. Being in harmony with phenomena, there are the worthy and noble saṅgha of the preceding three teachings; being in harmony with principle, there are the forty-two worthy and noble saṅgha of the perfect teaching. Therefore, regarding the increase and decrease of moonlight, the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra raises two analogies: during the first fifteen days, increase is discussed in terms of light; during the latter fifteen days, decrease is discussed in terms of light; yet the nature of the moon itself is truly neither lopsided nor complete, while viewing it from beginning to end, there is indeed waxing and waning. The nature of the moon being full is an analogy for the true mark; the increase and decrease of brightness is an analogy for wisdom and eradication. Wisdom light increasing means that all dharmas are unarisen yet prajñā arises; eradication light decreasing means that all dharmas are unceasing yet afflictions cease. The Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra also refers to ignorance as light, from which we know it is used as an analogy for false light ceasing. Such increase and decrease occurs day by day, and such wisdom and eradication are possessed stage by stage. If on the fifteenth day the substance is full and the light complete, the moon does not become any fuller nor the light any brighter; this illustrates the principle of the middle reaching its utmost and the bodhi wisdom becoming full, hence it is called 'unarisen'—unarisen is called great nirvāṇa. If on the thirtieth day the substance is vanished and the light extinguished, reaching the ultimate with nothing remaining, this illustrates that ignorance has been dispelled, perversions permanently eliminated, and there is no delusion left to sever, hence it is called 'unceasing'—unceasing is called great nirvāṇa. The moon of the third day illustrates the wisdom and eradication of the thirty minds; the moon of the next ten days illustrates the wisdom and eradication of the ten stages; the moon of the fourteenth day illustrates the wisdom and eradication of virtual enlightenment; the moon of the fifteenth day illustrates the wisdom and eradication of subtle enlightenment. When the Renwang and Tiānwáng Prajñā sūtras use the fourteenth day to illustrate the fourteen prajñās, this is precisely the meaning. Explaining the wisdom and eradication of the Saṅgha Jewel in this way is entirely based on the one true-mark dharma of the middle way; no cause and effect are damaged or lost. If one does not understand that the middle way is neither empty nor provisional, but merely grasps at annihilation or permanence and the like, this destroys the worldly and world-transcending cause and effect of the four truths of arising and ceasing, and destroys the three jewels of the Tripiṭaka. If one speaks only of impermanence, arising, and ceasing, this destroys the three jewels of the shared teaching of the unarisen four truths. If one speaks only of the true truth of all dharmas being unarisen and unceasing by comprehending phenomena, this destroys the three jewels of the distinct teaching of the immeasurable four truths. If one speaks only of sequentially revealing what is neither empty nor provisional, this also destroys the one-substance three jewels of the uncreated four truths of the perfect teaching. Comparing them successively, what is destroyed earlier is more, and what is destroyed later is less; this can be grasped by reflection.