金剛三昧經論 3.17

3.17

The commentary states: From here downward is the third major section, explaining that the Buddha's verbal teaching accords with the principle of thusness in its preaching. First is the question, and second is the answer. In the question, "all the myriad dharmas" refers to the dharmas established by worldly speech: dharmas as spoken are all ungraspable, and therefore are merely letters and words and not the referent; the true referent of all dharmas transcends all speech. If the Buddha's teaching of the Dharma now were letters and words, it would lack the real referent; if it had the real referent, it should not be letters and words. Therefore he asks: "How does [the Tathāgata] teach the Dharma?"