大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 7.17

7.17

Regarding the Commentary's passage starting with "Furthermore, these four teachings": second, general evaluation and discrimination. Within this there are three sections: first, the basis upon which the teachings are established. While they rely on the verse on the three contemplations in the Madhyamakaśāstra, the application of this verse has three different levels: First, within each single teaching the three contemplations are formed, as analyzed above in the synthesis and differentiation of the general meaning. Second, the four lines are each matched to one teaching, as explained earlier in establishing the teachings where the three combinations and separations were used to form the four teachings, which is the present text. For instance, entering emptiness from the nominal has a meaning identical to 'dharmas arisen from causes and conditions, I explain as precisely empty.' Entering the nominal from emptiness has a meaning identical to 'it is also called nominal designation,' because it connects to the second line on emptiness. Entering the middle from the nominal has a meaning identical to 'it is also the meaning of the middle way,' because it connects to the line on nominal designation above. Now combining the first two lines forms the first two teachings, and applying all four lines forms the two teachings of the separate and complete. "Entering emptiness from the nominal differs between analytical and essential": this means contemplating that dharmas nominally existing through causes and conditions are all empty and quiescent. How is this emptiness known? If one speaks of form, it is only the five sense faculties, five sense objects, and unmanifest form; these eleven forms combine to create the form aggregate, and because it is the form aggregate, it is empty. Furthermore, investigating each of these individually: the color of an eye arises from the eight subtle particles, nominally combining to produce form; analyzing down to the ultimate atom, there is no real form whatsoever; hence it is called the emptiness of form. This is called analyzing dharmas to constitute the Tripiṭaka teaching. If one says that what is arisen from causes and conditions lacks intrinsic nature, its entire essence is empty without needing to be broken down analytically. As the Vimalakīrti-nirdeśa says: "The nature of form is inherently empty, not made empty by the destruction of form." Directly comprehending this form as empty from the outset of its existence is called clarifying emptiness through the essence of dharmas, whereby the shared teaching arises. Regarding "entering the nominal from emptiness" and so forth: this refers to the gradual sequence of the three contemplations, which forms the separate teaching. That is, first contemplating the true truth as originally empty and quiescent; emerging from contemplation to enter the conventional, engaging with existence to transform sentient beings, purify Buddha lands, and so forth; hence it is called entering the nominal from emptiness. Because of entering the conventional, one often becomes distracted. Next, contemplating that in the middle way movement and quiescence are non-dual, leaving far behind the two extremes of emptiness and existence, movement and quiescence. Because the three contemplations do not occur at the same time, it is named the separate teaching. Regarding "the three contemplations in a single mind" and so forth: immediately empty, immediately nominal, immediately middle; one is three and three are one; neither before nor after, neither one nor three; this is also as analyzed in the fourth meaning in the synthesis and differentiation of the general meaning above.