大般涅槃經集解 21.21

21.21

案僧亮曰：身口是文字之因，文字是口業之因，皆是作法也。眾生佛性則不如是者，乃由文字說性，眾生得知，人謂佛性亦由文字得清淨也。今明不了者，從緣生故，是作法也。佛性從緣見，非作法也。不同陰界入者，不可壞也。寶亮曰：佛性雖在陰界入中而非陰所攝者，真俗兩諦乃是共成一神明法，而俗邊恒陰入界，真體恒無為也。以真體無為故，雖在陰而非陰所攝也。體性不動而用無暫虧，以用無虧故取為正因。若無此妙體為神用之本者，則不應言雖在陰入界中而非陰入所攝也。故知理致必爾矣。如脫不爾者，復不可使佛果佛性倒入陰入界中，而唱非陰界所攝也。即曰謹述誠旨，不敢妄有所作也。智秀曰：為成歎字功也。以此而言，歎字所表既妙，下結勸也。

Sengliang comments: Body and speech are the causes of written characters, and written characters are the causes of verbal action; they are all fabricated dharmas (kṛtadharma). As for the sentient beings' buddhadhātu not being like this: it is only through written characters that the nature is explained and sentient beings come to know it, so people say buddhadhātu also attains purity through written characters. Now it clarifies that what is incomplete arises from conditions and is thus a fabricated dharma. The buddhadhātu is seen through conditions, but is not a fabricated dharma. Being not the same as the aggregates, realms, and bases means that it cannot be destroyed. Baoliang comments: As for the buddhadhātu, though residing within the aggregates, realms, and bases, not being subsumed by the aggregates: the two truths of ultimate and conventional together constitute a single spiritual phenomenon; the conventional side is ever the aggregates, bases, and realms, whereas the true substance is ever unconditioned (asaṃskṛta). Because the true substance is unconditioned, though residing within the aggregates, it is not subsumed by the aggregates. Its essential nature is unmoving while its functioning is never deficient; because its functioning is never deficient, it is taken as the direct cause. If this wondrous substance were not the root of spiritual functioning, one should not say that though residing within the aggregates, bases, and realms, it is not subsumed by the aggregates and bases. Thus we know that the principle must be so. If it were not so, one could not cause the fruit of buddhahood and buddhadhātu to fall back into the aggregates, bases, and realms while declaring that it is not subsumed by the aggregates and realms. Thus it is said that we respectfully state the sincere purport and dare not make arbitrary assertions. Zhixiu comments: This is to establish praise of the efficacy of characters. In this light, since what is expressed by praising the characters is wondrous, the text below concludes with an exhortation.