大般涅槃經集解 54.151

54.151

案道生曰：十二因緣為中道，明眾生是本有也。若常則不應有苦、若斷則無成佛之理，如是中道觀者，則見佛性也。僧亮曰：上說境界，今說智者緣因也。智能斷除斷常之惑，無謬斷常之過也。僧宗曰：第二翻也。謂失解則斷常、得解則不斷不常，故借惑以辨觀體也。寶亮曰：上已答三問竟。此文復何意來？故一家所解凡為二義：一則通論眾生不識因緣之病、二為定因果性有所在。其意云何？眾生既即身有佛性，而所以不得用者，正由不體有為無為，故起常等病。謬解在心，故不能得此常樂我淨。向來明此因果性，即不離十二因緣，使物情識理，不此外覓法。正有斯二意，故次辨此理，其大旨乃爾。復就此文中，略分有九意：第一先明觀十二因緣得所不得所。若先安法性無為理，離斷離常稱境而知，成緣因佛性；若當緣境不稱境，不安無為，執斷執常，乖中道行。第二正開重因重果定因果性，明此因果俱不離十二因緣。第三正辨出因果性體相。第四判因果性位。第五歎十二因緣因果性理之甚深。第六明眾生雖與此十二因緣共俱而不覺不知，唯十住菩薩與佛能窮鑒此深理，故見因緣之始終。第七明行人既觀智窮深，斷生死因緣相續虛偽果盡，便徹見法性，即用此深法為體，得成靈覺。第八辨觀因緣之智有階級、生解有淺深。第九總收結句。今從「眾生起見」下，為第一意之始。凡夫正起斷起常、乖生滅道，不識法相、理外行心，故不名中道也。無常無斷乃名中道者，若就生死邊為論、據識生滅道為語，恐此意不然。何以故？世諦虛妄有，即體如幻，終歸滅無，豈不斷不常？唯神明妙體法性無為，始可得稱不斷不常。能心緣此理，不取有無相，方得名中道。既稱此理解，便識因緣虛，觀照智生，即名緣因佛性。若能如此解，名為得法。

Daosheng comments: The twelve links of dependent origination are the Middle Way, clarifying that sentient beings possess it intrinsically. If it were permanent, there should be no suffering; if it were annihilated, there would be no principle of attaining Buddhahood. Those who contemplate the Middle Way like this see buddhadhātu. Sengliang comments: Above spoke of the objective sphere; now it speaks of the contributory cause of the wise. Wisdom can cut away the delusions of annihilation and permanence, free from the fault of mistakenly holding annihilation or permanence. Sengzong comments: This is the second turn. It means that when understanding is lost there are annihilation and permanence, while when understanding is attained there is neither annihilation nor permanence; hence delusion is borrowed to discern the contemplative substance. Baoliang comments: The three questions have already been answered above. With what intention does this passage now come? In our school's understanding there are generally two meanings: first, to discuss generally sentient beings' illness of failing to recognize causes and conditions; second, to determine that the natures of cause and effect have a locus. What does this mean? Sentient beings already possess buddhadhātu directly in their bodies, yet the reason they cannot use it is precisely because they do not comprehend the saṃskṛta and asaṃskṛta, thus giving rise to illnesses such as permanence. With erroneous understanding in their minds, they cannot obtain this permanence, bliss, self, and purity. In clarifying this nature of cause and effect up to now, it is not apart from the twelve links of dependent origination, so that the sentiments of beings recognize the principle and do not seek phenomena outside of this. Precisely because of these two intentions, this principle is next discerned; its broad purport is thus. Furthermore, within this passage, it is briefly divided into nine points: First, it clarifies whether contemplating the twelve links of dependent origination hits or misses the mark. If one first settles upon the asaṃskṛta principle of dharmatā, departs from annihilation and permanence, and knows in accordance with the objective sphere, this constitutes buddhadhātu as contributory cause; if, when confronting the objective sphere, one does not accord with it, does not settle upon the asaṃskṛta, and clings to annihilation or permanence, this goes against the practice of the Middle Way. Second, it directly opens the layered causes and layered effects to determine the nature of cause and effect, clarifying that these causes and effects are both not apart from the twelve links of dependent origination. Third, it directly discerns the substance and characteristics of the nature of cause and effect. Fourth, it determines the stages of the nature of cause and effect. Fifth, it praises the profound depth of the principle of the nature of cause and effect of the twelve links of dependent origination. Sixth, it clarifies that although sentient beings coexist with these twelve links of dependent origination, they neither perceive nor know them; only bodhisattvas of the ten abodes and Buddhas can thoroughly fathom this profound principle, and thus see the beginning and end of causes and conditions. Seventh, it clarifies that once practitioners' contemplative wisdom has thoroughly penetrated the depths and completely severed the continued, deceptive effects of the causes and conditions of birth and death, they thoroughly see dharmatā, immediately using this profound Dharma as substance to achieve spiritual awakening. Eighth, it discerns that the wisdom contemplating causes and conditions has gradations, and the understanding generated has shallow and deep degrees. Ninth, it summarizes and concludes the phrases. Now, from 'Sentient beings generate views' onward is the beginning of the first point. Ordinary beings directly give rise to [views of] annihilation and permanence, contravene the path of arising and ceasing, fail to recognize the characteristics of phenomena, and practice mentally outside the principle; therefore it is not called the Middle Way. As for 'neither permanent nor annihilated' being called the Middle Way: if this were discussed solely from the side of birth and death, spoken based on recognizing the path of arising and ceasing, I fear this meaning would not be correct. Why? Because the conventional truth exists illusorily; its substance being like a phantasm, it ultimately returns to destruction and non-existence—how could it be neither annihilated nor permanent? Only the marvelous substance of the spirit, the asaṃskṛta of dharmatā, can first be called neither annihilated nor permanent. If the mind can take this principle as its condition and not grasp at the marks of existence or non-existence, only then is it called the Middle Way. Once understanding accords with this principle, one then recognizes that causes and conditions are empty; the wisdom of contemplative illumination arises, which is called buddhadhātu as contributory cause. If one can understand like this, it is called obtaining the Dharma.