大般涅槃經集解 65.4

65.4

案僧亮曰：有為無常、無為是常。二種：一斷滅無常，非眾生數也；二不斷滅無常，十二因緣也。常亦有二：生滅常者，十二緣也。不生滅常者，謂涅槃也。是為十二因緣亦常無常。而或者聞因緣生滅，便與草木同盡；聞不生滅，謂與涅槃一相，起諍論也。僧宗曰：第六諍論也。若論正義，十二因果相生，至佛乃盡也。今執有為所以成謬者，謂從生至老死，斷而不復續，乖於相續也；言無為者，謂都無斷也。寶亮曰。十二因緣實是有為。言有為者，所以成諍者，以其不作因果相續有為故也，謂各各當體斷滅，無復因果相故也。

Sengliang comments: What is saṃskṛta is impermanent; what is asaṃskṛta is permanent. There are two kinds [of impermanence]: first, impermanence by annihilation, which is not of the category of sentient beings; second, non-annihilating impermanence, which is the twelve links of dependent origination. Permanence also has two kinds: the permanence of arising and ceasing, which is the twelve links; and the permanence of non-arising and non-ceasing, which is nirvāṇa. Thus the twelve links of dependent origination are both permanent and impermanent. Yet the confused, hearing of the arising and ceasing of dependent origination, immediately equate it with the extinction of grass and trees; hearing of non-arising and non-ceasing, they think it shares a single characteristic with nirvāṇa, and thus they give rise to dispute. Sengzong says: This is the sixth disputed thesis. In terms of the correct doctrine, the twelve causes and effects arise mutually, coming to an end only upon reaching Buddhahood. Now, the error of clinging to them as saṃskṛta is that from birth to old age and death, they are thought to be severed without continuity, which contradicts succession; saying they are asaṃskṛta means they are thought to have no severance whatsoever. Baoliang says: The twelve links of dependent origination are indeed conditioned. That they are called conditioned and thereby cause dispute is because people do not take them to be the conditioned process of cause and effect in mutual succession; they think each individual entity is annihilated on its own without any characteristics of cause and effect.