大般涅槃經集解 54.99

54.99

Sengliang comments: This re-explains the supreme truth. Nirvāṇa ultimately also has no self-nature, but conventionally it is permanently abiding; hence it is named non-empty. Baoliang comments: Formerly, worldly truth was explained as existence, and supreme truth as non-existence. Now, he explains that birth and death is illusory and false, empty of self-nature, and thus named empty; nirvāṇa is true and wondrous existence, and thus named non-empty. Therefore, according to our school's understanding, birth and death at both times is non-existent, while nirvāṇa at both times is not non-existent. Why is this? On the day of constructing the cause, its essence is already false and deceptive. When it comes to contemplative understanding, illumination reveals not a single real thing. Thus, investigating both times, neither has self-nature; both are inverted, illusory existence. Now, the spiritual understanding of sentient beings is already present at the causal stage; eliminated by cultivating the path, the conventional is exhausted and the real appears, and at both times it is not empty. Therefore, nirvāṇa is called non-empty, and birth and death is called empty."