大般涅槃經義記 6.34

6.34

Second, it directly explains its character: "This is existence, this is non-existence—this is called the emptiness of emptiness" explains the principle in terms of provisional expression. "This is existence" refers back to the preceding ultimate emptiness; because the ultimate emptiness refutes non-existence through existence, it says "this is existence." Saying "this is non-existence" refers back to the preceding eight emptinesses; because in the preceding eight emptinesses existence is refuted through non-existence, it is called "this is non-existence." It is in terms of this existence and non-existence that the meaning of emptiness is expounded, hence it is called "the emptiness of emptiness." "This is correct, this is not correct—this is called the emptiness of emptiness" refutes provisional expression to reveal the principle. Although the preceding clause explained the principle in terms of provisional expression, it did not retain that expression, and therefore refutes it again: being that existence is correct, being that non-existence is correct—only when both are neither correct is it named the emptiness of emptiness; it does not retain existence and non-existence to speak of the emptiness of emptiness. What does this mean? As already explained above, conditionally arisen dharmas share the same essence in their existence and non-existence; because they share the same essence, non-existence is spoken of as existence, and existence is spoken of as non-existence. Because non-existence is existence, existence is precisely non-existence; because existence is non-existence, non-existence is precisely not non-existence. Being neither existent nor non-existent, it is therefore called the emptiness of emptiness.