[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [淨名玄論](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1780) › 1.53 # 淨名玄論 1.53 淨名玄論 1.53 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [1.53](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1780.1.53) 難曰：眾生是法身，何由有六道？答：斯處幽微，難以言辨，必須觀悟，乃契玄宗。今髣髴言之，子宜空心領會。於道未始二，於緣未始一。於道未始二，故眾生即是佛；於緣未始一，故六道異法身。六道異法身，故六道覆法身，名為如來藏。如來藏者，謂如來胎。以失於不二，故起二見。由斯二見纏裹不二，不二道不得現前，故此二見為不二之胎。又不二之道隱於二見，名如來藏。《涅槃》又稱為無明㲉。胎與藏，義殊體一。難曰：斯乃由來舊轍，何謂則曰靈宗？答：隱顯之說，親經聖口。斯言不可異，其意不可同。問：既同唱斯言，意云何異？答：非別有一物以覆法身，亦非別有法身隱乎胎內。若別有法身在於胎內，其猶辟內有柱、我在色中，蓋是身見之流，何名中道佛性？問：若非別有一物以覆法身，又非如來隱於胎內，能覆所覆義云何成？答：道本無二，眾生虛妄失於不二，橫謂二。不悟橫二本無二，故二覆於無二。二覆於無二，故無二隱橫二。無二隱橫二，故名如來藏。若悟橫二本無二，無二顯現，名法身。隱顯大宗，其意若此。問：經云「佛性遍覆，猶如虛空」。眾生可覆佛性，性云何覆眾生？答：就佛性通之，小成難見；今約法界以釋此文。經云「廣大如法界，究竟如虛空」，以法界廣大，六道常在法界。於倒謂眾生常出法界，以常在法界故。法界覆眾生，於眾生常出法界，故眾生覆法界。佛性遍覆，義同於此。法界是佛性之異名、法身之別目，是故經曰「無盡平等妙法界，皆悉充滿如來身」。法界既滿如來身如來身，亦滿於法界，故如來身即法界、法界即如來身矣。 > Objection: If sentient beings are the dharmakāya, whence are there the six destinies? Answer: This point is subtle and profound, difficult to distinguish in words; one must contemplate and awaken to it to accord with the profound principle. Now I will speak of it roughly; you should empty your mind to comprehend it. With respect to the Way, it was never dual; with respect to conditions, it was never one. Because with respect to the Way it was never dual, sentient beings are precisely the Buddha; because with respect to conditions it was never one, the six destinies differ from the dharmakāya. Because the six destinies differ from the dharmakāya, the six destinies conceal the dharmakāya, which is named the tathāgatagarbha. 'Tathāgatagarbha' means the matrix (garbha) of the Tathāgata. Because nonduality is lost, dualistic views arise. Due to these dualistic views enveloping nonduality, the nondual Way cannot appear; therefore these dualistic views are the matrix of nonduality. Furthermore, the nondual Way being hidden within dualistic views is called the tathāgatagarbha. The \*Nirvāṇa \[Sūtra\]\* also calls it the eggshell of ignorance. Matrix and garbha have different meanings, but their essence is one. Objection: This is simply the old beaten path from of old; why call it an efficacious principle? Answer: The teaching of concealment and manifestation came directly from the mouth of the Sage. These words cannot be differed from, but their intended meaning cannot be identical \[to conventional understanding\]. Question: Since the same words are uttered, how is the intended meaning different? Answer: It is not that there is a separate thing that covers the dharmakāya, nor is there a separate dharmakāya hidden within the matrix. If there were a separate dharmakāya within the matrix, it would be like having a pillar inside a wall or a self inside material form—this would merely be of the sort of the view of self-identity (satkāyadṛṣṭi); how could it be called the Buddha-nature of the middle way? Question: If there is no separate thing covering the dharmakāya, and the Tathāgata is not hidden inside a matrix, how is the meaning of the coverer and the covered established? Answer: The Way is originally nondual. Sentient beings, through delusion, lose nonduality and arbitrarily assert duality. Not realizing that arbitrary duality originally has no duality, duality covers nonduality. Duality covering nonduality, nonduality is concealed by arbitrary duality. Nonduality being concealed by arbitrary duality is named the tathāgatagarbha. If one awakens to arbitrary duality being originally nondual, nonduality becomes manifest, which is named the dharmakāya. The great tenet of concealment and manifestation has this meaning. Question: A sūtra says, 'The Buddha-nature all-pervasively covers, just like space.' Sentient beings can cover the Buddha-nature; how does the nature cover sentient beings? Answer: Interpreting this in terms of Buddha-nature is somewhat difficult to see; now we explain this passage in terms of the dharmadhātu. A sūtra states, 'Vast like the dharmadhātu, ultimate like space.' Because the dharmadhātu is vast, the six destinies are always within the dharmadhātu. In their inverted view, sentient beings think they are constantly outside the dharmadhātu; because they are always within the dharmadhātu, the dharmadhātu covers sentient beings. In that sentient beings think they are constantly outside the dharmadhātu, sentient beings cover the dharmadhātu. The Buddha-nature all-pervasively covering has the same meaning as this. Dharmadhātu is an alternate name for the Buddha-nature, a different designation for the dharmakāya. Therefore a sūtra states: 'The inexhaustible, impartial, wondrous dharmadhātu is completely filled by the Tathāgata's body.' Since the dharmadhātu fills the Tathāgata's body, the Tathāgata's body also fills the dharmadhātu; therefore the Tathāgata's body is precisely the dharmadhātu, and the dharmadhātu is precisely the Tathāgata's body. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 1.52](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1780.1.52) - [Next: 1.54](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1780.1.54) - [Up: 1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1780.1) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1780~en-mt.1.53) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1780.1.53](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1780.1.53) · Pramāṇa