淨名玄論 4.25

4.25

問：般若何故為體？方便何故為用？答：實相為本，般若照實相，故般若亦為本，所以為體。諸法為末，方便照諸法，故方便為用。問：以何知實相為本？答：論初卷云「三悉檀可破，第一義悉檀不可破，壞滅一切言語、過一切戲論。」第一義悉檀即是實相。論又云「除實相以外，一切皆名為魔。」故知實相為本。又迷實相故有六道，悟實相即有三乘，故實相為迷悟之原，所以稱本也。此是對虛妄名之為實，若無虛妄則亦無實。如前云：非境非智、非果非因。不同舊宗有天然實相境也。問：若般若為本，則般若勝、方便劣。何故六地名般若、七地稱方便？答：金雖是體，未作巧物，則金為劣也。制金為巧，則巧勝於金。六地雖得般若之體，未得妙用，故言般若則劣；至七地時，得般若妙用，稱為方便，故方便勝也。是以論云「般若清淨，變名方便」，此言變者，照空之慧未能涉有，復空慧未巧，但名般若；照空之慧即能涉有，故轉名方便。問：既變名方便，應失般若之名，便無二慧。所以然者，般若時未有方便，得方便則無復般若。答：二慧更無兩體，巧之空慧，即名方便般若；空慧之巧，稱般若方便。譬如金巧巧金，巧不失金，金未有巧也。

Question: Why is prajñā the essence, and why is upāya the function? Answer: Dharmatā is the root; prajñā illuminates dharmatā, and therefore prajñā is also the root, and is thus the essence. The various phenomena are the branches; upāya illuminates the various phenomena, and therefore upāya is the function. Question: How is it known that dharmatā is the root? Answer: The first fascicle of the [Dazhidu]lun states: "The three siddhāntas can be refuted; the paramārtha-siddhānta cannot be refuted; it destroys all verbal expression and surpasses all conceptual proliferation." The paramārtha-siddhānta is precisely dharmatā. The treatise also states: "Apart from dharmatā, all is called Māra." Thus one knows that dharmatā is the root. Furthermore, because of delusion regarding dharmatā there are the six destinies, and through awakening to dharmatā there are the three vehicles; hence dharmatā is the origin of delusion and awakening, and is therefore called the root. This is termed 'real' in opposition to what is illusory; if there were no illusion, there would also be no reality. As stated before: it is neither object nor cognition, neither fruit nor cause. It is not like the ancient traditions that held there is an inherently existent object of dharmatā. Question: If prajñā is the root, then prajñā would be superior and upāya inferior. Why is the sixth bhūmi named prajñā, while the seventh bhūmi is called upāya? Answer: Although gold is the substance, before it is fashioned into an artistic vessel, the gold is inferior. When gold is worked into an artistic object, the artistry is superior to the gold. Although on the sixth bhūmi one attains the essence of prajñā, one has not yet attained its wondrous function; thus, speaking of prajñā, it is inferior. When reaching the seventh bhūmi, one attains the wondrous function of prajñā, which is called upāya; thus upāya is superior. Therefore the treatise states: "When prajñā is purified, it transforms and is named upāya." This word 'transforms' means: when the wisdom that illuminates emptiness is not yet able to engage with existence and this wisdom of emptiness is not yet skillful, it is merely named prajñā; when the wisdom that illuminates emptiness can directly engage with existence, it shifts in name and is called upāya. Question: Since it transforms and is named upāya, it should lose the name of prajñā, and then there would not be two wisdoms. Why is this so? Because at the time of prajñā there is not yet upāya, and upon attaining upāya there is no longer prajñā. Answer: The two wisdoms do not have two separate essences: the wisdom of emptiness that is skillful is called upāya-prajñā; the skillfulness of the wisdom of emptiness is called prajñā-upāya. It is like the artistry of gold and the artistic gold: the artistry does not lose the gold, [though] the gold [initially] had no artistry.