淨名玄論 5.29

5.29

問：二智云何斷煩惱耶？答：此經云「佛為增上慢人說斷煩惱」，實不斷也。問：大小經論皆明斷惑，云何不斷？答：若言斷者，今請問之，為有惑可斷、為無惑可斷耶？如其實有，則不可斷。又經云「若法先有後無，諸佛菩薩則有過罪」，云何言斷？如其無惑，云何所斷？又有惑則是有見、無惑名為無見，亦有亦無、非有非無並是煩惱，云何煩惱斷煩惱耶？又縱有煩惱為所斷、慧為能斷，為見惑故斷、不見惑斷耶？如其見者，則明暗竝立，云何斷耶？若不相見，復何所斷？經若言解惑相違而懸斷者，則天竺燃燈破振旦暗、一品之解除一切惑。又慧獨能斷、借伴共斷？若獨能斷者，菩薩何故修八聖道？獨慧不斷，雖復假伴亦不能斷，如一盲不見，眾盲亦然。又為一念斷、相續斷耶？若一念者，惑亦一念則相與，俱與俱謝，何能斷耶？若相續斷者，為滅故續、不滅續耶？滅則取無所續、不滅無復能續，云何續耶？以是推之則無所斷，是故不應言智斷惑。問：若爾，則應無斷。何故經云「一念相應慧斷煩惱」耶？答：如上推之，則畢竟無斷。如此了悟，則是斷也。所以然者，於一切處求解惑從，則知心無所依。心無所依，則眾累清淨，故名為斷。與爾斷義無相違。

Question: How do the two cognitions eradicate afflictions?

Answer: This sūtra states: 'The Buddha taught the eradication of afflictions for people of overweening pride'; in reality, there is no eradication.

Question: Both the Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna sūtras and treatises explain the eradication of delusions; why is there no eradication?

Answer: If you say there is eradication, let me ask now: Is there a delusion that can be eradicated, or is there no delusion that can be eradicated? If it really exists, then it cannot be eradicated. Furthermore, a sūtra says: 'If phenomena exist first and are nonexistent later, all buddhas and bodhisattvas would incur transgression.' How could one speak of eradication? If there is no delusion, what is there to eradicate? Moreover, [positing that] there is delusion is the view of existence; [positing that] there is no delusion is called the view of nonexistence; both existence and nonexistence, as well as neither existence nor nonexistence, are all afflictions. How could afflictions eradicate afflictions?

Furthermore, even granting that afflictions are what is eradicated and wisdom is what eradicates: does wisdom eradicate because it sees delusion, or does it eradicate without seeing delusion? If it sees it, then light and darkness stand together; how could it eradicate it? If they do not see each other, what further is there to eradicate? If the sūtra were to say that understanding and delusion are opposed to each other and that [wisdom] eradicates from afar, then lighting a lamp in India would dispel darkness in China, and a single grade of understanding would eliminate all delusions.

Again, does wisdom eradicate alone, or does it borrow companions to eradicate together? If it can eradicate alone, why do bodhisattvas cultivate the eightfold noble path? If wisdom alone cannot eradicate, even if it borrows companions it still cannot eradicate, just as if one blind person cannot see, a crowd of blind people cannot either.

Again, does it eradicate in a single thought-moment, or in continuity? If in a single thought-moment, delusion is also a single thought-moment; they would arise together and perish together, so how could it eradicate? If it eradicates in continuity, does it continue by perishing, or continue without perishing? If it perishes, there is nothing left to continue; if it does not perish, there is no further capacity to continue. How could it continue? Deducing it in this way, there is nothing eradicated; therefore, one should not say that cognition eradicates delusion.

Question: If so, then there should be no eradication. Why does the sūtra say: 'Wisdom conjoined in a single thought-moment eradicates afflictions'?

Answer: Deducing it as above, there is ultimately no eradication. To comprehend it thus is itself eradication. Why is this? When one seeks where delusion comes from in all places, one knows that the mind has nothing to depend on. When the mind has nothing to depend on, all entanglements are purified; hence it is named eradication. This does not contradict your meaning of eradication.