淨名玄論 1.30

1.30

Question: Although the three gates explain the cessation of the four phrases (catuṣkoṭi), they all explain nonduality; this is merely to cease duality, but has not yet eliminated 'both dual and nondual', 'neither dual nor nondual', and 'neither non-dual nor non-nondual'. How then can it be said that the teaching is entirely comprehensive and the principle is fully complete? Answer: You also have not grasped its purport, and therefore still give rise to the previous doubt. Now, if I set it forth again, it will be brilliantly clear and comprehensible. Taking all forms of duality collectively, there are five tiers in all: First, taking two dharmas as dual, such as emptiness and existence, and so forth. Second, taking emptiness and existence as dual and non-emptiness-and-existence as nondual; this duality and nonduality stand in opposition and once again constitute a duality. Third, both duality and nonduality are called dual, and only neither-dual-nor-nondual is called nondual; this duality and nonduality stand in opposition and once again constitute a duality. Fourth, the preceding six phrases are all called dual, and neither non-dual nor non-nondual is called nondual; this duality and nonduality stand in opposition and once again constitute a duality. Fifth, not eliminating the arising of thoughts and stirring of mental activity is called dual, while if one eliminates the arising of thoughts and stirring of mental activity, it is only then called nondual; this very eliminating and not eliminating once again constitutes a duality. Therefore, outside of duality there is no other dharma; merely proclaiming nonduality means that the teaching is entirely comprehensive, the principle is fully complete, conditions are completely exhausted, and contemplation is completely purified. Question: Which gate subsumes the cessation of these five tiers? Answer: The cessation of these five tiers universally explains the meaning of nonduality. If one wishes to distinguish the differences in what the three gates put to rest: putting to rest the dharma-essences of the five tiers belongs to the first gate; putting to rest the words of the five tiers belongs to the second; and putting to rest the borrowed words of the five tiers is the third gate. This, then, explains that the preceding three gates equally put to rest the four phrases (catuṣkoṭi), yet their putting to rest the four phrases is not the same. Question: How does the preceding explanation of the three gates through the threefold cessation differ from explaining the three gates through subsuming all dharmas? Answer: The gate of the threefold cessation only explains the cessation of the four phrases of existence and nonexistence, so its meaning of cessation is still shallow. The present gate of subsuming all dharmas explains the cessation of all phrases whatsoever, and thus this gate is profound. Question: Although there are four phrases, since they were already put to rest above, how can one further say that the latter is profound and the former is shallow? Answer: Although they are equally four phrases, the four phrases are not the same. The preceding gate of the threefold cessation only puts to rest the simple four phrases of existence and nonexistence, whereas now explaining the four phrases of duality and nonduality is the compound four phrases. Question: What is simple, and what is compound? Answer: 1. existence; 2. nonexistence; 3. both existence and nonexistence; 4. neither existence nor nonexistence—these are the simple four phrases. The four phrases of duality and nonduality are the compound discourse of four phrases. These two phrases of duality and nonduality in mutual opposition already subsume the preceding four phrases. Third, taking this duality and nonduality in opposition to the preceding three phrases as dual, and neither non-dual nor non-nondual as nondual—this duality and nonduality in mutual opposition once again constitutes a duality. The latter two phrases transcend the four phrases above. Therefore, the four phrases of the first gate are taken as simple, and the four phrases of the latter gate are taken as compound. Putting to rest the former four phrases is shallow, while putting to rest the compound four phrases is profound. Question: Merely putting to rest the four phrases already completes the meaning; what need is there for the fifth, further eliminating the arising of thoughts and stirring of mental activity? Answer: The four phrases put conditions to rest, while the fifth exhausts contemplation; therefore it is explained again. Question: In the sūtras, when it explains putting to rest the hundred negations and transcending the four phrases, to which gate does this belong? Answer: It is also complete in the three gates. If it negates the dharma-essence of the negations, it belongs to the first gate. If it negates the words of the negations, it belongs to the second. If it puts to rest the borrowed words, it is the latter gate. Question: If eliminating each duality belongs to the first gate, then the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā's explanation of the eight negations, which eliminates eight dharmas, would only belong to the first gate; then the gate of nonduality would be profound, and the purport of the Madhyamaka contemplation would be shallow. Answer: The gate of nonduality is precisely the principle of the middle and the real; because the single path is pure, it is called nondual. Being far removed from the two extremes is termed the middle. The middle receives its designation in opposition to the one-sided; nonduality acquires its name in dependence on duality. While their senses differ, their essence has no distinction. Since the gate of nonduality has three tiers, the principle of the middle and the real also has three realities. Eliminating the eight dharmas through words belongs to the first gate. Next, ceasing words as insufficient to speak of it enters the second. If one puts to rest borrowed words, one returns to the third. Question: Since nonduality vertically exhausts the five phrases, can non-arising also be like this? Answer: This is likewise of the same category of meaning. Just as arising is arising, non-arising is also arising; both arising and non-arising, neither arising nor non-arising, and neither non-arising nor non-non-arising, up to the arising of thoughts and stirring of mental activity, are all arising. Now, when we proclaim non-arising, all five arisings are put to rest. Therefore the Dazhidulun says: 'Neither arising nor ceasing, not not-arising and not not-ceasing, not both and not neither, is called the forbearance of the non-arising of dharmas.' Question: The five all discern arising and are all subsumed under duality. Can the five kinds of duality all be considered arising? Answer: This too is of the same category of meaning. If there are the five kinds of duality, they are all the arising of thoughts and stirring of mental activity, and all are arising. The single non-arising that is proclaimed leaves no teaching not comprehensive, no principle not complete, no condition unexhausted, and no contemplation that is not put to rest. Therefore the eight negations are the ultimate resort of the Vaipulya and the wondrous art at the centre of the circle. Question: The great and small sūtras and treatises subsume dharmas through many gates, sometimes subsuming dharmas with one gate, two, three, four gates, up to a great number. On what basis does one now explain only duality? Answer: Duality is the beginning of differentiated dharmas, the inception of diverging from the Way; losing the single path, it then becomes dual. Now, by eliminating duality to make it return to the single path, we merely speak of nonduality. Furthermore, duality is heterodox meanings; the ninety-six paths, the five destinies, and the three vehicles are all called dual. Now, by eliminating these differences, we speak of nonduality. Furthermore, these divergent paths, in opposition to the single path, once again constitute a duality; in order to cease this duality, we speak of nonduality. It is for this reason that we explain the subsuming of dharmas merely with reference to the two gates.