淨名玄論 4.29

4.29

Question: Being unattached to existence and not realizing emptiness are both skillful. Why is the skill of non-attachment named prajñā—prajñā being inferior and situated on the sixth bhūmi—while the skill of non-realization is named upāya—upāya being superior and situated on the seventh bhūmi? Answer: As explained above. Furthermore, existence is saṃvṛti-satya; renouncing existence is easy, so the skill of prajñā is inferior. Emptiness is paramārtha-satya; avoiding [falling into] nonexistence is difficult, so upāya is superior. Moreover, entering the contemplation of dharmatā and not being attached to existence escapes the stage of ordinary beings. Proceeding directly from the contemplation of dharmatā to illuminate so-called phenomena, thereby not lingering in emptiness, departs from the stage of the two vehicles. Escaping ordinary beings is easy, so prajñā is inferior; transcending the sages is difficult, so upāya is superior. This is why there is the distinction of superior and inferior between the sixth and seventh bhūmis. Question: If so, and the two wisdoms on the sixth bhūmi are not yet balanced, how can it be said above that they are already conjoined from the first bhūmi? Answer: Relative to the stages before the bhūmis, on the first bhūmi they are conjoined; compared with the seventh bhūmi, they are not yet conjoined. Why is this so? From the first bhūmi onward, one attains the unproduced and movement and quiescence are unimpeded; however, the aspect of quiescence is somewhat stronger, while dynamic function is slightly weaker; therefore it is said they are not yet conjoined. When reaching the seventh bhūmi, movement and quiescence are unimpeded and the two wisdoms roam in tandem; thus they are said to be conjoined. Question: How is this known to be so? Answer: If up to the sixth bhūmi they were not conjoined, so that entering emptiness one did not see existence, and emerging into existence one did not see emptiness, the two vehicles would be like this as well; how would it differ from a bodhisattva? Thus we know that from the first bhūmi onward they can already be conjoined, but there is a slight disparity in strength; hence it is said they are not yet balanced. Question: What is the difference between non-attachment to emptiness and non-realization of emptiness? Answer: When the two vehicles enter emptiness, they do not maintain the catuṣkoṭi; this is merely non-attachment, but they cannot avoid realizing [emptiness]. When bodhisattvas enter emptiness, since there is nothing to maintain, they can also directly proceed from emptiness to engage with existence; hence it is called non-realization.