維摩經義疏 5.7.3

5.7.3

To speak of the non-duality of emptiness and form does not mean that neither emptiness nor form is termed non-dual, but only clarifies that emptiness and form have no dual substances, and therefore it is called non-dual. 'Form is emptiness' sets forth the Great Vehicle's non-duality of emptiness and form. 'Emptiness is not the extinction of form' distinguishes [this from] what ordinary people perceive. Ordinary people do not comprehend; they hold that form is extinguished and destroyed, and only then is it empty. Therefore it is now clarified that it is not after form is extinguished that it is empty. 'The nature of form is inherently empty' distinguishes [this from] the doctrine of the Lesser Vehicle. Just as the water in a mirage is by nature inherently empty, and does not require separating the four subtle components to take away the water element before it is empty. 'The bodhisattva Prabhāketu said: "The differentiation of the four elements and the differentiation of the space element are two. The nature of the four elements is the nature of space. Just as the prior limit and the posterior limit are empty, so too is the middle limit empty. To be able to know the nature of the elements in this manner is to enter the dharma door of non-duality."' The four kinds are the four great elements, and the space element refers to the great element of space. Because each of these five possesses great power, they are called 'great'. Being the causes that form sentient beings, they are designated 'seeds' [elements]. Moreover, with respect to these five matters, their kinds and distinctions are not the same, so they are designated 'seeds'. The existence of the four elements being not different from the space element is called entering the dharma door of non-duality. Therefore it says 'without three limits': the space element has no three limits, and since the four elements are identical to emptiness, they likewise have no three [limits]. 'The bodhisattva Mativiśeṣa said: "Eye and form are two. If one knows the nature of the eye, one is neither greedy, nor hostile, nor deluded regarding form; this is called quiescence. Likewise, ear and sound, nose and fragrance, tongue and taste, body and touch, mind and mental phenomena are two; if one knows the nature of the mind, one is neither greedy, nor hostile, nor deluded regarding mental phenomena; this is called quiescence. Abiding peacefully therein is to enter the dharma door of non-duality."' Seeing eye and form as two, one therefore generates the three poisons; thus, toward pleasing forms one generates greed, toward repulsive forms one produces hostility, and toward forms neither pleasing nor repulsive one gives rise to ignorance. If one knows the root is empty, one does not generate the three poisons. Just as the four great elements constitute the eye, there is no single substance of the eye. Because the single substance of the eye does not exist, it is therefore said that there are no four great elements; thus one knows there is no eye. With what would one see forms to generate the three poisons? Nor is it that by making this contemplation form becomes empty, for lacking self-nature, there is no form. 'The bodhisattva Akṣayamati said: "Giving and dedication toward omniscience are two. The nature of giving is the nature of dedication toward omniscience. Likewise, morality, patience, diligence, meditation, and wisdom, and their dedication toward omniscience are two; the nature of wisdom is the nature of dedication toward omniscience. Entering into the single mark among them is to enter the dharma door of non-duality."' Giving is the cause and omniscience is the fruit, meaning that cause and fruit are two. When dedicating cause toward fruit, both cause and fruit are empty; this is called non-duality. Moreover, turning cause into fruit is called non-duality. Just as when in the bodhisattva's mind it is called prajñā, while upon reaching the Buddha's mind it turns into sarvajñā; thus there are not two distinct kinds, and one knows they are non-dual. 'The bodhisattva Gambhīramati said: "Emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness are two. Emptiness is signlessness, and signlessness is wishlessness. If there are emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, then there is no mind, intellect, or consciousness. Regarding one door of liberation to be the three doors of liberation is to enter the dharma door of non-duality."' This refutes the adherents of the Lesser Vehicle, who hold that the three emptinesses belong to the sixteen aspects of practice and have distinct substances. Now, in terms of object and cognition, the three doors are entirely of one substance. Discussing non-duality in terms of the object: there is only the single true mark, which is divided into three according to its meaning, having no three separate substances; hence it is called non-dual. In terms of contemplation: there is only the single right contemplation, which, because it is free from the three attachments, is termed three, yet truly has no three substances. 'There is also no mind, intellect, or consciousness': the former exhausts the cognitive objects, and this now puts an end to contemplation. 'The bodhisattva Śāntendriya said: "Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha are two. The Buddha is the Dharma, and the Dharma is the Saṅgha. These Three Jewels are all marked by the unconditioned, equal to space; all dharmas are likewise. To be able to practice in accordance with this is to enter the dharma door of non-duality."' This clarifies the doctrine of the Three Jewels of a single substance, and hence they are non-dual. Yet the Three Jewels of a single substance are distinguished in three places: First, as when the three are complete upon the single Buddha fruit: the sense of awakening is the Buddha, that which can serve as a model is called the Dharma, and the sense of harmony is the Saṅgha; this applies generally to both the Great and Lesser Vehicles and the Abhidharma. Second, the Three Jewels are all universally empty; this also applies generally to both the Great and Lesser Vehicles, but is not found in the Abhidharma. Third, the Three Jewels of a single substance exists only in the Great Vehicle. Question: What is meant by the single Buddha? Answer: The text of the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra is varied. If based on the meaning of nirvāṇa, the Three Jewels all take nirvāṇa as their substance. Thus the sūtra says: 'The bodhisattva contemplated: "How are the three matters of a single substance with me?" The Buddha himself explained: "I declare that the three matters are the Great Nirvāṇa."' Hence they are called of a single substance. If discussing the Three Jewels based on Buddha-nature, the Three Jewels alike take Buddha-nature as their substance; therefore the sūtra says: 'Such three refuges are my nature.' If clarifying the Three Jewels in terms of the ultimate truth, the Three Jewels alike use the ultimate truth as their substance; thus the sūtra says: 'If one can contemplate the Three Jewels, they are permanently abiding and identical to the ultimate truth.' If clarifying the Three Jewels in terms of permanence, they alike take permanence as their substance; hence the sūtra says: 'Nor do I declare that there is no distinction among the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṅgha; I declare only that they are distinguished by being permanently abiding.' These are all spoken in accordance with specific meanings without mutual contradiction. Now, this passage's clarification that the Three Jewels have no different substances is precisely based on their sharing the same unconditioned nature; therefore they are called non-dual. 'The bodhisattva Apratihata-citta said: "Body and the destruction of the body are two. The body is the destruction of the body. Why is this? One who sees the true mark of the body does not give rise to seeing the body or seeing the destruction of the body. The body and the destruction of the body are without duality and without discrimination; not being startled and not being terrified therein is to enter the dharma door of non-duality."' This refutes the Lesser Vehicle's two doctrines of nirvāṇa with remainder and without remainder. 'Body' refers to the body of the five aggregates, and 'destruction of the body' is nirvāṇa. The body is inherently unborn; what is there now to be destroyed? Being unborn and unceasing, they are therefore non-dual. 'Not being startled and not being terrified': upon first hearing this, Lesser Vehicle adherents are startled; wondering at and enduring this principle, they become terrified. When dharmas arise, emptiness arises; when they cease, emptiness ceases. How could the existence of the body and the demise of the body be different, such that one would harbor startle and fear therein? 'The bodhisattva Suviśuddha said: "Physical, verbal, and mental karma are two. These three karmas are all marked by non-action. The mark of non-action of the body is the mark of non-action of speech; the mark of non-action of speech is the mark of non-action of mind. The mark of non-action of these three karmas is the mark of non-action of all dharmas. To be able to accord with such wisdom of non-action is to enter the dharma door of non-duality."' Some may think that the three karmas each have their own activities, and hence call them different. The three karmas are fundamentally empty and share the mark of non-action; this is called non-duality. 'The bodhisattva Puṇyakṣetra said: "Meritorious action, non-meritorious action, and unshakeable action are two."