大毘盧遮那成佛經疏 7.8.1

7.8.1

As for the scripture saying, "The syllable A gateway [means that] all phenomena are originally unborn," the syllable A is the root of all Dharmic teachings. Whenever the mouth is first opened, there is the sound of 'a'. If one were separated from the sound of 'a', there would be no spoken words whatsoever; therefore, it is the mother of all sounds. All spoken language in the three realms relies upon names, and names rely upon letters; thus the Siddhaṃ syllable A is also the mother of all letters. One should know that the true meaning of the syllable A gateway is likewise: it is pervasive throughout all phenomena and meanings. Why is this? Because there is no phenomenon that is not born from a concourse of conditions; and whatever is born from conditions all has a beginning and an origin. Now, when we observe these productive conditions, they too are born from a concourse of causes and conditions. Progressively depending on conditions, what is their root? When observing in this manner, one knows that the limit of the originally unborn is the root of the myriad phenomena. Just as hearing all spoken words is none other than hearing the sound of 'a', likewise, seeing the arising of all phenomena is none other than seeing the limit of the originally unborn. If one sees the limit of the originally unborn, that is knowing one's own mind as it truly is; knowing one's own mind as it truly is is sarvajñajñāna. Therefore, Vairocana takes only this single syllable as the mantra. Yet worldly ordinary persons, failing to observe the original source of all phenomena, falsely see arising; hence they drift along with the flow of birth and death, unable to free themselves. They are like an ignorant painter who himself applies various colors to create the terrifying form of a yakṣa, and having completed it, turns back to look at it, whereupon fear arises in his mind and he collapses abruptly to the ground. Sentient beings are likewise: by themselves wielding the original source of all phenomena, they paint the three realms, yet then submerge themselves within them, their own minds blazing as they endure all manner of suffering. The Tathāgata, being a painter with wisdom, having already understood this, is able to freely establish the mahākaruṇā-maṇḍala. From this it may be said that regarding the so-called profound secret treasury, sentient beings merely keep it secret from themselves; it is not that the Buddha conceals anything. As for the syllable KA gateway [stating] that "all phenomena are devoid of action (kārya)," the Sanskrit term kārya means action. Just as various non-Buddhists impute an agent, a causer of action, and so forth, the treatise masters of the various sects also speak of action, an agent, and the instruments of action, saying that because these three factors unite, there is karmic retribution. If, on account of wisdom and upāya, one were to hold that there is something fixed and determinate, one would fall into causelessness; and if one falls into causelessness, then all phenomena are devoid of cause and effect. The phenomenon capable of producing is called the cause, and the phenomenon produced is called the effect. Since these two phenomena are nonexistent, action, the agent, the instruments of action, karmic retribution of sin and merit, and the path to nirvāṇa are all nonexistent. Furthermore, action and agent arise in mutual dependence; if there were definitely an action, then there must definitely be an agent, all of which is no different from the assertions of non-Buddhists. This is explained extensively in the "Examination of Action and Agent" chapter of the Madhyamakaśāstra. Now, correctly observing that action, the agent, and the rest all arise from a concourse of conditions, one enters the limit of the originally unborn. As for the limit of the originally unborn: whether there are Buddhas or no Buddhas, the nature of phenomena is just so—who could be the source of its making? Therefore, if one sees the syllable KA, one knows that all phenomena are formed through conditioned action; this is called the self-characteristic. If it is a fabricated phenomenon, one should know that it is ultimately devoid of action; this is called the true meaning. As for "the syllable KHA gateway, because all phenomena are unobtainable like empty space," the Sanskrit syllable KHA means empty space (ākāśa). It is commonly accepted in the world that empty space is an unborn, unmade phenomenon. If all phenomena are originally unborn and free from all fabrication, they are ultimately like the characteristic of empty space. Now, this characteristic of emptiness is also unobtainable. Why is this? As in the world, the place devoid of form (rūpa) is called the characteristic of empty space. Form is an impermanent, fabricated phenomenon. If form has not yet arisen, then because form has not arisen, there is no cessation; at that time, there is no characteristic of empty space. It is because of form that there is a place devoid of form, and the place devoid of form is called space. This is explained extensively in the "Examination of the Six Elements" chapter of the Madhyamakaśāstra. The meaning here is likewise: if form is originally unborn, what could be called the place devoid of form? If the place devoid of form cannot be designated, then there is no fixed characteristic of empty space. Furthermore, that all phenomena are like the characteristic of empty space is nirvāṇa as an undeceptive characteristic, just as the sūtras say that the cessation of the five aggregates without the arising of further five aggregates is the meaning of nirvāṇa. If the five aggregates are originally unborn, what is now extinguished to be termed nirvāṇa? Therefore, even being like the characteristic of empty space is unobtainable; this is the true meaning of the syllable KHA gateway. As for "the syllable GA gateway, because all motion (gati) is unobtainable in all phenomena," in Sanskrit gati (written with a conjunct) is called motion; 'motion' means going, coming, advancing, and retreating without abiding. Now, this is explained progressively from the syllable A gateway: because phenomena are originally unborn, there is no action; because there is no action, there is no counterpart that can be spoken of as empty. Emptiness is itself the locus of non-motion; if even the locus of non-motion is unobtainable, how much more so the locus of motion? The "Examination of Going and Coming" chapter of the Madhyamakaśāstra clarifies the meaning of motion and rest: because of continuity, it is called motion, like the sprout, stem, and leaves arising from a grain of seed, or ignorance conditioning the karmic formations (saṃskāras); because of cessation, it is called rest, like the extinction of the grain of seed causing the extinction of the sprout and stem, or the extinction of ignorance causing the extinction of the karmic formations. If a phenomenon has already moved, there is no motion, because it has already moved; if it has not yet moved, there is also no motion, because the phenomenon of motion does not yet exist; while moving, there is also no motion, because it is not separate from what has already moved and what has not yet moved. By observing through such various approaches, there is ultimately no motion; and because there is no motion, there is nothing to come to rest. Because there is neither motion nor rest, there is no one who comes and goes through the various destinies, nor is there anyone who abides in nirvāṇa. Furthermore, if a person does not stir from their original place and that itself is the destination, one should know that this person has neither motion nor arrival; therefore it is said that all motion is unobtainable. As for "the syllable GHA gateway, because the aggregation (ghana) of all phenomena is unobtainable," in Sanskrit ghana has the meaning of dense aggregation, like many subtle atoms aggregating together to form a minute particle of dust, or the aggregates aggregating together to form a body. In the "Examination of Combination" chapter of the Madhyamakaśāstra, the treatise masters say: because of the three factors of seeing, the visible, and the seer, there is seeing; one should know that there is combination in hearing, the audible, and the hearer, and likewise for afflictions such as attachment, the object of attachment, and the one who is attached. The respondent says: all things have combination only because of difference. Yet now, the characteristic of difference is unobtainable in all phenomena; therefore, there is no combination. This is as explained extensively there. Since the syllable gateways are explained progressively, let us clarify this through the meaning of motion: whenever there is motion, one should know that there must be the combination of the three factors of moving, the passable path, and the mover. Now, since all phenomena are originally unborn, there is no motion. If there is no motion, how could the moving, the passable path, and the mover combine? Furthermore, if phenomena each had distinct characteristics, they could never combine.