中觀論疏 1.15

1.15

將欲釋文，大明二義：初釋因緣品名、二論開合。釋因緣品名，略為五門：一通別門、二正名門、三釋名門、四破申門、五同異門。問：何因緣故標中觀論，復題觀因緣品？答：略明四義。一者中觀論是一部之通名，觀因緣謂一章之別稱，示所顯之理無二，故中名唯一；能顯之教非一，故有眾品之殊。二者所申之理唯一，故總名無二；所破之病非一，故有眾品不同。三者題中觀論，標章門也；觀因緣品者，釋章門也。問：觀因緣品云何釋中觀論耶？答：以觀此正因緣不生不滅乃至不來不去，故此因緣即是中道。因於中道發生正觀，觀辨於心論宣於口，故知觀於因緣釋中觀論。如下偈云「因緣所生法，我說即是空，亦為是假名，亦是中道義。」問：斯乃是觀正因緣明中道，云何名破因緣耶？答：觀正因緣既不生不滅，即破邪因緣是斷常生滅。是故偈云「能說是因緣，善滅諸戲論。」能說是因緣，謂顯正也；善滅諸戲論，謂破邪也。問：觀之與破有何異耶？答：亦得不異，亦得言異。云不異者，正觀檢邪因緣不得，即是破邪因緣。言其異者，觀名據申正、破名約破邪。如云「觀身實相觀佛亦然」，不可言破身實相破佛亦然，故觀約申正、破據破邪。問：應以論題正因緣，何故稱觀因緣耶？答：即此觀名是論字也。以觀辨於心、論宣於口，觀此因緣不生不滅故稱為觀。問：若爾，何故不云論因緣品而言觀耶？答：示諸佛菩薩如行而說，顯論從於觀生，欲令眾生如說而行。因論發觀，故立觀名也。四者標中觀論是中發於觀，〈觀因緣品〉明觀發於中。論主因中發觀，故名中發於觀；為眾生故觀於因緣，顯因緣是中，故是觀發於中。所以觀發中者，欲令眾生亦因中發觀故也。

Before explaining the text, two broad points are clarified: first, explaining the chapter title "Examination of Causes and Conditions"; second, the division and unity of the treatise. Explaining the chapter title "Examination of Causes and Conditions" briefly entails five gates: first, the gate of general and specific; second, the gate of proper naming; third, the gate of explaining the name; fourth, the gate of refutation and elucidation; fifth, the gate of identity and difference. Question: For what reason is it entitled Mādhyamika-śāstra, and then titled "Examination of Causes and Conditions Chapter"? Answer: Four points are briefly explained. First, Mādhyamika-śāstra is the general title of the entire work, while "Examination of Causes and Conditions" is the specific designation of a single section; to show that the principle revealed is non-dual, the name "Middle" is unique, while the teachings that reveal it are not single, hence there is a distinction of multiple chapters. Second, the principle elucidated is one, so the general name is non-dual; the errors refuted are not single, so there are various different chapters. Third, entitling it Mādhyamika-śāstra establishes the chapter outline; "Examination of Causes and Conditions Chapter" explains that outline. Question: How does "Examination of Causes and Conditions Chapter" explain Mādhyamika-śāstra? Answer: Because examining these proper causes and conditions as neither arising nor ceasing, up to neither coming nor going, these causes and conditions are themselves the middle way. Relying on the middle way, correct contemplation arises; contemplation is discerned in the mind and the treatise is proclaimed from the mouth, so we know that examining causes and conditions explains the Mādhyamika-śāstra. As the verse below states: "Whatever phenomena arise from causes and conditions, / I declare to be emptiness; / it is also a provisional designation, / and also the meaning of the middle way." Question: If this is examining proper causes and conditions to illuminate the middle way, how can it be called refuting causes and conditions? Answer: Since examining proper causes and conditions shows they neither arise nor cease, this directly refutes erroneous causes and conditions as being annihilation, permanence, arising, and ceasing. Therefore the verse says: "Able to proclaim these causes and conditions, / skillfully extinguishing all prapañca." "Able to proclaim these causes and conditions" refers to revealing the correct; "skillfully extinguishing all prapañca" refers to refuting the erroneous. Question: What is the difference between examination (contemplation) and refutation? Answer: One may say they are not different, or that they are different. In saying they are not different: when correct contemplation inspects erroneous causes and conditions and finds none, this is itself the refutation of erroneous causes and conditions. In saying they are different: the name "contemplation/examination" relies on elucidating the correct; the name "refutation" pertains to refuting the erroneous. Just as it is said, "Contemplating the true mark of the body, one contemplates the Buddha likewise," one cannot say "Refuting the true mark of the body, one refutes the Buddha likewise." Thus examination pertains to elucidating the correct, and refutation relies on refuting the erroneous. Question: The title should name the treatise on proper causes and conditions; why is it called the "Examination of Causes and Conditions"? Answer: This term "examination" is itself the word "treatise". Because contemplation is discerned in the mind and the treatise is proclaimed from the mouth, contemplating these causes and conditions as neither arising nor ceasing is called "examination". Question: If so, why does it not say "Treatise on Causes and Conditions Chapter", but says "Examination"? Answer: To show that all Buddhas and bodhisattvas speak according to practice, revealing that the treatise is born from contemplation, and wishing to lead sentient beings to practice according to what is spoken. Because the treatise arouses contemplation, the name "examination" (contemplation) is established. Fourth, designating it Mādhyamika-śāstra means the middle gives rise to contemplation; the chapter "Examination of Causes and Conditions" clarifies that contemplation gives rise to the middle. The author of the treatise gave rise to contemplation from the middle, hence called "the middle gives rise to contemplation"; for the sake of sentient beings, he examined causes and conditions, revealing that causes and conditions are the middle, hence "contemplation gives rise to the middle". The reason contemplation gives rise to the middle is to lead sentient beings likewise to give rise to contemplation from the middle.