中觀論疏 1.30

1.30

「以大乘法說因緣相」下，此第二明緣教。就文為二：初正辨教、次引經證。「一切法不生」者，小乘人云：無為無生、有為有生，非一切無生。今明有為與無為一切不生也。故《大品經》云「雖生死道長、眾生性多，菩薩應如是正憶念：生死邊如虛空、眾生性邊亦如虛空，是中無生死往來，亦無解脫者。」以生死本自不生，故無往來。既無生死之往來，生何所滅？故名為涅槃，故無解脫。所以生死涅槃畢竟皆空，故一切無生。又涅槃本自不生，生死亦本自不生，故名一切不生。「畢竟空」者，若有生有不生則非畢竟空，以一切無生名畢竟空。問：何故言畢竟空耶？答：《涅槃經》云「菩薩猶如香象，徹十二因緣河底，所言底者名為空相。」今欲簡異兔馬，故有此言。「如般若中說」下，第二引《大品．無盡品》證也。問：此論遍申眾經，何故偏引般若？答：有六義。一者《智度論》云「三藏中未說菩薩行，《般若》中正明菩薩行。」即《波若》是大乘之初，正對小乘，故偏引其初也。二者般若明於二道：一般若道、二方便道，蓋是三世諸佛法身父母。故《智度論》云「於一切大乘經中最為深大」，故偏引之。三者又般若正顯實相，破洗顛倒有所得，開發正觀、滅諸重罪，入道為要，故偏引之。四者昔江南大令般若師云：「般若名為得道經，以其得道正由實相故也。」五者山中大師云：「《智度論》雖廣釋般若，而《中論》正解般若之中心，故偏引般若。所以然者，《中論》正明實相中道，令識於中道、發生正觀。《大品》亦正明實相，因實相發生般若。」以明義正同，故偏引之。六者又蓋是趣引一文，不應難也。「觀十二因緣如虛空不可盡」者，此中具明五性及三種般若，品初已解釋竟。言不可盡者，凡有三義：一者十二因緣如虛空，虛空即是實相，由觀實相發生正觀，故有三世諸佛。過去佛觀實相發生正觀，實相不可盡，餘二世佛亦然。故〈無盡品〉云「過去佛學是般若得成佛，而般若不可盡，二世佛亦然。」二者實相若是有無四句、此即有盡極處、名為有盡；以實相絕有無四句、無盡極處，故名不盡。三者二乘滅十二因緣即是盡義，以二乘滅十二因緣則是但見於空，不見十二因緣即是中道佛性；今正對二乘，明菩薩知十二因緣本自不生、今亦無滅，故言不盡。即此十二因緣不生不滅是佛性，故菩薩坐道場時即見佛性也。

From "expounded the marks of causes and conditions by means of the Mahāyāna teaching" onward, this second [part] clarifies the teaching responsive to those conditions. The text has two parts: first, directly distinguishing the teaching, and next, citing a sūtra as proof. Regarding "all dharmas are unarisen": the followers of the Hīnayāna say that the unconditioned is unarisen and the conditioned is arisen, so it is not the case that all are unarisen. Now it is clarified that both conditioned and unconditioned, all are unarisen. Thus the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā Sūtra says: "Although the path of saṃsāra is long and the realms of sentient beings are manifold, the bodhisattva should right-mindfully reflect in this way: the limit of saṃsāra is like empty space, and the limit of the realm of sentient beings is also like empty space; within this there is no coming and going of saṃsāra, nor is there any one who attains liberation." Because saṃsāra is originally unarisen, there is no coming and going. Since there is no coming and going of saṃsāra, what arising could be extinguished? Hence it is called nirvāṇa, and thus there is no liberation. Therefore, saṃsāra and nirvāṇa are both ultimately empty, and hence all are unarisen. Furthermore, nirvāṇa is originally unarisen, and saṃsāra is also originally unarisen; therefore, it is called "all are unarisen." Regarding "ultimately empty": if there were arising and non-arising, then it would not be ultimately empty; because all are unarisen, it is called "ultimately empty." Question: Why is it called "ultimately empty"? Answer: The Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra says: "The bodhisattva is like a scent-elephant that reaches the bottom of the river of the twelve links of causes and conditions; what is called 'the bottom' is the mark of emptiness." Here, in order to distinguish [the bodhisattva] from the hare and the horse, these words are used. From "as spoken in the Prajñā[pāramitā]" onward, the second [part] cites the "Inexhaustible Chapter" of the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā Sūtra as proof. Question: This treatise elucidates all the sūtras generally; why does it specifically cite the Prajñāpāramitā? Answer: There are six reasons. First, the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa says: "In the Tripiṭaka, the bodhisattva practices were not yet spoken; in the Prajñā[pāramitā], the bodhisattva practices are properly elucidated." Thus the Prajñā[pāramitā] is the beginning of the Mahāyāna, directly contrasting with the Hīnayāna; therefore, its beginning is specifically cited. Second, the Prajñā[pāramitā] explains two paths: first, the path of wisdom (prajñā), and second, the path of expedient means (upāya), which are indeed the father and mother of the Dharma-body of all Buddhas of the three periods of time. Thus the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa says: "Among all Mahāyāna sūtras, it is the most profound and vast"; therefore, it is specifically cited. Third, the Prajñā[pāramitā] directly reveals the true mark, washes away inverted [views] and grasping, develops right contemplation, and eradicates grave transgressions, being essential for entering the path; therefore, it is specifically cited. Fourth, an ancient Prajñā master of Jiangnan Daling said: "The Prajñā[pāramitā] is named 'the Sūtra of Attaining the Path', because one's attainment of the path is precisely due to the true mark." Fifth, the Great Master in the Mountains (Falang) said: "Although the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa broadly explains the Prajñā[pāramitā], the Madhyamaka-śāstra directly explains the core of the Prajñā[pāramitā]; therefore, it specifically cites the Prajñā[pāramitā]. Why is this so? The Madhyamaka-śāstra directly clarifies the middle way of the true mark, causing one to recognize the middle way and give rise to right contemplation. The Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā Sūtra also directly clarifies the true mark, and on the basis of the true mark, gives rise to prajñā." Because the meanings they clarify are exactly identical, it is specifically cited. Sixth, furthermore, it is merely citing a passage in passing; one should not raise an objection to it. Regarding "contemplating the twelve links of causes and conditions as inexhaustible like empty space": in this, the five natures and the three kinds of prajñā are fully clarified, which have already been explained at the beginning of the chapter. As for "inexhaustible", there are three meanings in all: First, the twelve links of causes and conditions are like empty space, and empty space is precisely the true mark; by contemplating the true mark, right contemplation arises, and hence there are the Buddhas of the three periods of time. The Buddhas of the past contemplated the true mark and generated right contemplation; the true mark is inexhaustible, and so it is for the Buddhas of the other two periods of time. Thus the "Inexhaustible Chapter" says: "The Buddhas of the past studied this prajñā and attained Buddhahood, yet prajñā is inexhaustible; so it is for the Buddhas of the [other] two periods of time." Second, if the true mark fell within the four propositions of existence and non-existence, this would be an exhaustive limit, and would be called "exhaustible"; but because the true mark is beyond the four propositions of existence and non-existence and has no exhaustive limit, it is called "inexhaustible." Third, for the two vehicles, extinguishing the twelve links of causes and conditions constitutes the meaning of exhaustion, because when the two vehicles extinguish the twelve links of causes and conditions, they merely see emptiness and do not see that the twelve links of causes and conditions are themselves the Buddha-nature of the middle way. Now, directly addressing the two vehicles, it clarifies that the bodhisattva knows that the twelve links of causes and conditions are originally unarisen and now also unextinguished; therefore, it is called "inexhaustible." It is precisely this non-arising and non-extinguishing of the twelve links of causes and conditions that is the Buddha-nature; therefore, when the bodhisattva sits at the place of enlightenment, he immediately sees the Buddha-nature.