中觀論疏 2.23

2.23

二者八不即是雪山全如意珠偈。偈云「諸行無常，是生滅法。生滅滅已，寂滅為樂。」此偈上半即無生滅生滅義，下半偈謂生滅無生滅。若但有生滅、無無生滅，則但有生滅，義猶未足，亦不成生滅，故稱為半。若但有無生滅，無有生滅，義亦未足，又無生滅義亦不成，故復呼為半。若生滅無生滅，義方具足，故名全如意珠。八不不性實生滅，始得顯無生滅生滅，故成上半偈意。八不明無假生滅，故是生滅不生滅，即下半偈意。然此偈但就心觀行作之，即顯然可解。此心本性不生不滅，以顛倒故無生滅於眾生成生滅，故言諸行無常是生滅法。今以正觀求此生滅不可得，即生滅心便息，故云生滅滅已也。問：云何求生滅而生滅便息？答：通明破假性意。生若實生，不應待滅；以待滅故生，即生無自性，故自性生便息。生無自性，由滅故生，即是因緣生。因緣生即是寂滅性，故假生滅便息。以有生滅，是故無常；以生滅滅已，所以為常。以無常故苦，即知常名為樂，故言寂滅為樂。以無常故苦，苦故不自在，名無我。以無常苦無我為智人所惡，故稱不淨。今生滅既滅，所以為常，常故即樂。既有常樂，即自在為我。諸佛菩薩之所欣樂，名之為淨。故八不大宗具八行觀，以具八行觀故，便除八倒。以識無生滅生滅，故於生死中不起常等四倒。以識生滅無生滅，即悟涅槃，不起無常等四倒。不起常倒故非常，不起無常倒故非無常，非常非無常，故名中道。以中道故即有正觀，佛為眾生如實說名正經，菩薩如實而說名為正論也。又識無生滅生滅，故不起常倒，異凡夫人。了生滅無生滅，不起無常倒，異二乘行。故非凡夫行、非賢聖行，是菩薩行也。問：此論欲示菩薩正行故標八不在初者，由來亦作如此破八倒，與今何異？答：今是因緣義，故云無生滅生滅、生滅無生滅。無生滅生滅，豈是生滅？生滅無生滅，豈是無生滅？故未曾生滅，亦非無生滅，謂是法不可示，言辭相寂滅。詳此意，上窮霄漢、下漏淵泉，無復縱迹。不煩作之，貴得意也。

Second, the eight negations are the complete wish-fulfilling jewel verse of the Snowy Mountains. The verse says: 'All conditioned things are impermanent; they are phenomena of arising and ceasing. When arising and ceasing are extinguished, tranquil extinction is bliss.' The first half of this verse is the meaning of 'arising and ceasing that is non-arising and non-ceasing'; the second half means 'non-arising and non-ceasing that is arising and ceasing'. If there were only arising and ceasing without non-arising and non-ceasing, then there would merely be arising and ceasing, its meaning would not yet be complete, and it would not constitute arising and ceasing; therefore it is called a half. If there were only non-arising and non-ceasing without arising and ceasing, the meaning would also not be complete, and furthermore the meaning of non-arising and non-ceasing would not be established; hence it is again called a half. Only when arising and ceasing are non-arising and non-ceasing is the meaning complete; hence it is called the complete wish-fulfilling jewel. Because the eight negations deny substantial arising and ceasing with intrinsic nature, only then can 'arising and ceasing that is non-arising and non-ceasing' be revealed; thus it accomplishes the intention of the first half of the verse. Because the eight negations clarify that there is no provisional arising and ceasing, it is 'non-arising and non-ceasing that is arising and ceasing', which is the intention of the second half of the verse. Now, if this verse is applied simply to mental contemplation and practice, it becomes clearly understandable. The intrinsic nature of this mind is originally neither arising nor ceasing; due to inversion, non-arising and non-ceasing becomes arising and ceasing for sentient beings, and hence it says: 'All conditioned things are impermanent; they are phenomena of arising and ceasing.' Now, when one seeks this arising and ceasing through correct contemplation and finds it unattainable, the mind of arising and ceasing ceases; hence it says: 'When arising and ceasing are extinguished.' Question: How is it that when one seeks arising and ceasing, arising and ceasing ceases? Answer: This broadly clarifies the intention of refuting both provisional and intrinsic nature. If arising were real arising, it should not depend on ceasing; because it depends on ceasing to arise, arising has no intrinsic nature, and thus arising with intrinsic nature ceases. Since arising has no intrinsic nature and arises due to ceasing, it is dependent origination. Dependent origination is itself the nature of tranquil extinction, and therefore provisional arising and ceasing ceases. Because there is arising and ceasing, there is impermanence; because arising and ceasing are extinguished, there is permanence. Because of impermanence there is suffering; thus one knows that permanence is called bliss, and hence it says: 'Tranquil extinction is bliss.' Because of impermanence there is suffering; being suffering, it lacks autonomy, which is called non-self. Because impermanence, suffering, and non-self are detested by wise people, they are called impurity. Now, since arising and ceasing are extinguished, there is permanence, and permanence is bliss. Since there is permanence and bliss, autonomy is self. That which is rejoiced in by all Buddhas and bodhisattvas is called purity. Therefore, the great school of the eight negations is endowed with the eight contemplations; being endowed with the eight contemplations, it eliminates the eight inversions. Because one recognizes that arising and ceasing are non-arising and non-ceasing, one does not give rise to the four inversions such as permanence within saṃsāra. Because one recognizes that non-arising and non-ceasing are arising and ceasing, one awakens to nirvāṇa and does not give rise to the four inversions such as impermanence. Not giving rise to the inversion of permanence, it is not permanent; not giving rise to the inversion of impermanence, it is not impermanent. Neither permanent nor impermanent, it is therefore called the middle way. Because of the middle way, there is correct contemplation. When the Buddha speaks in accordance with reality for sentient beings, it is called a correct sūtra; when bodhisattvas speak in accordance with reality, it is called a correct śāstra. Furthermore, recognizing that arising and ceasing are non-arising and non-ceasing, one does not give rise to the inversion of permanence, differing from ordinary people. Comprehending that non-arising and non-ceasing are arising and ceasing, one does not give rise to the inversion of impermanence, differing from the practice of the two vehicles. Therefore, it is neither the practice of ordinary people nor the practice of worthies and noble ones; it is the practice of bodhisattvas. Question: If this treatise intends to demonstrate the correct practice of bodhisattvas and therefore marks the eight negations at the beginning, the refutation of the eight inversions has always been done like this; what is the difference now? Answer: Now it is the meaning of dependent origination; hence we say 'arising and ceasing that is non-arising and non-ceasing, and non-arising and non-ceasing that is arising and ceasing'. How could arising and ceasing that is non-arising and non-ceasing be arising and ceasing? How could non-arising and non-ceasing that is arising and ceasing be non-arising and non-ceasing? Therefore, it has never been arising and ceasing, nor is it non-arising and non-ceasing; it means that this phenomenon cannot be demonstrated, and the characteristics of verbal expression are tranquil and extinct. Examining this intention, it reaches up to the heavens above and penetrates down to the deep springs below, leaving no trace behind. One need not elaborate on it; what is valued is grasping the purport.