中觀論疏 2.27

2.27

六者此之八不即是《妙法蓮華經》。何以知然？〈藥草品〉云「究竟涅槃常寂滅相，終歸於空。」光宅之流謂此空是灰身滅智小乘之法，不喜聞之。下云「復有住禪得神通力，聞諸法空心大歡喜，放無數光度諸眾生。是名大樹而得增長。」光宅謂此空為未極，蓋是小草之流耳。問：此空云何是八不？答：橫論則理超八事、竪則四句皆絕，不知何以目之，強稱為空耳，故知此空即是八不。問：何故言終歸於空？答：道超四句、理絕百非，蓋是諸法本體；言三乘一乘、常無常等，皆是方便之用耳。若息一切用則歸於此本體，故言終歸於空。又說一切教令悟此理，故是終歸於空。肇公論云「九流於是乎交歸，群聖於是冥會。」甚深若斯，而謂是灰身滅智，一何可傷！問：云何名此為妙法蓮華？答：以道超四句、理絕百非，故名為妙。妙體可軌，目之為法。不為一切諸邊所染，畢竟清淨，喻之蓮華。問：以萬善為乘，乘名妙法，妙法喻若蓮華，云何乃說空義？答：經云「終歸於空」，終歸於空者，雖復說萬行，終令得此淨悟。不爾者，成有所得不動不出，不名為乘。

Sixth, these eight negations are the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka-sūtra. How is this known? The "Medicinal Herbs Chapter" states: "The ultimate nirvāṇa is constantly of the characteristic of tranquil cessation, ultimately returning to emptiness." Those like Master Guangzhai consider this emptiness to be the Hīnayāna Dharma of reducing the body to ashes and annihilating consciousness, and dislike hearing it. Further down it states: "There are also those who abide in dhyāna and attain supernormal powers, who rejoice greatly upon hearing that all phenomena are empty, emitting countless rays of light to deliver sentient beings. This is called a great tree that attains growth." Guangzhai considered this emptiness not to be the ultimate, but merely of the category of small herbs. Question: How is this emptiness the eight negations? Answer: Horizontally, the principle transcends the eight items; vertically, the four propositions are entirely eradicated. Not knowing how to designate it, it is forcibly called "emptiness"; hence we know that this emptiness is itself the eight negations. Question: Why does it say "ultimately returning to emptiness"? Answer: The Path transcends the four propositions, and the principle eliminates the hundred negations; this is truly the fundamental essence of all phenomena. Speaking of the three vehicles or the one vehicle, permanence or impermanence, and so forth, are all the functions of expedient means. If one ceases all functions, they return to this fundamental essence; hence it says "ultimately returning to emptiness." Furthermore, expounding all teachings is to cause [sentient beings] to awaken to this principle; hence it is "ultimately returning to emptiness." Master Sengzhao's treatise states: "The nine streams herein converge, and the multitude of sages herein darkly unite." Being so profoundly deep as this, to consider it as reducing the body to ashes and annihilating consciousness—how lamentable! Question: Why is this called the "Lotus of the Wondrous Dharma"? Answer: Because the Path transcends the four propositions and the principle eliminates the hundred negations, it is called "wondrous". The wondrous essence can serve as a standard, so it is designated "Dharma". Not being defiled by any of the extremes, it is ultimately pure, which is allegorized as a "lotus". Question: Taking myriad virtues as the vehicle, the vehicle is called the wondrous Dharma, and the wondrous Dharma is allegorized as a lotus; why then speak of the meaning of emptiness? Answer: The sūtra states "ultimately returning to emptiness"; as for "ultimately returning to emptiness", although myriad practices are expounded, they ultimately cause one to attain this pure awakening. Otherwise, they would become grasping, without movement and without emergence, and could not be called a "vehicle".