中觀論疏 5.27

5.27

「何以故」下，第二偈立釋二義，偈略釋、長行廣釋。上半立小生大，通無為難。小不生大，即大墮無為；以小生大，故大是有為。下半立大生小，通無窮難。小更須小，可是無窮；以大還生小，故不墮無窮。問：外人何故作此立耶？答：彼立因緣不自生義，大不自生、由小故生，小不自生、由大故生，故是四緣中因緣門、六因中是共有因也。問：偈本何故云「生生之所生」，所生因何生耶？答：生生是大生家所生，故云生生之所生也。此解好。又生生是能生也。之所生者，此明小生之用能有所生，故名為用，如手能有作用也。生於彼本生，正明用也。第二長行廣釋。今且大明彼宗，法體與相皆具四相，皆具四相故皆是有為。法體為大四相所遷，故具四相。大生具四相者，為小生生之故是生相，餘三大相所遷，故具四相。小生具四相者，為大生所生故有生相，餘三大相所遷，故有三相。法體具四，與能相具四，義即不同。問：能相與法體何故有四相耶？答：法體是有為，有可生性，故生能生之，乃至有滅性，故滅能滅之，所以具四相。以此四印於法體，故名為相。無為體無起滅，故無此相，所以稱無為也。大生亦是有為，有可生性，小生生之，乃至有滅性，大滅滅之；小生亦爾，故皆具四相也。問：八相與法體何故一剎那同時起耶？答：法體不能自起，須大生生之，故法得起。此大生不能自起，須小生生，故大得起。小復不能自起，須大生生之，故小即起。大生生法體，而法體中有住異滅性。法體既起，三大相即起，三大相復有住異滅性，須三相相之。三小復須三大相相之，大相既起小復起，故一時九法共起。問：何故名小生大生？答：以大生能生六法，故名為大。小生但能生大生一法，故名小也。問：小生能生大生既名生生，大生亦能生小生，何故不名生生？答：小生但能生大生，故名生生。大生非止生小生，能生六法，故不偏受生生之名。問：何故名為本生？答：有為法體本有此生理，故名本生。又親相法體，故名為本。長行初唱七數、次列七名。「本生除自體」已下，辨相用，即釋大小生名也。問：文中云「本生能生生生」，此語似煩。上已明本生能生六法，即以明生小生竟，今何故復說？答：上通明生六法，今欲別明大小互相生，結成二義、通前兩責，故別說也。又八相有二義：一者體同時、用前後。二體用俱同時。若大生生三大相及三小相，即體同時、用前後；若大生生小生，即體用俱同時。上總明生六法，恐小生與餘相並是體同時、用前後，今簡出之，明此二相體用一時也。

From "Why is this?" downward, the second verse establishes and explains the two meanings; the verse explains them briefly, and the prose explains them extensively. The first half [of the verse] establishes that minor production produces major [production], resolving the difficulty of [falling into being] unconditioned: if the minor did not produce the major, the major would fall into being unconditioned; because the minor produces the major, the major is conditioned. The second half establishes that major produces minor, resolving the difficulty of infinite regress: if the minor further required another minor, it would indeed be an infinite regress; because the major turns back and produces the minor, it does not fall into an infinite regress. Question: Why does the opponent make this proposition? Answer: They establish the meaning that through causes and conditions there is no self-production: the major does not produce itself, but is produced dependent on the minor; the minor does not produce itself, but is produced dependent on the major; therefore, within the four conditions, this is the condition as cause, and within the six causes, it is the co-existent cause (sahabhū-hetu). Question: Why does the root verse say, "that which is produced by the production of production"—through what cause is that which is produced produced? Answer: The production of production is what is produced by major production, hence it says "that which is produced by the production of production." This explanation is good. Furthermore, "production of production" is the producer. "That which is produced" clarifies that the function of minor production is capable of producing something; hence it is called function, just as a hand can have an operation. "Produces that root production" directly clarifies its function. Second, the prose extensively explains it. Now we briefly clarify their school's position: the entity of the phenomenon and its characteristics all possess the four characteristics; because they all possess the four characteristics, they are all conditioned. The entity of the phenomenon is shifted by the major four characteristics, and therefore possesses the four characteristics. As for major production possessing the four characteristics: because minor production produces it, it has the characteristic of production; and because it is shifted by the remaining three major characteristics, it possesses the four characteristics. As for minor production possessing the four characteristics: because it is produced by major production, it has the characteristic of production; and because it is shifted by the remaining three major characteristics, it possesses the [other] three characteristics. That the entity of the phenomenon possesses the four, and that the characterizing characteristics possess the four, differ in meaning. Question: Why do the characterizing characteristics and the entity of the phenomenon have the four characteristics? Answer: The entity of the phenomenon is conditioned and has a nature that can be produced; therefore, production can produce it; down to having a nature of cessation, therefore cessation can cease it; hence it possesses the four characteristics. Because these four imprint upon the entity of the phenomenon, they are called characteristics. The entity of the unconditioned has no arising or cessation, and thus lacks these characteristics; hence it is called unconditioned. Major production is also conditioned and has a nature that can be produced, so minor production produces it; down to having a nature of cessation, so major cessation ceases it. Minor production is also like this; hence all possess the four characteristics. Question: Why do the eight characteristics and the entity of the phenomenon arise simultaneously in a single kṣaṇa? Answer: The entity of the phenomenon cannot arise by itself; it requires major production to produce it, and thus the phenomenon can arise. This major production cannot arise by itself; it requires minor production to produce it, and thus the major can arise. The minor again cannot arise by itself; it requires major production to produce it, and thus the minor arises. Major production produces the entity of the phenomenon, yet within the entity of the phenomenon there are the natures of abiding, change, and cessation. Once the entity of the phenomenon arises, the three major characteristics arise; the three major characteristics also have the natures of abiding, change, and cessation, and require the three [minor] characteristics to characterize them. The three minor characteristics further require the three major characteristics to characterize them. Once the major characteristics arise, the minor also arise; therefore, at one time the nine phenomena arise together. Question: Why are they named minor production and major production? Answer: Because major production can produce six phenomena, it is called major. Minor production can only produce the one phenomenon of major production, hence it is called minor. Question: Since minor production can produce major production and is named "production of production," major production can also produce minor production; why is it not named "production of production"? Answer: Minor production only produces major production, hence it is named "production of production." Major production does not merely produce minor production, but can produce six phenomena; hence it does not exclusively receive the name "production of production." Question: Why is it named "root production"? Answer: The entity of a conditioned phenomenon fundamentally possesses this principle of production, hence it is called root production. Furthermore, it directly characterizes the entity of the phenomenon, hence it is called root. At the beginning of the prose, the number seven is proclaimed; next, the seven names are listed. From "Root production, excluding its own entity" downward, it discriminates the characteristic and function, that is, it explains the names of major and minor production. Question: In the text it says, "Root production can produce the production of production." This phrasing seems redundant. Above it was already explained that root production can produce six phenomena, which had already explained the production of minor production; why is it stated again now? Answer: Above, the production of the six phenomena was explained in general; now it intends to explain specifically that major and minor mutually produce each other, establishing the two meanings and resolving the two previous reproaches; hence it is explained separately. Furthermore, the eight characteristics have two senses: first, the entities are simultaneous while the functions are sequential; second, both entity and function are simultaneous. If major production produces the three major characteristics and the three minor characteristics, the entities are simultaneous while the functions are sequential. If major production produces minor production, then both entity and function are simultaneous. Above, producing the six phenomena was explained generally; for fear that minor production and the other characteristics would all be taken as having simultaneous entities but sequential functions, it is now distinguished here to clarify that the entity and function of these two characteristics are at the same time.