中觀論疏 8.15

8.15

長行前釋上半，總標離於斷常；「何以故」下，別釋離於斷常。別中為二：初釋上半；「復次」下，釋下半。業本性畢竟空，非是前有業滅之然後方空，故不是斷。若前有業，滅無方空，則是斷滅也。此釋初句也。「顛倒因緣」下，次明業雖畢竟空，於顛倒者宛然而有往來六道，亦非是常。此釋第二句也。問：為是於顛倒人是不常以不？答：於顛倒是實有，多是常見。今不顛倒人，識顛倒如幻夢，故是不常也。「復次」下，釋下半。明外人橫謂有不失法，謬引佛經也。「諸業本不生」下，第二偈明第一義不生滅。然二諦俱得不生滅，但今明無生滅生滅，故隨業往來六道，名為世諦；若生滅無生滅，不復往來六道，名第一義諦也。亦得云世諦本不生、今不滅，以世諦本無性實生滅故也。然此文雖是一行之偈，實是方等大懺悔法。六時之間常欲懺悔滅罪業者，此為錯誤；故今明諸業本自不生，何所滅耶？作此悟者，罪自清淨也。今習無所得人懺悔懺悔。所以爾者，有所得人見罪生而懺悔，如是懺悔是破實相罪；今知業本不生今亦不滅，懺有所得，懺悔罪也。

The prose first explains the first half, generally indicating freedom from annihilation and permanence; from "Why?" downward, it separately explains freedom from annihilation and permanence. Within the separate explanation there are two parts: first, explaining the first half; from "Furthermore" downward, explaining the second half. Karma in its fundamental nature is ultimately empty; it is not that karma previously exists and only after it ceases does it become empty; hence it is not annihilated. If karma existed previously and only upon its cessation into non-existence did it become empty, that would be annihilation. This explains the first line. From "Due to the causes and conditions of inversion" downward, it next clarifies that although karma is ultimately empty, for those who are inverted it exists vividly, transmigrating through the six paths; neither is it permanent. This explains the second line. Question: Is it impermanent for inverted persons or not? Answer: For the inverted it is real existence, which is mostly the view of permanence. Now, non-inverted persons recognize inversion as like an illusion or a dream; therefore it is impermanent. From "Furthermore" downward, it explains the second half, demonstrating that the opponent arbitrarily claimed that there is an imperishable dharma and erroneously cited the Buddha's sūtras. From "All karmas are fundamentally unarisen" downward, the second verse demonstrates that the ultimate truth is unarisen and unceasing. Although both of the two truths obtain non-arising and non-ceasing, here it is clarified that arising and ceasing without arising and ceasing, whereby one transmigrates through the six paths in accordance with karma, is called the conventional truth; if arising and ceasing is non-arising and non-ceasing, so that one no longer transmigrates through the six paths, it is called the ultimate truth. One could also say that conventional truth is fundamentally unarisen and currently unceasing, because conventional truth fundamentally lacks intrinsic nature and real arising and ceasing. Furthermore, although this text is a verse of just one line, it is truly the great repentance method of the Vaipulya. Those who throughout the six periods of the day always wish to repent to extinguish sinful karma are mistaken; hence it is now clarified that all karmas are fundamentally unarisen by nature—what is there to extinguish? For one who attains this awakening, sin is naturally purified. Now those who practice having no attainment perform repentance. The reason is: those who have attainment see sin arise and repent; this kind of repentance is a sin that destroys the true mark. Now, knowing that karma is fundamentally unarisen and currently unceasing, one repents of having attainment, which is repenting of sin.