中觀論疏 8.33

8.33

所以有此品來者，二十一品開為三章：第一十七品破洗迷情，顯中道實相。第二〈法品〉迷執既破，實相既顯，故有三乘得益。從此已後第三重破迷情、重明實相，使未悟之徒因而得曉，已解之者觀行增明，故有此一章也。二者諸佛菩薩說經造論凡有三門：一者正說門、二者稱歎門、三者稱歎竟更復說之。上二門已竟，聽者既聞稱歎則悅耳，會心樂欲聞說，是故論主重復說也。問：何故次〈法品〉後而破時耶？答：上既觀法，今次觀時，時法相對。二者論初已來雖處處觀法，而別立一章名觀法品；雖品品破時，今亦別立一品以撿時也。三者〈法品〉末最後偈云「前佛已去後佛未興，辟支之人因而出世。」既有三時，惑者便執，是以破也。問：兩品觀門何異？答：〈法品〉多就因成門明三乘觀行，故初求五陰與假人一異不可得為聲聞觀，若不見我非我為大乘觀也。今此品正就相待門以明實相，求三世之時一異等法相待不可得即顯實相，故三乘人見實相即便得道也。問：若無三世及三乘人，上品何故說有耶？答：說不三三，欲令眾生悟不三三，而執著便作三故三解，是以破之。又上明不三三，今明三不三，互相成也。所言時者，外道有二師，一云：時體常，但為萬物作於了因，不生諸法故非生因。次云：別有時體，是無常法，能為萬化作生殺因。故偈云「時來眾生就，時去則摧促。」是故時為因。佛法中亦有二師，一者譬喻部云：別有時體，非色非心，體是常而法是無常。但法於是時中行，如人從房至房，如物從器至器。《婆沙》云「為止此說，明法即是時，法無常時即無常，辨因法假名時、離法無別時，三世之時雖無別體，而時中之法則決定不無。」薩婆多部中有四大師，立三世不同：一者相異，即是瞿沙人明九世義，一世兼有二也。如一人著青白黑三色衣，一色為正、二色為傍。如未來有三世，一為正未來，傍有過去、現在義；現在等亦爾。二者事異，即達摩多羅。只一法為三世，一法是有而事為異。如金未作器名未來，正作器為現在，而金體是有也。第三時異，即和須蜜。如法有三世，迎送正望不同為三世。如今日為現在，昨日望今日為未來、明日望為過去。正現在，曾未來、當過去；正過去，曾未來、曾現在；正未來，當現在、當過去。第四異異，即是佛陀人義。亦三義為三世，為十剎那無定。如一剎那為現在，餘九為未來，未有過去。第二剎那為現在，第一為過去，八為未來。如是第十為現在，九為過去，無未來時。今謂為大亂三世，今總求此時不可得，故云破時品。

The reason this chapter follows is that the twenty-seven chapters are divided into three sections: First, the seventeen chapters refute and wash away deluded attachments to reveal the true reality of the middle way. Second, in the "Examination of Dharmas" chapter, once deluded grasping is refuted and true reality is revealed, the three vehicles consequently attain benefit. From here onwards is the third section, which repeatedly refutes deluded attachments and repeatedly illuminates true reality, causing those who have not yet awakened to realize it through this, and causing those who already understand to have their contemplative practice grow increasingly clear; hence there is this section. Second, when buddhas and bodhisattvas preach sūtras and compose treatises, there are generally three approaches: first, the approach of direct exposition; second, the approach of praising and extolling; and third, having finished praising and extolling, expounding it once again. The preceding two approaches are already complete; having heard the praise, the listeners are delighted in ear and harmonized in mind, gladly desiring to hear it expounded, and for this reason the treatise master expounds it again. Question: Why is time refuted next after the "Examination of Dharmas"? Answer: Previously dharmas were examined, and now next time is examined; time and dharmas correspond to each other. Second, although dharmas have been examined throughout since the beginning of the treatise, a distinct section was separately established named the chapter on Examining Dharmas; likewise, although time has been refuted in chapter after chapter, now a distinct chapter is also separately established to investigate time. Third, the final verse at the end of the "Examination of Dharmas" chapter states: "When previous buddhas have departed and subsequent buddhas have not yet arisen, the pratyekabuddha emerges in reliance on this." Since there are three times, the deluded then cling to them; therefore it is refuted. Question: What is the difference between the contemplative approaches of the two chapters? Answer: The "Examination of Dharmas" chapter mostly illuminates the contemplative practice of the three vehicles in terms of the approach of causal establishment; thus initially seeking the five aggregates and the provisional person as being one or different is unfindable, which is the śrāvaka contemplation, whereas not perceiving self or non-self is the Mahāyāna contemplation. Now this chapter directly illuminates true reality in terms of the approach of mutual dependence; seeking the three times as identical, different, and other dharmas mutually dependent [on each other] to be unfindable directly reveals true reality; thus people of the three vehicles, upon seeing true reality, immediately attain the path. Question: If there are no three times and no persons of the three vehicles, why did the previous chapter speak of their existence? Answer: It spoke of non-three as three, wishing to make sentient beings awaken to the non-three [within] three, but because of clinging they immediately constructed an understanding of three as truly three; therefore it refutes it. Furthermore, the previous chapter clarified the non-three as three, while this chapter clarifies three as non-three, mutually complementing each other. Regarding what is called "time", among non-Buddhists there are two teachers: one says that the substance of time is permanent, serving only as an illuminating cause (jñāpaka-hetu) for the myriad things; it does not generate dharmas and so is not a producing cause (kāraka-hetu). The second says that there is a separate substance of time which is an impermanent dharma, capable of serving as the cause of generation and destruction for all transformations. Thus a verse says: "When time arrives, sentient beings are formed; / when time departs, they are crushed and hurried away." Therefore time is the cause. Within the Buddhadharma there are also two masters: first, the Dārṣṭāntikas say that there is a separate substance of time, neither form nor mind, whose substance is permanent while dharmas are impermanent. Dharmas merely move within this time, like a person moving from room to room, or an object from vessel to vessel. The *Vibhāṣā* states: "To stop this assertion, it clarifies that dharmas are precisely time; when dharmas are impermanent, time is impermanent. It explains that time is a provisional designation dependent on dharmas; apart from dharmas there is no separate time. Although the time of the three periods has no separate substance, the dharmas within time are definitely not non-existent." Within the Sarvāstivāda school there are four great masters who establish the three times differently: First is difference in characteristics (lakṣaṇānyathātva), which is the venerable Ghoṣaka who explains the doctrine of nine times, where one time also possesses two. For example, a single person wearing robes of three colors—blue, white, and black—where one color is primary and two colors are secondary. Just as the future has three times—one is the primary future, with the past and present secondary to it; the present and so on are also like this. Second is difference in function (bhāvānyathātva), which is Dharmatrāta. Only one dharma constitutes the three times; the single dharma exists, while its functions differ. Just as when gold has not yet been made into a vessel it is called future, when it is being made into a vessel it is present, while the substance of the gold exists. Third is difference in conditions (avasthānyathātva), which is Vasumitra. Dharmas have three times; facing forward and looking back relative to the direct point of reference differ to make the three times. Just as today is the present, looking from yesterday toward today it is the future, and looking from tomorrow it is the past. When directly present, it was previously future and will be past; when directly past, it was previously future and previously present; when directly future, it will be present and will be past. Fourth is difference in relational status (anyathānyathātva), which is the doctrine of the venerable Buddhadeva. It also uses three meanings to constitute the three times, indeterminate across ten kṣaṇas. For example, when one kṣaṇa is present, the remaining nine are future, and there is not yet any past. When the second kṣaṇa is present, the first is past, and eight are future. In this manner, when the tenth is present, nine are past, and there is no future time. Now this is said to greatly confound the three times; currently seeking this time altogether, it is unfindable, hence it is called the chapter on Refuting Time.