中觀論疏 2.27

2.27

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".