中觀論疏 2.5

2.5

The second is the section on tracing the origin. Question: The text of this treatise comprises four fascicles and broadly encompasses five hundred verses. Why are the eight negations placed at the treatise's very beginning? Answer: Grasping the intention of the preceding preface was already sufficient to make it clear. For those who did not understand the previous words, I will now explain in detail. The Vimalakīrtinirdeśa states: "The perfection of wisdom is the mother of the bodhisattvas, and expedient means is their father. Of all the leaders, there are none who are not born from these." Thus one knows that prajñā and expedient means are the parents of the Dharma bodies of all Buddhas of the ten directions and the three times. Because all the noble ones are born relying on the two wisdoms, the two wisdoms arise from the two truths, and the two truths are corrected through the eight negations, one therefore knows that the eight negations are the central destination of all teachings and the primal origin of all the noble ones. But those who receive the teachings tend to abandon the root and revere the branches; the four reliances appear in the world to make them discard the branches and return to the root. Therefore the eight negations are highlighted and set at the head of the treatise. Question: Are the eight negations merely the origin of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas, or are they also the origin of the two vehicles, humans, and devas? Answer: Because of the eight negations the two truths are correct; when the two truths are correct, the two wisdoms arise; when the two wisdoms arise, there are Buddhas and bodhisattvas; and because there are Buddhas and bodhisattvas, the teachings for the two vehicles, humans, and devas are expounded. Thus one knows that the eight negations are also the origin of the two vehicles, humans, and devas. As the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā states: "If no bodhisattva appeared in the world, there would be no teaching of the three vehicles, nor would there be the five precepts and ten virtues of the worldly realm." Question: How are the two wisdoms produced from the two truths? Answer: One must thoroughly know the two truths, and then the two wisdoms are first accomplished. Dharma Master Tanying of the region within the Pass states in his Preface to the Madhyamaka-śāstra: "Although this treatise exhausts all dharmas and leaves nothing unsaid, its essential conclusion integrates the two truths. By virtue of the ultimate truth, there is no existence; by virtue of the conventional truth, there is no non-existence. By virtue of the ultimate truth, there is no existence, yet though non-existent, it exists; by virtue of the conventional truth, there is no non-existence, yet though existent, it is non-existent. Though non-existent, it exists, and thus is not obstructed by non-existence; though existent, it is non-existent, and thus does not cling to existence. Not clinging to existence, the attachment to permanence melts like ice; not obstructed by non-existence, the view of annihilation and non-existence is eliminated." Thus one knows that the two truths are free from the two extremes and are termed the middle way. Question: How is it that the ultimate truth, though non-existent, exists, and the conventional truth, though existent, is non-existent? Answer: This is because without destroying provisional designations, real mark is expounded; therefore, while fully apparent, existence is non-existent. Without moving from the true limit, all dharmas are established; therefore, while fully apparent, non-existence exists. That the two truths give rise to the two wisdoms means that through awakening to existence as fully apparent yet non-existent, upāya-prajñā is produced; through understanding non-existence as fully apparent yet existent, prajñā-upāya is produced. Upāya-prajñā is prajñā fully apparent yet being upāya; prajñā-upāya is upāya fully apparent yet being prajñā. Because upāya is fully apparent yet being prajñā, one does not cling to permanence; because prajñā is fully apparent yet being upāya, one is not obstructed by annihilation. Being neither annihilated nor permanent is termed right contemplation. But apart from the two truths, there is no separate middle way: the two truths of dependent origination are themselves called the middle way. Apart from the two wisdoms, there is no separate right contemplation: the two wisdoms of dependent origination are themselves called right contemplation. Therefore, the middle way of the two truths gives rise to the right contemplation of the two wisdoms; because one attains the right contemplation of the two wisdoms and extinguishes all extremes of annihilation and permanence, there are Buddhas and bodhisattvas. Hence the two wisdoms are named the parents of the Dharma body. Question: We already know that the two wisdoms are produced from the two truths, and that all the noble ones are born relying on the two wisdoms. Why is prajñā considered the mother and expedient means considered the father? Answer: The meanings are boundless; I shall briefly explain two points. First, real wisdom is empty and tranquil, sharing its stillness with yin; expedient means is active and functioning, matching the dynamic of yang. Therefore they are correlated with father and mother. Furthermore, ordinary beings cling to existence, while the two vehicles are stuck in emptiness. When prajñā contemplates emptiness, it transcends the ordinary; when upāya engages with existence, it surpasses the noble [of the two vehicles]. Transcending the ordinary is shallow and easy, so its meaning is equated to the mother; surpassing the noble is profound and difficult, so it is compared to the father. Thus Master Kumārajīva, answering the inquiry of Wang Zhiyuan, clarified that prajñā and expedient means do not have two separate substances; they are merely divided into two based on the shallow and the profound, the superior and the inferior. Question: Why do prajñā and upāya not have two substances? Answer: The Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa states: "For example, gold is fashioned into an ingenious object. Apart from gold there is no ingenious object, and apart from the ingenious object there is no gold, yet there are the two meanings of gold and ingenuity: gold is an analogy for prajñā, and ingenuity is an analogy for upāya." Hence one knows that there is only one right contemplation whose meaning is divided into the expedient and the real. Question: In what way is upāya ingenious? Answer: Those of the lower stages in the two vehicles cannot, when illuminating emptiness, immediately perceive existence, and so they lack skilful dexterity. The great beings, although illuminating emptiness, see existence as fully apparent, and this is therefore called ingenious. Question: By what means do bodhisattvas possess this ingenuity? Answer: This skilful dexterity arises from the two truths. Truly, because without moving from the true limit they establish all dharmas, even when entering deep emptiness they are able to engage with existence; therefore they possess this skilful dexterity. Question: If illuminating emptiness while seeing existence fully apparent is called ingenious, illuminating existence while seeing emptiness fully apparent should also be called ingenious; then both would be upāya, so what prajñā would there be? Answer: It is indeed as you ask. Therefore Master Kumārajīva said: "Contemplating emptiness without realizing it [as final], and engaging with existence without clinging to it, are both upāya." This is because they share the same ingenuity. However, although contemplating emptiness without realizing it is upāya, it takes its name from prajñā, suppressing the designation of ingenuity; only engaging with existence without clinging is taken to be named upāya. This explanation agrees with the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa. The Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa, explaining the 'Parable Chapter', states: "Prajñā enters ultimate emptiness, without any prapañca; upāya comes out of ultimate emptiness, purifying the lands and transforming beings." Sūtras such as the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa and the explication by Sengzhao largely share this meaning.