中觀論疏 5.3

5.3

The reasons why this chapter comes next are as follows. First, in accordance with the various different teachings for deluded sentient beings, the Buddha sometimes used the designation of the five aggregates, or sometimes set forth the designation of the six elements; his intention, however, lay in refuting the self, causing the view of self to cease, with no dharma retained either. People who cling to the teachings do not grasp selflessness and merely attach to dharmas. Above, their delusion regarding the five [aggregates] was already refuted; now, their delusion regarding the six [elements] is further eliminated. Therefore, this chapter is spoken. Second, the various Vaipulya sūtras open the path by going through dharmas: sometimes contemplating the five aggregates as being identical to true reality, sometimes examining the six elements to bring about awakening to the dharmakāya. Now, wishing to fully explain the various sūtras and exhaustively examine all dharmas, this chapter is spoken. Third, the body of birth and death generally consists of two parts: first, the part of existence, and second, the part of emptiness. From [the chapter on] "Causes and Conditions" through [that on the] "Five Aggregates," the part of existence was refuted; this single chapter refutes the part of emptiness, causing one to awaken to the fact that this body originally is non-existent, and at present is also not non-empty. Neither existent nor non-existent is precisely the middle way; generating contemplation based on the middle severs all afflictions. Therefore, this chapter is spoken. Fourth, the sūtras state that "all dharmas are extremely profound," referring to the three gates of liberation. The Śata-śāstra states: "If one is separated from emptiness and signlessness, then any supposed knowledge or vision is empty speech without reality." Above, the gate of emptiness has already been elucidated; next, the gate of signlessness is now explained. If one awakens and enters via the gate of emptiness, signlessness is not needed; but because grasping at the sign of emptiness immediately ceases to be a gate, the sign of emptiness is now refuted in turn, causing one to awaken and enter via the gate of signlessness and generate correct contemplation. Hence this chapter exists. The reason why the sign of space is refuted at the very beginning of this chapter is precisely due to this intention. Furthermore, all dharmas have two aspects: first, internal essence; second, external characteristics. Thus the sūtras elucidate the emptiness of intrinsic nature and the emptiness of specific characteristics. Above, the absence of an internal essence was elucidated; now, the absence of external characteristics is distinguished; that is, the nature and characteristics of all dharmas are empty and quiescent. The reason for elucidating the emptiness and quiescence of nature and characteristics is precisely to distinguish the similarities and differences between the two emptinesses of the Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna. The Hīnayāna analyzes nature and characteristics to elucidate emptiness; this is a teaching of arising and ceasing, serving as a contemplation of arising and ceasing. The Mahāyāna elucidates the emptiness of intrinsic nature and the emptiness of specific characteristics, elucidating a teaching of non-arising and non-ceasing and a contemplation of non-arising and non-ceasing. Therefore, the treatise distinguishes the emptiness of nature and characteristics, speaking for persons of the Mahāyāna. Moreover, it is to cause persons of the Hīnayāna to turn from the small and enter the great; hence it elucidates that nature and characteristics are originally empty and quiescent, as in the exposition of the Lotus Sūtra. Furthermore, the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa states: "Those with craving, views, and the like enter via the gate of signlessness." Craving is a venomous insect, and views are evil demons; how can one be free from them? One should contemplate signlessness. When all objects are without signs, the mind that grasps at signs does not arise; craving and views are then severed, and one is able to transcend the three realms. By destroying signs and contemplating signlessness, one transcends the [samsāra of] fragmented lifespans; by comprehending that signs are originally without signs, one is able to transcend the burning house both inside and outside the three realms, where there is no affliction that is not stilled and no virtue that is not perfected. Fifth, the Tattvasiddhi-śāstra states: "The four great elements surround space, and consciousness is in their midst; this is provisionally designated a person. Space is the basis of the four great elements; the four great elements are the basis of consciousness; and consciousness is the basis of sentient beings." From above up to this point, the branches have been completely refuted; now, this single chapter next refutes their root. Because the branches are obvious, they were refuted first; because the root is obscure, it is eliminated later. Sixth, from above up to this point, one full cycle refuting existence has been completed. The four conditions are called the cause of all phenomena, and the aggregates of sentient beings are the fruit of all dharmas. Since cause and effect have been refuted, the deluded then claim that having neither cause nor effect is merely a discourse of empty space; hence they call Nāgārjuna the "monk of the nihilistic treatise." Also, as when the Nirvāṇa Sūtra encourages the generation of the bodhicitta, various brāhmaṇas say: "Why cause people to be identical to empty space?" They then consider empty space to be nothingness. The Mahāyāna is also like this; therefore, the present chapter refutes empty space. Seventh, from [the chapter on] "Going and Coming" through [that on the] "Five Aggregates," the three conditioned dharmas were refuted; this chapter next refutes the three unconditioned dharmas, causing both conditioned and unconditioned to be ultimately empty. Hence, among the eighteen emptinesses, after the emptiness of the conditioned and the emptiness of the unconditioned, ultimate emptiness is distinguished. Eighth, at the end of the previous chapter on the "Five Aggregates," the non-Buddhist opponent was encouraged to conduct questioning and answering based on emptiness; the opponent then grasped at the sign of emptiness, and therefore this chapter next refutes emptiness. Ninth, various Mahāyāna sūtras frequently cite empty space as a metaphor: the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā states that "prajñā is like empty space"; the Nirvāṇa Sūtra states that "the Buddha-nature is like empty space"; the Suvarṇaprabhāsa states that "the dharmakāya is like empty space." The deluded mostly do not understand empty space, and thus are deluded about the dharmas illustrated by the metaphor. Now, refuting erroneous empty space and setting forth correct empty space, this present chapter therefore comes. Now let us briefly elucidate it with respect to one matter. The Buddha's body, the dharmakāya, is like empty space. If one explains empty space in terms of permanence and omnipresence, this is the empty space of the non-Buddhists. If empty space serves as a metaphor for the Buddha's dharmakāya, it would be the dharmakāya of the non-Buddhists. If one accepts the Abhidharma's view that empty space is an existent dharma, the Buddha's dharmakāya would be the Abhidharma's dharmakāya. If one takes the Tattvasiddhi-śāstra's view that empty space is a non-existent dharma, it would be the Tattvasiddhi-śāstra's dharmakāya. When the metaphor is ruined, the exposition of the dharma is ruined; therefore, all Mahāyāna sūtras would be ruined. When this chapter refutes erroneous empty space and sets forth correct empty space, the dharmas and metaphors of all Mahāyāna sūtras and treatises are established. This is a matter of great import and should be deeply contemplated. Question: How are the six elements and five aggregates the same and different? Answer: The five aggregates combine form and separate the mind; the six elements combine the mind and separate form. Furthermore, according to the Abhidharma meaning, the five aggregates apply to both the defiled and undefiled, whereas the six elements are only defiled. If explained according to the Tattvasiddhi-śāstra, the meaning of the five aggregates constituting a person is direct, while the meaning of the six elements constituting a person is indirect. Just as the four subtle atoms constitute the four great elements, the four great elements constitute the five sense faculties, the five sense faculties constitute the form aggregate, and the form aggregate constitutes a sentient being; therefore, the four great elements are indirect, and the five aggregates are direct. Question: How are the six elements explained in the Sarvāstivāda Abhidharma and the Tattvasiddhi-śāstra the same and different? Answer: In the Abhidharma, the four great elements are of two kinds: first, the four great elements as real dharmas, namely the four tangibles; second, the four great elements as provisional designations, namely shapes and appearances such as earth. In the Abhidharma, the consciousness element is only defiled, whereas in the Tattvasiddhi-śāstra it applies to both defiled and undefiled. The Abhidharma explains that empty space is of two kinds: first, conditioned empty space, such as the space inside the bodies of sentient beings, or in wells, caves, doors, and windows; second, unconditioned empty space, which is the place beyond where birds can fly. The Tattvasiddhi-śāstra explains that empty space is a non-existent dharma and is only unconditioned. Question: How does one contemplate these six elements? Answer: Below it says: "Therefore know that space is neither existent nor non-existent; the other five are also like this." Awakening to these six elements as neither existent nor non-existent is precisely true reality; generating correct contemplation severs all afflictions, and one no longer receives a body of the six elements; hence it is called the chapter on "Contemplating the Six Elements." Furthermore, if one sees the six elements as existent or non-existent, the body of birth and death appears, and the dharmakāya does not appear. When the dharmakāya appears and accords with the dharmakāya, it is called the sambhogakāya. Once one has attained awakening in accordance with reality and in turn expounds it in accordance with reality for sentient beings, this is precisely the nirmāṇakāya. Thus the Sūtra of the Ten Homages of Mañjuśrī states: "The Buddhas have the characteristic of empty space, and empty space is also without characteristics; because they are free from all causes and effects, I pay homage to that which is unobservable." Therefore, know that contemplating the six elements as neither existent nor non-existent is precisely the dharmakāya; according with the dharmakāya and generating correct contemplation is called the sambhogakāya; and expounding it for beings is precisely the nirmāṇakāya. Furthermore, the three characters "Zhong Guan Lun" (Mādhyamika-śāstra) are themselves the three bodies: "middle" (zhong) is the dharmakāya; according with the middle and generating correct contemplation is the "contemplation" (guan), which is the sambhogakāya; and contemplating internally while manifesting words externally is called the "treatise" (lun), which is the nirmāṇakāya.