中觀論疏 6.14

6.14

As for why this chapter appears, the intention also has many aspects. Speaking generally, capacities and natures differ, and their awakenings through doctrine or metaphor vary, just as with the sons of the washerman and the goldsmith. Furthermore, the jewel of the Dharma of nirvāṇa has many gates of entry, which is why Nāgārjuna opened twenty-seven chapters. Second, from the beginning of the treatise onward, it has mostly refuted the meaning of designation based on causes; this chapter refutes mutual dependence. Third, if one considers persons and dharmas through the four lemmas, 'the agent' refutes identity, 'the prior entity' removes separateness, and the present chapter refutes both identity and separateness as well as neither identity nor separateness. Fourth, if the three chapters are viewed in relation to one another: refuting action and the agent refutes the function of persons and dharmas in general; refuting the prior entity refutes the substance of persons and dharmas; once substance and function are eliminated, both persons and dharmas are entirely quiescent. Yet those who are deluded have still not ceased their intent, and again cite a metaphor to salvage their view. Fire has the function of burning fuel, and is called 'the burning'; fuel has the sense of undergoing burning, and is called 'the burnable'. This serves as a metaphor: the ātman has the efficacy of governing the aggregates, and the aggregates have the sense of being governed. Now, seeking this in actual facts, this metaphor lacks any basis, and therefore it serves as the chapter title. Fifth, examining the intent of the Abhidharmakośa-śāstra, the preceding two chapters refuted the doctrines of internal and external, Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna, whereas this single chapter properly refutes the Vātsīputrīyas. Thus the 'Refutation of the Self' chapter of the Abhidharmakośa-śāstra explains that the Vātsīputrīya school cites the burning and the burnable to establish their doctrine of a self. The present chapter refutes the burning and the burnable, so we know it properly refutes the Vātsīputrīyas. Sixth, the twenty-five chapters on Mahāyāna contemplative practice have two gates overall: from the beginning of the treatise onward, it seeks persons and dharmas through the gate of doctrinal exposition and finds them ungraspable; this single chapter now seeks persons and dharmas through the gate of metaphorical exposition, and finds both empty. Seventh, from beginning to end this treatise refutes three kinds of people: first, the heterodox conjectures of non-Buddhists; second, the divergent attachments of internal [Buddhists]—these two kinds are refuted in the preceding chapters; third, there are those who have neither of these two imputations, but directly wish to contemplate the true mark of all dharmas. It is for these people that this present chapter is spoken, showing that non-arising is not distant and that actual phenomena are themselves the real; hence it examines the matter directly on the basis of what is presently seen. For example, a single fire cannot be identical to the fuel, nor can it be different from the fuel; it cannot be said to depend on it, nor can it be said not to depend on it; it is neither internal nor external. If one can contemplate it in accordance with what follows, causing one to awaken to the true mark, give rise to right contemplation, and sever all afflictions, this chapter is therefore spoken. Eighth, the preceding refutation of the prior entity refuted non-Buddhists who impute a self; this single chapter now refutes fire-worshipping factions. This was prevalent in India, so their imputations are examined and washed away in turn. Ninth, this very chapter fathoms the deepest and exhausts the shallowest. The 'shallowest' refers to pointing to matters prior to cause. The 'deepest' refers to the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra], which says: 'Afflictions are the fuel, wisdom is the fire. Through these causes and conditions the food of nirvāṇa is prepared, causing all disciples to relish its sweetness.' The Large Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra explains that it is not the first flame that burns, nor is it the later flame that burns, yet not apart from the first flame and not apart from the later flame does the meaning of burning exist, which is a metaphor for attaining bodhi. Thus the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra] compares fuel and fire to the fruit of fruits, and the Large Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra compares them to the fruit of bodhi; hence we know this is extremely deep. Question: Why explain fathoming the deepest and exhausting the shallowest? Answer: To show that the shallow and the deep are non-dual. For one who has attained awakening, fuel and fire are themselves the Path; how then could the Path be far off? In contact with every phenomenon it is real. For one who has not understood, both the Buddha and nirvāṇa are inverted notions. Question: The Mahāyāna sūtras borrow fuel and fire as a metaphor; now that you refute them, where can they be borrowed? Answer: This chapter is formulated because outsiders cling to the words of the sūtras and form interpretations; hence they must be refuted. In the sūtras, this is an exposition of causes and conditions as provisional designations—using metaphor where there is no metaphor, a metaphor with nothing to be metaphorized. The outsider believes there is an actual dharma to be treated as a dharma and an actual metaphor to be treated as a metaphor, which on the contrary is to destroy the sūtras. Now, seeking fuel and fire, they cannot be found; this reveals that a metaphor has nothing to be metaphorized, leading them to recognize that which has no metaphor to be metaphorized, which is precisely to elucidate the sūtras. Tenth, sentient beings are bound everywhere: seeing fuel and fire, for example, they immediately give rise to afflictions, karma, and suffering; the buddhas and bodhisattvas unbind sentient beings everywhere, and therefore speak this chapter.