十二門論宗致義記 1.34

1.34

第九、釋論題目者，然此三論得名不同，或就所顯為名，如《中觀論》以中道是所顯故；或約所遣及所託為目，如此論以十二門法為所遣託故；或約數為名，如《百論》以論有百偈故。此中十二者，有人解云：此是隨語中一大數也。如一日十二時，一年十二月，又表十二入、十二緣等。此恐不然。今釋十二有三義：一、約所遣，謂所執萬端別祛難盡，故今總攝十二統收，無別表也。二、約所託，謂津悟多方數窮八萬，要略所仗十二為號，如下文云「當以十二門入於空義」，此是入真空之勝方便也。三、合此二義，謂非遣執無以入空，遣即託也；非入空無以遣執，託即遣也。門者亦有三義：一、是收攝義，謂此十二以一一統收諸餘所遣無量諸法，故以為門，如章門等。二、是開示義，謂於此十二開示顯現真空理故，以此為門，如開方便門示真實相等。三是通入義，謂令依此游履通入彼真空故。此中十二即門，帶數釋也。亦有本作「觀十二門」，觀者，鑒照義。且鑒照有二：一、照俗，謂觀照此十二類法；二、觀真，謂即於此十二法上破相開示，照達真空令心無寄，故云觀也。此中據後義說，觀則是智，十二門是境，境智合目，如此境智是所詮義。論者，是能詮教，謂以理窮覈使諸相永盡，故云論也。又以巧辯徵責，令執心無寄，亦云論也。「觀因緣門」者，當別目，謂親辨法體為因，疏而助發為緣，推求無性為觀，開悟真空曰門。十二之初，故云「第一」（「觀因緣門第一」六字，古本連在論題之下，故於此處釋之）。「龍樹菩薩造」者，梵語名作那伽阿順那。那伽，此云龍。阿順那者，羅什翻為樹，慈恩三藏翻為猛，並非敵對正翻。所以知者，近問大原三藏云：「西國俗盡說，前代有猛壯之人，名阿順那。翻為猛者，但指彼人，非正譯其名。又西國有一色樹，亦名阿順那，此菩薩在樹下生，因名阿順那。是故翻為樹者，亦指彼樹，非正翻名。阿順那雖俱無正翻，就義指事樹得人失，以於樹下而生龍宮悟道，故云龍樹。」菩薩者，若具應云菩提薩埵。諸論通釋總有三義：一菩提，此云覺，則所求也。薩埵，此云生，則所度也。此二俱是所緣境，則從境為名，如白骨觀等。二、菩提同前是所求境，薩埵是能求行者，則能所合目境智為名。三、薩埵，此云勇猛，謂於大菩提勇猛求故。以菩下略提、薩下略埵，故云菩薩也。造者，是製作也。

Ninth, explaining the title of the treatise: these three treatises derive their titles differently. Some are named according to what they reveal, as the Madhyamaka Śāstra is named because the middle way is what is revealed; some are titled with reference to what is dispelled and what is relied upon, as this treatise relies upon and dispels the dharmas of the twelve gates; some are named with reference to a number, as the Śata Śāstra is named because the treatise has one hundred verses. Regarding the 'twelve' here, someone explains: this is a major round number in ordinary speech, just as a day has twelve double-hours, a year has twelve months, and it also represents the twelve sense bases, twelve links of dependent origination, and so forth. This, I fear, is not correct. Here, the explanation of 'twelve' has three meanings: first, in terms of what is dispelled: since the ten thousand varieties of what is grasped are difficult to banish exhaustively one by one, here they are gathered comprehensively into twelve to subsume them entirely, with no other symbolic representation. Second, in terms of what is relied upon: although the ways to ferry across to awakening are manifold, exhausting eighty thousand, the essentials upon which one relies are designated as twelve, as the text below says, 'One should enter into the meaning of emptiness by means of the twelve gates'—this is the supreme expedient means for entering into true emptiness. Third, combining these two meanings: without dispelling graspings, there is no way to enter emptiness, so dispelling is itself relying upon; without entering emptiness, there is no way to dispel graspings, so relying upon is itself dispelling. 'Gate' also has three meanings: first, the meaning of subsuming and gathering: these twelve subsume and gather all other countless dharmas to be dispelled, one by one, and are therefore taken as gates, like chapter headings. Second, the meaning of opening and revealing: because the principle of true emptiness is opened, revealed, and manifested in these twelve, they are taken as gates, like opening the gate of expedient means to reveal the true mark. Third, the meaning of accessing and entering: it causes one, relying upon these, to tread and gain access into that true emptiness. Here, the twelve are themselves the gates, an appositional compound with a number. Some editions also have 'Contemplating the Twelve Gates' (Guan shi'er men). 'Contemplating' (guan) means examining and illuminating. Now, examining and illuminating has two aspects: first, illuminating the conventional, meaning contemplating and illuminating these twelve categories of dharmas; second, contemplating the ultimate, meaning breaking marks and opening revelation upon these very twelve dharmas, illuminating and penetrating true emptiness so that the mind has nowhere to rest, which is why it is called 'contemplating'. Here, speaking according to the latter meaning, contemplating is wisdom and the twelve gates are the object; object and wisdom are combined in the title, and this object and wisdom are the meaning expressed. 'Treatise' (śāstra) is the expressing teaching: investigating and verifying with principle so that all marks are forever exhausted is called 'treatise'. Furthermore, cross-examining with skillful debate so that the grasping mind has nowhere to rest is also called 'treatise'. 'Gate of Contemplating Causes and Conditions' is the specific title: that which directly forms the entity of a dharma is the cause, and that which indirectly assists and prompts it is the condition; investigating their lack of intrinsic nature is contemplating, and awakening to true emptiness is called a gate. Being the first of the twelve, it is called 'the First' (these six characters, 'Gate of Contemplating Causes and Conditions, the First', were attached beneath the treatise's title in ancient editions, which is why they are explained here). 'Composed by Bodhisattva Nāgārjuna': in Sanskrit the name is Nāgārjuna. Nāga means dragon (long) here. Arjuna was translated by Kumārajīva as tree (shu), and by the Ci'en Tripiṭaka Master as brave (meng); neither is a direct, precise translation. How is this known? Recently I asked the Tripiṭaka Master of Dayuan, who said: 'In western countries, popular tradition all says that in a previous age there was a brave and strong man named Arjuna. Translating it as "brave" merely refers to that person; it is not a correct translation of the name. Furthermore, in western countries there is a tree of a certain color, also called Arjuna; this bodhisattva was born under that tree, and was therefore named Arjuna. Hence, translating it as "tree" also refers to that tree, and is not a correct translation of the name. Although neither is a direct translation, in referring to the circumstance in accordance with the meaning, "tree" captures it while "man" misses it, because he was born under the tree and awakened to the Path in the dragon palace, and is thus called Nāgārjuna.' As for 'bodhisattva', fully it should be bodhisattva. General explanations in various treatises have three meanings in all: first, bodhi means awakening here, which is what is sought; sattva means sentient being here, which is what is ferried across. Both of these are the cognitive objects, so the name is derived from the object, like the contemplation of white bones. Second, bodhi is, as before, the object sought, and sattva is the practitioner who seeks, so the name combines the active and the passive, object and wisdom. Third, sattva means courageous here, meaning courageously seeking great awakening. Because bodhi is abbreviated to bo and sattva is abbreviated to sa, it is called pusa (bodhisattva). 'Composed' means written and produced.