大乘義章 1.99

1.99

言俗諦者，俗謂世俗。世俗所知，故名俗諦。言等諦者，等謂齊等，統攝之義。世法非一，不可別論，等舉諸法，故云等諦。第一義者，亦名真諦。第一是其顯勝之目，所以名義。真者是其絕妄之稱。世與第一，審實不謬，故通名諦。真即可實，世法虛誑，云何名諦？言虛誑者，對真辨義。然於世法，事實不無，故得稱諦。又復世諦實是虛誑，故名世諦。然彼世諦，若對第一，應名第二；若對真諦，應名妄諦。第一義者，若對世諦，應名出世；若對俗諦，應名非俗；若對等諦，應名非等。立名不可一一返對，是故事法且名世諦、俗諦、等諦，理法且名第一義諦乃至真諦。諦者猶是真實之義，何故二種並得稱諦，不得並說為真諦乎？釋言：今此諦門辨義，故通名諦。為分真俗，是故世諦不得名真。實若當就彼真實門中以論諸法，是即理事俱名為真。故《地持》中，事實二性同名真實。今據諦門，二俱名諦。二諦名義，略之云爾。

As for conventional truth, 'convention' refers to worldly convention. Because it is known by worldly convention, it is named conventional truth. As for equal truth, 'equal' refers to being uniform and equal, carrying the meaning of unifying and subsuming. Worldly dharmas are not one and cannot be discussed separately; universally citing all dharmas is why it is called equal truth. As for ultimate meaning, it is also named the real truth. 'Ultimate' is a designation manifesting supremacy, which is why it is named meaning. 'Real' is an appellation severing delusion. The worldly and the ultimate are verified to be real and unerring, and therefore both are commonly named truth. The real may indeed be true, but worldly dharmas are false and deceptive; how can they be named truth? To say they are 'false and deceptive' distinguishes their meaning in contrast to the real. Yet, with respect to worldly dharmas, facts are not non-existent, and thus they can be called truth. Furthermore, worldly truth is truly false and deceptive, and therefore it is named worldly truth. However, that worldly truth, if contrasted with the ultimate, should be named the second; if contrasted with the real truth, should be named the delusive truth. The truth of ultimate meaning, if contrasted with worldly truth, should be named supramundane; if contrasted with conventional truth, should be named non-conventional; if contrasted with equal truth, should be named non-equal. In establishing names, one cannot form antitheses item by item; for this reason, phenomenal dharmas are provisionally named worldly truth, conventional truth, and equal truth, while dharmas of principle are provisionally named the truth of ultimate meaning and real truth. Since 'truth' still carries the meaning of being true and real, why is it that both can receive the name truth, but cannot both be spoken of as real truth? Explanation: In the present context of distinguishing meanings according to the approach of truths, both are commonly named truth. In order to distinguish the real from the conventional, worldly truth cannot be named real. If one were to discuss dharmas strictly from within the approach of the truly real, then principle and phenomena would both be named real. Therefore, in the Bodhisattvabhūmi, the two natures of phenomena and principle are equally named true and real. Now, based on the approach of truths, both are named truth. The names and meanings of the two truths have been briefly described in this way.