大乘義章 3.43

3.43

先辨五法。五法之義，出《楞伽經》。自體名法，一切諸法各有體性，故云自體。法相不同，離分為五：一名；二相；三者妄想，後翻經中名為分別；四者正智；五者如如，後翻經中名為真如。名雖少異，其義大同。此五之中，前三生死，後二涅槃。名者，所謂妄想施設諸法名字，宣說諸法流滅言教，故稱為名。是以經言「名謂瓶等。」又復世間假名之法，窮實無體，但是名有，故曰名也。所言相者，就彼世間假名法中事相差別，所謂色聲香味觸等形色不同，故名為相。是以經言「眼色耳聲，如是一切處所、形相、色像等現，名為相也。」言妄想者，即前立名取相之心，虛搆不真，名為妄想。故經說言「隨名取相。」了別諸法，名妄想也。言正智者，了法緣起無有自性，離妄分別契如真照，名為正智。言如如者，是前正智所契之理，諸法體同，故名為如。就一如中，體備法界恒沙佛法，隨法辨如，如義非一，彼此皆如，故曰如如。如非虛妄，故復經中亦名真如。然此如理，旨通染淨，窮契在佛，是故通攝以為涅槃。對實論之，五中前三是生死法，次一涅槃，後一是理。名義如是。體相云何？生死法中，義別七重：一者根本迷實妄想。二依妄想便有一切境界相生，如因昏夢便有一切夢境界起。三依是相復起心想，取為實有，為之施名。四依是心便有名生。五依名已復起心想，隨名取相，名為覺觀。六依覺觀起於言說。七依言說復起心想，隨言取法。就此七中，第一第三第五第七說為妄想，第二重者說之為相，第四第六說以為名。然此名相及與妄想，若隨情取，悉是狂惑顛倒所見，畢竟無法；若窮其本，皆是法界如來藏性，隨顛倒轉為此三事。故經說言「自性清淨，不染而染。」義在於此。前三如是。後二云何？然就第八真識之中，隨義分二：一體、二用。論其體也，即是法界恒沙佛，同一體性，互相集成，一備一切，成一法，良以法界互相成故，無有一門別守自性。如說諸法以之為有，隨義別分，諸法之外無別有法自性可得。有不可得，有法是如，還即說彼有等諸法以之為空，隨義別分，諸法之外無別空體自性可得，空不可得，空性亦如。乃至宣說一切諸法為非有無，隨義分別，有無等外無別有一非有非無自性可得，是故亦如。諸門類爾，畢竟無有一法一義別守自性，皆無性故，說為如如。論其用也，恒沙佛法集成心事，此之心事在染，與惑妄想應緣集成生死，說為前三。名相妄想在淨息染，契窮自體，便成法界差別行德。就此淨用，說為正智。五法如是（此一門竟）。

First, the five dharmas are distinguished. The meaning of the five dharmas comes from the *Laṅkāvatāra-sūtra*. Their own substance is called a dharma: all dharmas each have an essential nature, hence they are called their own substance. The characteristics of dharmas differ, being divided into five: first, names; second, characteristics; third, false conception, which in later translated sūtras is called conceptual discrimination; fourth, correct cognition; fifth, suchness, which in later translated sūtras is called tathatā. Although the names differ slightly, their meanings are largely the same. Among these five, the first three are saṃsāra, and the latter two are nirvāṇa. 'Names' refers to the names of dharmas falsely conceived and established, the verbal teachings that declare the arising and ceasing of dharmas; hence they are called names. Therefore the sūtra says: 'Names refer to jars and the like.' Furthermore, worldly nominal dharmas have no substance when pursued to the real, being existent merely as names; hence they are called names. As for 'characteristics': regarding the differences in phenomenal characteristics within those worldly nominal dharmas, namely the different shapes and colors of sights, sounds, smells, tastes, tangibles, and so forth, they are called characteristics. Therefore the sūtra says: 'Visual sights and auditory sounds, all such manifestations of locations, forms, images, and so forth, are called characteristics.' As for 'false conception': this is the mind that sets up names and grasps characteristics as described above; falsely constructed and unreal, it is called false conception. Therefore the sūtra says: 'Grasping characteristics in accordance with names' and discriminating dharmas is called false conception. As for 'correct cognition': thoroughly realizing that the dependent arising of dharmas lacks self-nature, free from false discrimination and according with suchness in true illumination, this is called correct cognition. As for 'suchness': this is the principle with which the aforementioned correct cognition accords. The substance of dharmas is identical, hence it is called 'such.' Within this single suchness, the substance possesses the dharmadhātu's Buddha-dharmas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. When distinguishing suchness according to dharmas, the meanings of suchness are not single; each and all are such, hence it is called 'suchness.' Because suchness is not false, it is also called tathatā in the sūtras. Yet this principle of suchness extends across both defilement and purity; its ultimate accord lies in the Buddha, and therefore it is collectively subsumed as nirvāṇa. Discussing them in relation to reality, among the five, the first three are dharmas of saṃsāra, the next one is nirvāṇa, and the last one is principle. Such are their names and meanings. What are their substances and characteristics? Among the dharmas of saṃsāra, there are seven distinct levels of meaning: first, the fundamental false conception that is deluded about reality. Second, based on false conception, all characteristic objects arise, just as based on sleep and dreaming, all dream objects arise. Third, based on these characteristics, thoughts of the mind arise again, grasping them as real existents and bestowing names upon them. Fourth, based on this mind, names then arise. Fifth, having based oneself on names, thoughts of the mind arise again, grasping characteristics in accordance with names, which is called thought and investigation. Sixth, based on thought and investigation, speech arises. Seventh, based on speech, thoughts of the mind arise again, grasping dharmas in accordance with speech. Within these seven, the first, third, fifth, and seventh are stated to be false conception; the second level is stated to be characteristics; and the fourth and sixth are stated to be names. However, these names, characteristics, and false conceptions, if grasped according to sentiment, are entirely the inverted views of mad delusion, ultimately lacking any real dharma; if one traces their root, they are all the dharmadhātu's tathāgatagarbha nature, which turns in accordance with inversions to become these three things. Therefore the sūtra says: 'Self-nature is pure, becoming defiled without being defiled.' The meaning lies in this. Such are the first three. What of the latter two? Within the eighth true consciousness, it is divided into two according to meaning: first, substance; second, function. Discussing its substance: it is the dharmadhātu's Buddha-[dharmas] as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, sharing a single essential nature and mutually constituting one another; one possesses all, constituting a single dharma. Truly because the dharmadhātu mutually constitutes itself, there is not a single gateway that independently maintains its own self-nature. For instance, when dharmas are said to be existent, if distinguished according to meaning, outside of dharmas no distinct self-nature of an existent dharma can be found. Since existence cannot be found, the dharma of existence is suchness. Returning to describe those dharmas such as existence as empty: if distinguished according to meaning, outside of dharmas no distinct self-nature of an empty substance can be found; since emptiness cannot be found, the nature of emptiness is also suchness. And even when declaring that all dharmas are neither existent nor non-existent: if distinguished according to meaning, outside of existence and non-existence no distinct self-nature of being neither existent nor non-existent can be found; therefore it is also suchness. All gateways are analogous to this; ultimately not a single dharma or a single meaning independently maintains its own self-nature. Because all lack self-nature, they are called suchness. Discussing its function: the Buddha-dharmas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges constitute mental phenomena. When these mental phenomena are in defilement, they respond to conditions together with delusions and false conception to constitute saṃsāra, which is stated as the first three: names, characteristics, and false conception. When in purity, they quell defilement and accord completely with their own substance, thereby becoming the diverse practices and virtues of the dharmadhātu. In reference to this pure function, it is called correct cognition. Such are the five dharmas (this concludes the first section).