大乘義章 2.9

2.9

In the fourth gate, we provisionally formulate and establish their names in reference to saṃsāra, nirvāṇa, and the principle of emptiness; the remainder can be known by analogy. "Formulating the name" refers to that which the establishment of the name relies upon. "Establishing the name" refers to determining its nominal characteristic. First, formulating and establishing their names in reference to the three liberations. The three gates of liberation directly take saṃsāra, nirvāṇa, and the principle of emptiness as their essence. For the gate of emptiness of liberation, both formulating the name and establishing the name are done in reference to the essence. As for the gate of signlessness, formulating the name is in reference to the essence, because the phenomenon of nirvāṇa is spoken of as serving as a gate to that liberation; when establishing its name, it takes the dispelling of signs upon the essence as its designation. As for the gate of wishlessness, formulating the name is in reference to the essence, because the phenomenon of saṃsāra is spoken of as serving as a gate to that liberation; when establishing its name, it receives its title from revulsion upon the essence. Next, formulating and establishing their names in reference to the three antidotes: their meaning is the same as the three liberations, because they directly speak of saṃsāra, nirvāṇa, and emptiness as antidotes. Next, formulating and establishing their names in reference to the three emptinesses: however, the three emptinesses take principle as their central tenet; within them, for the gate of emptiness, formulating the name and establishing the name are both done in reference to the essence. As for the gate of signlessness, formulating the name is done in reference to the expression, because signless nirvāṇa is the expression of emptiness; when establishing its name, it takes the dispelling of signs within the expression as its designation. As for the gate of wishlessness, formulating the name is done in reference to the expression, because the phenomenon of saṃsāra is the expression of emptiness; when establishing its name, it receives its title from revulsion within the expression. Next, formulating and establishing their names in reference to the three samādhis. However, the three samādhis take the practicing mind as their essence, while saṃsāra, nirvāṇa, and ultimate emptiness are their cognitive objects. As for "wishlessness," formulating the name is done in reference to the essence: that samādhi mind does not give rise to wishing and delighting within saṃsāra, so it is called wishlessness; when establishing its name, it takes the dispelling of trouble upon the essence as its designation, because wishing and seeking for existences is the trouble, and the absence of such wishing and seeking is called dispelling trouble. As for "signlessness," formulating the name is done in reference to the cognitive object: signless nirvāṇa is the object of samādhi; establishing the title in reference to the object, it is called signlessness; when establishing its name, it takes the dispelling of signs upon the cognitive object as its designation. As for the "gate of emptiness," both formulating the name and establishing the name are done in reference to the cognitive object, because the principle of emptiness is the cognitive object of that samādhi. The establishments of these names vary in their orientations, each according to a particular sense.