大乘玄論 3.23

3.23

涅槃者，蓋是安心之本宅，凡聖所同歸。故肇公云「九流於是乎交歸，群聖於是乎冥會。」諸方等經亦盛談此說。摩訶言大、多、勝。而大有二種，教大、理大。理大者，文言「所言大者，名之曰常，莫先為相。」涅槃有二家：一云有翻、二云無翻。無翻有四家。一云：佛在西國涅槃，東土無有此語，故無翻。二云：涅槃一名含於眾名，其猶一音含無量音，故一音說法，以異類各解。三曰：涅槃一名含於眾義，故有常樂我淨等。四云：涅槃一名不含眾名，亦不含眾義，但以涅槃一名通名諸法。其若先陀波一名四實，同無翻。有翻六家：一云無為、二云無累、三云解脫、四云寂滅、五但云滅、六云滅度。若言涅槃不翻者，漢地眾生應無利益。二者《大本》云「大覺世尊將欲涅槃。」六卷當此文處，云「大牟尼尊今當滅度。」經既有翻，云何不翻？今同有翻第六家。但彼一向有翻，今明相待涅槃有翻，絕待涅槃不可翻也。光宅云：法滅人度。今明：若人度，法亦應度。生死涅槃，人法俱有，亦應言人滅法度。開善云：滅度之名皆目無法，度言永滅。今明：若凡夫滅，不永滅故不明度；暫滅故名滅，亦應言暫度故名度。靈正云：滅主於無，度目有法。舉斷德目妙有，圓體不生煩惱為涅槃。今明：若不生煩惱名涅槃者，不由智滅而名涅槃耶？今明：涅槃離四句，中道正觀永勉為正度。將人帖之，目人將法，帖之目法。至論度非人非法，此是正度。而此正法，離有所得而假名義，名為正度。涅槃無名，強為立名也。

Nirvāṇa is indeed the fundamental dwelling place for settling the mind, the common refuge of both ordinary beings and sages. Therefore Master Zhao said: "The nine streams converge and return here; the multitude of sages meet invisibly here." The various Vaipulya sūtras also extensively discuss this exposition. Mahā means great, manifold, and supreme. And greatness is of two kinds: greatness of teaching and greatness of principle. As for greatness of principle, the text states: "That which is called great is termed eternal, having no predecessor as its characteristic." Regarding nirvāṇa there are two schools: one says it can be translated, and the second says it cannot be translated. Those who say it cannot be translated comprise four schools: The first says: The Buddha entered nirvāṇa in the Western Land, and the Eastern Land does not have this term, so it cannot be translated. The second says: The single name nirvāṇa contains myriad names, just as a single sound contains immeasurable sounds, so that when he expounds the Dharma with a single sound, different species each understand it. The third says: The single name nirvāṇa contains myriad meanings, hence having permanence, bliss, self, purity, and so forth. The fourth says: The single name nirvāṇa does not contain myriad names, nor does it contain myriad meanings; rather, the single name nirvāṇa serves as a general designation for all phenomena. Just as the single word saindhava has four referents, likewise it cannot be translated. Those who say it can be translated comprise six schools: The first says "unconditioned" (wuwei); the second says "unburdened" (wulei); the third says "liberation" (jiehuo); the fourth says "quiescent extinction" (jimie); the fifth says simply "extinction" (mie); the sixth says "extinction and crossing over" (miedu). If one says nirvāṇa cannot be translated, sentient beings in the Han land would receive no benefit. Second, the Larger Version [of the Nirvāṇasūtra] says: "The Greatly Awakened World-Honoured One was about to enter nirvāṇa." The six-fascicle version, at the corresponding passage, says: "The Great Muni is now to enter extinction and crossing over." Since the sūtras have translations, how could it not be translated? We now agree with the sixth school among those who say it can be translated. However, they hold that it can be translated unreservedly, whereas we now clarify that relative nirvāṇa can be translated, but absolute nirvāṇa cannot be translated. Guangzhai said: Phenomena are extinguished and persons cross over. We now clarify: If persons cross over, phenomena should also cross over. Both saṃsāra and nirvāṇa have persons and phenomena; one should also say persons are extinguished and phenomena cross over. Kaishan said: The name "extinction and crossing over" refers entirely to non-existent phenomena; "crossing over" means eternal extinction. We now clarify: If ordinary beings are extinguished, because they are not eternally extinguished, it does not explain crossing over; because it is temporary extinction it is called extinction, so one should also say that because of temporary crossing over it is called crossing over. Lingzheng said: Extinction is primarily non-existence; crossing over designates existent phenomena. Elevating the virtue of severance designates wondrous existence; the complete essence not giving rise to afflictions is nirvāṇa. We now clarify: If not giving rise to afflictions is named nirvāṇa, is it named nirvāṇa without being extinguished through gnosis? We now clarify: Nirvāṇa is free from the catuṣkoṭi; the Middle Way right contemplation permanently liberating [one] is true crossing over. Applying it to persons, it designates persons; applying it to phenomena, it designates phenomena. Coming to the ultimate discussion, crossing over is neither person nor phenomenon; this is true crossing over. And this correct Dharma, being free from attainment and having the meaning of conventional designation, is named true crossing over. Nirvāṇa is without name, but a name is arbitrarily established for it.