[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [大乘玄論](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1853) › 4.6.3 # 大乘玄論 4.6.3 大乘玄論 4.6.3 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [4.6.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1853.4.6.3) 問：涉有無著，是方便之功？ 波若力耶？ 答：涉有即屬方便之力，無著由波若之力。 以波若無著，於波若觀中即有巧方便用，故此方便即能無著。 問：方便云何能不證空？ 答波若照諸法實相，方便能照實相諸法，故不沈空觀，名為不證。 如《釋論》云「波若將入畢竟空，無諸戲論； 方便將出畢竟空，嚴土化人。 」此即證上諸力義。 將入畢竟空，即是照實相。 無諸戲論，謂無所著及斷惑之功也。 方便將出畢竟空，即是為波若所導，又是方便不證照境起行之力。 問：波若照諸法實相，云何方便即能照實相諸法？ 答：名為諸法實相、實相諸法，諸法宛然而實相、實相宛然而諸法。 諸法與實相不二而二、二常不二，由境既爾，故二慧得然。 故波若照諸法實相，而方便即能照實相諸法也。 問：雖復實相而宛然諸法，漚和照此名巧者，亦雖復諸法而宛然實相，波若照之，何故不巧？ 答：通即例爾，如上隱顯釋之。 又波若照實相而能不著，二乘亦有其分，則巧義不彰，故不名方便。 即空而能照有，此用既妙，故聲聞絕分、菩薩獨有，故與方便之名。 問：若即空而照有既稱妙者，亦即有而照空亦是妙也。 答：既能即有而照空，便能即空而照有，此是慧有方便解、方便有慧解，如此二慧無有優劣； 但對二乘照空不能涉有，故明即空而起有用為妙，稱為方便； 又對六地但得波若空觀未能即空涉有，故今明即空涉有是方便也。 問：於有不著、於空不證俱是善巧，何故不著之巧名波若，波若即劣在於六地； 不證之巧名方便，方便即勝在七地耶？ 答：如上釋之。 又有是俗諦，離有即易，故波若巧劣； 空是真諦，勉無即難，故方便即勝。 又入實相觀不著於有，即勉凡夫地； 即實相觀而照諸法故不滯空，離二乘地。 勉凡即易，故波若劣； 超聖即難，故方便勝，所以有六七優劣義也。 問：若爾，六地二慧未等，何得上云初地已竝？ 答：初地望地前即竝，形七地即未竝。 所以然者，初地已來即得無生，動寂無礙，但寂義小強、動用微弱，故云未並。 至於七地，動寂無礙，二慧双遊，故稱並耳。 問：何以知然？ 答：若六地已來未並，入空不見有、出有不見空，二乘亦爾，與菩薩何異？ 故知初地已來便能已並，但微有強弱，故說未均耳。 問：於空無著、於空不證，有何異耶？ 答：二乘入空不存四句，但是不著而不能不證。 菩薩入空既無可存，又即能涉有，故名不證。 問：二乘菩薩入空同無所依，何故聲聞住空、菩薩不證？ 答：二乘以空為妙極，依此無依，是故住空。 菩薩不以空為妙極，知空亦空，名不可得空，不依此無依故能不證。 如《大品》云「行亦不受，不行亦不受，行不行、非行非不行乃至不受亦不受，是名菩薩無受三昧廣大之用，不與聲聞辟支佛共。 」是故能不證空。 又二乘無願行資空，故入空便證； 菩薩大願大行資空，故入空不證。 問：論云「因名般若，至佛即反名薩波若。 」何得又云六地名波若，至七地波若清淨反名方便？ 答：如前釋之。 六地之時，波若體強、方便用弱，以體強故，妙於靜觀，故觀空不著； 以用弱故，未能即空涉有於有無滯。 至於七地，即體用俱等，既能觀空不染、即能涉有無著，故名等定慧地。 等定慧地，即波若用巧，故云反，即從八地已上二慧俱巧。 若至佛地，即兩慧同反，實慧即反名薩波若謂一切智，方便慧反名一切種智也。 問：若至果反名二智，即因中同名二慧，何故前云波若稱慧、方便不名慧耶？ 答：因果立名各有其義。 果門照一切空境名一切智，照一切有境名一切種智，俱從境立名，故宜並稱智。 因門實慧從境、方便約用，故不得並名慧也。 問：若爾，何故菩薩道慧、道種慧皆名慧耶？ 答：因中之慧自有多門，立名各異。 道慧、道種慧亦是從境立名，故宜並稱慧也。 > Question: Engaging with existence without attachment—is this the function of skillful means, or the power of prajñā? Answer: Engaging with existence belongs to the power of skillful means; non-attachment is due to the power of prajñā. Because prajñā is without attachment, within the contemplation of prajñā there is the function of clever skillful means; hence this skillful means is able to be without attachment. Question: How is skillful means able not to realize \[the limit of\] emptiness? Answer: Prajñā illuminates the true nature of all phenomena; skillful means can illuminate all phenomena of the true nature. Therefore, one does not sink into the contemplation of emptiness, which is called 'not realizing \[the limit of emptiness\]'. As the Treatise \[Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra\] states: 'Prajñā leads one into ultimate emptiness without any conceptual proliferation; skillful means leads one out of ultimate emptiness to adorn the lands and transform people.' This confirms the above meanings of the powers. 'Leading one into ultimate emptiness' is illuminating the true nature. 'Without any conceptual proliferation' refers to the function of non-attachment and severing delusions. 'Skillful means leads one out of ultimate emptiness' is being guided by prajñā, and is also the power of skillful means to arise in practice by illuminating objects without realizing \[the limit of emptiness\]. Question: Prajñā illuminates the true nature of all phenomena; how is skillful means able to illuminate all phenomena of the true nature? Answer: They are designated 'the true nature of all phenomena' and 'all phenomena of the true nature': all phenomena appear vividly while being the true nature; the true nature appears vividly while being all phenomena. All phenomena and the true nature are non-dual yet dual, dual yet constantly non-dual. Since the cognitive object is thus, the two wisdoms are also thus. Therefore, prajñā illuminates the true nature of all phenomena, while skillful means is able to illuminate all phenomena of the true nature. Question: Although it is the true nature, all phenomena appear vividly; when upāya illuminates this, it is called clever. Likewise, although they are all phenomena, the true nature appears vividly; when prajñā illuminates it, why is it not called clever? Answer: Comprehensively speaking, it is analogously so, as explained above by concealing and revealing. Furthermore, prajñā illuminates the true nature and is able not to be attached, which the two vehicles also share in; thus the meaning of cleverness is not prominent, and so it is not named skillful means. Being able to illuminate existence right within emptiness—since this function is wonderful, śrāvakas are entirely excluded and bodhisattvas uniquely possess it; hence it is given the name skillful means. Question: If illuminating existence right within emptiness is called wonderful, then illuminating emptiness right within existence is also wonderful. Answer: If one is able to illuminate emptiness right within existence, one is immediately able to illuminate existence right within emptiness. This is wisdom possessing the understanding of skillful means, and skillful means possessing the understanding of wisdom. Between these two wisdoms, there is neither superior nor inferior. However, in contrast to the two vehicles, which illuminate emptiness but cannot engage with existence, it is explained that giving rise to the function of existence right within emptiness is wonderful, and is called skillful means. Furthermore, in contrast to the sixth bhūmi, where one only attains the contemplation of emptiness of prajñā and is not yet able to engage with existence right within emptiness, it is now explained that engaging with existence right within emptiness is skillful means. Question: Being unattached to existence and not realizing emptiness are both skillful; why is the skill of non-attachment named prajñā, with prajñā being inferior at the sixth bhūmi, while the skill of non-realization is named skillful means, with skillful means being superior at the seventh bhūmi? Answer: It has been explained above. Furthermore, existence is conventional truth, and leaving existence is easy; thus the skill of prajñā is inferior. Emptiness is ultimate truth, and escaping nothingness is difficult; thus skillful means is superior. Furthermore, entering the contemplation of the true nature without being attached to existence escapes the stage of ordinary beings; illuminating all phenomena right within the contemplation of the true nature without stagnating in emptiness departs from the stage of the two vehicles. Escaping ordinary beings is easy, so prajñā is inferior; surpassing the noble ones is difficult, so skillful means is superior. This is why there is the meaning of superiority and inferiority between the sixth and seventh \[stages\]. Question: If so, and the two wisdoms are not yet equal at the sixth bhūmi, how could it be said above that they are already parallel from the first bhūmi? Answer: Looking from the first bhūmi toward the pre-bhūmi stages, they are already parallel; comparing it to the seventh bhūmi, they are not yet parallel. The reason for this is that from the first bhūmi onward, one attains the unborn, and movement and stillness are unobstructed; however, the aspect of stillness is somewhat stronger, and active functioning is slightly weak, so it is said they are not yet parallel. When reaching the seventh bhūmi, movement and stillness are unobstructed and both wisdoms journey together, so they are called parallel. Question: How is this known? Answer: If from the sixth bhūmi downward they were not parallel—entering emptiness without seeing existence, and emerging into existence without seeing emptiness—the two vehicles would be the same; how would \[the bodhisattva\] differ from them? Thus we know that from the first bhūmi onward they are already able to be parallel, but with a slight imbalance of strong and weak, it is said they are not yet balanced. Question: What is the difference between non-attachment to emptiness and not realizing emptiness? Answer: When the two vehicles enter emptiness, they do not retain the catuṣkoṭi; this is merely non-attachment, but they cannot avoid realizing it. When a bodhisattva enters emptiness, not only is there nothing to retain, but he can also immediately engage with existence; hence it is called not realizing. Question: When the two vehicles and bodhisattvas enter emptiness, they equally have nothing to rely upon; why do śrāvakas abide in emptiness while bodhisattvas do not realize it? Answer: The two vehicles take emptiness as the ultimate wonder and rely upon this non-reliance; therefore they abide in emptiness. Bodhisattvas do not take emptiness as the ultimate wonder; knowing that emptiness is also empty, which is called unattainable emptiness, they do not rely upon this non-reliance, and thus are able not to realize it. As the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā states: 'Practicing is not grasped, not practicing is also not grasped; practicing and not practicing, neither practicing nor not practicing, up to not grasping is also not grasped—this is called the bodhisattva's vast functioning of the samādhi of non-grasping, not shared with śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas.' For this reason they are able not to realize emptiness. Furthermore, the two vehicles lack vows and practice to support emptiness, so upon entering emptiness they realize it; bodhisattvas support emptiness with great vows and great practice, so upon entering emptiness they do not realize it. Question: The Treatise states: 'In the cause it is called prajñā; upon reaching Buddhahood it is conversely called sarvajñā.' How can it also be said that at the sixth bhūmi it is called prajñā, and upon reaching the seventh bhūmi, prajñā being purified, it is conversely called skillful means? Answer: As explained before: at the time of the sixth bhūmi, the essence of prajñā is strong and the function of skillful means is weak; because its essence is strong, it is marvelous in quiet contemplation, so in contemplating emptiness it is without attachment; because its function is weak, it is not yet able to engage with existence right within emptiness without stagnation in existence. When reaching the seventh bhūmi, the essence and function are fully equal: being able to contemplate emptiness without taint, one is immediately able to engage with existence without attachment; hence it is called the stage of equalizing concentration and wisdom. In the stage of equalizing concentration and wisdom, the functioning of prajñā is skillful, so it is said to 'turn'; thus from the eighth bhūmi onward, both wisdoms are equally skillful. When reaching the stage of Buddhahood, both wisdoms equally turn: real wisdom conversely becomes sarvajñā, which means all-knowledge; skillful wisdom conversely becomes knowledge of all aspects. Question: If upon reaching the fruit they conversely become the two gnoses, then in the cause they are equally named the two wisdoms; why did you say earlier that prajñā is called wisdom, while skillful means is not called wisdom? Answer: The designations in cause and fruit each have their meaning. In the door of the fruit, illuminating all empty objects is named all-knowledge, and illuminating all existing objects is named knowledge of all aspects; both are named after the cognitive objects, so it is fitting to designate both as gnosis. In the door of the cause, real wisdom is based on the cognitive object, while skillful means is considered according to function; hence they cannot both be named wisdom. Question: If so, why are the bodhisattva's wisdom of the path and wisdom of the aspects of the path both called wisdom? Answer: Wisdom in the cause itself has many approaches, and the designations are various. Wisdom of the path and wisdom of the aspects of the path are also named after cognitive objects, so it is fitting to designate both as wisdom. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 4.6.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1853.4.6.2) - [Next: 4.6.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1853.4.6.4) - [Up: 4.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1853.4.6) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1853~en-mt.4.6.3) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (1) - [淨名玄論](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1780.4.30) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1853.4.6.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1853.4.6.3) · Pramāṇa