大乘玄論 2.8

2.8

Fifth, discerning the meaning of simple and complex Middle [Way] and provisional [designations]. There are three sections: first, explaining simple and complex with respect to simple meanings; second, explaining simple and complex with respect to complex meanings; third, discerning the meaning of simple and complex regarding the two truths. As for the first, there are two parts: first, directly explaining simple and complex; second, discussing their mutual integration and interpenetration. Now, first, directly discussing the meaning of simple and complex Middle [Way] and provisional [designations]: If one solely speaks of provisional existence without speaking of non-existence, this is a simple provisional. If one solely speaks of provisional non-existence without speaking of existence, this is also a simple provisional. If one solely speaks of the single [negation], non-existence, this is a simple Middle [Way]. If one solely speaks of the single [negation], non-non-existence, this is also a simple Middle [Way]. Jointly speaking of provisional existence and provisional non-existence is a complex provisional. Jointly speaking of neither existence nor non-existence is a complex Middle [Way]. Question: What is the purpose of explaining simple and complex propositions? Answer: Generally speaking, there are two meanings. First, in a preliminary sense, simple provisionals are spoken for people of sharp faculties, while complex provisionals are spoken for people of dull faculties. As for people of sharp faculties, upon hearing one [teaching], they practice ten. If they hear provisional existence spoken of, they immediately realize and understand provisional non-existence; and so on up to hearing non-existence spoken of, they understand non-non-existence; therefore there is no need to fully elucidate the two meanings. For people of dull faculties, they attain understanding in accordance with words; if it is not spoken fully, they cannot have transcendent awakening; hence the two meanings are jointly elucidated. Second, simple provisionals are spoken for people of dull faculties, while complex provisionals are spoken for people of sharp faculties. Because people of dull faculties cannot bear the complete teaching, simple meanings are spoken to break their diseased attachments. If they are people of sharp faculties, they can bear hearing the complete purport, so the meaning of complex provisionals is spoken, and they can immediately comprehend and uphold it. Next, explaining mutual entry and emergence, there are eight propositions: First, entering the simple Middle [Way] from the simple provisional: or it is said, provisional existence is not called existence; from existence entering non-existence; non-existence is also like this. Second, explaining emerging from the simple Middle [Way] into the simple provisional: or it is said, non-existence provisionally speaks of existence; non-non-existence provisionally speaks of non-existence. Third, explaining entering the complex Middle [Way] from the complex provisional: provisional existence is not called existence, provisional non-existence is not called non-existence; this is existence and non-existence entering neither existence nor non-existence; non-existence is also like this. Fourth, explaining emerging from the complex Middle [Way] into the complex provisional: explaining that neither existence nor non-existence speaks of existence and non-existence; neither non-existence nor existence speaks of non-existence and existence. Fifth, explaining entering the complex Middle [Way] from the simple provisional: or it is said, existence enters neither existence nor non-existence; non-existence enters neither non-existence nor existence. Sixth, explaining emerging from the complex Middle [Way] into the simple provisional: or it is said, neither existence nor non-existence provisionally speaks of existence; neither non-existence nor existence provisionally speaks of non-existence. Seventh, explaining entering the simple Middle [Way] from the complex provisional: existence and non-existence is non-existence; non-existence and existence is non-non-existence. Eighth, explaining emerging from the simple Middle [Way] into the complex provisional: non-existence provisionally speaks of existence and non-existence; non-non-existence provisionally speaks of non-existence and non-non-existence. Next, explaining the reason why this is so, there are two meanings: First, to eradicate sentient beings' sickness of attaching to real [entities], dispelling [attachments] in accordance with what is conceptualized, which consequently results in multiple propositions. Second, to explain that the great being's contemplation practice is harmonious, unimpeded, completely free, and without obstruction; hence the Bodhisattvabhūmi says: 'Through the skillful means of existence and non-existence, one enters neither existence nor non-existence.' The Avataṃsakasūtra says: 'One may enter the samādhi of correct absorption in the eastern direction,' and so forth, which will not be cited in full. Furthermore, the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitāsūtra says: 'One may arise from a distracted mind to enter the cessation absorption, and arise from the cessation absorption to enter a distracted mind.' This is the skillful means of revolving and completely upholding, entering and emerging without hindrance. Second, discussing simple and complex with respect to complex meanings: this also has two parts: first, directly explaining simple and complex; later, explaining the meaning of entry and emergence. First, directly explaining simple and complex Middle [Way] and provisional [designations]: provisional existence is conventional truth, provisional non-existence is ultimate truth; this is the simple provisional. Neither existence nor non-existence is the Middle Way; this is the simple Middle [Way]. Provisional existence and provisional non-existence being dual is the complex provisional of conventional truth. Neither existence nor non-existence being non-dual is the conventional truth; the complex Middle [Way]'s duality and non-duality is the ultimate truth, which is a complex provisional. Neither dual nor non-dual is the Middle Way; this is the complex Middle [Way]. Correctly speaking, neither dual nor non-dual exhausts existence, non-existence, and neither existence nor non-existence; therefore it is the correct Middle [Way]. Next, explaining its reasons, there are two meanings: In a preliminary sense, the meaning explained by simple Middle [Way] and simple provisional is shallow, while the meaning explained by complex Middle [Way] and complex provisional is profound. Why is this so? The two truths of the simple meaning become the conventional truth again when reaching the complex meaning. The Middle Way of the simple school becomes the ultimate truth again when reaching the complex meaning. The Middle Way of the simple school stops at existence and non-existence and cannot yet exhaust non-duality. The Middle Way of the complex school exhausts duality and further exhausts non-duality. Second, the meaning explained simply is superior, whereas the meaning explained complexly is conversely inferior. Why is this so? The existence and non-existence of the complex provisional is still just the meaning of existence of the simple provisional. The neither existence nor non-existence of the complex provisional is still just the previous meaning of non-existence of the simple provisional. Furthermore, the neither dual nor non-dual of the complex Middle [Way] is still just the previous meaning of neither existence nor non-existence of the simple Middle [Way]. But previously, straightforwardly saying 'existence' already subsumed existence and non-existence; merely saying 'non-existence' already subsumed neither existence nor non-existence; merely saying 'neither existence nor non-existence' already subsumed neither dual nor non-dual. The words are brief and the meaning is broad, so it is superior; the Middle [Way] and provisional of the complex school have broad words and brief meaning, so it is inferior. Next, explaining mutual emergence and entry, there are eight propositions: First, entering the simple Middle [Way] from the simple provisional: provisional existence is not called existence, provisional non-existence is not called non-existence, entering the Middle Way of neither existence nor non-existence. Second, emerging from the simple Middle [Way] into the simple provisional: non-existence provisionally speaks of existence as conventional, non-non-existence provisionally speaks of non-existence as ultimate. Third, entering the complex Middle [Way] from the complex provisional: provisional duality is not called duality, provisional non-duality is not called non-duality, entering the Middle Way of neither dual nor non-dual. Fourth, emerging from the complex Middle [Way] into the complex provisional: neither dual provisionally speaks of duality as conventional, neither non-dual provisionally speaks of non-duality as ultimate. Fifth, entering the complex Middle [Way] from the simple provisional: provisional existence is not called duality, provisional non-existence is not called non-duality; from provisional existence and non-existence entering the Middle Way of neither dual nor non-dual. Sixth, emerging from the complex Middle [Way] into the simple provisional: neither dual provisionally speaks of existence as conventional, neither non-dual provisionally speaks of non-existence as ultimate. Seventh, entering the simple Middle [Way] from the complex provisional: provisional duality is not called existence, provisional non-duality is not called non-existence; from duality and non-duality entering neither existence nor non-existence. Eighth, emerging from the simple Middle [Way] into the complex provisional: non-existence provisionally speaks of duality as conventional, non-non-existence provisionally speaks of non-duality as ultimate. Third, discussing simple and complex with respect to the two truths: there are again two parts: first, directly explaining the meaning of simple and complex; second, discussing the meaning of entry and emergence. Directly explaining again has two parts: first, the conventional simple and complex; second, the ultimate simple and complex. Provisional existence is the conventional simple, provisional non-existence is the ultimate simple. As for complex provisionals, provisional existence and provisional non-existence is the conventional truth complex; provisional non-existence and provisional non-non-existence is the ultimate truth complex. Non-existence is the Middle Way: this is the conventional truth simple Middle [Way]; non-non-existence is the Middle Way: this is the ultimate truth simple Middle [Way]. Neither existence nor non-existence is the conventional truth complex Middle [Way]; neither non-existence nor non-non-existence is the ultimate truth complex Middle [Way]. Second, explaining mutual entry and emergence, there are three sections: first, explaining the conventional; second, explaining the ultimate; third, explaining their interweaving. First, explaining with respect to conventional truth, there are eight propositions: First, entering the conventional truth simple Middle [Way] from the conventional truth simple provisional: provisional existence is not called existence, which is entering non-existence from existence. Second, emerging from the conventional truth simple Middle [Way] into the conventional simple provisional: provisionally speaking of non-existence as existence. Third, entering the conventional complex Middle [Way] from the conventional complex provisional: provisional existence and provisional non-existence is neither existence nor non-existence. Fourth, emerging from the conventional truth complex Middle [Way] into the conventional truth complex provisional: saying that neither existence nor non-existence provisionally speaks of existence and non-existence. Fifth, entering the complex Middle [Way] from the conventional truth simple provisional: provisional existence is not existence, provisional existence is not non-existence. Sixth, emerging from the conventional truth complex Middle [Way] into the simple provisional: neither existence nor non-existence speaks of a single provisional existence. Seventh, entering the simple Middle [Way] from the conventional truth complex provisional: provisional existence and non-existence enters into non-existence. Eighth, emerging from the conventional truth simple Middle [Way] into the complex provisional: non-existence provisionally speaks of existence and non-existence. Second, discerning with respect to ultimate truth, there are also eight propositions: First, entering the simple Middle [Way] from the ultimate truth simple provisional: provisional non-existence is not called non-existence. Second, emerging from the ultimate truth simple Middle [Way] into the simple provisional: non-non-existence provisionally speaks of non-existence. Third, entering the complex Middle [Way] from the ultimate truth complex provisional: saying provisional non-existence and provisional non-non-existence is neither non-existence nor non-non-existence. Fourth, emerging from the ultimate truth complex Middle [Way] into the complex provisional: saying neither non-existence nor non-non-existence provisionally speaks of non-existence and non-non-existence. Fifth, entering the complex Middle [Way] from the ultimate truth simple provisional: provisional non-existence is not non-existence, provisional non-existence is not non-non-existence. Sixth, emerging from the ultimate truth complex Middle [Way] into the simple provisional: saying neither non-existence nor non-non-existence provisionally speaks of non-existence. Seventh, entering the simple Middle [Way] from the ultimate truth complex provisional: saying provisional non-existence and provisional non-non-existence enters a single non-non-existence. Eighth, emerging from the ultimate truth simple Middle [Way] into the complex provisional: saying non-non-existence provisionally speaks of non-existence and non-non-existence. Third, explaining entry and emergence with respect to the interweaving of the two truths, there are twelve propositions: First, entering the ultimate truth simple Middle [Way] from the conventional truth simple provisional: saying provisional existence is not called non-existence, dismantling existence to enter non-non-existence. Second, emerging from the ultimate truth simple Middle [Way] into the conventional truth simple provisional: saying non-non-existence does not conflict with existence, non-non-existence provisionally speaks of existence. Third, entering the conventional truth simple Middle [Way] from the ultimate truth simple provisional: saying provisional non-existence is not called existence, dismantling non-existence to enter non-existence. Fourth, emerging from the conventional truth simple Middle [Way] into the ultimate truth simple provisional: saying non-existence does not conflict with non-existence, non-existence provisionally speaks of non-existence. Fifth, entering the ultimate truth complex Middle [Way] from the conventional truth complex provisional: saying provisional existence and non-existence enters neither non-existence nor non-non-existence. Sixth, emerging from the ultimate truth complex Middle [Way] into the conventional truth complex provisional: saying neither non-existence nor non-non-existence provisionally speaks of existence and non-existence. Seventh, entering the conventional truth complex Middle [Way] from the ultimate truth complex provisional: saying provisional non-existence and provisional non-non-existence is neither existence nor non-existence. Eighth, emerging from the conventional truth complex Middle [Way] into the ultimate truth complex provisional: saying neither existence nor non-existence provisionally speaks of non-existence and non-non-existence. Ninth, entering the conventional truth complex Middle [Way] from the ultimate truth simple provisional: saying provisional non-existence is not called existence, nor is it called non-existence, which is neither existence nor non-existence. Tenth, emerging from the conventional truth complex Middle [Way] into the ultimate truth simple provisional: saying neither existence nor non-existence provisionally speaks of non-existence. Eleventh, entering the ultimate truth complex Middle [Way] from the conventional truth simple provisional: saying provisional existence is not called non-existence, nor is it called non-non-existence, which is neither non-existence nor non-non-existence. Twelfth, emerging from the ultimate truth complex Middle [Way] into the conventional truth simple provisional: saying neither non-existence nor non-non-existence provisionally speaks of existence.