二諦義 1.9

1.9

叡師《中論．序》云「《百論》治外以閑邪，斯文祛內以流滯，《大智釋論》之淵博，《十二門觀》之精詣，尋斯四論者，真若日月在懷，無不朗然鑒徹矣。若通此四論，則佛法可明也。」師云：此四論雖復名部不同，統其大歸，竝為申乎二諦、顯不二之道。若了於二諦，四論則煥然可領。若於二諦不了，四論則便不明。為是因緣，須識二諦也。若解二諦，非但四論可明，亦眾經皆了。何以知然？故論云「諸佛常依二諦說法」。既十方諸佛常依二諦說法，故眾經莫出二諦。眾經既不出二諦，二諦若明，故眾經皆了也。然四論皆有二諦之言，今且依《中論》文以辨之。論文云「諸佛依二諦，為眾生說法：一以世俗諦，二第一義諦」也。然師臨去世之時，登高座付屬門人：「我出山以來，以二諦為正道，說二諦凡二十餘種勢，或散或束、或分章段、或不分分，時或開為三段、乍作十重。所以為十重者，正為對開善法師二諦義。彼明二諦義有十重，對彼十重故明十重，一一重以辨正之。」師唯噵此義有重數，所餘諸義普皆不開。若有重數者，非興皇者說也。十重者，初則二諦大意、最後二諦同異。今第一明二諦大意也。然師噵二諦義，多依二處：一依《大品經》、二依《中論》。今且依《中論》明二諦義。所以依《中論》噵二諦者，《中論》以二諦為宗；若了二諦，《中論》即便可明。為是義故，依《中論》說二諦也。《中論．四諦品》云「諸佛依二諦，為眾生說法」。此語即難解。若為依二諦說法耶？解云：二諦是本、說法是末，二諦是所依、說法是能依。然此語驚耳，非從來所知也。

Master Rui's Preface to the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā states: 'The Śataśāstra corrects external [heretics] to ward off heterodoxy; this text removes internal [attachment] to dispel stagnations. The depth and breadth of the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa, the refined attainment of the Dvādaśamukhaśāstra—those who examine these Four Treatises truly feel as if the sun and moon were held in their bosom, shining with complete clarity and penetrating insight. If one masters these Four Treatises, the Buddha Dharma can be illuminated.' The Master said: Although these Four Treatises differ in name and classification, surveying their general purport, they all equally expound the two truths and reveal the Way of non-duality. If one understands the two truths, the Four Treatises can be clearly grasped. If one does not understand the two truths, then the Four Treatises will not be illuminated. For this reason, one must know the two truths. If one understands the two truths, not only can the Four Treatises be illuminated, but all the sūtras will also be understood. How is this known to be so? Because the treatise says: 'The Buddhas always rely on the two truths to teach the Dharma.' Since the Buddhas of the ten directions always rely on the two truths to teach the Dharma, none of the sūtras go beyond the two truths. Since the sūtras do not go beyond the two truths, if the two truths are illuminated, then all sūtras will be understood. However, while all Four Treatises have statements concerning the two truths, we now temporarily distinguish them relying on the text of the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā. The text of the treatise states: 'The Buddhas rely on the two truths to teach the Dharma for sentient beings: first, conventional truth; second, ultimate truth.' When the Master was about to pass away, he ascended the high seat and entrusted his disciples: 'Since I left the mountains, I have taken the two truths as the correct path. I have taught the two truths in some twenty different formulations, either dispersed or gathered, either dividing into chapters and sections or not distinguishing parts, sometimes opening into three stages, and temporarily making ten tiers. The reason for making ten tiers was precisely to counter Dharma Master Kaishan's meaning of the two truths. His explanation of the meaning of the two truths had ten tiers; to counter those ten tiers, I therefore explained ten tiers, distinguishing and correcting them tier by tier.' The Master only spoke of tiers of meaning in this context; for all other doctrines, he never opened [such tiers]. If there are tiers, they were not taught by Master Xinghuang. The ten tiers begin with the general meaning of the two truths and end with the identity and difference of the two truths. Now, the first is to explain the general meaning of the two truths. When the Master spoke of the meaning of the two truths, he mostly relied on two sources: first, the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā; second, the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā. Now, we temporarily explain the meaning of the two truths in reliance upon the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā. The reason for relying on the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā to explain the two truths is that the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā takes the two truths as its central theme; if one understands the two truths, the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā can immediately be illuminated. For this reason, we explain the two truths relying on the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā. The 'Examination of the Four Truths' in the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā states: 'The Buddhas rely on the two truths to teach the Dharma for sentient beings.' These words are difficult to understand. How do they rely on the two truths to teach the Dharma? The explanation is: the two truths are the root, and teaching the Dharma is the branch; the two truths are the basis, and teaching the Dharma is the dependent. Yet these words startle the ear, not being what has traditionally been known.