肇論 1.93

1.93

Nameless said: Now, the true arises from detachment; the false is generated by attachment. Because of attachment, there is attainment; because of detachment, there is namelessness. Therefore, one who models upon the true is one with the true; one who emulates the false is one with the false. You take attainment to be attainment, and so you seek within attainment. I take non-attainment to be attainment, and so attainment lies in non-attainment. Moreover, whenever discourse is undertaken, one must first determine its root. When discussing nirvāṇa, one cannot speak of nirvāṇa while separated from nirvāṇa. If one speaks by being identical with nirvāṇa, who alone is not nirvāṇa, that they would wish to attain it? Why is this? Now, the Way of nirvāṇa is wondrously beyond all ordinary categories; it harmonizes and unifies the two primal powers [of heaven and earth], cleanses the ten thousand things, equalizes heaven and humanity, and unifies sameness and difference. Looking inward, it does not see itself; listening backward, it does not hear itself. Never has there been attainment; never has there been non-attainment. A sūtra says: 'Nirvāṇa is not sentient beings, nor is it different from sentient beings.' Vimalakīrti said: 'If Maitreya attains parinirvāṇa, then all sentient beings should also attain parinirvāṇa. Why is this? The original nature of all sentient beings is constantly extinguished, and does not become extinguished anew.' This is called parinirvāṇa consisting in non-extinction. Thus sentient beings are not sentient beings—who could be the one who attains it? Nirvāṇa is not nirvāṇa—what could be that which is attained? The Fangguang jing says: 'Is bodhi attained through being? The reply: No. Is it attained through non-being? The reply: No. Is it attained through both being and non-being? The reply: No. Is it attained apart from being and non-being? The reply: No. In that case, is there totally no attainment? The reply: No. What does this mean? The reply: Because there is nothing attained (anupalambha), it is called attainment; therefore one attains the unobtained.' As for 'nothing attained is called attainment'—who alone would not be so? Thus the mysterious Way resides in a realm beyond; hence through non-attainment one attains it. Subtle wisdom abides outside of things; hence through unknowing one knows it. The great image is concealed in the formless; hence through non-seeing one sees it. The great tone is hidden in faint sound; hence through non-hearing one hears it. Therefore it can encompass all antiquity and guide all directions, nourishing living beings, coarse-meshed yet letting nothing slip. Vast indeed, boundless indeed! What does not proceed from it? Thus the Brahmacārin said: 'I have heard of the Buddha's Way: its meaning is vast and profound, boundless and shoreless; there is nothing it does not accomplish, no being it does not deliver.' Thus the path of the triyāna is opened, the ways of the true and the false are distinguished, the Way of the sages and worthies is preserved, and the purport of namelessness is made manifest!