肇論疏 3.13

3.13

第二、正明作論因緣也。文亦有四：一、序作論之元由；二、明作論之本意；三、重序元由；四、重明論意。今初。言遇蒙答者，姚興於什法師亡後，通四科義：一、通不住法住般若中義；二、通聖人放大光明義；三、通三世義；四、通一切法空義。通第四義云：夫道者以無為為宗。若其無為，復何所有耶？安城候姚嵩作書，難第一、第二、第四，不難第三三世義也。難第四義云：不審明道之者以何為體？若以妙為體、若以妙為宗者，雖在諦先而非極。若以無有為妙者，必當有不無之因。因稱俱未冥，詎是不二之道？故論云：無於無者，必當有於有。有無相生，猶脩短之形。然則有無之津，乃是邊見所存。姚興次第答其所難，通第四難云：吾意以為道止無為，未悟所以宗也。

Second is directly clarifying the causes and conditions for composing the treatise. The text also has four [parts]: first, narrating the initial cause for composing the treatise; second, explaining the original intention of composing the treatise; third, reiterating the initial cause; fourth, reiterating the treatise's intention. Here is the first. Regarding the phrase "fortunate enough to receive your reply": after the demise of Dharma Master [Kumāra]jīva, Yao Xing explained the meanings of four subjects: first, explaining the meaning of "abiding in prajñā without abiding in phenomena"; second, explaining the meaning of "the sage emitting great radiant light"; third, explaining the meaning of "the three time-periods"; fourth, explaining the meaning of "the emptiness of all dharmas". In explaining the fourth meaning, he said: "As for the Way, it takes unconditioned action as its fundamental doctrine. If it is unconditioned, what further existence is there?" Marquis Yao Song of Ancheng wrote a letter challenging the first, second, and fourth, but did not challenge the third, on the three time-periods. In challenging the fourth meaning, he said: "I do not know what those who clarify the Way take as its essence. If they take the subtle as the essence, or if they take the subtle as the fundamental doctrine, although it precedes the truth, it is not ultimate. If they take non-existence as the subtle, there must inevitably be a cause of non-nonexistence. Since cause and designation are neither of them dark-merged, how could this be the non-dual Way? Hence the treatise says: 'To be free of non-existence must inevitably entail being present in existence. Existence and non-existence give rise to each other, like the forms of long and short.' This being so, the ford between existence and non-existence is precisely where extreme views dwell." Yao Xing replied to his challenges in order, and in resolving the fourth challenge he said: "My own intention took the Way merely to reside in unconditioned action, without realizing why it is the fundamental doctrine."