肇論疏 3.31

3.31

This interrogates and demands whether nirvāṇa transcends [the dichotomy of] existence and non-existence; hence it is called "Interrogating Transcendence".

[The text states:] "The Possessor of Names says: 'Now, when the primordial chaos divided and split, the myriad existents became diverse and uneven'"—"divided" (剖) means opened; "split" (判) means distinguished and parted. Laozi says: "There was a thing formed in chaos, born before Heaven and Earth; I call it the Way." Now, when [the Treatise] speaks of the "primordial chaos", it refers to this Way. The Book of Changes states: "Before Heaven and Earth were divided, it was called the Grand Changes. When the primordial qi first budded, it was called the Grand Beginning (大初). The inception of qi and form was called the Grand Inception (太始). When form changed and took on substance, it was called the Grand Simplicity (大素). When substance and form were fully complete, it was called the Great Ultimate (太極). When form and qi had divided, they were called the Two Modes. When man was added to them, they were called the Three Powers." Now, what is spoken of as "diverse and uneven" refers precisely to the myriad existing dharmas of this sort between the Three Powers.

"What has already come to exist cannot but become non-existent" and so on means that existing dharmas ultimately return to non-existence. "There must be non-existence because of existence; hence high and low incline toward each other": taking them as a whole, all dharmas exist through mutual dependence.

"This is the course of nature" means that principles and their sequences are naturally so in the utmost. "Sequences culminate in this" means that principles and sequences culminate here.

"Of what is nurtured by the matrix of transformation, the principle has neither the hidden nor the manifest": the "matrix of transformation" is the Way; "nurtured" means reared. Whether hidden or manifest, all are generated by the Way.

"The vast, the aberrant, the deceptive, and the wondrous are none other than existents": "vast" (恢) means great; "aberrant" (詭) means contrarian; "deceptive" (譎) means divergent; "wondrous" (怪) means extraordinary. Now it says that all such dharmas are existents. The character for "aberrant" (詭) or "deceptive" (譎) is sometimes written with the heart radical; this is according to the Zilin.

"When existence transforms into non-existence, none is not non-existent": when there is change and transformation, it turns into non-existence.

"Thus, among the realms of existence and non-existence, there is no principle not subsumed": the principles subsume all dharmas.

"The sūtras say: 'The two dharmas of existence and non-existence encompass all dharmas'": this is the overarching principle of the various sūtras. "Space" refers to the great void. "Cessation through deliberative analysis" means the complete eradication of afflictions and delusion by means of the analysis of wisdom. "Cessation not through deliberative analysis" refers to that which is eradicated naturally, not by means of the analysis of wisdom. For example, when a srotāpanna first attains the fruit, the karma of the three evil destinies naturally exhausts itself; it is not eradicated and made non-existent by means of the analysis of wisdom. What is eradicated by wisdom refers to the five views and doubt. "Cessation through deliberative analysis" is precisely nirvāṇa. This asserts that nirvāṇa is an unconditioned dharma (asaṃskṛta-dharma) and cannot be other than non-existent.

"Investigate" means to examine and hold to account. Is it definitively existent, or is it non-existent? "If it is indeed non-existent, then being non-existent it has no distinctions": if it is definitively non-existent, being non-existent it admits of no difference, identical to the non-existence of the unconditioned.

"To sum it up and grasp it, to approach it and investigate it thoroughly": this discusses both dharmas, existence and non-existence, together.

"There is no non-existence distinct from existence that is not non-existent" and so on means that what is distinct from existence is precisely non-existence, and what is distinct from non-existence is precisely existence.

"Yet you say that outside of existence and non-existence there can be a wondrous Way" and so on refutes the previous statement.

"'I have heard your words'": although I have heard these words, my mind does not yet believe them.