肇論疏 3.33

3.33

"Transcending" means surpassing; "realm" means the objective sphere. This clarifies that the dharma of nirvāṇa surpasses the realm of existence and non-existence.

"The Nameless says: 'The categories of existence and non-existence indeed leave no dharma uncovered'": "indeed" (誠) means truly; "uncovered" (該) means encompassed; "subsume" (統) means gather.

"'Yet what they subsume is merely conventional truth'": the dharmas of existence and non-existence encompass only conventional phenomena.

"The sūtras state: 'What is ultimate truth?'" and so on: this is either quoting a scriptural passage or explaining the words of a sūtra. If it is quoting scripture, then both lines—concerning the ultimate and the conventional—are scriptural text. If it is explaining scriptural words: when the sūtra speaks of "ultimate truth", it is nirvāṇa; when the sūtra speaks of "conventional truth", it is existence and non-existence.

"Why is this? Existence exists in relation to non-existence" and so on: this mutually clarifies that both existence and non-existence are conventional phenomena.

"Thus, existence is born from non-existence" and so on: existence is born from non-existence, and non-existence is born from existence. "Existence and non-existence generating each other is like high and low inclining toward each other": these are simply worldly matters.

"Thus, although existence and non-existence differ, neither has escaped being an existent": to speak of existence and to speak of non-existence are both existent phenomena of conventional truth.

"This is the reason words and images take shape" and so on: words must speak of existence and non-existence, and images must depict existence and non-existence; right and wrong both arise because of existence and non-existence. Some take existence to be right and non-existence to be wrong; others take non-existence to be right and existence to be wrong.

"How could this encompass the profound culmination?": since this existence and non-existence is a realm of right and wrong, it cannot subsume the profound culmination that is the dharma of nirvāṇa.

"It is truly because the teachings on existence and non-existence halt at the six sensory realms": the categories of existence and non-existence are confined to the realms of the six sense-objects.

"The interior of the six sensory realms is not the abode of nirvāṇa; hence [the teaching] borrows 'transcendence' to dispel them": since the six realms are not nirvāṇa, it says that nirvāṇa transcends existence and non-existence. "Express" (云) means to say.

"May those who seek the Way"—"may" (庶) means to hope; "seek" (希) means to aspire to and admire. "Glimpse faintly" means approaching the true without yet being the true. "The profound path" refers to the dark Way. "Entrust their feelings" means to set the mind at peace. "The absolute realm" refers to the ultimate principle. "Grasp the meaning and forget the words": to take the meaning and discard the words. "Words exist because of the meaning; once the meaning is grasped, forget the words. Where can I find a person who has forgotten words, that I may speak with him?"

"To comprehend" (體) means to understand. Understanding that it is neither existent nor non-existent clarifies that it is the Middle Way.

"How could it be said that outside of existence and non-existence there is separately a single existence that can be designated?": it does not mean that, distinct and separated from existence and non-existence, there is another wondrous existence called nirvāṇa.

"When the sūtras speak of the three unconditioned dharmas" and so on: this resolves the previous objection concerning the unconditioned. "Disorder" (紛撓) means perverse confusion. "Severe" (篤) means extreme. "Grievous" (尤) means excessive.

"Among designations that terminate existence, none comes before non-existence": to destroy existence one must rely on non-existence; hence the three unconditioned are taught, clarifying that nirvāṇa is cessation through deliberative analysis in order to destroy sentient beings' disease of [clinging to] existence.

"Therefore, it borrows 'non-existence' to clarify that it is not existent": it borrows the name "non-existence" to clarify that nirvāṇa is not conditioned.

"Clarifying that it is not existent does not mean it is non-existent": merely stating that it is not existent does not mean it is non-existence itself.