肇論新疏 1.114

1.114

釋成不遷也。論旨以今昔相待、來去相形，緣體非真，諸相何立？常情為相所轉，見有遷流；悟士了虛，當相寂滅，何有今昔之動、來去之遷？據此雖念念謝滅，亦念念不遷也。故《大論》第五云：「菩薩知諸法不生不滅，其性皆空。」予昔讀此反復不入，及讀永明大師《宗鏡錄》至釋此論，疑滯頓消。故知論旨深隱，不可隨文作解。

This explains and establishes immutability. The treatise's import is that present and past are mutually dependent, and coming and going mutually define each other; since the essence of conditions is not real, how can any marks be established? Ordinary sentiments are turned about by marks, seeing flux and flowing; the awakened person comprehends their emptiness, and right in their marks they are quiescent and extinguished—how could there be the motion of present and past, or the flux of coming and going? Based on this, though there is cessation and perishing from thought-moment to thought-moment, there is also immutability from thought-moment to thought-moment. Therefore the *Dazhidulun*, fascicle five, says: 'Bodhisattvas know that all dharmas neither arise nor perish, and their nature is completely empty.' In the past, when I read this back and forth, I could not grasp it; but when I read Great Master Yongming's *Zongjing lu* where it explains this treatise, my doubts and blockages suddenly vanished. Thus we know the treatise's import is profound and hidden, and one cannot form an understanding simply following the literal text.