肇論新疏 1.302

1.302

First there are four sentences, clarifying that with respect to all phenomena one cannot determinately grasp that they are being or non-being; in each, the upper clause raises the grasping and the lower clause investigates and refutes it. "Wish" means about to; "speak" refers to the intention's statement. Are you about to consider all phenomena as determinately existent? Being is not really produced, but merely relies on conditions; how could it be determinately existent? If you are about to wait and consider them non-existent, the forms of things have already arisen; how could they be determinately non-existent? Next are two sentences: the first clause follows upon the aforementioned matter of dependent origination; the second clause concludes that it is at once provisional and at once empty—not true is provisional being, not real is true emptiness. Finally there are two sentences, correctly concluding with the title of the treatise. At the outset this title was established to indicate the doctrinal purport; section by section teachings were cited, and in accordance with the encounters they were interpreted and reconciled. The revelation of the principle having been completed, the Middle Way and dharmatā can be penetrated and realized. The final conclusion does not deviate from the presentation of the title; hence it says this. Question: The treatise being complete at this point, what is the purpose of the later explanation? Answer: The overall account was already given earlier, and its intention can be understood. If the meaning were not yet exhausted, why would it conclude here? One may examine and unravel this closely.