肇論新疏 3.51

3.51

From 'Now, nirvāṇa as a path' downward, there are nineteen phrases in all. The first phrase designates its essence; the remainder all distinguish its characteristics. This is the naturally pure nirvāṇa common to ordinary people and sages, as in the Tathāgatotpattisaṃbhava Chapter's gateway of the true eternity of the essential nature. In the first two pairs, each upper phrase reveals characteristics, and each lower phrase reveals transcendence: the former transcends name and characteristic; the latter transcends mental conditions. From 'the hosts of being' downward, it is transcendence of suffering in the twenty-five states of existence. From 'spanning the great void' downward, it spans as equal to the great void and endures forever; it wonderfully exists and is not empty. The two phrases below 'pursue it' mean it has neither past nor future limits, transcending impermanence. The two phrases below 'the six destinies' are transcendence of arising and ceasing, and also transcendence of non-self. This means that because the true self of nirvāṇa has the meaning of genuine mastery and freedom, they cannot contain it to make it arise, nor transform it to make it cease; this is explained in terms of refuting the latter four inversions of the two vehicles. From 'vast and immense' downward: accumulating water to form a pool is called huang; vast water is called mang; here it takes the meaning of vastness. Presence and departure are difficult to determine, hence it says 'hazy and indistinct'—if one says it remains here, it is distantly off there; if one says it has gone there, it is clearly here. It is also like Laozi's saying: 'Being great, it is said to pass on; passing on, it is said to return.' It can also be that remaining and departing are like existence and non-existence. From 'the five eyes' downward, it completes the previous [point on] having no characteristics. The five eyes are the five visions; the two listenings are the two ears, completing the previous [point on] having no name. From 'dark and profound' downward: ming means obscure; deep-set eyes are called yao; here it takes the meaning of profundity. 'Who sees, who understands?' completes the previous [point on] transcending the mind. 'Encompassing' has the meaning of including all. 'There is nowhere it is not present'—the Avataṃsaka Sūtra says: 'Dharmatā is omnipresent in all places,' and so forth.