華嚴經明法品內立三寶章 1.65

1.65

三、相盡者，思惟此法過去已滅、未來未至，故無體。現在不能自住，故無體也。又復思惟前念已謝，故無有來；不至後念，故無有去；當念速故，不能住，是故此法相無不盡。又細思惟，現法不離過未，以離首尾無別體故，是故諸相未曾不盡。問：若爾者，豈令現在如彼過未耶？亦無體空耶？答：即以如過未之空無，為現假有故，是故此現有無不是真空，以不礙假有者，方是性空故。以是法理，空非是斷空故，是故只說此生死流轉法即是真空，非滅此法方為性空。經云「諸法畢竟空，無有毫末相。」又經云「色即是空，非色滅空。」此之謂也，思之可知。

Third, exhaustion of characteristics: contemplating that this dharma has already ceased in the past and has not yet arrived in the future, it therefore lacks an essence. The present cannot abide of itself, and therefore lacks an essence. Furthermore, contemplating that the preceding thought-moment has already perished, there is no coming; not reaching the posterior thought-moment, there is no going; because the immediate moment is rapid, it cannot abide. Therefore, the characteristics of this dharma are fully exhausted. Furthermore, contemplating subtly, the present dharma is not separated from the past and future, because apart from the beginning and the end there is no distinct essence; therefore, the various characteristics have never not been exhausted. Question: If that is so, does it make the present like that past and future, also devoid of essence and empty? Answer: It is precisely by taking the emptiness and non-existence like that of the past and future as the present nominal existence that this present existence is none other than true emptiness; for only that which does not obstruct nominal existence is nature-emptiness. Because it is the principle of dharmas, emptiness is not an annihilationist emptiness; therefore, it is simply said that this saṃsāric transmigrating dharma is precisely true emptiness, and not that nature-emptiness is found only by extinguishing this dharma. The sūtra says: 'All dharmas are ultimately empty, without the slightest characteristic.' Another sūtra says: 'Form is emptiness; it is not that form is extinguished to become empty.' This is what it means, which may be understood upon contemplation.