摩訶止觀 2.28

2.28

意止觀者，經令思惟，思惟「摩訶袒持陀羅尼」，翻為「大祕要遮惡持善」。祕要，秖是實相、中道、正空。經言：「吾從真實中來。真實者，寂滅相；寂滅相者，無有所求，求者亦空。得者、著者、實者、來者、語者、問者悉空。寂滅、涅槃亦復皆空；一切虛空分界亦復皆空（其一）。」「無所求中，吾故求之，如是空空真實之法，當於何求？六波羅蜜中求（其二）。」此與《大品》十八空同。《大經》迦毘羅城空、如來空、大涅槃空，更無有異。以此空慧歷一切事，無不成觀。方等者，或言「廣平」；今言「方」者，「法」也。般若有四種方法，謂四門入清涼池，即「方」也。所契之理，平等大慧，即「等」也。令求夢王，即二觀前方便也。

As for mental calming and contemplation, the sūtra instructs one to contemplate. One contemplates the 'Mahādhaṇḍi-dhāraṇī', translated as 'the great esoteric essential that arrests evil and upholds goodness'. 'Esoteric essential' is simply true reality, the middle way, and proper emptiness. The sūtra says: 'I come from the genuine truth. The genuine truth is the characteristic of quiescent cessation; in the characteristic of quiescent cessation, there is nothing sought, and that which seeks is also empty. The attainer, the grasper, the true, the comer, the speaker, and the questioner are all empty. Quiescent cessation and nirvāṇa are also both empty; the delimitations of all empty space are also all empty (first).' 'In that wherein nothing is sought, I nevertheless seek it. Such genuine Dharmas of emptiness-emptiness—wherein should they be sought? They should be sought within the six pāramitās (second).' This is the same as the eighteen emptinesses in the Large Sutra. It is no different from the emptiness of Kapilavastu, the emptiness of the Tathāgata, and the emptiness of great nirvāṇa in the Great Sūtra. Applying this wisdom of emptiness across all activities, there is none that does not become contemplation. As for 'Fangdeng' (Vaipulya), some say it means 'broad and equal'. Here, 'fang' (square/correct) means 'method' (fa). Prajñā has four methods, meaning the four gates for entering the cool pond; this is 'fang'. The principle realized, the impartial great wisdom, is 'deng' (equal). Causing one to seek the dream king is the preliminary expedience preceding the two contemplations.