摩訶止觀 3.17

3.17

Now, speaking of "calming and contemplation of absolute transcendence": it cuts off all horizontal and vertical relations, cuts off all conceived deliberations, cuts off all defilements, all karmas, all fruits, and cuts off all teachings, contemplations, realisations, and so forth. None of these arise at all, hence it is called "calming"; yet calming too cannot be apprehended. Contemplation merges with the realm of suchness; since the realm is already quiescent and extinguished, where purity itself has no purity, how could there be contemplation? When calming and contemplation do not exist to begin with, how could one, relative to non-calming and non-contemplation, speak of calming and contemplation; relative to calming and contemplation, speak of non-calming and non-contemplation; or relative to calming and non-calming, speak of neither calming nor non-calming? Hence we know that calming and non-calming are both unobtainable, and neither calming nor non-calming is also unobtainable. Once relative opposition is severed, it is not conditioned; it cannot be conceived through the four propositions, hence it is not within the path of speech, nor is it the domain of mind and consciousness. Since there are no names and characteristics, and fettering defilements do not arise, there is no birth-and-death, and it cannot be destroyed. Cessation severed, and severance ceased: hence it is called "calming of absolute transcendence"; inverted thinking is severed: hence it is called "contemplation of absolute transcendence". It is also the severing of conditioned calming and contemplation, up to the severing of the calming and contemplation of birth-and-death.