修習止觀坐禪法要 1.183

1.183

夫三諦者何也？一之謂也。空假中者何也？一之目也。空假者相對之義，中道者得一之名。此思議之說，非至一之旨也。至一即三、至三即一，非相含而然也，非相生而然也。非數義也，非強名也，自然之理也，言而傳之者迹也。理謂之本，迹謂之末。本也者，聖人所至之地也；末也者，聖人所示之教也。由本以垂迹，則為小為大、為通為別、為頓為漸、為顯為祕、為權為實、為定為不定。循迹以返本，則為一為大、為圓為實、為無住為中、為妙為第一義。是三一之蘊也。所謂空也者，通萬法而為言者也。假也者，立萬法而為言者也。中也者，妙萬法而為言者也。破一切惑莫盛乎空，建一切法莫盛乎假，究竟一切性莫大乎中。舉中則無法非中，目假則何法非假，舉空則無法不空。成之謂之三德，修之謂之三觀，舉其要則聖人極深研幾窮理盡性之說乎！昧者使明、塞者使通，通則悟，悟則至，至則常，常則盡矣。明則照，照則化，化則成，成則一矣。聖人有以彌綸萬法而不差，旁礴萬劫而不遺，燾載恒沙而不有，復歸無物而不無，寓名之曰佛，強號之曰覺。究其旨，其解脫自在，莫大極妙之德乎！夫三觀成功者如此。所謂圓頓者，非漸次、非不定，指論十章之義也。七章者，恢演始末通道之關也。五略者，舉其宏綱截流之津也。十境者，發動之機，立觀之諦也。十乘者，妙用所修，發行之門也。止於正觀而終於見境者，義備故也。闕其餘者，非修之要也。乘者何也？載萬物而運者也。十者何也？成載之事者也。知其境之妙，不行而至者，德之上也。乘一而已矣，豈藉夫九哉？九者，非他相生之說，未至者之所踐也。故發心者，發無所發；安心者，安無所安；破遍者，破無所破。爰至餘乘，皆不得已而說也。至於別其義例、判為章目，推而廣之不為繁，統而簡之不為少，如連環不可解也，如貫珠不可雜也，如懸鏡不可弇也，如通川不可遏也。義家多門，非諍論也；按經證義，非虛說也；辯四教淺深，事有源也；成一事因緣，理無遺也。噫！《止觀》其救世明道之書乎！非夫聖智超絕卓爾獨立，其孰能為乎？非夫聰明深達得意忘象，其孰能知乎？今之人乃專用章句文字從而釋之，又何疎漏耶！或稱：不思議境與不思議事皆極聖之域，等覺至人猶所未盡；若凡夫生滅心行三惑浩然，於言說之中推上妙之理，是猶醯雞而說大鵬，夏蟲之議層氷，其不可見明矣。今止觀之說，文字萬數廣論果地，無益初學。豈如暗然自修功至自至，何必以早計為事乎？是大不然。凡所為上聖之域，豈隔闊遼敻與凡境杳絕歟？是唯一性而已，得之為悟，失之為迷；一理而已，迷而為凡，悟而為聖。迷者自隔，理不隔也；失者自失，性不失也。《止觀》之作，所以離異同而究聖神，使群生正性而順理者也。正性順理，所以行覺路而至妙境也。不知此教者，則學何所入？功何所施？智何所發？譬如無目，昧於日月之光，行於重險之處，顛踣墮落，可勝既乎！噫！去聖久遠，賢人不出，庸昏之徒含識而已。致使魔邪詭惑，諸黨並熾。空有云云，為沈為穿。有膠于文句不敢動者，有流於𣾘浪不能住者；又太遠而甘心不至者，有太近而我身即是者；有枯木而稱定者，有竅號而稱慧者；有奔走非道而言權者，有假於鬼而言通者；有放心而言廣者，有罕言而為密者；有齒舌潛傳為口訣者。凡此之類，自立為祖、繼祖為家，反經非聖，昧者不覺。仲尼有言：「道之不明也，我知之矣。」由物累也。悲夫！

Now, what are the three truths? They are spoken of as the one. What are emptiness, provisionality, and the middle? They are the items of the one. Emptiness and provisionality are mutually relative meanings; the Middle Way is the name for attaining the one. This is an explanation accessible to thought and deliberation, not the purport of the ultimate one. The ultimate one is immediately the three; the ultimate three is immediately the one. It is not that they contain each other, nor that they generate each other. It is not a matter of numerical meanings, nor of arbitrary names; it is the natural principle. That which is conveyed by words is the traces. Principle is called the root; traces are called the branches. The root is the realm attained by the sage; the branches are the teachings shown by the sage. From the root descending into traces, they become the lesser and the greater, the shared and the distinct, the sudden and the gradual, the manifest and the secret, the provisional and the real, the determinate and the indeterminate. Following the traces to return to the root, it becomes the one and the great, the perfect and the real, the non-abiding and the middle, the wondrous and the supreme truth. Such are the inner contents of the three and the one. That which is called emptiness is spoken of as pervading the myriad phenomena. Provisionality is spoken of as establishing the myriad phenomena. The middle is spoken of as rendering wondrous the myriad phenomena. For eradicating all delusions, nothing surpasses emptiness; for constructing all phenomena, nothing surpasses provisionality; for finalizing all natures, nothing is greater than the middle. If one cites the middle, then no phenomenon is not the middle; if one designates the provisional, then what phenomenon is not provisional? If one cites emptiness, then no phenomenon is not empty. When accomplished, they are called the three virtues; when cultivated, they are called the three contemplations. To cite the essentials, is it not the sage's teaching of probing the deepest depths, investigating the minute subtleties, exhausting principle, and penetrating the nature? Causing the darkened to become bright and the blocked to become unobstructed—when unobstructed, there is awakening; when awakened, there is attainment; when attained, there is constancy; when constant, there is the utmost. When bright, there is illumination; when illumined, there is transformation; when transformed, there is accomplishment; when accomplished, there is oneness. The sage organizes the myriad phenomena without error, covers myriad kalpas without omission, bears and sustains the sands of the Ganges without possessing them, and returns to non-thingness without being non-existent; provisionally giving it the name 'Buddha' and forcefully entitling it 'Awakened'. Probing its purport, is it not the greatest and most wondrous virtue of liberation and sovereignty? The accomplishment of the three contemplations is like this. That which is called 'perfect and sudden' is neither gradual nor indeterminate, referring to the meaning of the ten chapters discussed. The seven chapters broadly expound the beginning and end, serving as the pass that opens the Way. The five outlines cite the grand principles, serving as the ferry that cuts across the stream. The ten objects are the triggers that arouse [contemplation], the truths upon which contemplation is established. The ten vehicles are that which is cultivated through wondrous application, the gate for initiating practice. Halting at correct contemplation and concluding with seeing objects is because the meaning is fully prepared. Omitting the remainder is because they are not the essentials of cultivation. What is a vehicle? It carries the myriad things and transports them. What are the ten? They are that which accomplishes the task of carrying. Knowing the wondrousness of the object and arriving without walking is the highest virtue. One merely rides the one; why rely on the other nine? The nine are not a doctrine of mutual generation, but that which is trodden by those who have not yet arrived. Therefore, in arousing the mind, one arouses where there is nothing to arouse; in pacifying the mind, one pacifies where there is nothing to pacify; in eradicating pervadingly, one eradicates where there is nothing to eradicate. Coming to the remaining vehicles, all are spoken of out of unavoidable necessity. As for differentiating their meanings and guidelines, dividing them into chapters and headings, extending them broadly does not make them superfluous, and subsuming them concisely does not make them deficient; like interlocking rings that cannot be undone, like strung pearls that cannot be jumbled, like a suspended mirror that cannot be obscured, like an unobstructed river that cannot be dammed. The doctrinal lineages have many gates, yet it is not disputation; verifying meanings based on scriptures is not empty talk; distinguishing the depths of the four teachings, the matters have their source; fulfilling the conditions of a single event, the principle leaves nothing out. Ah! Is not Calming and Contemplation a book that saves the world and clarifies the Way? Were it not for sage wisdom that is transcendent, prominent, and singularly independent, who could compose it? Were it not for intelligent discernment that penetrates deeply, grasps the meaning, and forgets the imagery, who could understand it? People today merely use chapters, verses, and characters to interpret it; how negligent and superficial! Some claim: 'The inconceivable realm and inconceivable affairs are both the domain of the ultimate sage, which even the supreme person of equal awakening has not yet exhausted. If ordinary beings with minds of arising and ceasing and a deluge of the three delusions deliberate upon the supreme and wondrous principle within words, this is like a vinegar gnat speaking of the great Peng bird, or a summer insect debating layered ice; that it cannot be seen is obvious. Now, the discourse of Calming and Contemplation contains tens of thousands of characters, broadly discussing the stage of fruition, which is of no benefit to beginners. How could it compare to cultivating quietly on one's own, where when effort matures attainment naturally arrives? Why must one make early calculation one's task?' This is greatly mistaken. Does the domain of the supreme sage lie far apart and remotely severed from the ordinary realm? It is merely a single nature: attaining it is awakening; losing it is delusion. It is merely a single principle: in delusion it is ordinary; in awakening it is sage. The deluded alienates oneself, but the principle is not alienated; the loser loses oneself, but the nature is not lost. The composition of Calming and Contemplation is precisely to resolve differences and probe the sage and divine, enabling all beings to rectify their nature and accord with principle. Rectifying nature and according with principle is how one walks the path of awakening and reaches the wondrous realm. If one does not know this teaching, where would study enter? Where would effort be applied? Where would wisdom be issued? It is like being without eyes, darkened to the light of the sun and moon, walking in perilous precipices—how could stumbling and falling ever be fully described? Ah! The sage is long gone, worthy men do not appear, and the mediocre and confused are merely beings with consciousness. This causes demonic and heterodox deceptions, and various factions flourish together. Chattering about emptiness and existence, they sink or pierce through. Some are stuck to phrases and sentences, daring not to move; some drift in boundless waves, unable to stay. Some think it too distant and willingly resign themselves to never arriving; some think it too near, claiming their own body is immediately it. Some resemble withered wood and call it concentration; some shriek and call it wisdom. Some rush into improper paths and speak of expedient means; some rely on ghosts and spirits and speak of penetrative power. Some indulge their minds and speak of vastness; some speak rarely and claim it to be secret; some pass whispers from tooth and tongue, taking them as oral instructions. All of this sort establish themselves as patriarchs and carry on lineages as schools, opposing the scriptures and rejecting the sages, yet the darkened are not aware of it. Zhongni had a saying: 'That the Way is not clarified, I know the reason.' It is due to the encumbrance of external things. How sorrowful!