[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [觀心論疏](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1921) › 4.8 # 觀心論疏 4.8 觀心論疏 4.8 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [4.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1921.4.8) 問：既云「眾生有佛法界十如、佛之知見」，而眾生何以不見？何不遮眾生墮地獄耶？答：涅槃中迦葉等諸菩薩處處共佛，論難斯事有之與無、見與不見，佛諭如箜篌之聲。何者？菩薩有善方便修習則見佛性，故名為有，即能遮地獄，亦如善彈箜篌者其聲則出。而凡夫無方便修習則不見佛性，故墮地獄。雖不見性，不可言無，亦如癡王斷絃求聲不得，而不可言箜篌無聲。今眾生有佛法界十如，有之與無其相如是，是則聞有不可即責其形質，聞無不可即謂如兔角。故經云「佛性非有非無」，非有破虛空，非無破兔角。眾生佛性既爾，餘九如亦然。斯則亦得是有、亦得是無、亦有亦無、非有非無，若取相生著，四句皆是邪見，經云「般若波羅蜜，四邊不可取，邪見火燒故」。若無相潛流，聞佛四說，時能悟理，四句皆是門也，故云「般若四門入清涼池」。《薩遮尼乾子受記經》云：「一切眾生煩惱身即是如來藏，當知一切煩惱藏有如來法身，湛然滿足，如麻中油、如木中火、如地中水、如乳中酪、如藏中寶，是故眾生即如來藏。」此並是經明文也。 > Question: Since it is said that "sentient beings possess the ten suchnesses of the Buddha-dharma-realm and the knowledge and vision of a Buddha," why is it that sentient beings do not see them? Why do these not prevent sentient beings from falling into hell? Answer: In the \[Mahāparinirvāṇa-\]sūtra, Kāśyapa and the other bodhisattvas everywhere engage the Buddha in discussion and debate over whether this thing exists or does not exist, and whether it is seen or not seen; the Buddha used the analogy of the sound of a harp (konghou). How so? When a bodhisattva possesses skillful means and cultivates them, they see the Buddha-nature; therefore it is said to "exist," and they are thus able to prevent \[falling into\] hell, just as the sound comes forth for one who is skilled in playing the harp. But ordinary beings, lacking skillful means, do not cultivate, and thus do not see the Buddha-nature, falling into hell. Although they do not see the nature, one cannot say it does not exist, just as a foolish king broke the strings seeking the sound and did not obtain it, yet one cannot say the harp has no sound. Now, that sentient beings possess the ten suchnesses of the Buddha-dharma-realm, its existence and non-existence having such characteristics, is like this: thus when hearing of "existence," one must not immediately demand its physical form, and when hearing of "non-existence," one must not immediately take it to be like a rabbit's horn. Therefore the sūtra says: "Buddha-nature is neither existent nor non-existent." "Not existent" refutes empty space; "not non-existent" refutes the rabbit's horn. Sentient beings' Buddha-nature being like this, the remaining nine suchnesses are also like this. Thus, it can be said to be existent, it can be said to be non-existent, it can be said to be both existent and non-existent, and it can be said to be neither existent nor non-existent. If one grasps at characteristics and gives rise to attachment, all four propositions are wrong views; the sūtra says: "The perfection of wisdom cannot be grasped at any of the four extremes, because it is burned by the fire of wrong views." If one moves covertly without characteristics, upon hearing the Buddha's four statements, when one is able to awaken to the principle, all four propositions are gateways; therefore it is said: "The four gateways of prajñā enter the cooling pool." The Sūtra of the Prediction of the Nirgrantha Satyaka says: "The defiled bodies of all sentient beings are themselves the Tathāgatagarbha; know that all storehouses of defilements contain the Tathāgata's dharmakāya, limpid and complete, like oil in sesame, like fire in wood, like water in the earth, like ghee in milk, like treasure in a vault; therefore, sentient beings are themselves the Tathāgatagarbha." These are all clear textual proofs from the sūtras. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 4.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1921.4.7) - [Next: 4.9](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1921.4.9) - [Up: 4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1921.4) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1921~en-mt.4.8) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1921.4.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1921.4.8) · Pramāṇa