[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) › [釋摩訶般若波羅蜜經覺意三昧](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1922) › 1.20 # 釋摩訶般若波羅蜜經覺意三昧 1.20 釋摩訶般若波羅蜜經覺意三昧 1.20 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [1.20](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1922.1.20) 答曰：未念雖未起，而非畢竟無心。所以者何？譬如人未作，後有緣事即便作作。不可以未作故，即便無人，若定無人，後誰作作？以有未作人故，則後有作人。心相亦應如是，因未念故，得有欲念，若無未念之心，何得有欲念心耶？是故未念雖未起，不得言畢竟無也。汝言念已心已滅則不可觀者，是亦不然。念已雖滅，亦可觀察。譬如人作竟，不得言無人，若定無人者，前誰更作？念已心滅亦復如是，不得言永滅無心。若心滅已永滅者，則是斷見，說無因果。是故念已雖滅，亦可得觀。 > Answer: Although "prior to thinking" has not yet arisen, it is not an absolute absence of mind. Why is this? It is like a person who has not yet acted: later, when an occasion arises, he immediately performs an action. One cannot say that because he has not yet acted, there is immediately no person. If there were definitely no person, who would later perform the action? Because there is a person who has not yet acted, there is subsequently a person who acts. The characteristics of the mind should also be understood in this way: because of "prior to thinking," one is able to have "intending to think." If there were no mind prior to thinking, how could there be a mind intending to think? Therefore, although "prior to thinking" has not yet arisen, one cannot say it is an absolute absence. As for your statement that when a thought has ceased the mind is already extinguished and cannot be contemplated, this too is not so. Although a thought has ceased, it can also be observed. For instance, when a person has finished acting, one cannot say there is no person. If there were definitely no person, who previously performed the action? The extinction of mind when a thought has ceased is also just like this; one cannot say it is eternally extinguished and devoid of mind. If a mind, having ceased, were permanently extinguished, that would be the view of annihilationism, asserting that there is neither cause nor effect. Therefore, although a thought has ceased, it can indeed be contemplated. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 1.19](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1922.1.19) - [Next: 1.21](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1922.1.21) - [Up: 1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1922.1) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1922~en-mt.1.20) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (1) - [摩訶止觀](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1911.2.50) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1922.1.20](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1922.1.20) · Pramāṇa