略論安樂淨土義 1.32

1.32

"As for 'ineffable wisdom,' it means that the Buddha's wisdom transcends designations and words, and does not stand in mutual dependence. Why is this said? If phenomena existed, there would necessarily be a wisdom that knows existence; if phenomena did not exist, there would also be a wisdom that knows nonexistence. But all phenomena are free from existence and nonexistence; therefore, when the Buddha is unified with all phenomena, wisdom transcends mutual dependence. When you cite resolution and confusion as an analogy, it remains merely a form of confusion and does not constitute resolved confusion. It is also like someone interpreting a dream for another within a dream: although one speaks of interpreting the dream, it is not not a dream. To apprehend the Buddha through knowing is not called knowing the Buddha; to apprehend the Buddha through not knowing is not knowing the Buddha; to apprehend the Buddha through neither knowing nor not knowing is also not knowing the Buddha; to apprehend the Buddha through not neither knowing nor not not knowing is likewise not knowing the Buddha. The Buddha's wisdom is free from this tetralemma: whoever takes it as an object finds the activities of the mind extinguished, and whoever attempts to diminish it finds spoken words cut off. For this reason, the Da zhidu lun says: 'If one sees prajñā, that is bondage; / if one does not see prajñā, that is also bondage. / If one sees prajñā, that is liberation; / if one does not see prajñā, that is also liberation.' In this verse, it is taught that not being free from the tetralemma is bondage, while being free from the tetralemma is liberation. Your doubt that the Buddha's wisdom is not profoundly transcendent over human beings is incorrect.