龍舒增廣淨土文 10.10

10.10

《金剛經》二十七段，其大意不過言真性皆無所有如虛空。然此虛空謂之頑空，頑空者真無所有。而真性雖如虛空，而其中則有，故曰真空不空。頑空則可以作、可以壞。若此地實，掘去一尺土則有一尺空，掘去一丈土則有一丈空。是頑空可以作也。若此器本空，以物置之則實矣；此室本空，以物置之亦實矣。是頑空可以壞也。若真性之空，則不可作、不可壞。本來含虛空世界，烏可作乎？無始以來至于今日未嘗變動，烏可壞乎？真性中俱無所有，無得而比，故不得已而以頑空比之。是《般若心經》云「是諸法空相」，謂諸法皆空之相乃真性也。繼之以「空中無色以至無智亦無得」，謂真性中皆無所有，如頑空中皆無所有也。既皆無所有，然有一切眾生者，乃真性中所現之妄緣耳。大概言之，真性如鏡，一切有生者如影，是真性中所現之影也。影有去來，而鏡常自。若眾生有生滅，而真性常自若。生滅既除，真性乃現，蓋生滅者妄也，真性者真也。故《楞嚴經》云「諸妄消亡，不真何待？」此性上自諸佛下至蠢動含靈初無有異，其異皆妄也。

The twenty-seven sections of the Diamond Sūtra, in their main thrust, do no more than state that the true nature is entirely devoid of anything, like empty space. Yet this empty space is called inert emptiness; inert emptiness is genuinely devoid of anything. But although the true nature is like empty space, within it there is being; hence it is said that true emptiness is not empty. Inert emptiness can be made and can be destroyed. If this ground is solid, digging out one foot of earth yields one foot of emptiness, and digging out one zhang of earth yields one zhang of emptiness. This is how inert emptiness can be made. If this vessel is originally empty, placing an object in it makes it solid; if this room is originally empty, placing objects in it also makes it solid. This is how inert emptiness can be destroyed. As for the emptiness of the true nature, it cannot be made and cannot be destroyed. Originally containing empty space and the worlds, how could it be made? From the beginningless past until today it has never changed or moved; how could it be destroyed? In the true nature nothing whatsoever exists, and there is nothing to compare it to; thus, out of necessity, one compares it to inert emptiness. This is why the Heart of Prajñā Sūtra says, 'All dharmas are marked by emptiness'—meaning that the mark of all dharmas being empty is precisely the true nature. It continues: 'In emptiness there is no form… up to no wisdom and no attainment,' meaning that in the true nature there is nothing whatsoever, just as in inert emptiness there is nothing whatsoever. Since there is nothing whatsoever, yet there are all sentient beings, these are merely delusive conditions appearing within the true nature. Generally speaking, the true nature is like a mirror, and all living beings are like reflections: they are reflections appearing within the true nature. Reflections come and go, but the mirror remains constantly as it is. Sentient beings undergo birth and cessation, but the true nature remains constantly as it is. Once birth and cessation are eliminated, the true nature appears; for birth and cessation are delusion, while the true nature is real. Therefore the Śūraṅgama-sūtra says, 'When all delusions are extinguished, what else is needed for the true to appear?' From the Buddhas above down to wriggling and fluttering creatures below, this nature is originally without difference; any difference is entirely delusive.