南宗頓教最上大乘摩訶般若波羅蜜經六祖惠能大師於韶州大梵寺施法壇經 1.55

1.55

「對。外境無情對有五：天與地對，日與月對，暗與明對，陰與陽對，水與火對。語言法相對，有十二對：有為無為對，有色無色對、有相無相對、有漏無漏對、色與空對、動與靜對、清與濁對、凡與聖對、僧與俗對、老與少對、長與短對、高與下對。自性起用對有十九對：邪與正對、癡與惠對、愚與智對、亂與定對、戒與非對、直與曲對、實與虛對、嶮與平對、煩惱與菩提對、慈與害對、喜與嗔對、捨與慳對、進與退對、生與滅對、常與無常對、法身與色身對、化身與報身對、體與用對、性與相對。語言與法相對有十二對，外境無情對有五對，自性起用對有十九對，都合成三十六對也。此三十六對法，解用通一切經，出入即離兩邊。如何自性起用三十六對共人言語？出外，於相離相；入內，於空離空。著空，則惟長無明；著相，則惟長邪見。秉法直言，不用文字。既云不用文字？人不合言語，言語即是文字。自性上說空，正語言本性不空。迷自惑，語言除故。暗不自暗，以明故暗；暗不自暗，以明變暗。以暗現明，來去相因，三十六對，亦復如是。」

"Opposites. In external insentient phenomena there are five pairs of opposites: heaven paired with earth, sun paired with moon, dark paired with bright, yin paired with yang, and water paired with fire. In the linguistic characteristics of dharmas there are twelve pairs of opposites: conditioned paired with unconditioned, with form paired with formless, with characteristics paired with formless, with defilements paired with undefiled, form paired with emptiness, motion paired with stillness, clear paired with turbid, ordinary paired with noble, monk paired with lay, old paired with young, long paired with short, and high paired with low. In the functions arising from one's own-nature there are nineteen pairs of opposites: crooked paired with straight, foolish paired with wise, dull paired with clever, confused paired with calm, śīla paired with wrongdoing, upright paired with bent, real paired with false, perilous paired with level, kleśa paired with bodhi, compassion paired with harm, joy paired with anger, giving paired with stinginess, advancing paired with retreating, arising paired with ceasing, permanent paired with impermanent, dharmakāya paired with physical body, nirmāṇakāya paired with saṃbhogakāya, essence paired with function, and nature paired with characteristics. The linguistic characteristics of dharmas have twelve pairs, external insentient phenomena have five pairs, and the functions arising from one's own-nature have nineteen pairs, together making thirty-six pairs of opposites. Understanding the use of these thirty-six paired dharmas penetrates all sūtras, and in coming and going, leaves behind the two extremes. How does one use the thirty-six pairs arising from one's own-nature when speaking with people? Moving outward, one is free of characteristics amid characteristics; moving inward, one is free of emptiness amid emptiness. If one clings to emptiness, one only increases ignorance; if one clings to characteristics, one only increases wrong views. Uphold the Dharma and speak directly, without using letters. If it is said, 'without using letters,' should people not speak? Speech itself is letters. When one speaks of emptiness with regard to one's own-nature, the correct speech is that the original nature is not empty. When deluded, one confuses oneself because speech is rejected. Darkness is not dark of itself; it is dark on account of light. Darkness is not dark of itself; light turns into darkness. Light is manifested by darkness; their coming and going mutually condition each other. The thirty-six pairs of opposites are also like this."