宗鏡錄 76.3

76.3

答。第一義中。尚無生死。何有始終。順世諦門中。隨眾生見。而妄說生死。如古德云。真妄相循。難窮初後者。釋云。若言先妄。後真。真則。有始。若謂。先真後妄。妄由何生。若妄依真起。真亦非真。若妄體即真。則妄亦無始。為破始起。立無始言。始既不存。終從何立。無終無始。豈有中間。故中論云。大聖之所說。本際不可得。生死無有始。亦復無有終。若無有始終。中當云何有。是故於此中。先後共亦無。真妄兩亡。方說真妄。真妄交徹。何定始終。

Answer: In the supreme truth, there is not even birth and death; how could there be a beginning and an end? In accordance with conventional truth, following the views of sentient beings, birth and death are spoken of falsely. As an ancient worthy said: "Truth and delusion follow each other; it is difficult to fathom their beginning and end." / Explaining this: if one says that delusion comes first and truth comes later, then truth would have a beginning. If one says that truth comes first and delusion comes later, from what would delusion arise? If delusion arises based on truth, then truth would also not be truth. If the substance of delusion is itself truth, then delusion is also beginningless. To refute a primary origin, the word 'beginningless' is posited. Since a beginning does not exist, from where could an end be established? With neither end nor beginning, how could there be a middle? / Therefore the *Mūlamadhyamakakārikā* says: / That which is spoken by the Great Sage: / An ultimate limit cannot be found; / Birth and death have no beginning, / Nor do they have an end. / If there is neither beginning nor end, / How could there be a middle? / Therefore herein, / Sequence and simultaneity are also non-existent. / Truth and delusion are both eliminated; only then are truth and delusion spoken of. When truth and delusion interpenetrate, how can beginning and end be fixed?