宗鏡錄 86.11

86.11

答。有四義。一有此中道。何者本將中道破偏。何得無中道。以有空義故。一切法得成。若無空義者。一切則不成。空即中道也。二無此中道。何者。為破偏病。是故說中。偏病既亡。中藥須遣。若有中道。中還是病。三亦有中道。亦無中道。何者。至理虛存。故名亦有。無形無相。故名亦無。如涅槃經云。內外合故。名為中道。四非有中道。非無中道。何者。既云中道。何得是有。既云中道。何得是無。此是一往為言耳。若更再論。則非四句。所謂言語道斷。心行處滅。

Answer: There are four meanings. First, this Middle Way exists. Why? Originally, the Middle Way is used to destroy one-sidedness; how could there be no Middle Way? Because there is the meaning of emptiness, all phenomena are able to be accomplished; if there were no meaning of emptiness, nothing would be accomplished. Emptiness is precisely the Middle Way. Second, this Middle Way does not exist. Why? In order to destroy the disease of one-sidedness, the Middle is therefore spoken of; once the disease of one-sidedness is gone, the medicine of the Middle must be dismissed. If there were a Middle Way, the Middle would still be a disease. Third, the Middle Way both exists and does not exist. Why? Because the ultimate principle provisionally exists, it is called 'also exists'; because it has no form and no characteristics, it is called 'also does not exist.' As the *Nirvāṇa-sūtra* says: 'Because interior and exterior unite, it is called the Middle Way.' Fourth, the Middle Way neither exists nor does not exist. Why? Since it is called the Middle Way, how could it be existent? Since it is called the Middle Way, how could it be non-existent? This is merely a preliminary statement. If we discuss it further, it is beyond the four propositions—the so-called 'path of words is cut off, and the place of mental activity ceases.'