宗鏡錄 89.47

89.47

答。欲知涅槃正義。即我真如心性。故經偈云。如無生性佛出興。如無滅性佛涅槃。言辭譬喻悉皆斷。一切義成無與等。是以非即三法。非離三法。不縱不橫。不並不別。豈可言一言三而指斯妙道乎。清涼記釋云。法身為所證。般若為能證。解脫為離障。又佛身者。即是法性。有佛身義。作二所依故。有智慧義。遍照法界光明故。有解脫義。性離一切障故。此三亦不相離。今三俱不思議。焉可縱。俱不思議。焉可橫。俱不思議。焉可並。俱不思議。焉可別。意云。即一而三。即三而一。非三非一雙照三一。焉可作一三等思。故肇論云。菩提之道。不可圖度。高而無上。廣不可極。淵而無下。深不可測。大包天地。細入無間。故謂之道。又涅槃無名論云。夫涅槃之為道也。寂寥虛曠。不可以形名得。微妙無相。不可以有心知。超群有以幽昇。量太虛而永久。隨之弗得其蹤。迎之罔眺其首。六趣不能攝其生。力負無以化其體。潢漭惚恍若存若往。五目莫覩其容。二聽不聞其響。冥冥窈窈。誰見誰曉。彌綸靡所不在。而獨曳於有無之表。然則言之者失其真。知之者反其愚。有之者乖其性。無之者傷其軀。乃至何者。本之有境。則五陰永滅。推之無鄉。而幽靈不竭。幽靈不竭。則抱一湛然。五陰永滅。則萬累都捐。萬累都捐故與道通同。抱一湛然。故神而無功。神而無功。故至功常存。與道通同故沖而不改。沖而不改。不可為有。至功常存。不可為無。然則有無絕於內。稱謂淪於外。視聽之所不洎。四空之所昏昧。恬焉而夷。泊焉而泰。九流於是乎交歸。眾聖於是乎冥會。斯乃希夷之境太玄之鄉。而欲以有無題牓。標其方域。而語其神道者。不亦邈哉。是以心道孤標。神無方所。豈在有無之朕迹。見聞之影響乎。所以般若波羅蜜經云。文殊師利。如是應知。彼一切法不起不滅。名為如來。又梵王問經云。第一義中。佛不出世。亦不涅槃。從本已來無起滅故。般若燈論偈云。不應捨生死。不應立涅槃。生死及涅槃。無二無分別。乃至如般若波羅蜜經云。佛告極勇猛菩薩言。善男子。色無縛無脫。受想行識無縛無脫。若色至識無縛無脫。是名般若波羅蜜。又如梵王所問經云。佛言。梵王。我不得生死。不得涅槃。何以故。言生死者。但是如來假施設故。而無一人於中流轉。說涅槃者。亦假施設。而無一人般涅槃者。

Answer: If you wish to know the correct meaning of nirvāṇa, it is simply the tathatā-nature of our citta. Therefore a sūtra verse states: "Like the birthless nature, a buddha appears; / Like the deathless nature, a buddha attains nirvāṇa. / Words and metaphors are all cut off; / All meanings are realized, unequaled." Therefore it is neither identical to the three dharmas nor apart from the three dharmas; neither vertical nor horizontal; neither parallel nor separate. How could one speak of one or of three to point to this wondrous way? Master Qingliang's commentary explains: "The dharmakāya is that which is realized, prajñā is that which realizes, and liberation is freedom from hindrances. Furthermore, the buddha-body is precisely the dharmatā; because it has the meaning of the buddha-body, it serves as the support for the two; because it has the meaning of wisdom, it universally illuminates the dharmadhātu with light; because it has the meaning of liberation, its nature is free from all hindrances. These three are also not separate from one another. Now, since all three are inconceivable, how could they be vertical? Since all three are inconceivable, how could they be horizontal? Since all three are inconceivable, how could they be parallel? Since all three are inconceivable, how could they be separate?" The meaning is: being one, they are three; being three, they are one; neither three nor one, both illuminating the three and the one. How could one think of them as one, three, and so on? Therefore the Zhaolun states: "The Way of bodhi cannot be measured or plotted: high, it has no above; broad, it cannot be bounded; abyssal, it has no bottom; deep, it cannot be plumbed. Vast, it envelops heaven and earth; minute, it enters the interval-less. Therefore it is called the Way." Furthermore, the Niepan wuming lun states: "Now the Way of nirvāṇa is desolate, vacant, and vast; it cannot be grasped through form or name. Subtle, wondrous, and devoid of characteristics, it cannot be known with a conceptual mind. Transcending the multitude of existences, it mystically ascends; measuring the great void, it is enduring. Following it, one cannot obtain its traces; welcoming it, one cannot gaze upon its head. The six destinies cannot encompass its birth; force and burden cannot transform its substance. Expansive and indistinct, as if present, as if gone. The five eyes cannot see its countenance; the two hearings cannot hear its sound. Dark and obscure, who sees it, who understands it? Encompassing all, there is nowhere it is not present, yet it alone trails beyond existence and non-existence. Therefore, he who speaks of it loses its reality; he who knows it returns to folly; he who regards it as existent violates its nature; he who regards it as non-existent harms its body... Furthermore, why is this so? If one traces it to the realm of existence, the five aggregates are eternally extinguished; if one pushes it to the domain of non-existence, the hidden spirit is inexhaustible. When the hidden spirit is inexhaustible, it embraces the One in lucidity; when the five aggregates are eternally extinguished, the myriad encumbrances are entirely abandoned. Because the myriad encumbrances are entirely abandoned, it communes with the Way; because it embraces the One in lucidity, it is spiritual yet without exertion. Because it is spiritual yet without exertion, the supreme achievement ever abides; because it communes with the Way, it is vast and unchanging. Vast and unchanging, it cannot be considered existent; the supreme achievement ever abides, it cannot be considered non-existent. Thus, existence and non-existence are terminated within, and designations are submerged without; beyond the reach of seeing and hearing, obscured to the four formless [realms]. Serene and tranquil, calm and at ease. The nine currents converge here; the multitude of sages mystically unite here. This is the realm of the subtle and minute, the homeland of the Grand Profundity. If one wishes to label it with existence and non-existence, mark its territory, and speak of its spiritual Way, is that not exceedingly distant?" Therefore, the way of the citta stands solitary and lofty, and the spirit has no fixed location. How could it abide in the omens and traces of existence and non-existence, or the echoes and shadows of seeing and hearing? Therefore, the Prajñāpāramitāsūtra states: "Mañjuśrī, you should know thus: that all dharmas neither arise nor cease is called the Tathāgata." Furthermore, the Brahmāparipṛcchāsūtra states: "In the ultimate truth, the Buddha does not appear in the world, nor does he enter nirvāṇa, because from the beginning there has been no arising or ceasing." A verse in the Prajñāpradīpaśāstra says: "One should not abandon saṃsāra, / Nor should one establish nirvāṇa. / Saṃsāra and nirvāṇa / Are non-dual and without distinction." Furthermore, as the Prajñāpāramitāsūtra states, the Buddha told the Bodhisattva Suvikrāntavikrāmin: "Good son, form is without bandhana and without liberation; sensation, perception, formations, and consciousness are without bandhana and without liberation. If form up to consciousness are without bandhana and without liberation, this is called prajñāpāramitā." Furthermore, as the Brahmāparipṛcchāsūtra states, the Buddha said: "Brahmā, I do not attain saṃsāra, nor do I attain nirvāṇa. Why? The term 'saṃsāra' is merely a conventional designation of the Tathāgata, yet not a single person wanders within it; speaking of 'nirvāṇa' is also a conventional designation, yet not a single person enters parinirvāṇa."