宗鏡錄 60.33

60.33

Answer: This is existence not different from emptiness. Arising from conditions, it is without substance, because within each single condition there is no agent. Due to conditions having no agent, conditioned arising is then possible. Therefore, existence that is non-existent is the existence of the dependent [nature]; this is establishing all dharmas without moving from the true limit. If one holds that the dependent [nature] exists literally as spoken, then conditioned arising would have an own-nature. If conditions had an own-nature, they would not depend on each other; not depending on each other, that would destroy the dependent [nature]. The destruction of the dependent [nature] is truly due to clinging to existence. You fear falling into emptiness, so you establish existence, not realizing that what arises from conditions is devoid of own-nature in dharma; thus you destroy conditioned arising and fall into empty nothingness. Furthermore, if one grasps the dependent [nature] as non-existent, there are also two faults: if the dependent [nature] is a non-existent dharma, then conditions have nothing to give rise to, and dharmas cannot exist, which is precisely annihilation.