萬善同歸集 3.9

3.9

「廬山遠大師釋《涅槃經》『問云：「若無所得，云何作善？」佛答：「明諸眾生，現有佛性，當必因果；如子在胎，定生不久，理須修善。」又問：「我今不知所趣入處，云何作善？」佛答：「有如來藏可以趣入，宜修善業。」』《弘明集》云：『或有惡取於空，以生斷見。』說之於口若同，用之於心則異。正法以空去其貪，邪說以空資其愛。大士體空而進德，小人說空而退善。良由反用正言，以生邪執矣！不觀空以遣累，但取空而廢善。又善惡諸法，等空無相；而善法助道，惡法生障。故知萬法真性，同一如矣；無妨因緣法中，有萬殊矣。故經云：『深信因果，不謗大乘。』三世因果，佛不誑欺；十力勸誡，聞當不疑。而謂善惡都空，無損益乎？夫法眼明了，無法不悉；舌相廣長，言無不實。其析有也，則一毫為萬；其等空也，則萬像皆一。防斷常之生尤，兼空有而除疾。非聖者必凶，順道者終吉；勿謂不信，有如皎日。故《中論》云：『諸佛說空法，為治於有故；若復著於空，諸佛所不化。』《金剛三昧經》云：『若離無取有，破有取空，此偽妄空，而非真無。令雖離有而不存空，如是乃得諸法真無。』故《肇論》云：『若以有為有，則以無為無，有既不有，則無無也。夫不存無以觀法者，可謂見法實性矣。』何得以空害有，以有害空；乖一味之源，成二見之垢乎？並是依語失義，遺智存情。雖言破有，未達有源；強復執空，罔窮空旨。今略辨之，以消邪滯：夫有是不有之有，非實有；空是不空之空，非斷空。若決定為有，非是幻有，而生隔閡；若虛豁為空，即同太虛，而無妙用。所以從緣而有，無性之空。無性之空，空不閡有；從緣之有，有不妨空。有因空立，成圓智而萬行沸騰；空從有生，起妙慧而一真虛寂。豈同執但空而生斷見，福海傾消；據實有而起常心，慢山高峙。是以諸佛說空，為空無明而成福業，破遍計而了圓成；愚人說空，即生妄解而謗佛意，增空見而滅善因。又斷滅空，則無善無惡，無因無果；第一義空，有業有報，不見作者。」

"Great Master Yuan of Mount Lu, explaining the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra, stated: 'The question asks: "If nothing is to be apprehended, how can one do good?" The Buddha answered: "It is explained that all sentient beings presently possess the buddhadhātu, and there must definitely be cause and effect; like a child in the womb who will surely be born before long, according to principle one must cultivate the good." It also asks: "I do not know now where to enter; how can one do good?" The Buddha answered: "There is the tathāgatagarbha that can be entered; one ought to cultivate wholesome karma."' The Hongming ji states: 'Some wrongly grasp at emptiness, thereby giving rise to nihilistic views.' Spoken with the mouth they may appear identical, but applied in the mind they are different. The saddharma uses emptiness to eliminate greed; heterodox teachings use emptiness to foster craving. Great beings realize emptiness and advance in virtue; petty people speak of emptiness and retrogress in goodness. This truly stems from misapplying correct words so as to give rise to mistaken attachments! They do not contemplate emptiness to dispel afflictions, but merely grasp at emptiness to abandon goodness. Furthermore, wholesome and unwholesome dharmas are equally empty and signless; yet wholesome dharmas assist the path, while unwholesome dharmas produce hindrances. Therefore we know that the true nature of the myriad dharmas is identical to the one tathatā; yet this does not prevent there being myriad distinctions within conditioned dharmas. Thus a sūtra states: 'Have deep faith in cause and effect, and do not slander the Mahāyāna.' Regarding cause and effect across the three times, the Buddha does not deceive; regarding the admonitions of the ten powers, when hearing them one should not doubt. Can one say that good and evil are both empty, having neither harm nor benefit? The Dharma-eye is clear and bright, leaving no dharma uncomprehended; the broad and long tongue [of the Tathāgata] leaves no word untrue. In analyzing existence, a single tip of hair becomes myriad; in equalizing emptiness, the myriad phenomena are all one. Preventing the faults of nihilism and eternalism from arising, combining emptiness and existence, it eliminates diseases. Those who oppose the sages will surely meet misfortune; those who accord with the path will ultimately attain good fortune. Do not say it is untrustworthy—it is as evident as the bright sun! Therefore the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā states: 'The Buddhas taught the dharma of emptiness in order to remedy existence; if one further clings to emptiness, the Buddhas will not be able to transform them.' The Vajrasamādhi Sūtra states: 'If one leaves non-existence to grasp existence, or destroys existence to grasp emptiness, this is false and fabricated emptiness, not true non-existence. Cause them, while departing from existence, not to maintain emptiness; only thus can they attain the true non-existence of all dharmas.' Therefore the Zhao Lun states: 'If one regards existence as existence, then one regards non-existence as non-existence; since existence is not existence, non-existence is also not non-existence. One who does not maintain non-existence in contemplating dharmas can be said to see the true nature of dharmas.' How can one use emptiness to harm existence, or use existence to harm emptiness, departing from the source of one flavor and forming the defilement of dualistic views? These are all clinging to words and losing the meaning, abandoning wisdom and retaining sentiment. Though they speak of destroying existence, they have not reached the source of existence; forcibly clinging to emptiness, they fail to fathom the purport of emptiness. Now I briefly discern it to dispel heterodox blockages: Existence is the existence of non-existence, not real existence; emptiness is the emptiness of non-emptiness, not nihilistic emptiness. If it is determinately regarded as existence, it is not illusory existence, and obstruction arises; if it is vacuous and vast as emptiness, it is identical to empty space and lacks marvelous function. Therefore, arising from conditions, it is the emptiness of naturelessness. The emptiness of naturelessness does not obstruct existence; the existence of dependent conditions does not hinder emptiness. Existence is established because of emptiness, completing perfect wisdom so that the myriad practices seethe; emptiness is born from existence, giving rise to marvelous wisdom so that the one truth is quiescent. How could this be the same as clinging to mere emptiness and generating nihilistic views, causing the ocean of blessings to collapse and dissipate; or relying on real existence and arousing an eternalist mind, so that the mountain of pride stands high? Therefore, when the Buddhas speak of emptiness, it is to empty ignorance and accomplish meritorious karma, to destroy the imagined nature and realize the fully perfected nature; when foolish people speak of emptiness, they give rise to deluded understandings and slander the Buddha's intent, increasing views of emptiness and destroying wholesome causes. Moreover, in nihilistic emptiness, there is neither good nor evil, neither cause nor effect; in the emptiness of the ultimate truth, there are karma and retribution, yet no agent is seen."