北山錄 2.4.2

2.4.2

How could this attain the path of the Middle Way?) Therefore, those who stagnate in existence drift into eternalism, while those who sink into emptiness plunge into annihilationism. (Those who conceptualize existence grasp all phenomena as eternal, like the non-Buddhists who hypothesize the four universal eternities, or the Hīnayāna adherents who posit that all exists. Those who grasp emptiness are like the non-Buddhists who hypothesize the seven types of annihilationist theories, or those in our own tradition who dismiss all phenomena as completely empty.) Rather than plunging into annihilationism, it is better to drift into eternalism. With eternalism, there are still dharmas to practice; with annihilationism, there is no good that is not abandoned. When [good] is abandoned, one falls into wrong views; when one practices, one gradually advances toward the true Path. (Just as when one dismisses Bodhi and Nirvāṇa as completely empty, it is said that it is better to cling to existence; even if it were as vast as Mount Sumeru, one should not dismiss it into emptiness even to the size of a mustard seed.)

Nowadays, there are those who remain bound to annihilating existence and seizing emptiness as the supreme gate. (Like those in recent times who speak of Chan and stagnate in the way of annihilating existence, immediately clinging completely to emptiness as the ultimate Way.) Let us ask them: Is this emptiness graspable, or is it ungraspable? (If so, what fault is there?) If there is an emptiness that can be grasped, then emptiness is simply existence. (Since emptiness can be grasped, is it not existence?) This is merely using a mind of attachment to seize an indeterminate void. (This is merely an emptiness of complete destruction and obliteration.) What does it have to do with the principle of cultivating practice and seeing one's nature? If emptiness is ungraspable, then it is relinquished together with existence. (Existence is also ungraspable; how does it differ from emptiness?) Having been relinquished together with existence, it is then also preserved together with existence. (Since existence cannot be grasped and emptiness is preserved, if existence is relinquished, emptiness also cannot be grasped; what hinders also preserving existence?) Why preserve only the path of emptiness? One who is capable of both dual relinquishment and dual preservation, completely free and unburdened—(abiding in characteristics, emptiness and existence are not absent; merging with truth, existence and non-existence are both obliterated)—only then may be called [the possessor of] the Great Being's correct contemplation and the profound illumination of the place of practice. (Because one is free from the characteristics of the two graspings, it is named truly abiding in Consciousness-Only.)

Nāgārjuna said: Suppose someone travels to a foreign country and stays at an inn. (An inn is a lodging house.) The host of the inn entertains him, and just as the food and meat dishes are being cleared away—(clearing away means removing the meal)—the guest stands up and asks, "What made this so flavorful?" (Seeing the food was delicious, he stood up and asked.) The host said, "It is because our country has salt sauce." When he retired, he said to himself, "When salt sauce is merely mixed with flavors, it is already so wonderful; how much more so if it were tasted alone!" He then made known the host's kindness. (Making known means clarifying; it means clearly remembering the host's words.) Because of this, he went in secret to a sauce merchant's shop, (in secret means surreptitiously; a sauce merchant sells it) greedily indulging his own desires; staying in an empty room, he ate to satiety, (eating to satiety means overeating to excess) and died of excessive thirst from the salt. Those who take one-sided emptiness as the Path ultimately bring harm upon themselves through emptiness. (Stagnating without penetration is what causes harm.) The *Madhyamaka-śāstra* says: If someone clings to the view of emptiness, the Buddhas cannot convert them; this is a warning against fearing attachment to annihilation.

The scripture says: When the monk Abhimānika heard Root of Joy (Harṣamūla) teach that lust, anger, and delusion are the Path, (when Bodhisattva Harṣamūla taught that lust, anger, and delusion are the Path, it is like saying: First draw them in with the hook of desire, and then cause them to enter the Buddha's wisdom) he could not accept the principle, and resentment and arrogance arose in him. Root of Joy, seeing that it would be of benefit in future lifetimes, forcefully imparted it to him without hesitation. (Although he did not understand now, it would ultimately become a good cause in future lives. Hesitation means harboring resentment.) Yet today, those with wrong views mistakenly seize upon these words, take them to mean that all characteristics are empty, and commit evil without shame. (Being without shame means feeling no compunction. Hearing the teaching of emptiness without grasping its meaning, they immediately dismiss characteristics as entirely empty and feel no shame.) How could they have captured the meaning of the scripture?

However, the *Classic of History* states: "The August One establishes the supreme standard (huangji); assemble his supreme standard, and return to his supreme standard." "August" means great; "extreme" means the center. (Whenever establishing affairs, one must use the Great Center way. This differs slightly from the wording in the *Book of Documents*.) None but a sage can aspire to practice the Way of the Great Center. (The Way of the Great Center refers to the Nine Divisions: the first is the Five Elements; the second is reverent practice of the Five Matters; the third is diligent practice of the Eight Governings; the fourth is harmonious use of the Five Periods; the fifth is the establishment and use of the Royal Standard; the sixth is the orderly practice of the Three Virtues; the seventh is the clear practice of examining doubts; the eighth is the thoughtful practice of the various omens; the ninth is the joyful practice of the Five Blessings and the awe-inspiring practice of the Six Extremities. These nine are for sages, gentlemen, emperors, and kings.) The *Book of Rites* says: "Is not the Doctrine of the Mean (Zhongyong) supreme?" (The sixteenth chapter of the *Book of Rites* is the "Doctrine of the Mean" chapter.) *Yong* means ordinary/constant; using the center is the constant Way. Therefore, the Royal Standard is the center of centers for the myriad transformations, and the Doctrine of the Mean is also the center of centers for the myriad transformations. (What is called the myriad things each has the Way within them.) It is the nature of supreme virtue; it is the form and appearance of the myriad things. (It is the director of the myriad transformations, the true master of yin and yang.)

The Ancient Sage [Laozi] said: "Thirty spokes converge on one hub; it is where there is nothing that the utility of the cart lies." (This is from Chapter 11 of the *Daodejing* of Laozi. Thirty spokes represent the many; one hub represents the few. Using the few to integrate the many. This cites the entity of the shafts and carriage box to aid the function of what is formless.) "Clay is molded to make vessels; it is where there is nothing that the utility of the vessel lies." (Molding means mixing; clay is earth. Mixing earth makes earthenware vessels; having the hollow space inside provides the function of containing things.) Therefore, having existence constitutes the vessel; (like conditioned phenomena) having non-existence constitutes the utility. (Like unconditioned phenomena being manifested by means of conditioned phenomena.) Non-existence is the center; (using the center as an analogy for the supreme Way) the center indicates oneness. Therefore it is said: "Heaven attained the One and thereby became clear; Earth attained the One and thereby became tranquil." (A passage from Chapter 39 of Laozi. When things attain the function of the Way, Heaven is clear and Earth is tranquil. When the function is lost, the reality is destroyed.)

The *Classic of Changes* says: "Spirit has no definite direction, and the *Changes* has no fixed form." (A passage from the *Xici*. Spirit is the unfathomability of yin and yang; the *Changes* goes wherever transformation leads, and cannot be illuminated by a single direction or a single form.) It also says: "One yin and one yang is called the Way." (The Way is the designation for what is silent and formless. Although yin and yang are different, there is nothing else to await besides the One. In yin, by having no yin, yin is generated; in yang, by being without yang, yang is completed. Therefore it is said: "One yin and one yang.") However, whether one lifts their skirts or wades depends on the depth, and the teachings of the three gates differ. (The *Analects* says: "If deep, wade across with clothes on; if shallow, lift the skirts." The *Erya* says: Crossing water with clothes on is called wading (li); if it is shallow, one enters with clothes lifted (jie). Lifting the skirts refers to holding up one's garments. Lifting and wading are metaphors for the depth and shallowness of practicing the contemplation of the Path.)

When one holds the Great Center within and practices virtuous instruction without, Heaven and Earth are in harmony, and ghosts and spirits cause no harm. Therefore, Dating and Hexu (both were rulers who governed prior to [...]) mastered the art of the ring's center, unifying the myriad transformations in wuwei. (They did not treat only their kin as kin, nor did they treat only their sons as sons.