翻譯名義集 4.83

4.83

[Namely, emptiness, the conventional, and the middle] Jingxi, when facing death, gave his final instructions to the assembly, saying: "A single thought free of marks is called emptiness; not a single dharma being lacking is called the conventional; neither one nor different is called the middle." Zhang'an said: "Tiantai transmitted three kinds of calming and contemplation from Nanyue: first, gradual; second, indeterminate; third, perfect and sudden. All are Mahāyāna, all are complete in the true mark, and all are equally called calming and contemplation. The gradual is shallow at first and deep later, like steps of a ladder; the indeterminate interchanges earlier and later, like a vajra gem placed in the sun; the perfect and sudden has no duality between beginning and end, like one with supernatural penetrations soaring through the air. For three types of faculties, three Dharma-gates are spoken." Although it is said to have been transmitted from master to disciple, the original source in all cases comes from the Buddhist sūtras. Thus the gradual three contemplations are as stated in the first scroll of the Yingluo jing: "The contemplation of entering emptiness from the conventional is also called the contemplation of the two truths; the contemplation of entering the conventional from emptiness is also called the contemplation of equality. Relying on these two contemplations of emptiness as expedients, one is able to enter the contemplation of the ultimate truth of the Middle Way; this is called the gradual three contemplations." Furthermore, the second scroll says: "At that time, the hair on the Buddha's crown emitted all kinds of light, and gathered the assemblies of buddhas and bodhisattvas from hundreds of millions of buddha lands in the ten directions. In the midst of the assembly, he addressed Mañjuśrī, Samantabhadra, Dharmamati, Guṇavṛkṣa, Vajraketu, Vajragarbha, and the youth Sudhana: 'Do you see Bodhisattva Jingshou in this assembly asking about the realm of dharmas of the three contemplations, the naturally pure path of all buddhas, and the Dharma-gate of the three contemplations practiced by all bodhisattvas? Each of you, leading a great assembly of one million, should cultivate and learn such a Dharma-gate.'" Furthermore, the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā says: "Dharmas arisen from causes and conditions, I declare to be empty; they are also conventional designations, and are also the meaning of the Middle Way." These are all clear texts on the three contemplations in a single mind. (In the past, when I was at the school, Professor Wu came to visit and asked: "The sūtra says: 'Practicing this contemplation (pronounced guān) is called correct contemplation (pronounced guàn).' When pronouncing these two tones, how is their meaning distinguished?" I immediately replied: "Guàn (falling tone) explains its essence, uniquely pointing to the mind capable of conceptualizing. Guān (level tone) reveals its function, bringing in and calling upon the objective realm being faced. Therefore it is said: 'Using contemplation (guàn) to contemplate (guān) delusion, delusion is immediately clarified.'") However, these three meanings opened separately here are completely different from the three virtues mutually pervading in the Nirvāṇa Sūtra; because they were confused in the past, they are now distinguished.