金剛般若經旨贊 2.36

2.36

Sūtra: "The Buddha told" up to "is exceedingly rare." Commentary: Next is refuting the alarm, fear, and lack of vigor of the people of the two vehicles. Formerly, in the teachings of the two vehicles, the Tathāgata spoke of existing phenomena—namely the aggregates, sense bases, and so forth—and spoke of empty phenomena—namely selflessness and so forth—speaking of both the conditioned and unconditioned as existing. Now he expounds this sūtra to dispel both existence and emptiness. Upon hearing this, when they abruptly hear that existing phenomena do not exist, they dread and think that this sūtra is not the correct path; like walking where one should not, such as into pits and valleys, they then give rise to alarm and panic. Furthermore, hearing that empty phenomena also do not exist, their minds vacillate and cannot resolve doubt, which is why they are frightened. Having later reflected on it, their alarm and fear deepen further, and without turning around at all, they develop dread and terror across the board. Now this sūtra also addresses the two vehicles, causing them to turn their minds toward supreme awakening. Since due to alarm and so forth they cannot exert themselves, it now refutes these to cause them to arouse vigor. That is to say, the real principle is far removed from the two extremes; if one clings to existence or emptiness, one does not tally with the middle way. In order to break attachment to marks, the twofold non-existence is preached; it is not meant that phenomena such as existence and emptiness are utterly non-existent. That the two vehicles and others can awaken to this principle without alarm or fear is therefore rare. Moreover, this sūtra reveals the three non-natures to shatter the mind that clings to the imagined nature as empty or existing, not to repudiate the dependent and perfected natures. Therefore, when the two vehicles and others hear of the nature of the lack of self-nature of marks, they are not alarmed; when they hear of the nature of the lack of self-nature of arising, they are not frightened; and when they hear of the nature of the lack of self-nature of ultimate truth, they are not terrified. All of these are rare.