英語訳
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**Q:** What are the original intentions of the two schools (Qingbian's school and Hufa's school)?
**A:** Upon examining what has been transmitted by Ji (Kuiji/窺基), all dharmas are by nature beyond linguistic expression (zhiquan/智詮). There is no question of what is "existent" or "empty." Simply in order to eliminate the disease (of attachment), within the dharmas that transcend language, "emptiness" is provisionally taught so as to lead beings to awakening to the Middle Way. Just as in the Āgama teachings and the Prajñāpāramitā sūtras, even though the Four Truths and the Three Non-Natures are taught, these all serve to eliminate parikalpita (the imagined nature) without eliminating the paratantra (dependent nature) and pariniṣpanna (perfected nature). Therefore, the teachings of emptiness and existence do not contradict each other before and after. The reasoning for this is fully explained in the *Saṃdhinirmocana-sūtra* (解深密経). Hence the *Xin Zan* (心賛) says: "Based on what was previously transmitted, briefly praising the Middle Way." Thus it is known that all Buddhist teachings accord with the Middle Way. It is only because individual practitioners each form their own biased attachments (that misunderstandings arise).
Thus both schools already rely on the sūtras, the *Madhyamaka-śāstra*, and other texts, and both equally establish the Middle Way. However, according to Qingbian's intention: in the conventional truth (sāṃvṛti) there is existence, not emptiness; in the ultimate truth (paramārtha) there is non-existence, not being—this is what he calls the Middle Way. Although the true nature (bhūta-svarūpa) is inexpressible, relying on linguistic expression, the Prajñāpāramitā and other sūtras take the essential emptiness of all dharmas as their ultimate teaching. That is, the principle of the Three Natures as "being" constitutes the conventional truth, and the principle of the Three Non-Natures as "non-being" constitutes the ultimate truth. He ultimately establishes the logical formula (liàng/量): "Truly existent conditioned dharmas are empty."
In response, Hufa now cites the *Saṃgraha-sūtra* (集起経): "Because it is the locus of arising of the seeds of all defiled and purified dharmas, it is called mind." Since there is already the Eighth Consciousness (ālayavijñāna), which gives rise to all defiled and purified dharmas, how could the true nature be simply empty? Therefore, the teaching of the Middle Way takes as its ultimate principle that all dharmas—whether expressed in language (quánmén/詮門) or beyond language (fèiquán/廢詮)—are neither empty nor existent. To eliminate the emptiness of self and dharmas while preserving the existence of paratantra and pariniṣpanna is called the Middle Way. However, relying on conventional truth, "self" and "dharmas" are said to exist (this is the first level of the conventional). Relying on the ultimate truth, the Prajñāpāramitā and other sūtras speak of their emptiness (these are the first three levels of the ultimate truth). That is, the Three Non-Natures and the imagined existence constitute the conventional truth; the principle of the existence of the two natures—paratantra and pariniṣpanna—constitutes the ultimate truth. If one says "all is empty," this contradicts what is taught in the *Saṃgraha-sūtra*, the *Avataṃsaka-sūtra*, the *Saṃdhinirmocana-sūtra*, the *Lotus Sūtra*, and the *Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra* regarding the principle and phenomena, cause and effect, the One Vehicle, and Buddha-nature—all of which perfectly display the Middle Way through both elimination and preservation. Therefore Maitreya (慈氏) teaches: "Because conditioned and unconditioned dharmas exist, and because self and what belongs to self are empty, all dharmas are explained as neither empty nor not-empty, as both existent and non-existent."
**[Right Page, Lower Section]**
This accords with the Middle Way. The Seventh Consciousness (manas) also states: "Self and dharmas are not existent; the empty consciousness is not non-existent. Departing from existence and departing from non-existence, it thus accords with the Middle Way."
Therefore Qingbian's established doctrine of emptiness bears upon itself two faults: violating the school (違宗) and violating the teachings (違教). Moreover, there is the problem that the hypostatized subject (yǒufǎ/有法), one part of the thesis, fails to be established. What does this mean? With respect to our school's (Hufa's) position that, in the true nature, conditioned and unconditioned dharmas are neither empty nor not-empty, there is the fault that one part of the subject of the thesis is not commonly accepted (jí chéng/極成). The meaning is: in our school's true nature, since mind and language are transcended, it is neither empty nor not-empty. In terms of linguistic expression, paratantra and pariniṣpanna are not empty, and parikalpita is not existent—this is the meaning of the Middle Way. You (Qingbian) have deviated from the Middle Way and have raised "emptiness" as the subject of the proposition. Hence there is the fault of one part of the subject not being commonly accepted (jí chéng).
Qingbian should respond: "Our school only speaks of 'the true nature of conditioned dharmas'—we have not yet said 'empty.' On what grounds is our school's subject of the thesis not established?" Therefore the Commentary (疏) replies: "Because you do not accept that our Paramārtha is existent." This means: you have already refused to accept our Four Levels of Paramārtha, thereby making clear that your true nature is definitely empty. The "empty" in the limiting qualifier (jiǎn bié/簡別) is precisely the emptiness of conditioned dharmas. Now, viewed from the perspective of the Middle Way, we say you "do not accept" (the existence of paramārtha). Since emptiness and existence are mutually dependent for the Middle Way to be constituted, how can a one-sided emptiness be called the Middle Way? Hufa's school equally dismantles both emptiness and existence.
Someone says: "Hufa establishes existence and refutes the school of emptiness." This deeply contradicts the original intent. The above correctly reveals the reason why "the subject of conditioned being fails to be established." How the true nature fails (as a subject) is shown in the text below. However, the "Hokushō's" interpretation of "違等我非空" (violating and so on, I am not empty) is probably incorrect. How could Hufa's school establish "non-emptiness" in the domain of transcending linguistic expression (fèiquán mén/廢詮門)?
**Q:** How is this known? Does Hufa's school criticize Qingbian entirely from the perspective of the Middle Way?
**A:** The chapter's concluding statement reads: "In the paramārtha truth, since everything is only empty, it is called 'the master of the one-sided position' (biān zhǔ/辺主)." The meaning is: when one designates a single dharma as "empty," there is no sense of "existence"; when one designates it as "existent," there is
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no sense of "empty." How then can the Middle Way be established? Hence (this position) is called "one-sided." Therefore, the *Guǎng Bǎi (Lùn)* (広百論), fascicle ten, states: "There is another interpretation: By cultivating the contemplation of no-self to the ultimate stage of the expedient means, when one sees the true principle, all conventional existences cease to appear. Hence one speaks of 'true non-existence.'" This also is not correct, because the meaning is difficult to understand. If the conventional is not existent, and this is called "true," then there would be nothing to be realized. But if there is a separate "true" that is what is to be realized, then one should not say "existence is only conventional." Rather, one should say: "The true is neither existent nor non-existent, because mind and language are transcended. To break through existence and non-existence, 'non-existence' and 'existence' are provisionally taught. Both the statements about existence and non-existence are conventional language. In the ultimate principle, both existence and non-existence are eliminated. What is realized by the wisdom of the sages is neither existent nor non-existent, and yet both existent and non-existent."
This is precisely refuting Qingbian's emptiness by relying on the Middle Way. The *Shūyō* (樞要) commentary states: "Just as in the Middle Way paramārtha of the treatise, there is also a fault of partially violating the school." This means that viewed from the Middle Way, it is called "a partial fault." It further states: "According to the paramārtha truth, in both schools, all dharmas are inexpressible—neither empty nor not-empty." Hence it is known that Qingbian violates and loses the Middle Way. The Commentary (疏) also states: "If in accordance with the paramārtha, (dharmas are) neither empty nor not-empty, yet you now declare 'empty is identical with existent'—this is the fault of contradicting your own teaching."
All these texts rely on the Middle Way to reveal Qingbian's faults. It is not a case of calling it "a partial fault" because of the opposition between the "emptiness" of the proponent and the "existence" of the opponent.
**Q:** If so, since it is not that Qingbian's emptiness is established in opposition to Hufa's existence, why does the Commentary state: "Because you do not accept that our paramārtha is existent"?
**A:** The meaning is: within the conventional truth, Hufa further opens up three further levels of paramārtha. Qingbian does not accept these as being paramārtha. Now, by reason of his not accepting that these have "paramārtha existence," one can conversely know that Qingbian does not rely on an existent paramārtha but only on an empty paramārtha. Therefore, "the emptiness of conditioned dharmas" does not mean that Hufa establishes "paramārtha existence" in the domain of transcending linguistic expression (fèiquán mén). Details are as stated above.
That the *Yǎn Mì* (演祕) cites "Sīwǒ" (思我) as an example also has the same meaning. By already limiting (jiǎn bié/簡別) the true nature, the emptiness of conditioned dharmas is thereby known. Hence the next passage in the Commentary states: "Because each is subsumed under the Four Kinds of the Conventional and Paramārtha."
**[Left Page, Lower Section]**
This reveals the reason why Hufa established the Four Paramārthas, together with the scope of mutual subsumption of the conditioned and unconditioned mentioned above. Among the Four Kinds of Conventional (truth) and the first three levels of the ultimate (truth) in the domain of transcending linguistic expression, one does not speak of "conditioned" or "unconditioned," or "empty" or "not-empty." If one were to say that Hufa and others discuss emptiness and existence in the domain of transcending linguistic expression, this would contradict everything everywhere.
If one wishes to refute Hufa's existence in order to establish Qingbian's emptiness, and also wishes to refute Qingbian's emptiness in order to establish Hufa's existence, those who speak in such a manner already both fall into the two extremes. Who would be wrong and who right? Who would have the gains and who the losses? How could the Yogācāra school (唯識宗, i.e., Hufa's school) possibly violate the teachings of the school because of the mutual contradiction between those two schools of emptiness and existence?
**Q:** If "emptiness," as viewed from the Middle Way, is called "one-sided" (yīfèn/一分), what dharma exactly is being referred to as "one-sided"?
**A:** The true nature and conditioned dharmas are both entirely empty, and both are called "one-sided." Therefore the *Yì Dēng* (義燈) states: "He (Qingbian) raises the true nature. The true nature is entirely empty, with no conditioned dharmas. The original intention is not to take the true nature as the subject of the proposition. Within the true nature there can be no linguistic expression. What can be used as the subject of conditioned being? Hence there is the fault regarding the subject."
The meaning of this is: Although Master Ji's (Kuiji's) original intention was not to take the true nature as the subject of the proposition, the true nature raised by Qingbian is precisely the non-existence (nothingness) of the subject of conditioned being. What further can be said to be the subject of conditioned being? Hence this true nature in turn becomes the subject. The true nature, being "the empty of conditioned being," is not the true nature that is a limiting qualifier separate from the thesis. It is not the case that only the dependent conditioned things are not empty. Therefore the *Yǎn Mì* states: "The true nature and conditioned dharmas are already the subject (yǒufǎ/有法)." And the *Hamaki* (濱記) states: "The four characters 'true nature and conditioned dharmas' (真性有為) are all the subject." Contemporary students who do not rely on these texts but instead separately expound the commentary are most laughable indeed.
The next passage of the Commentary states: "If following the Hīnayāna, they regard (dharmas) as substantially existent. Below, since it is already known to be existent..."