英語訳
【Right Page】
The gate of emotional existence prevents reductive grasping because it expresses delusory existence. Returning to consciousness like an illusion, it prevents proliferative grasping because there are no fixed characteristics. Within reductive emptiness, the gate of emotional emptiness prevents proliferative grasping because it expresses delusory emptiness. Returning to consciousness like an illusion, it prevents reductive grasping because there are no fixed characteristics.
Within increasing non-existence emptiness, those who increase existence and non-existence are precisely the gate of emptiness, preventing proliferative grasping because they express non-nature. Middle existence and non-non-existence are precisely the gate of existence, preventing reductive grasping because they express having meaning. Within decreasing non-existence existence, those who decrease non-existence and non-existence are precisely the gate of existence, preventing reductive grasping because they express having meaning. Middle non-existence and non-non-existence are precisely the gate of emptiness, preventing proliferative grasping because they express non-nature.
Within non-extreme existence emptiness, the gate of non-extreme existence emptiness prevents proliferative grasping because it expresses non-meaning. The gate of non-extreme emptiness existence prevents reductive grasping because it expresses having nature. Within middle existence existence, the gate of middle existence existence prevents reductive grasping because it expresses having nature. The gate of non-extreme existence emptiness prevents proliferative grasping because it expresses non-meaning.
Within non-extreme emptiness existence, the gate of non-extreme emptiness existence prevents reductive grasping because it expresses having nature. The gate of non-extreme existence emptiness prevents proliferative grasping because it expresses non-meaning. Within middle emptiness emptiness, the gate of middle emptiness emptiness prevents proliferative grasping because it expresses non-meaning. The gate of non-extreme emptiness existence prevents reductive grasping because it expresses having nature.
Thus it is inexhaustible, reaching the ineffable. In each subdivision of the three non-nature gates, each preventing nature should all be understood by analogy. From coarse to fine, progressively exhausting the bottom, with absolutely nothing remaining and ultimately nothing to be gained. The path of language is severed and thought completely perishes.
This is temporarily explaining the meaning regarding the first two single propositions. The joint propositions and joint negations can be understood by analogy. This is temporarily explaining the meaning regarding the four propositions of existence and non-existence. The remaining immeasurable four propositions such as unity and difference can also be understood by analogy.
Now these layer upon layer of boundless things to be abandoned, though boundless, are all imagined characteristics. This is precisely the gate that prevents and destroys conceptual grasping. Now these layer upon layer of boundless things to be preserved, though non-extreme, are all dependent and perfect natures. This is precisely the gate that expresses and manifests self-realization. What is preserved expresses, what is abandoned prevents. The prevention gate aims at entering principle—all phenomena are quiescent. The expression gate takes dharma-characteristics as fundamental—all phenomena are distinct. The former returns to the three non-nature gates, the latter returns to the three self-nature gates.
Now this quiescence and distinctness mutually accommodate in one thought without any obstruction. All phenomena have no self-nature; being without nature and without cessation, they are originally quiescent—self-nature nirvana. All phenomena, each one empty and existent, form and mind, phenomena and principle are centered without confusion. Therefore one should say: for deluded consciousness, all four propositions are wrong; for awakened consciousness, all four propositions are correct.
Hence the Meaning Forest says: "Therefore one should say: for deluded consciousness, all four propositions are wrong; for awakened consciousness, all four propositions are correct." The path of meaning is extremely rich—what gate can compare to this?
Mutual identity and separation, both identical and separate, neither identical nor separate; having characteristics and being characterless, both having and not having, neither having nor not having; arising-ceasing and permanence, both permanent and ceasing, neither permanent nor ceasing; long time and short time, both long and short, neither long nor short; one vehicle and five natures, both one and five, neither one nor five, etc.—all are completely present without exception.
These various gates are not merely conceptual constructs. Each and every gate has real meaning. Namely, the three natures have no separate substance, have causal nature, have different characteristics and natures, have multiple phenomena. The dependent and perfect of the three natures are non-existent existence. The imagined of the three non-natures is non-empty emptiness. Being non-existent yet appearing existent with arising-ceasing characteristics, true reality is constant and neither arises nor ceases. Being beginningless and endless like illusory time, the three times are immediately
【Left Page】
subsumed into one instant. The three non-nature gates are the same one dharma-realm, so all sentient beings should attain Buddhahood. Their principle is real, not false. The three self-nature gates are phenomena as they are, with naturally distinct five natures having differences. Their phenomena are like illusions, not completely non-existent.
However, what should be refuted are: one-sided identity, one-sided separation, one-sided existence, one-sided emptiness, one-sided arising-ceasing, one-sided permanence, one-sided long time, one-sided short time, one-sided one vehicle, one-sided five natures, etc. All are partial attachments and should not be grasped.
Therefore, sometimes establishing four levels of conventional and ultimate truth—existence and non-existence, phenomena and principle, shallow and deep meaning and purport—there is no meaning left unexplained. Sometimes dividing four types of substantial nature—mutual identity, mutual separation, mind and objects, provisional and real—there is no substance left unjudged. Sometimes discussing five levels of stages, encompassing all contemplation gates. Sometimes listing five types of consciousness-only, harmonizing different explanations of various teachings. Sometimes explaining seven suchnesses and clarifying ten suchnesses—dharma-gates of equality and universality have nothing prior to this. Sometimes discussing eight consciousnesses and acknowledging nine consciousnesses—the distant source of defiled and pure causes and effects has nothing deeper than this.
The hundred dharmas are a brief record of names and numbers; extensively there are thousands and myriad dharmas, even reaching the ineffable. Five levels also briefly have five levels; exhaustively there are ten levels, a hundred levels, even reaching the uncountable. Breaking brushes, who could write it all? Exhausting eons, who could speak it all?
Speaking of their non-obstruction: phenomena and phenomena are neither identical nor separate, principle and principle are neither identical nor separate, phenomena and principle are neither identical nor separate. Examining their nature and characteristics: phenomena and phenomena's differences are not destroyed, principle and principle's differences are not destroyed, phenomena and principle's differences are not destroyed. However, within this: in phenomena-phenomena correlation, non-identity is fundamental; in principle-principle correlation, non-separation is fundamental; in phenomena-principle correlation, the two gates are equal. All have their reasons, as should be understood from the above.
Having thus discriminated and understood, all doubts are completely eliminated. Therefore, one vehicle and five vehicles are like the differences between ice and water; having characteristics and being characterless are like the dissimilarity between rope and hemp; difference and non-duality are like the analogy of glue and lacquer; arising-ceasing and permanence are like the metaphor of ocean and waves.
Moreover, who says that cultivation in our school is only three incalculable eons and not one thought? Illusory three times still exist within one thought. Who says that the fruition virtue of our school is only newly achieved and not original? Pure-nature nirvana is beginningless perfect enlightenment.
If discussing principle from phenomena, then even the suchness of equal enlightenment and marvelous enlightenment becomes the five nature-types. If discussing phenomena from principle, then even the phenomena of determined nature and no-nature become one-vehicle capacity. The non-identity gate mostly accords with phenomenal characteristics and mostly accords with five natures. The non-separation gate exclusively accords with principle-nature and exclusively accords with one vehicle. However, none are partial—they merely accord accordingly.
Thus the eight negations are not external, and the gate of no-arising no-cessation opens high. The three contemplations are the same, and the moon of one mind one thought illuminates perfectly.
Like this, repeatedly investigating the marvelous meaning of phenomena-phenomena perfect interfusion, the text "identity and difference should not be due to causal nature" floats to mind. Subtly hearing the secret mystery of "immediate phenomena yet true," the discourse "all dharmas and sages are immediately suchness" fills the ears. Although suchness is characterless, it takes phenomena as form; although dharma-nature transcends words, it entrusts meaning to substance. Without moving various phenomenal characteristics, judging them as suchness true principle, promoting merit and combining wisdom is immediately dharma-body teaching. Discussing identity in terms of principle, attaining Buddhahood at the first ground—all this is decisively complete within our school.
Such immeasurable layers of various meanings do not first emerge through establishment. Within dharmas transcending verbal explanation, they are originally complete as they are, without before or after, completely without barriers. Different from multiple countries lined up side by side, different from tall buildings accumulated in layers. Myriad dharmas simultaneous, thousand differences in one thought, all natures and characteristics, all non-obstruction, all consciousness-only, all prajñā, all suchness, etc.
If one speaks of being completely without fixed characteristics, this too is the fixed characteristic of having no fixed characteristics. How could this transcend attachment to fixed characteristics? If one speaks of definitely transcending verbal explanation,