35. The Meaning of Permanence and Impermanence 三五、常无常义
Coauthored by Teacher Qi and His Junior Disciple | 2018-06-23 | Download | AI assisted translation
| 【尔时大慧菩萨复白佛言：“世尊，如来应供等正觉，为常为无常？”佛告大慧：“如来应供等正觉，非常非无常，谓二俱有过。若常者，有作主过。常者，一切外道说。作者无所作，是故如来常非常，非作常，有过故。】 |
[At that time, Mahāmati Bodhisattva again addressed the Buddha: “World-Honored One, is the Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Awakened One, permanent or impermanent?” The Buddha told Mahāmati: “The Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Awakened One, is neither permanent nor impermanent, for both entail errors. If permanent, there is the error of being a creator-lord. Permanence is asserted by all non-Buddhist paths. A creator has no created object; therefore, the Tathāgata’s permanence is not the permanence of a creator, for that entails error.”] |
| 在第三十三门，佛驳斥了七种外道无常见，三十四门又破斥了二乘的有余涅槃见，但对如来真常之义并没有专门开显。这一门大慧再问：那么，如来到底是常还是无常呢？ |
In the thirty-third section, the Buddha refuted seven non-Buddhist views of impermanence; in the thirty-fourth, he further refuted the two vehicles’ view of nirvāṇa with remainder. Yet he did not specifically expound the meaning of the Tathāgata’s true permanence. In this section, Mahāmati asks again: Is the Tathāgata ultimately permanent or impermanent? |
| 佛告诉大慧菩萨：如来者，不是常，也不是无常。如来正等正觉，离百非，绝众过，说常、说无常都不对。 |
The Buddha tells Mahāmati Bodhisattva: The Tathāgata is neither permanent nor impermanent. The Tathāgata, the Perfectly Awakened One, is free from a hundred negations and cuts off every error; it is wrong to call him either permanent or impermanent. |
| “若常者，有作主过。常者，一切外道说。作者无所作，是故如来常非常，非作常，有过故”——如果认为如来是常，则堕能作之主过。 |
“If permanent, there is the error of being a creator-lord. Permanence is asserted by all non-Buddhist paths. A creator has no created object; therefore, the Tathāgata’s permanence is not the permanence of a creator, for that entails error”—if one regards the Tathāgata as permanent, one falls into the error of positing a creator-lord. |
| 一切外道见诸法无常，便于无常外另立了一个实有的恒常主（如天主），认为实有恒常能作之主，才造作出了一切无常，这是外道邪说。如来真实，则本来寂灭，所谓“作者”即非“作者”——一切能作和所作，无非幻现，并不实有，实无能作与所作。所以如来之常，不是外道所说的能作之常。 |
All non-Buddhist paths see conditioned dharmas as impermanent and then establish, apart from impermanence, a truly existing permanent lord, such as a heavenly lord. They hold that this truly existing, permanent, active lord produces all impermanent things. This is a non-Buddhist erroneous teaching. The Tathāgata, in truth, is originally quiescent and ceased. The so-called “creator” is not a creator: all agents and objects of action are merely illusory manifestations and do not truly exist; in truth, there are neither agents nor things made. Therefore, the Tathāgata’s permanence is not the permanence of an active creator as asserted by non-Buddhist paths. |
| 【若如来无常者，有作无常过。阴所相，相无性，阴坏则应断，而如来不断。大慧，一切所作皆无常，如瓶、衣等，一切皆无常过，一切智众具方便应无义。以所作故，一切所作皆应是如来，无差别因性故。是故，大慧，如来非常非无常。】 |
[“If the Tathāgata were impermanent, there would be the error of being a product and thus impermanent. The marks of the aggregates have no inherent nature; if the aggregates were destroyed, he should be annihilated, yet the Tathāgata is not annihilated. Mahāmati, all that is produced is impermanent, like jars, garments, and so forth. If all were impermanent, the omniscient one and the various skillful means would be meaningless. Because they are produced, all produced things should be Tathāgatas, since their causal nature would be undifferentiated. Therefore, Mahāmati, the Tathāgata is neither permanent nor impermanent.”] |
| 如果认为如来是无常，那又堕了所作无常之过。假如如来是所作，即，如来若是五阴和合所作之相，而凡所作相，都没有实质自性，无不是无常变异。那么，五阴若坏，则如来也应该断坏归无了。而真实如来终不断坏，所以如来不是无常。 |
If one considers the Tathāgata impermanent, one again falls into the error of being a produced and impermanent thing. If the Tathāgata were something produced—that is, a form produced by the combination of the five aggregates—then, since all produced forms lack any substantial inherent nature and are impermanent and subject to change, the Tathāgata too should perish and return to nothing when the five aggregates disintegrate. But the true Tathāgata never perishes; therefore, the Tathāgata is not impermanent. |
| 而且，一切所作之物都是无常。就像瓶器和衣服等，但凡有所造作而成，都不免坏灭。那么，如果如来无常，则意味着：一切自觉圣智、一切如来贤圣、一切方便度生之功德也是所作，也属无常坏灭，那么佛法就毫无意义了。 |
Moreover, all things that are produced are impermanent. Like jars and garments, whatever has been made is inevitably subject to decay and destruction. Thus, if the Tathāgata were impermanent, it would mean that all the wisdom of the self-awakened noble ones, all Tathāgatas and sages, and all merits of skillful means for liberating sentient beings were also produced, impermanent, and perishable. Then the Buddhadharma would have no meaning at all. |
| 既然一切所作都毫无意义都是无常，一切法就没有差别可言了，则一切法都可以是佛法，世出世间法就可以相互替代，混淆莫辩了，因为从根本因上来讲都是无常不可得嘛！可见如来不是所作之无常。 |
If all produced things were meaningless and impermanent, there could be no distinctions among dharmas. All dharmas could then be Buddhadharma, and worldly and supramundane dharmas could replace one another, becoming hopelessly confused, since at their fundamental causal basis they would all be impermanent and unobtainable. Clearly, the Tathāgata is not impermanent as something produced. |
| 所以，大慧，如来非常，非无常。 |
Therefore, Mahāmati, the Tathāgata is neither permanent nor impermanent. |
| 这两段，佛先从作的角度破斥了常见和无常见：外道认为无常实有，无常外别有一常，才造作出了无常诸法。如来不是这样的能作之常、或者所作之无常。 |
In these two passages, the Buddha first refutes both eternalism and impermanence from the standpoint of production. Non-Buddhist paths hold that impermanence truly exists and that, apart from impermanence, there is a permanence that produces all impermanent dharmas. The Tathāgata is neither such active permanence nor a produced impermanence. |
| 【复次大慧，如来非如虚空常。如虚空常者，自觉圣智众具无义过。大慧，譬如虚空非常非无常。离常无常、一异、俱不俱。常无常过，故不可说。是故如来非常。】 |
[“Furthermore, Mahāmati, the Tathāgata is not permanent in the manner of space. If he were permanent as space is permanent, there would be the error that the self-awakened noble wisdom and its various qualities are meaningless. Mahāmati, space is, for example, neither permanent nor impermanent. It is apart from permanence and impermanence, sameness and difference, both and neither. Since permanence and impermanence entail error, it cannot be spoken of in those terms. Therefore, the Tathāgata is not permanent.”] |
| “自觉圣智众具无义过”：如来自觉圣智及种种功德都将没有意义了。 |
“There would be the error that the self-awakened noble wisdom and its various qualities are meaningless”: the Tathāgata’s self-awakened noble wisdom and manifold virtues would all become meaningless. |
| 大慧，如来也并非象虚空之常。如果如来象虚空之常一样空寂、无知，那就不存在自觉圣智之智慧妙用了。元音老人常说“一念不生处，了了分明的灵知，即当人的佛性”就是此意：真如佛性，湛然寂静，但并非死寂无知，而是“了了灵知”。 |
Mahāmati, nor is the Tathāgata permanent like space. If the Tathāgata were empty, still, and insentient like permanent space, the wondrous functioning of the wisdom of self-awakened noble wisdom would not exist. Master Yuanyin often said, “At the point where not a single thought arises, the clear and distinct spiritual knowing is precisely a person’s Buddha-nature.” This is the meaning: the suchness of Buddha-nature is profoundly still and quiescent, yet it is not dead stillness or unconsciousness; rather, it is clear spiritual knowing. |
| 大慧，如来真实与虚空类同的，是虚空的非常、非无常性：因为说虚空是恒常法，虚空却无形无处，无法把捉；说虚空不常，却又不见虚空的边表，不见其生灭变化。如来法身也是类似这样的非常非无常，但如来化用却是妙灵无边的，虽然无作而无不作，虽然无知而了了灵知，绝不同于虚空的枯寂无知。 |
Mahāmati, what the true Tathāgata has in common with space is space’s nature as neither permanent nor impermanent. If one calls space a permanent dharma, space has neither form nor location and cannot be grasped; if one calls space impermanent, one sees neither its limits nor its arising, ceasing, and transformation. The Tathāgata’s Dharma body is similarly neither permanent nor impermanent. Yet the Tathāgata’s transformative functioning is boundlessly wondrous and aware: though inactive, there is nothing it does not do; though without knowing, it has clear spiritual knowing. It is utterly unlike the barren stillness and unconsciousness of space. |
| 所以，如来离常无常、一异、俱不俱。说如来常或者无常，俱是过错，如来实相，不可以用这样的妄想言说来把捉。 |
Therefore, the Tathāgata is apart from permanence and impermanence, sameness and difference, both and neither. To call the Tathāgata permanent or impermanent is in either case an error. The true aspect of the Tathāgata cannot be grasped through such deluded conceptual speech. |
| 这是说，虽然可以用虚空的一些特点来比喻如来，但是如来不是如同虚空那样的枯寂恒常。 |
This means that, although certain features of space may be used as analogies for the Tathāgata, the Tathāgata is not permanently barren and still like space. |
| 【复次大慧，若如来无生常者，如兔马等角，以无生常故，方便无义。以无生常过，故如来非常。】 |
[“Furthermore, Mahāmati, if the Tathāgata were permanently unborn, like the horns of rabbits and horses, then, because of the permanence of being unborn, skillful means would be meaningless. Because of the error of permanently unborn, the Tathāgata is not permanent.”] |
| 又，如果如来是“不生”之常，此不生，就像兔和马始终无角一样，不生相宛然，那如来就堕于断灭不生的邪见了，则如来所作的种种功德方便也应断灭无生，而不存在任何润生意义了。所以，“不生”之常，堕了断灭邪见，如来不是这样的“不生”之常。 |
Further, if the Tathāgata were permanent in the sense of “unborn,” and this non-arising were like the horns of rabbits and horses, which have never arisen, then the Tathāgata would fall into the erroneous view of annihilation and non-arising. The Tathāgata’s various merits and skillful means would likewise be annihilated and unborn, and would have no beneficial significance for sentient beings. Therefore, permanence as “unborn” falls into the erroneous view of annihilation; the Tathāgata is not permanent in this sense of “unborn.” |
| 这是破斥，如来非如兔、马等角始终不生这样的断灭恒常。 |
This refutes the annihilationist permanence in which the Tathāgata is held to be permanently unborn like the horns of rabbits and horses. |
| 既然如来不是虚空般的无知恒常，又不是兔角般的断灭恒常，那么，到底什么是如来之常呢？下文开显如来真常之义： |
Since the Tathāgata is neither permanently unconscious like space nor permanently annihilated like rabbit horns, what, then, is the Tathāgata’s permanence? The following passage expounds the meaning of the Tathāgata’s true permanence: |
| 【复次大慧，更有余事知如来常，所以者何？谓无间所得智常，故如来常。大慧，若如来出世，若不出世，法毕定住。声闻、缘觉，诸佛如来无间住，不住虚空，亦非愚夫之所觉知。大慧，如来所得智，是般若所熏，非心意意识、彼诸阴界入处所熏。大慧，一切三有，皆是不实妄想所生。如来不从不实虚妄想生。】 |
[“Furthermore, Mahāmati, there is another matter by which one may know the Tathāgata to be permanent. Why is this so? It is because the wisdom attained without interruption is permanent; therefore, the Tathāgata is permanent. Mahāmati, whether Tathāgatas appear in the world or do not appear in the world, the Dharma remains abiding and certain. Śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, and all Buddhas and Tathāgatas abide without interruption; they do not abide in space, nor can this be known by ordinary deluded people. Mahāmati, the wisdom attained by the Tathāgata is permeated by prajñā; it is not permeated by mind, intellect, consciousness, or the aggregates, realms, sense bases, and abodes. Mahāmati, all the three realms of existence arise from unreal deluded thoughts. The Tathāgata does not arise from unreal and false deluded thoughts.”] |
| 再者大慧，遣除了常和无常的外道邪见，余下的就是如来真常了。为什么呢？因为如来所证之法，揭示了世出世间一切事物的真相，此真相无间常存，所以如来是真常。大慧，无论如来出世或者不出世，如来直指的实相真理毕竟常住。 |
Further, Mahāmati, once the non-Buddhist erroneous views of permanence and impermanence have been eliminated, what remains is the Tathāgata’s true permanence. Why? Because the dharma realized by the Tathāgata reveals the true aspect of all worldly and supramundane things, and this true aspect abides continuously and permanently. Therefore, the Tathāgata is truly permanent. Mahāmati, whether the Tathāgata appears in the world or not, the true reality directly indicated by the Tathāgata ultimately abides permanently. |
| “声闻、缘觉，诸佛如来无间住，不住虚空，亦非愚夫之所觉知”——声闻缘觉错以为如来真常应该是虚空一般的无知空住。他们无法了知，诸佛如来是妙灵真知，所以无间常住。虽然常住却又并无所住，绝不同于世间之妄识，所以愚痴凡夫亦不能揣测觉知。 |
“Śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, and all Buddhas and Tathāgatas abide without interruption; they do not abide in space, nor can this be known by ordinary deluded people”—śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas mistakenly think that the Tathāgata’s true permanence should be an unconscious empty abiding like space. They cannot understand that all Buddhas and Tathāgatas possess wondrous spiritual knowing and therefore abide permanently without interruption. Though permanently abiding, they abide nowhere; they are utterly unlike the deluded consciousness of the world. Thus foolish ordinary beings likewise cannot fathom or know this. |
| “大慧，如来所得智，是般若所熏，非心意意识，彼诸阴界入处所熏。大慧，一切三有，皆是不实妄想所生。 |
“Mahāmati, the wisdom attained by the Tathāgata is permeated by prajñā; it is not permeated by mind, intellect, consciousness, or the aggregates, realms, sense bases, and abodes. Mahāmati, all the three realms of existence arise from unreal deluded thoughts.” |
| 如来不从不实虚妄想生”——如来所证的自觉圣智，是般若熏显而成就的，并非凡夫依靠自己的心识度量就能捞摸得成的。 |
“The Tathāgata does not arise from unreal and false deluded thoughts”—the self-awakened noble wisdom realized by the Tathāgata is accomplished through the permeation and manifestation of prajñā. It is not something ordinary beings can attain by relying on the measuring and calculating of their own mind-consciousness. |
| 因为凡夫的心识度量，都是基于阴、界、入处种种不实妄想相互攀缘而生成，其起因和依据都是错误不实的，就像科学实验做测量却用错了标尺一样，那又能得出什么真常真理呢！大慧，一切世间三有，无不是不实妄想所生。如来则不由虚妄不实的妄想得生。如来真实，离生灭、得失、有无分别，所以如来是真常。 |
For the measuring and calculating of ordinary beings’ mind-consciousness arises through the mutual grasping of the various unreal and deluded appearances of the aggregates, realms, and sense bases. Its causes and grounds are erroneous and unreal—like conducting scientific measurements with the wrong ruler. How could it yield any truth of true permanence? Mahāmati, all three realms of worldly existence arise from unreal deluded thoughts. The Tathāgata, however, does not arise from false and unreal deluded thoughts. The Tathāgata is real, free from distinctions of arising and ceasing, gain and loss, existence and nonexistence; therefore, the Tathāgata is truly permanent. |
| 这段是说，歇下常和无常的妄想邪见，就是如来真常。如来所证之真如实法，无间常住；如来能证之自觉正智，非关生灭。然而，虽然如来是这样的恒常表显，却容不得丝毫的捞摸分别。 |
This passage says that when deluded and erroneous views of permanence and impermanence are set aside, there is the Tathāgata’s true permanence. The suchness and real dharma realized by the Tathāgata abides continuously and permanently; the self-awakened right wisdom by which the Tathāgata realizes it is unrelated to arising and ceasing. Yet, although the Tathāgata manifests permanence in this way, it admits not the slightest grasping or discrimination. |
| 【大慧，以二法故，有常无常非不二。不二者，寂静，一切法无二生相故。是故如来应供等正觉，非常非无常。大慧，乃至言说分别生，则有常无常过。分别觉灭者，则离愚夫常、无常见不寂静。慧者永离常无常，非常无常熏。】 |
[“Mahāmati, because of dual dharmas, there are permanence and impermanence; they are not nondual. Nonduality is quiescence, because all dharmas have no appearance of dual arising. Therefore, the Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Awakened One, is neither permanent nor impermanent. Mahāmati, whenever verbal discrimination arises, there is the error of permanence and impermanence. When awareness of discrimination is extinguished, one is free from the unquiet views of permanence and impermanence held by ordinary deluded people. The wise forever depart from permanence and impermanence; they are not conditioned by permanence and impermanence.”] |
| “无二生相”：“二生相”就是能所、断常、生灭等等的对立两边，生相宛然。无二生相，就是实无对立两边。 |
“No appearance of dual arising”: the “appearance of dual arising” is the manifest appearance of opposing extremes, such as subject and object, annihilation and permanence, or arising and ceasing. No appearance of dual arising means that these opposing extremes do not truly exist. |
| 大慧，愚痴凡夫和诸外道，因为误认为实有诸法，所以总会堕入边见，而妄见有常或无常的对立两边。实则一切诸法本来寂静，本来不二，实无对立两边。是故如来真实，非常，非无常。 |
Mahāmati, foolish ordinary beings and all non-Buddhist paths mistakenly take dharmas to truly exist. They therefore always fall into extreme views and falsely perceive the opposing extremes of permanence and impermanence. In reality, all dharmas are originally quiescent and originally nondual; the opposing extremes do not truly exist. Therefore, the Tathāgata in truth is neither permanent nor impermanent. |
| “大慧，乃至言说分别生，则有常无常过”——大慧，乃至才涉言说分别，便堕二边，所谓“动念即乖，开口便错”。 |
“Mahāmati, whenever verbal discrimination arises, there is the error of permanence and impermanence”—Mahāmati, as soon as one enters into verbal discrimination, one falls into the two extremes: “Stir a thought and one has already gone astray; open one’s mouth and one is already wrong.” |
| “分别觉灭者，则离愚夫常、无常见不寂静。慧者永离常无常，非常无常熏”——“分别觉灭”，即言语道断，心行处灭。唯有这样，才能远离愚痴凡夫的断、常边见诸过，而至永宁。智慧圣者，依此而永离断、常两边；自觉圣智之果，也不是断、常邪见熏习就能证得的。 |
“When awareness of discrimination is extinguished, one is free from the unquiet views of permanence and impermanence held by ordinary deluded people. The wise forever depart from permanence and impermanence; they are not conditioned by permanence and impermanence”—“the extinction of awareness of discrimination” means that the path of words is cut off and the activity of mind comes to rest. Only then can one be free from the errors of the annihilationist and eternalist extreme views of foolish ordinary beings and attain lasting peace. Those of wisdom thereby forever depart from the two extremes of annihilation and permanence; nor can the fruition of self-awakened noble wisdom be realized through conditioning by such erroneous views. |
| 在这段，世尊将真常也扫除干净：如来真常，本来寂静，不落两边，所以非常，非无常。一切言说，也无非方便，岂能执以为实？ |
Here, the World-Honored One also sweeps away even true permanence: the Tathāgata’s true permanence is originally quiescent and does not fall into either extreme; therefore, it is neither permanent nor impermanent. All words, moreover, are merely expedient means—how could one cling to them as real? |
| 往昔曾有外道异学，曾以断、常二边之见，向释迦世尊设问：“请问如来，诸法是常否？”世尊不回。外道又问：“那么诸法是无常？”世尊依旧不语。 |
In the past, a non-Buddhist adherent of another teaching, holding the two extreme views of annihilation and permanence, once questioned Śākyamuni Buddha: “May I ask, Tathāgata, are all dharmas permanent?” The World-Honored One did not reply. The non-Buddhist then asked, “Then are all dharmas impermanent?” The World-Honored One still remained silent. |
| 外道说：“释迦如来不是应该具有一切智慧么？为什么答不了我？”世尊说：“汝之所问，皆为戏论。”——如来智慧，并非世智辩聪的辞藻言说。三藏十二部，无非让人归取自心，当下休歇。 |
The non-Buddhist said, “Is not Śākyamuni Tathāgata supposed to possess all wisdom? Why are you unable to answer me?” The World-Honored One said, “All that you ask is mere empty speculation.” The Tathāgata’s wisdom is not the eloquent verbal cleverness of worldly knowledge. The Tripiṭaka and the twelve divisions of the canon are nothing but means for people to return to their own minds and rest at once. |
| 如果不识本心，外逐不息，纵然辨才无碍，依旧是盲人哑汉，对于实证佛之本怀，没有丝毫价值。唯有杜绝自己的妄想捞摸，以佛所教言为方法，行起解绝的修证，才能会得如来真实，到那时则常和无常，哪个不是剩语，又哪个不是方便呢？所以，莫道如来未答外道，如来无语处，其默如雷。 |
If one does not recognize one’s original mind and instead pursues external things without cease, then—even if one’s eloquence is unobstructed—one remains a blind and mute person. Such eloquence has not the slightest value for directly realizing the Buddha’s original intent. Only by putting an end to one’s own deluded grasping, taking the Buddha’s teachings as one’s method, engaging in practice, and cutting off conceptual understanding can one realize the Tathāgata’s truth. At that time, what are permanence and impermanence but superfluous words, and what is not an expedient means? Therefore, do not say that the Tathāgata failed to answer the non-Buddhist. Where the Tathāgata is without words, his silence is like thunder. |
| 【尔时世尊欲重宣此义，而说偈言： |
At that time, wishing to restate this meaning, the World-Honored One spoke these verses: |
| “众具无义者。生常无常过。若无分别觉。永离常无常。 |
If the manifold aids are held to be meaningless, errors of permanence and impermanence arise. When discriminating awareness is absent, one is forever free from permanence and impermanence. |
| 从其所立宗。则有众杂义。等观自心量。言说不可得。”】 |
From the tenets they establish arise many confused meanings. Regard the measure of one’s own mind with equanimity: words cannot attain it. |
| 世尊重宣此义而颂言： |
The World-Honored One restated this meaning in verse: |
| 佛法并不落断、常两边，若是堕于断、常之两边，则一切佛法的种种方便功德也没有意义了，所以断常邪见，诸多过失。只有去除一切的分别妄想，当下歇心，不再捞索，才会永离常与无常的邪见过失，而证得如来真常。 |
The Buddhadharma does not fall into the two extremes of annihilation and permanence. If one falls into these two extremes, then the various expedient means and merits of all Buddhadharma become meaningless; thus, the erroneous views of annihilation and permanence entail many faults. Only by removing all discriminating deluded thoughts, resting the mind at once, and no longer grasping and seeking can one forever leave behind the erroneous faults of permanence and impermanence and realize the Tathāgata’s true permanence. |
| 外道因为分别妄想，执常和无常为实有，所以从断、常两边妄见，而衍生出众多的宗派，其论纷杂而义理皆非。 |
Because of discriminating deluded thoughts, non-Buddhists cling to permanence and impermanence as truly existent. From their deluded views of the two extremes of annihilation and permanence, numerous schools arise; their theories are confused, and their principles are all mistaken. |
| 若以佛智如实观察就会了知，诸法唯心而现，平等无实，岂容拟议；一切佛之言说也是针对众生之疾的方便，实则了不可得，佛法这里实无言说宗派可立。 |
If one observes correctly with the Buddha’s wisdom, one understands that all dharmas appear through mind alone, are equal, and lack any reality—how could they admit of conceptual deliberation? All the Buddhas’ teachings are likewise expedient means directed at the ailments of sentient beings; in truth, they are wholly unattainable. Here in Buddhadharma, there are truly no verbal doctrines or schools to establish. |
| 本门概要： |
Outline of This Section: |
| 本门的关键词：“非常非无常”、“分别觉灭”。这一段佛回答了如来法身是常还是无常。依旧先破邪见而显正知： |
Key terms of this section: “neither permanent nor impermanent” and “the cessation of discriminating awareness.” This passage answers whether the Tathāgata’s Dharma body is permanent or impermanent. As before, it first refutes erroneous views and then reveals right understanding: |
| 先从作因角度破斥——如来不是能作之常，也不是所作之无常； |
First, it refutes them from the perspective of causal activity: the Tathāgata is neither the permanence that acts as a cause nor the impermanence that is produced. |
| 再从事相角度破斥——如来不是空虚无知的枯寂常，也不是一切不生的断灭常； |
Next, it refutes them from the perspective of phenomenal appearances: the Tathāgata is neither the barren permanence of empty, unconscious quiescence nor the annihilationist permanence in which nothing whatsoever arises. |
| 接着开显如来真常——如来真实，是周遍一切的真理，无间常住；如来正智，不从妄得，非关生灭。所以如来是真常。 |
It then reveals the Tathāgata’s true permanence: the Tathāgata’s reality is the truth that pervades all things, ever abiding without interruption; the Tathāgata’s right wisdom is not gained from delusion and is unrelated to arising and ceasing. Therefore, the Tathāgata is true permanence. |
| 继而连真常亦扫除——如来法身，寂静不二，非常非无常。如来所言，也无非方便，毋应执以为实。 |
It then sweeps away even true permanence: the Tathāgata’s Dharma body is quiescent and nondual, neither permanent nor impermanent. What the Tathāgata says is likewise nothing but an expedient means and should not be clung to as real. |
| 最后，佛还指出了如何永离断常二边分别的方法——“分别觉灭”：离开妄想分别的熏染，言语道断，心行处灭，加以般若熏习，终能拔除妄想种子，永离断常邪见。 |
Finally, the Buddha also points out the method for forever leaving behind the discriminations of the two extremes of annihilation and permanence: “the cessation of discriminating awareness.” By departing from the conditioning influence of deluded discriminations, bringing the path of words to an end and extinguishing the activity of mind, and cultivating prajñā, one can ultimately uproot the seeds of deluded thought and forever leave behind the erroneous views of annihilation and permanence. |
