English
The term "conditioned" is called the meaning of self-nature, which is a noun; to summarize, showing that "all conditioned things are impermanent" is the meaning of difference, called a sentence. "Dharma" is called the meaning of self-nature, which is a noun; to summarize, showing that "all dharmas are without self" is the meaning of difference, which is a sentence. The meaning of difference, such as "impermanence," etc., cannot be shown and expressed by sentences, so saying "conditioned things are impermanent" is arbitrarily established, so it is called "sentence arbitrarily established." Moreover, that sentence, because of its large number, is called "collection of sentences." Therefore, this sentence is nominally established when form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness arise, but it is not actually existent, it should be understood in this way. In order to show the self-nature of the collection of letters, ask "what is the collection of letters," meaning to ask "what is the self-nature and characteristics of the collection of letters." The answer is: "The letters of the alphabet, that is." Letters are A and Ka, etc. From A and Ka to ཥ, all the letters are called the collection of letters. That letter has three names, namely: distinction, expression, and letter. Why is the meaning of the letter called "distinction"? The answer is: "Because they both gather." That is to say. The name "Devadatta" just mentioned above, and the sentence "conditioned things are impermanent" just mentioned above, are both clearly shown by letters, so letters are called "distinction." How do letters clearly show nouns and sentences? When letters gather and become sentences of self-nature such as pot and blanket, letters are called "collection of nouns"; when letters gather and become sentences of difference such as "conditioned things are impermanent," the letters themselves are called "collection of sentences," so letters can clearly show the collection of nouns and sentences. Someone said: It is enough to say the word "that," why is it necessary to say the word "both"? The answer is: If only the word "that" is said, and the word "both" is not said, then the letter only clearly shows the collection of sentences just mentioned above.