English
English version: Mahamati said to the Buddha: 'Yes, I will follow your teachings.' The Buddha said to Mahamati: 'When I speak of the Tathagata (如来, Thus Come One), it is not that he is without self-nature, nor that he does not include all dharmas (法, teachings) in his non-arising and non-perishing, nor that he does not arise and perish because of conditions, nor that he is without meaning. Mahamati! When I speak of the Manomayakaya-buddha (意生法身, mind-made body of the Dharma) Tathagata's name, that which is 'non-arising' is not the realm of all heretics, Sravakas (声闻, Hearers), Pratyekabuddhas (缘觉, Solitary Buddhas), or Bodhisattvas (菩萨, enlightenment being) of the seventh stage. Mahamati! That 'non-arising' is another name for the Tathagata. Mahamati! For example, Indra (因陀罗, King of the Gods), Sakra (释迦, another name for Indra), Purandara (不兰陀罗, destroyer of cities), and so on, each of these things has many names, but it is not that having many names means having many self-natures, nor is it without self-nature. Likewise, Mahamati! In this Saha-loka (娑呵世界, world of endurance), I have three asamkhya (阿僧祇, countless) hundreds of thousands of names. Foolish people have all heard them, and each speaks my name, but they do not understand my different names as Tathagata. Mahamati! Some beings know me as Tathagata, some know me as the All-Knowing One, some know me as Buddha (佛, awakened one), some know me as the Savior of the World, some know me as the Self-Awakened One, some know me as the Guide, some know me as the Great Guide, some know me as the Guide of All, some know me as the Ascetic, some know me as Brahma (梵, the creator god), some know me as Vishnu (毗纽, the preserver god), some know me as Isvara (自在者, the supreme god), some know me as the Victorious One, some know me as Kapila (迦毗罗, founder of Samkhya school), some know me as the Real Edge, some know me as the Moon, some know me as the Sun, some know me as the One Who Arises, some know me as the One Who Does Not Arise, some know me as the One Who Does Not Perish, some know me as Emptiness, some know me as Suchness, some know me as Truth, some know me as Reality, some know me as Dharma-nature (法性, nature of reality), some know me as Nirvana (涅槃, liberation), some know me as Eternal, some know me as Equality, some know me as Non-Duality, some know me as Without Form, some know me as Liberation, some know me as the Path, some know me as Mind-Born. Mahamati! These three asamkhya hundreds of thousands of names neither increase nor decrease. This world and other worlds all know me, like the moon in the water, neither coming forth nor entering in. Those foolish people cannot understand me because they have fallen into the two extremes. Yet they all respectfully make offerings to me, but they do not well understand the meaning and intent of the words, they do not distinguish names, they do not understand self-realization, and they cling to various words.' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
说章句。于不生不灭，作无性想。不知如来名号差，别，如因陀罗释迦、不兰陀罗。不解自通，会归终极。于一切法，随说计着。大慧！彼诸痴人，作如是言：‘义如言说，义说无异。所以者何？谓义无身故，言说之外，更无余义，惟止言说。’大慧！彼恶烧智，不知言说自性，不知言说生灭，义不生灭。大慧！一切言说，堕于文字，义则不堕。离性非性故，无受生，亦无身故。大慧！如来不说堕文字法，文字有无不可得故，除不堕文字。大慧！若有说言，如来说堕文字法者，此则妄说。法离文字故。是故，大慧！我等诸佛及诸菩萨，不说一字、不答一字。所以者何？法离文字故。非不饶益义说。言说者，众生妄想故。大慧！若不说一切法者，教法则坏。教法坏者，则无诸佛、菩萨、缘觉、声闻。若无者，谁说为谁？是故，大慧！菩萨摩诃萨，莫着言说，随宜方便，广说经法。以众生悕望烦恼不一故，我及诸佛，为彼种种异解众生而说诸法，令离心、意、意识故，不为得自觉圣智处。大慧！于一切法无所有，觉自心现量，离二妄想。诸菩萨摩诃萨依于义，不依文字。若善男子、善女人依文字者，自坏第一义，亦不能觉他。堕恶见相续而为众说，不善了知一切法、一切地、一切相，亦不知章句。若善一切法、一切地、一 切相，通达章句，具足性义，彼则能以正无相乐而自娱乐，平等大乘建立众生。大慧！摄受大乘者，则摄受诸佛、菩萨、缘觉、声闻。摄受诸佛、菩萨、缘觉、声闻者，则摄受一切众生。摄受一切众生者，则摄受正法。摄受正法者，则佛种不断。佛种不断者，则能了知得殊胜入处。知得殊胜入处，菩萨摩诃萨，常得化生，建立大乘。十自在力，现众色像。通达众生形类悕望烦恼诸相，如实说法。如实者，不异。如实者，不来不去相，一切虚伪息。是名如实。大慧！善男子、善女人，不应摄受随说计着；真实者，离文字故。大慧！如为愚夫以指指物，愚夫观指，不得实义。如是愚夫，随言说指，摄受计着，至竟不舍，终不能得离言说指第一实义。大慧！譬如婴儿，应食熟食，不应食生。若食生者，则令发狂。不知次第方便熟故。大慧！如是不生不灭，不方便修，则为不善。是故应当善修方便，莫随言说，如视指端。是故，大慧！于真实义，当方便修。真实义者，微妙寂静，是涅槃因。言说者，妄想合。妄想者，集生死。大慧！实义者，从多闻者得。大慧！多闻者，谓善于义，非善言说。善义者，不随一切外道经论，身自不随，亦不令他随，是则名曰大德多闻。是故欲求义者，当亲近多闻，所谓善义者，当亲近多闻，所谓 现代汉语译本： 大慧，如果有人能够理解一切事物的表相（切相），通达经文的章句，并且完全理解其内在的真义（性义），那么他就能以真正的无相之乐来使自己快乐，并且以平等的大乘佛法来教化众生。大慧！摄受大乘佛法的人，就是摄受诸佛、菩萨、缘觉和声闻。摄受诸佛、菩萨、缘觉和声闻，就是摄受一切众生。摄受一切众生，就是摄受正法。摄受正法，那么佛种就不会断绝。佛种不绝，就能了知殊胜的入处。菩萨摩诃萨知得了殊胜的入处，就能常得化生，建立大乘佛法。以十自在力，显现各种色相。通达众生的形貌种类、希望、烦恼等各种表相，如实地说法。所谓‘如实’，就是不异于真理。所谓‘如实’，就是不来不去之相，一切虚妄止息。这就是所谓的‘如实’。大慧！善男子、善女人，不应该执着于言语的表述；真正的实义，是超越文字的。大慧！比如为了教导愚笨的人而用手指指物，愚笨的人却只看手指，而不能理解手指所指的真正含义。同样，愚笨的人执着于言语的表述，最终也不能理解超越言语的真正的实义。大慧！譬如婴儿，应该吃煮熟的食物，不应该吃生的食物。如果吃生的食物，就会发狂，因为不知道次第和方便，没有经过煮熟的过程。大慧！同样，对于不生不灭的真理，如果不善用方便法门来修行，那就是不善巧。所以应当善于运用方便法门，不要执着于言语的表述，就像只看手指一样。所以，大慧！对于真实的意义，应当善用方便法门来修行。真实的意义，是微妙寂静的，是涅槃的因。言语的表述，是妄想的结合。妄想，是产生生死的根源。大慧！真实的意义，要从多闻的人那里获得。大慧！所谓多闻的人，是指善于理解义理的人，而不是善于言辞的人。善于理解义理的人，不随顺一切外道的经论，自己不随顺，也不让别人随顺，这样的人才称得上是大德多闻。所以想要寻求真义的人，应当亲近多闻的人，所谓善于义理的人。
English
English version: Mahamati, if someone understands the characteristics of all things (切相, qie xiang), comprehends the phrases and sentences of the scriptures, and fully understands their inherent meaning (性义, xing yi), then they can enjoy themselves with the true joy of no-form and establish sentient beings in the equal Great Vehicle. Mahamati! To embrace the Great Vehicle is to embrace all Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Pratyekabuddhas (缘觉, yuan jue), and Sravakas (声闻, sheng wen). To embrace all Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Pratyekabuddhas, and Sravakas is to embrace all sentient beings. To embrace all sentient beings is to embrace the true Dharma. To embrace the true Dharma means that the Buddha-seed will not be cut off. If the Buddha-seed is not cut off, then one can know the supreme place of entry. Knowing the supreme place of entry, the Bodhisattva-Mahasattva constantly attains transformation birth and establishes the Great Vehicle. With the ten powers of self-mastery, they manifest various forms and appearances. They understand the forms, types, hopes, afflictions, and all aspects of sentient beings, and teach the Dharma truthfully. 'Truthfully' means not different from reality. 'Truthfully' means the aspect of neither coming nor going, where all falsehood ceases. This is called 'truthfully'. Mahamati! Good men and good women should not cling to words and descriptions; true reality is beyond words. Mahamati! For example, when one points out an object with a finger to a foolish person, the foolish person looks only at the finger and does not understand the real meaning. Likewise, foolish people cling to words and descriptions, and in the end, they cannot attain the ultimate reality that is beyond words. Mahamati! It is like an infant who should eat cooked food, not raw food. If they eat raw food, they will go mad because they do not know the proper order and skillful means, and the food has not been properly prepared. Mahamati! Similarly, without skillful means in cultivating the unborn and unceasing, it is not good. Therefore, one should skillfully cultivate skillful means and not cling to words, like looking only at the tip of a finger. Therefore, Mahamati! One should skillfully cultivate the true meaning. The true meaning is subtle, tranquil, and the cause of Nirvana. Words are the combination of delusions. Delusions are the accumulation of birth and death. Mahamati! The true meaning is obtained from those who have heard much. Mahamati! Those who have heard much are those who are skilled in meaning, not those who are skilled in words. Those who are skilled in meaning do not follow the scriptures and treatises of all external paths; they do not follow them themselves, nor do they cause others to follow them. Such a person is called a greatly virtuous and learned one. Therefore, those who seek meaning should draw near to those who have heard much, those who are skilled in meaning. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 善义。与此相违，计着言说，应当远离。”
Chinese
尔时，大慧菩萨，复承佛威神而白佛言：“世尊！世尊显示不生不灭，无有奇特。所以者何？一切外道因，亦不生不灭。世尊亦说虚空非数缘灭，及涅槃界不生不灭。世尊！外道说因，生诸世间。世尊亦说无明爱业妄想为缘，生诸世间。彼因此缘，名差别耳，外物因缘亦如是。如是，世尊！与外道论无有差别。微尘胜妙自在众生主等，如是九物不生不灭。世尊亦说一切性不生不灭，有无不可得。外道亦说四大不坏，自性不生不灭。四大常。是四大，乃至周流诸趣不舍自性。世尊所说亦复如是。是故我言无有奇特。惟愿世尊，为说差别，所以奇特胜诸外道。若无差别者，一切外道皆亦是佛。以不生不灭故，而世尊说，一世界中多佛出世者，无有是处。如向所说，一世界中应有多佛，无差别故。” 佛告大慧：“我说不生不灭，不同外道不生不灭。所以者何？彼诸外道，有性自性，得不生不变相。我不如是堕有无品。大慧！我者离有无品，离生灭，非性非无性。如种种幻梦现，故非无性。云何无性？谓色无自性相摄受，现不现故，摄不摄故。以是故，一切性无性非无性，但觉自心现量，妄想不生，安隐快乐，世事永息。愚痴凡夫，妄想作事，非诸贤圣。不实妄想， 现代汉语译本：善哉，善哉！与此（正见）相违背，执着于言语的辩论，应当远离。' 这时，大慧菩萨再次凭借佛的威神力对佛说：'世尊！您所说的“不生不灭”，并没有什么特别之处。为什么这么说呢？因为一切外道的“因”，也是不生不灭的。世尊您也说过虚空、非数缘灭以及涅槃的境界是不生不灭的。世尊！外道所说的“因”，产生世间万物。世尊您也说无明、爱、业、妄想为缘，产生世间万物。他们所说的“因”和“缘”，只是名称上的差别罢了，外物的因缘也是如此。像这样，世尊！您的说法与外道的理论没有什么差别。微尘、胜妙、自在、众生主等，这九种事物都是不生不灭的。世尊您也说一切法的自性是不生不灭的，既不能说它“有”，也不能说它“无”。外道也说地、水、火、风四大元素不会坏灭，它们的自性是不生不灭的。四大是永恒存在的。这四大，乃至在六道轮回中流转，也不会舍弃其自性。世尊您所说的也和他们一样。因此我说您的说法没有什么特别之处。希望世尊能为我们解说其中的差别，说明您的教法为什么特别，胜过一切外道。如果没有差别，那么一切外道也都是佛了。因为不生不灭的缘故，而世尊您说，一个世界中不可能有多尊佛同时出现，这是不可能的。如果像您之前所说的那样，一个世界中就应该有多尊佛，因为没有差别啊。' 佛告诉大慧：'我说的不生不灭，不同于外道所说的不生不灭。为什么呢？因为那些外道，认为有一个“性”或“自性”，获得了不生不灭、永恒不变的相状。我不是这样，我不会落入“有”或“无”的范畴。大慧！我所说的远离了“有”和“无”的范畴，远离了生和灭，既不是“性”，也不是“无性”。就像种种幻象和梦境的显现一样，所以不能说是“无性”。什么是“无性”呢？就是说色法没有自性，不能被执取，因为有时显现，有时不显现，有时能被摄受，有时不能被摄受。因此，一切法的自性既不是“有性”，也不是“无性”，只是觉悟到自心所显现的境界，妄想不再生起，安稳快乐，世间的事情永远止息。愚痴的凡夫，才会凭着妄想去做事，贤圣之人不会这样。不真实的妄想，'