English
English version: The more empty the mind, the broader the actions; acting all day long, yet not deviating from non-action. Therefore, the *Avatamsaka Sutra* praises selfless giving, the *Sarva-sattvādhimokṣa Sutra* extols doing without doing, the Chan classics sing of impartial compassion, and the *Vimalakirti Sutra* expounds knowing without knowing. The teachings of the sages are profound and mysterious, with different words expressing the same truth; how can one cling to action because of action, or cling to non-action because of non-action? Bodhisattvas abide in the equal Dharma gate of exhaustion and non-exhaustion, not abandoning action, nor clinging to non-action. This is the truth of the matter. But using north and south as an analogy is truly a statement of non-understanding. Chapter Sixteen: Exhausting the Source Someone asked: Without sentient beings, there is no way to guide them into the Three Vehicles (Śrāvakayāna, Pratyekabuddhayāna, Bodhisattvayāna, three different paths of practice in Buddhism); without the Three Vehicles, there is no way to achieve Nirvana (Nirvana, the state of liberation from the cycle of birth and death in Buddhism). It seems that there must be sentient beings first, and then Nirvana. Then Nirvana has a beginning, and what has a beginning must have an end. But the scriptures say: 'Nirvana has no beginning and no end, clear like empty space.' Then Nirvana is originally there, not something that can be achieved through learning. Chapter Seventeen: Connecting with the Ancient Someone answered: The person who has reached the highest state is empty and without fixed form, and there is nothing that is not created by me. The one who can integrate all things to achieve himself is probably only the sage! Why? Without truth, there is no sage, without a sage, there is no truth; truth achieves the sage, the sage is not different from truth. Therefore, Devendra (Devanam Indra, a protector deity in Buddhism) asked: 'Where should Prajna (Prajna, Buddhist wisdom) be sought?' Bodhisattva Subhuti replied: 'Prajna cannot be sought in form (Rupa, material phenomena), nor can it be sought apart from form.' It is also said: 'Seeing dependent origination (Pratityasamutpada, the Buddhist theory of interdependence) is seeing the Dharma (Dharma, Buddhist truth), seeing the Dharma is seeing the Buddha (Buddha, the enlightened one).' This is the manifestation of the non-duality of things and self. Therefore, the person who has reached the highest state hides the subtle mechanism in the unmanifested, hides the hidden operation in the midst of transformation, uses the entire universe to reflect the mind, and integrates the past and the future into one body. Ancient and present are connected, beginning and end are the same, exhausting the root and the end, there is no difference, vast and equal, is called Nirvana. The scriptures say: 'One attains Nirvana without leaving all Dharmas (Dharmas, all things and phenomena).' It also says: 'Dharmas are boundless, therefore Bodhi (Bodhi, enlightenment) is boundless.' From this, it can be known that the path to Nirvana lies in subtle harmony; the key to subtle harmony lies in merging with the Tao into one. Since this is the case, all things are not different from me, I am not different from all things, all things and I are mysteriously integrated, returning to the realm of infinity. Advancing is not in front, retreating is not behind, --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
岂容终始于其间哉？天女曰：“耆年解脱亦如何久。” 考得第十八 有名曰：经云：“众生之性，极于五阴之内。”又云：“得涅槃者，五阴都尽，譬犹灯灭。”然则众生之性，顿尽于五阴之内；涅槃之道，独建于三有之外。貌然殊域，非复众生得涅槃也。果若有得，则众生之性不止于五阴；必若止于五阴，则五阴不都尽。五阴若都尽，谁复得涅槃耶？ 玄得第十九 无名曰：夫真由离起，伪因着生；着故有得，离故无名。是以则真者同真，法伪者同伪。子以有得为得，故求于有得耳。吾以无得为得，故得在于无得也。且谈论之作，必先定其本。既论涅槃，不可离涅槃而语涅槃也。若即涅槃以兴言，谁独非涅槃而欲得之耶？何者？夫涅槃之道，妙尽常数，融治二仪，荡涤万有，均天人，同一异。内视不已见，返听不我闻；未尝有得，未尝无得。经曰：“涅槃非众生，亦不异众生。”维摩诘言：“若弥勒得灭度者，一切众生亦当灭度。所以者何？一切众生本性常灭，不复更灭。”此名灭度，在于无灭者也。然则众生非众生，谁为得之者？涅槃非涅槃，谁为可得者？《放光》云：“菩提从有得耶？答曰：不也。从无得耶？答曰：不也。从有无得耶？答曰：不也。离有无得耶？答曰：不也。然则 天女说：‘难道解脱的终结和开始就在这期间吗？’天女说：‘耆年（指年长的修行者）的解脱，又是如何长久呢？’ 考得（辩论者名）第十八 有名（辩论者名）说：经书上说：‘众生的本性，穷尽于五阴（色、受、想、行、识）之内。’又说：‘得到涅槃（佛教术语，指解脱）的人，五阴全部消尽，譬如灯火熄灭。’如此说来，众生的本性，完全穷尽于五阴之内；涅槃的道路，却独自建立在三有（欲有、色有、无色有）之外。表面上看来是不同的区域，不是众生能够得到涅槃。如果真的有人得到，那么众生的本性就不止于五阴；如果一定止于五阴，那么五阴就不会全部消尽。五阴如果全部消尽，谁又能得到涅槃呢？’ 玄得（辩论者名）第十九 无名（辩论者名）说：‘真实是由远离而产生的，虚伪是由于执着而产生的；因为执着所以有‘得’，因为远离所以没有‘名’。因此，真实的人与真实的人相同，虚伪的法与虚伪的法相同。你认为有‘得’才是‘得’，所以才追求有‘得’。我认为没有‘得’才是‘得’，所以‘得’在于没有‘得’。而且谈论的产生，必须先确定它的根本。既然谈论涅槃，就不能离开涅槃来谈论涅槃。如果从涅槃本身来展开言论，谁又不是涅槃而想要得到它呢？为什么呢？因为涅槃的道路，精妙地穷尽了常数，融合治理天地，荡涤万物，使天人和谐，使相同和不同归一。向内看也看不到，反过来听也听不到自己；未曾有‘得’，也未曾没有‘得’。经书上说：‘涅槃不是众生，也不异于众生。’维摩诘（佛教人物）说：‘如果弥勒（佛教人物，未来佛）得到灭度，那么一切众生也应当灭度。为什么呢？因为一切众生的本性本来就是常灭的，不再需要再次灭度。’这叫做灭度，在于没有灭度之中。既然如此，众生不是众生，谁是得到它的人呢？涅槃不是涅槃，谁是可以得到它的人呢？《放光经》（佛教经典）上说：‘菩提（佛教术语，指觉悟）是从有中得到的吗？’回答说：‘不是。’‘是从无中得到的吗？’回答说：‘不是。’‘是从有无中得到的吗？’回答说：‘不是。’‘是从离开有无中得到的吗？’回答说：‘不是。’既然如此
English
The celestial maiden said, 'Could the end and beginning of liberation be within this interval?' The celestial maiden said, 'How can the liberation of an elder (referring to an aged practitioner) be long-lasting?' Kao De (name of a debater), the eighteenth. You Ming (name of a debater) said: The scriptures say, 'The nature of sentient beings is exhausted within the five skandhas (form, feeling, perception, mental formations, consciousness).' It also says, 'Those who attain Nirvana (Buddhist term, referring to liberation) have all five skandhas extinguished, like a lamp going out.' Thus, the nature of sentient beings is completely exhausted within the five skandhas; the path to Nirvana, however, is established solely outside the three realms of existence (desire realm, form realm, formless realm). Superficially, they appear as different domains, and Nirvana is not attainable by sentient beings. If someone truly attains it, then the nature of sentient beings is not limited to the five skandhas; if it is definitely limited to the five skandhas, then the five skandhas will not be completely extinguished. If the five skandhas are completely extinguished, who can attain Nirvana?' Xuan De (name of a debater), the nineteenth. Wu Ming (name of a debater) said: 'Truth arises from detachment, falsehood arises from attachment; because of attachment, there is 'attainment'; because of detachment, there is no 'name'. Therefore, the true are the same as the true, and the false dharmas are the same as the false dharmas. You consider 'attainment' as attainment, so you seek attainment. I consider non-attainment as attainment, so attainment lies in non-attainment. Moreover, the creation of a discussion must first establish its foundation. Since we are discussing Nirvana, we cannot discuss Nirvana apart from Nirvana. If we speak from the perspective of Nirvana itself, who is not Nirvana and desires to attain it? Why? Because the path of Nirvana subtly exhausts the constant numbers, harmoniously governs the two realms (heaven and earth), washes away all things, harmonizes gods and humans, and unifies sameness and difference. Looking inward, one cannot see oneself; listening backward, one cannot hear oneself; there has never been attainment, and there has never been non-attainment. The scriptures say, 'Nirvana is not sentient beings, nor is it different from sentient beings.' Vimalakirti (Buddhist figure) said, 'If Maitreya (Buddhist figure, the future Buddha) attains extinction, then all sentient beings should also attain extinction. Why? Because the inherent nature of all sentient beings is originally always extinguished, and there is no need for further extinction.' This is called extinction, which lies in non-extinction. In that case, if sentient beings are not sentient beings, who is the one who attains it? If Nirvana is not Nirvana, who is the one who can attain it? The *Fangguang Jing* (Buddhist scripture) says, 'Is Bodhi (Buddhist term, referring to enlightenment) attained from existence?' The answer is: 'No.' 'Is it attained from non-existence?' The answer is: 'No.' 'Is it attained from both existence and non-existence?' The answer is: 'No.' 'Is it attained from being apart from existence and non-existence?' The answer is: 'No.' In that case,' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
都无得耶？答曰：不也。是义云何？答曰：无所得故为得也，是故得无所得也。”无所得谓之得者，谁独不然耶？然则玄道在于绝域，故不得以得之；妙智存乎物外，故不知以知之。大象隐于无形；故不见以见之；大音匿于希声，故不闻以闻之。故能囊括终古导达群方，亭毒苍生疏而不漏。汪哉洋哉，何莫由之哉！故梵志曰：“吾闻佛道，厥义弘深，汪洋无涯；靡不成就，靡不度生。”然则三乘之路开，真伪之途辩，贤圣之道存，无名之致显矣！ 涅槃无名论(终) 肇论(终) 现代汉语译本：问道：‘难道什么都没有得到吗？’回答说：‘不是的。’这其中的意义是什么呢？回答说：‘因为没有执着于有所得，所以才是真正的得到，因此才是得到了无所得。’把无所得称之为得到，谁不是这样认为的呢？如此说来，玄妙的道存在于超越常理的境界，所以不能用通常的‘得到’去获得它；精妙的智慧存在于万物之外，所以不能用通常的‘知’去了解它。伟大的形象隐藏于无形之中，所以不能用通常的‘见’去看见它；伟大的声音隐藏于寂静之中，所以不能用通常的‘闻’去听见它。’因此，（圣人）能够包容从古至今的一切，引导通达所有方向，养育万物，虽然看似疏远却不会遗漏任何事物。多么广阔深远啊，没有什么不是由此而来的！’所以梵志（Brahmacarin，指修行者）说：‘我听说佛道，它的意义弘大深远，广阔无边，没有什么不能成就，没有什么不能度化众生。’如此说来，声闻乘（Śrāvakayāna，通过听闻佛法而解脱的乘）、缘觉乘（Pratyekabuddhayāna，通过自身觉悟而解脱的乘）、菩萨乘（Bodhisattvayāna，通过修行菩萨道而成就佛果的乘）这三乘的道路得以开辟，真与伪的途径得以分辨，贤人圣者的道路得以存在，无名之道的极致得以显现啊！’ 《涅槃无名论》（终） 《肇论》（终）
English
English version: 'Is it that nothing is obtained?' The answer is: 'No.' What is the meaning of this? The answer is: 'Because there is no attachment to obtaining, therefore it is truly obtaining, and thus it is obtaining non-obtaining.' Who does not consider non-obtaining as obtaining? Thus, the profound Dao (道, the Way) exists in a realm beyond the ordinary, so it cannot be obtained through ordinary 'obtaining'; subtle wisdom exists beyond all things, so it cannot be understood through ordinary 'knowing'. The great form is hidden in the formless, so it cannot be seen through ordinary 'seeing'; the great sound is hidden in silence, so it cannot be heard through ordinary 'hearing'.' Therefore, (the sage) can encompass everything from beginning to end, guide and reach all directions, nurture all living beings, and though seemingly distant, nothing is missed. How vast and profound, everything comes from it!' Therefore, the Brahmacarin (梵志, a religious student) said: 'I have heard of the Buddha-dharma, its meaning is vast and profound, boundless and limitless; there is nothing that cannot be accomplished, nothing that cannot liberate sentient beings.' Thus, the paths of the Three Vehicles—Śrāvakayāna (声闻乘, the Vehicle of Hearers), Pratyekabuddhayāna (缘觉乘, the Vehicle of Solitary Buddhas), and Bodhisattvayāna (菩萨乘, the Vehicle of Bodhisattvas)—are opened, the paths of truth and falsehood are distinguished, the path of the wise and the holy exists, and the ultimate of the nameless Dao is revealed!' Nirvana is Nameless (End) The Zhao Treatise (End) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------