中論
Verses on the Middle
龍樹菩薩造
By the bodhisattva Nāgārjuna
三藏鳩摩羅什譯
Translated by Tripitaka Master Kumarajiva
T. Vol. 30 No. 1564 [cf. Nos. 1565-1567]
Dedicatory Verses
不生亦不滅， 不常亦不斷， 不一亦不異， 不來亦不出。
Neither arising nor ceasing, Neither eternal nor impermanent, Neither the same nor different, Not coming, and also not going.
能說是因緣， 善滅諸戲論， 我稽首禮佛， 諸說中第一。
What can be spoken about is dependently originated (pratītyasamutpāda), Ceasing all debate, I bow my head in reverence to the Buddha, Foremost of all teachings.
🍃 觀因緣品第一
Chapter One: Observing Conditions
諸法不自生， 亦不從他生， 不共不無因， 是故知無生。
All dharmas do not arise of themselves, Nor do they arise from another, Not from both (of those), nor the non-causal, For this reason, know there is no arising.
因緣次第緣， 緣緣增上緣， 四緣生諸法， 更無第五緣。
Causal conditions (hetu-pratyaya), conditional precedents (samanantara-pratyaya), Object conditions (ālambana-pratyaya) and dominant conditions (adhipati-pratyaya; sense organ); Four conditions give rise to all dharmas, There is not a fifth.
如諸法自性， 不在於緣中， 以無自性故， 他性亦復無。
As the self-nature of all dharmas Does not reside within conditions, And since there is no self-nature, There is no other-nature either.
果為從緣生， 為從非緣生？ 是緣為有果， 是緣為無果？
Does the result (’fruit’) arise from conditions, Or does it not arise from conditions? Do these conditions have a result, Or do these conditions have no result?
因是法生果， 是法名為緣； 若是果未生， 何不名非緣？
Since this dharma gives rise to a result, This dharma is called a condition; If the fruit has not yet arisen, Why not call it a non-condition?
果先於緣中， 有無俱不可。 先無為誰緣， 先有何用緣。
If the result exists beforehand within conditions, Both existence and non-existence are impossible. If non-existent at first, for what are there conditions? If existent at first, what use are conditions?
若果非有生， 亦復非無生， 亦非有無生， 何得言有緣？
If the result neither arises from existence, Nor arises from non-existence, Nor from both existence and non-existence, How can one speak of conditions?
果若未生時， 則不應有滅， 滅法何能緣？ 故無次第緣。
If the result has not yet arisen, There should not be cessation. How can something that has ceased condition anything? Therefore there are no sequential conditions.
如諸佛所說， 真實微妙法， 於此無緣法， 云何有緣緣？
As spoken by all Buddhas, The true and subtle dharma - Regarding these unconditioned dharmas, How can there be object-conditions?
諸法無自性， 故無有有相； 說有是事故， 是事有不然。
All dharmas have no self-nature, Therefore there are no characteristics of existence; To speak of existence in this case, Such existence cannot be so.
略廣因緣中， 求果不可得； 因緣中若無， 云何從緣出？
Whether searching broadly or narrowly in conditions, The result cannot be found; If not within conditions, How can it emerge from conditions?
若謂緣無果， 而從緣中出； 是果何不從， 非緣中而出？
If you say conditions have no result Yet it emerges from conditions; Why does this result not emerge From non-conditions?
若果從緣生， 是緣無自性， 從無自性生， 何得從緣生？
If results arise from conditions, These conditions have no self-nature; From what lacks self-nature, How can anything arise from conditions?
果不從緣生， 不從非緣生， 以果無有故， 緣非緣亦無。
Results do not arise from conditions, Nor do they arise from non-conditions; Because results do not exist, Neither conditions nor non-conditions exist.
🍃 觀去來品第二
Chapter Two: Observing Going and Coming (’Movement’)
1. 已去無有去， 未去亦無去， 離已去未去， 去時亦無去。
What has already gone is not going, What has not yet gone is also not going, Apart from what has already gone and not yet gone, The moment of going [i.e. the present] is also without going.
2. 動處則有去， 此中有去時， 非已去未去， 是故去時去。
Where there is motion there is going, Herein lies the present moment of going, Not in what has already gone or not yet gone, Therefore the moment of going goes.
3. 云何於去時， 而當有去法？ 若離於去法， 去時不可得。
How can there be something that goes In the moment of going? If separate from the act of going, Then a present moment of going cannot be found.
4. 若言去時去， 是人則有咎； 離去有去時， 去時獨去故。
If one says the present moment goes [away], This person commits an error; Beyond going, It is the moment of going solely because it is going
5. 若去時有去， 則有二種去： 一謂為去時， 二謂去時去。
If there is going in present going, Then there would be two goings: One is the present moment of going, The second is the going in that present going.
6. 若有二去法， 則有二去者； 以離於去者， 去法不可得。
If there are two kinds of going, There must be two goers; For without a goer, The act of going cannot exist.
7. 若離於去者， 去法不可得； 以無去法故， 何得有去者？
If separate from something that goes, Going cannot exist; Without the act of going, How can there be something that goes?
8. 去者則不去， 不去者不去； 離去不去者， 無第三去者。
The goer does not go, The non-goer does not go; Apart from goer and non-goer, There is no third one who goes.
9. 若言去者去， 云何有此義？ 若離於去法， 去者不可得。
If one says the goer goes, How can this make sense? If separate from the act of going, There can be no goer.
10. 若去者有去， 則有二種去： 一謂去者去， 二謂去法去。
If the goer has going, Then there would be two goings: One is the going of the goer, The second is the going of going itself.
11. 若謂去者去， 是人則有咎， 離去有去者， 說去者有去。
If it is said that the goer goes, This person commits an error; For there would be a goer apart from going When saying the goer goes.
12. 已去中無發， 未去中無發， 去時中無發， 何處當有發？
In what has gone there is no beginning, In what has not gone there is no beginning, In the present going there is no beginning, Where then is there any beginning?
13. 未發無去時， 亦無有已去， 是二應有發， 未去何有發？
Without beginning there is no present going, Nor is there what has already gone. These two should have a beginning - How can there be beginning in what has not gone?
14. 無去無未去， 亦復無去時， 一切無有發， 何故而分別？
Without going, without not-yet-gone, And also without present going, Without any beginning at all, Why make such distinctions?
15. 去者則不住， 不去者不住， 離去不去者， 何有第三住？
The goer does not remain, The non-goer does not remain, Apart from goer and non-goer, What third one could remain?
16. 去者若當住， 云何有此義？ 若當離於去， 去者不可得。
If you say the goer remains, How can this make sense? If separate from going, The goer cannot be found."
17. 去未去無住， 去時亦無住， 所有行止法， 皆同於去義。
In what has gone and not yet gone there is no remaining, In the present going there is also no remaining, All dharmas of movement and stillness Are the same as the meaning of going.
18. 去法即去者， 是事則不然； 去法異去者， 是事亦不然。
If the act of going is identical to the goer, This cannot be so; If the act of going is different from the goer, This also cannot be so.
19. 若謂於去法， 即為是去者； 作者及作業， 是事則為一。
If you say regarding the act of going That it is identical to the goer, Then the agent and the action Would be one and the same.
20. 若謂於去法， 有異於去者； 離去者有去， 離去有去者。
If you say regarding the act of going That it differs from the goer, There would be going apart from the goer, And a goer apart from going.
21. 去去者是二， 若一異法成， 二門俱不成， 云何當有成？
Going and goer are two things - If established as either same or different, Neither approach can be established. How then can they be established?
22. 因去知去者， 不能用是去； 先無有去法， 故無去者去。」
Through going we know the goer, But that going cannot be used; Since there was no act of going before, Therefore there is no goer who goes.
23. 因去知去者， 不能用異去， 於一去者中， 不得二去故。」
Through going we know what it is that goes, But cannot use a different going, Because within a single goer Two goings cannot be found.
24. 決定有去者， 不能用三去； 不決定去者， 亦不用三去。
Whether the goer is definite Cannot use three [types of] going; When the goer is indefinite, Also cannot use three goings.
25. 去法定不定， 去者不用三， 是故去去者， 所去處皆無。」
Whether going is definite or not, The goer does not use three [goings], Therefore going, goer, And place of going all do not exist."
🍃 觀六情品第三
Chapter Three: Observing Senses
1. 眼耳及鼻舌、 身意等六情， 此眼等六情， 行色等六塵。
The eyes, ears, nose, tongue, Body and mind - these six faculties, These six faculties Engage with the six sense objects.
2. 是眼則不能， 自見其己體； 若不能自見， 云何見餘物？
The eye itself cannot See its own essence; If it cannot see itself, How can it see other things?
3. 火喻則不能， 成於眼見法； 去未去去時， 已總答是事。
The fire analogy cannot Establish the eye's ability to see; Going, not yet gone, and present going Have already been answered fully.
4. 見若未見時， 則不名為見； 而言見能見， 是事則不然。
If seeing has not yet seen, It cannot be called seeing; Yet to say seeing can see - This cannot be so.
5. 見不能有見， 非見亦不見； 若已破於見， 則為破[見者。
Seeing cannot have seeing, Non-seeing also does not see; If seeing has been refuted, Then the seer is also refuted.
6. 離見不離見， 見者不可得； 以無見者故， 何有見可見？
Whether separate from seeing or not separate from seeing, The seer cannot be found; Because there is no seer, How can there be seeing and what is seen?
8. 見可見無故， 識等四法無； 四取等諸緣， 云何當得有？
Because seeing and the seen do not exist, The four dharmas of consciousness etc. do not exist; How then can there be The four appropriations and other conditions?
9. 耳鼻舌身意， 聲及聞者等， 當知如是義， 皆同於上說。
For ears, nose, tongue, body and mind, Sound and the hearer and so forth, Know that their meaning Is the same as explained above."
🍃 觀五陰品第四
Chapter Four: Observing the Aggregates
1. 若離於色因， 色則不可得； 若當離於色， 色因不可得。
Apart from form's causes, Form cannot be attained; Apart from form, Form's causes cannot be attained.
2. 離色因有色， 是色則無因； 無因而有法， 是事則不然。
If form exists apart from its causes, Then form would be without cause; But a dharma without cause, This cannot be so.
3. 若離色有因， 則是無果因； 若言無果因， 則無有是處。
If cause exists apart from form, It would be a cause without effect; To speak of a cause without effect, This is impossible.
4. 若已有色者， 則不用色因； 若無有色者， 亦不用色因。
If form already exists, What need is there for form's causes? If form does not exist, What need is there for form's causes?
5. 無因而有色， 是事終不然。 是故有智者， 不應分別色。
Form existing without causes, This ultimately cannot be. Therefore the wise Should not discriminate regarding form.
6. 若果似於因， 是事則不然； 果若不似因， 是事亦不然。
If the effect resembles the cause, This cannot be so; If the effect does not resemble the cause, This also cannot be so.
7. 受陰及想陰、 行陰識陰等， 其餘一切法， 皆同於色陰。
The aggregates of sensation, perception, conditioning, consciousness and such, And all other dharmas, Are the same as the form aggregate.
8. 若人有問者， 離空而欲答， 是則不成答， 俱同於彼疑。
If someone has questions And wishes to answer apart from emptiness, The answer will not be established, And share the same doubt.
9. 若人有難問， 離空說其過， 是不成難問， 俱同於彼疑。
If someone raises objections And speaks of faults apart from emptiness, The objection will not be established, And share the same doubt."
🍃 觀六種品第五
Chapter Five: Observing Categories
空相未有時， 則無虛空法； 若先有虛空， 即為是無相。
When the characteristic of vacuity has not yet existed, Then there is no empty space; If empty space existed first, This would be without characteristics.
是無相之法， 一切處無有； 於無相法中， 相則無所相。
Such dharmas without characteristics Do not exist anywhere; Within dharmas without characteristics, Characteristics have nothing to characterize.
有相無相中， 相則無所住； 離有相無相， 餘處亦不住。
Among the characterized and characteristicless, Characteristics have no abode; Apart from the characterized and characteristicless, They do not abide elsewhere either.
相法無有故， 可相法亦無； 可相法無故， 相法亦復無。
Because characteristics do not exist, Characterizable dharmas also do not exist; Because characterizable dharmas do not exist, The characteristics of dharmas also do not exist.
是故今無相， 亦無有可相； 離相可相已， 更亦無有物。
Therefore now there are no characteristics, And nothing to be characterized; Apart from characteristics and the characterizable, There are no other things either.
若使無有有， 云何當有無？ 有無既已無， 知有無者誰？」
If there is no existence, How can there be non-existence? When existence and non-existence are both gone, Who knows existence and non-existence?"
是故知虛空， 非有亦非無， 非相非可相， 餘五同虛空。
Therefore know that empty space Is neither existent nor non-existent, Neither characteristic nor characterizable, The other five are like empty space.
淺智見諸法， 若有若無相， 是則不能見， 滅見安隱法。
Those of shallow wisdom see dharmas As either having or lacking characteristics, They are unable to see The dharma of peace that extinguishes views.
🍃 觀染染者品第六
Chapter Six: Observing Defilement and the Defiled
若離於染法， 先自有染者， 因是染欲者， 應生於染法；
If apart from defiled dharmas, There were first one who is defiled, Because of this defiled one's desire, Defilement should arise.
若無有染者， 云何當有染？ 若有若無染， 染者亦如是。
If there is no defiled one, How can there be defilement? Whether defilement exists or not, The defiled one is likewise.
染者及染法， 俱成則不然； 染者染法俱， 則無有相待。
The defiled one and defiled dharmas Cannot both be established; If both defiled one and defilement exist together, There would be no mutual dependence.
染者染法一， 一法云何合？ 染者染法異， 異法云何合？
If the defiled one and the defilement are one, How can one thing combine? If the defiled one and the defilement are different, How can different things combine?
若一有合者， 離伴應有合； 若異有合者， 離伴亦應合。
If unity can combine, There should be combination without a partner; If difference can combine, There should also be combination without a partner.
若異而有合， 染染者何事？ 是二相先異， 然後說合相。
If difference can have combination, What are defilement and the defiled one? These two are first different, Then you speak of combination.
若染及染者， 先各成異相， 既已成異相， 云何而言合？」
If defilement and defiled one First each establish different characteristics, Having already established different characteristics, How can you speak of combination?
異相無有成， 是故汝欲合； 合相竟無成， 而復說異相。
Different characteristics are not established, Therefore you wish to combine them; Yet combination is never established, And you again speak of different characteristics.
異相不成故， 合相則不成； 於何異相中， 而欲說合相？
Because different characteristics are not established, Combined characteristics cannot be established; Within what different characteristics Do you wish to speak of combination?
如是染染者， 非合不合成； 諸法亦如是， 非合不合成。
Thus defilement and the one defiled Are established neither as a combination nor uncombined; All dharmas are likewise, Established neither as combinations nor uncombined."
🍃 觀三相品第七
Chapter Seven: Observing Characteristics
若生是有為， 則應有三相； 若生是無為， 何名有為相？
If arising is conditioned, Then it should have three characteristics; If arising is unconditioned, How can it have conditioned characteristics?
三相若聚散， 不能有所相； 云何於一處， 一時有三相？
If the three characteristics gather and disperse, They cannot characterize anything; How can there be three characteristics In one place at one time?
若謂生住[滅， 更有有為相， 是即為無窮， 無即非有為。
If you say arising, abiding and ceasing Have further conditioned characteristics, This leads to infinite regress, Or else they are not conditioned.
生生之所生， 生於彼本生， 本生之所生， 還生於生生。
The arising of arising Gives rise to primary arising, What primary arising produces In turn produces arising of arising.
若謂是生生， 能生於本生； 生生從本生， 何能生本生？
If you say the arising of arising Can produce primary arising; Yet arising of arising comes from primary arising - How can it produce primary arising?
若謂是本生， 能生於生生； 本生從彼生， 何能生生生？
If you say primary arising Can produce the arising of arising; Primary arising comes from that arising - How can it produce arising of arising?
若生生生時， 能生於本生； 生生尚未有， 何能生本生？
If when arising of arising occurs, It can produce primary arising; When arising of arising does not yet exist, How can it produce primary arising?
若本生生時， 能生於生生； 本生尚未有， 何能生生生？
If when primary arising occurs, It can produce arising of arising; When primary arising does not yet exist, How can it produce arising of arising?
如燈能自照， 亦能照於彼； 生法亦如是， 自生亦生彼。
Like a lamp that can illuminate itself And also illuminate others; Arising is also like this, It arises itself and also gives rise to others.
燈中自無闇， 住處亦無闇， 破闇乃名照， 無闇則無照。
Within the lamp there is no darkness, In its location there is no darkness, Breaking darkness is called illumination, Without darkness there is no illumination.
云何燈生時， 而能破於闇？ 此燈初生時， 不能及於闇
How can a lamp when arising Break through darkness? When this lamp first arises It cannot reach the darkness.
燈若未及闇， 而能破闇者 燈在於此間， 則破一切闇
If the lamp has not yet reached darkness Yet can break darkness, A lamp being here Would break all darkness everywhere.
若燈能自照， 亦能照於彼； 闇亦應自闇， 亦能闇於彼。
If a lamp can illuminate itself And also illuminate others, Then darkness should also darken itself And also darken others.
此生若未生， 云何能自生？ 若生已自生， 生已何用生？
If this arising has not yet arisen, How can it give rise to itself? If it has already arisen and gives rise to itself, What need is there for arising when already arisen?
生非生已生， 亦非未生生， 生時亦不生， 去來中已答。
Arising is not what has already arisen, Nor is it what has not yet arisen, Nor is it arising in the present moment - This was answered in the section on coming and going.
若謂生時生， 是事已不成； 云何眾緣合， 爾時而得生？
If you say there is arising at the time of arising, This has already been refuted; How can conditions come together And at that time produce arising?
若法眾緣生， 即是寂滅性； 是故生生時， 是二俱寂滅。
If dharmas arise from conditions, Their nature is extinction; Therefore at the time of arising, Both of these are extinct.
若有未生法， 說言有生者， 此法先已有， 更復何用生？
If there is an unarisen dharma, And you say it has arising, This dharma already existed before - What further need is there for arising?
若言生時生， 是能有所生； 何得更有生， 而能生是生？
If you say arising arises at the time of arising, This can produce something; How can there be yet another arising That can produce this arising?
若謂更有生， 生生則無窮， 離生生有生， 法皆能自生
If you say there is yet another arising, This leads to infinite regress; Apart from arising producing arising, All dharmas would arise by themselves.
有法不應生， 無亦不應生， 有無亦不生， 此義先已說。
What exists should not arise, What does not exist should not arise, Both existing and non-existing should not arise - This meaning was explained before."
若諸法滅時， 是時不應生； 法若不滅者， 終無有是事
When dharmas are ceasing, At that time there should be no arising; If dharmas do not cease, This situation cannot exist.
不住法不住， 住法亦不住， 住時亦不住， 無生云何住？
Non-abiding dharmas do not abide, Abiding dharmas also do not abide, In the moment of abiding there is no abiding, Without arising how can there be abiding?
若諸法滅時， 是則不應住； 法若不滅者， 終無有是事。
When dharmas are ceasing, They should not abide; If dharmas do not cease, This situation cannot exist.
所有一切法， 皆是老死相， 終不見有法， 離老死有住。
All existing dharmas Are characterized by aging and death, Never has a dharma been seen That abides apart from aging and death.
住不自相住， 亦不異相住； 如生不自生， 亦不異相生。
Abiding does not abide through its own characteristics, Nor through other characteristics; Just as arising does not arise from itself, Nor from other characteristics.
法已滅不滅， 未滅亦不滅， 滅時亦不滅， 無生何有滅？
What has ceased does not cease, What has not ceased also does not cease, What is ceasing also does not cease, Without arising how can there be cessation?
法若有住者， 是則不應滅； 法若不住者， 是亦不應滅。
If dharmas have abiding, They should not cease; If dharmas do not abide, They also should not cease.
是法於是時， 不於是時滅； 是法於異時， 不於異時滅。
A dharma at this time Does not cease at this time; A dharma at another time Does not cease at another time.
如一切諸法， 生相不可得； 以無生相故， 即亦無滅相。
Just as in all dharmas, The characteristic of arising cannot be found; Because there is no characteristic of arising, There is also no characteristic of cessation.
若法是有者， 是即無有滅； 不應於一法， 而有有無相。
If a dharma exists, Then it has no cessation; There should not be in one dharma Both characteristics of existence and non-existence.
若法是無者， 是即無有滅； 譬如第二頭， 無故不可斷。
If a dharma does not exist, Then it has no cessation; Like a second head, Being non-existent, it cannot be cut off.
法不自相滅， 他相亦不滅； 如自相不生， 他相亦不生。
Dharmas do not cease through their own characteristics, Nor through other characteristics; Just as they do not arise from their own characteristics, Nor from other characteristics.
生住滅不成， 故無有有為； 有為法無故， 何得有無為？
Since arising, abiding and ceasing are not established, There are no conditioned dharmas; Since conditioned dharmas do not exist, How can there be unconditioned dharmas?
如幻亦如夢， 如乾闥婆城， 所說生住滅， 其相亦如是。」
Like an illusion, like a dream, Like a gandharva city, So too are the characteristics Of arising, abiding and ceasing."
🍃 觀作作者品第八
Chapter Eight: Observing Agency and the Agent
決定有作者， 不作決定業； 決定無作者， 不作無定業
If there is definitely an agent, They do not perform definite actions; If there is definitely no agent, They do not perform indefinite actions.
決定業無作， 是業無作者； 定作者無作， 作者亦無業。
Definite action has no performance, That action has no agent; A definite agent has no action, The agent also has no action.
若定有作者， 亦定有作業， 作者及作業， 即墮於無因。
If there is definitely an agent, And definitely an action, Agent and action Would fall into causelessness.
若墮於無因， 則無因無果， 無作無作者， 無所用作法。
If falling into causelessness, Then there is no cause and no effect, No action and no agent, No dharmas to be performed.
若無作等法， 則無有罪福， 罪福等無故， 罪福報亦無。
If there are no such dharmas, Then there is no merit or sin, Because merit and sin do not exist, Their results also do not exist.
若無罪福報， 亦無有涅槃， 諸可有所作， 皆空無有果。
If there are no results of merit and sin, Then there is also no nirvana, All that could be done Would be empty without result.
作者定不定， 不能作二業， 有無相違故， 一處則無二。
Whether the agent is definite or indefinite, They cannot perform two kinds of actions, Because existence and non-existence contradict, Two cannot exist in one place.
有不能作無， 無不能作有， 若有作作者， 其過如先說。
Existence cannot produce non-existence, Non-existence cannot produce existence, If there is an agent who acts, The errors are as explained before.
作者不作定， 亦不作不定， 及定不定業， 其過如先說
An agent does not perform definite actions, Nor do they perform indefinite actions, And regarding definite and indefinite actions, The errors are as explained before.
作者定不定、 亦定亦不定， 不能作於業， 其過如先說。
Whether the agent is definite or indefinite, Or both definite and indefinite, They cannot perform actions, The errors are as explained before.
因業有作者， 因作者有業， 成業義如是， 更無有餘事。」
Because of action there is an agent, Because of agent there is action, The meaning of action is established thus, There is nothing else beyond this.
如破作作者， 受受者亦爾， 及一切諸法， 亦應如是破。」
As with refuting action and agent, So too with experiencer and experience, And all other dharmas Should be refuted in this way."
🍃 觀本住品第九
Chapter Nine: Observing the Original Abode
眼耳等諸根， 苦樂等諸法， 誰有如是事？ 是則名本住。
The eyes, ears and other sense faculties, And dharmas such as pleasure and pain - Who possesses such things? This is called the original abode.
若無有本住， 誰有眼等法？ 以是故當知， 先已有本住。
If there were no original abode, Who would possess the eyes and other dharmas? Therefore one should know That the original abode existed first.
若離眼等根， 及苦樂等法， 先有本住者， 以何而可知？
If before the eyes and other sense faculties And dharmas like pleasure and pain, There existed an original abode - How could this be known?
若離眼耳等， 而有本住者； 亦應離本住， 而有眼耳等。
If apart from eyes, ears and so forth, There exists an original abode; Then apart from the original abode, There should exist eyes, ears and so forth.
以法知有人， 以人知有法； 離法何有人？ 離人何有法？
Through dharmas we know there are persons, Through persons we know there are dharmas; Apart from dharmas, how can there be persons? Apart from persons, how can there be dharmas?
一切眼等根， 實無有本住； 眼耳等諸根， 異相而分別。
All the sense faculties, such as the eyes Actually have no original abode; The sense faculties, such as eyes and ears Are differentiated by their distinct characteristics.
若眼等諸根， 無有本住者， 眼等一一根， 云何能知塵？
If the sense faculties like eyes Have no original abode, How can each individual faculty Know its objects?
見者即聞者， 聞者即受者， 如是等諸根， 則應有本住。
The seer is the hearer, The hearer is the experiencer, For such faculties, There should be an original abode.
若見聞各異， 受者亦各異， 見時亦應聞， 如是則神多
If seeing and hearing are different, And the experiencer is also different, Then when seeing one should also hear - Thus there would be multiple spirits.
眼耳等諸根， 苦樂等諸法， 所從生諸大， 彼大亦無神。
The sense faculties like eyes and ears, And dharmas like pleasure and pain, Arise from the great elements - Those elements also have no spirit.
若眼耳等根， 苦樂等諸法， 無有本住者， 眼等亦應無。
If the sense faculties like eyes and ears, And dharmas like pleasure and pain, Have no original abode, Then the eyes and so forth should not exist.
眼等無本住， 今後亦復無， 以三世無故， 無有無分別。」
The eyes and so forth have no original abode, Neither now nor in the future. Because the three times do not exist, There is no discrimination between existence and non-existence."
🍃 觀燃可燃品第十
Chapter Ten: Observing Fire and Fuel
若燃是可燃， 作作者則一； 若燃異可燃， 離可燃有燃。」
If fire is the same as fuel, Then agent and action would be one; If fire is different from fuel, There would be fire apart from fuel.
如是常應燃， 不因可燃生； 則無燃火功， 亦名無作火。」
Thus there should always be fire, Not depending on fuel to arise; Then there would be no function of burning, And it would be fire without action.
燃不待可燃， 則不從緣生； 火若常燃者， 人功則應空。
If fire does not wait for fuel, Then it does not arise from conditions; If fire were always burning, Human effort would be meaningless.
若汝謂燃時， 名為可燃者； 爾時但有薪， 何物燃可燃？
If you say that when something is burning, That is what is called fuel; At that time there is only wood, What thing burns what fuel?
若異則不至， 不至則不燒， 不燒則不滅， 不滅則常住。
If they are different then they cannot meet, Without meeting there is no burning, Without burning there is no ceasing, Without ceasing it would be permanent.
燃與可燃異， 而能至可燃； 如此至彼人， 彼人至此人。
If fire and fuel are different, Yet fire can reach fuel; Like this person reaching that person, That person reaching this person.
若謂燃可燃， 二俱相離者， 如是燃則能， 至於彼可燃。
If you say fire and fuel Are both separate from each other, Then fire should be able to Reach that fuel.
若因可燃燃， 因燃有可燃， 先定有何法， 而有燃可燃？
If because of fuel there is fire, And because of fire there is fuel, Which one existed first For there to be fire and fuel?
若因可燃燃， 則燃成復成； 是為可燃中， 則為無有燃
If because of fuel there is fire, Then fire would be established again and again; This means within the fuel, There would be no fire.
若法因待成， 是法還成待； 今則無因待， 亦無所成法。
If a dharma depends on another to exist, That dharma returns to being dependent; Now there is no dependence, And no dharma that is established.
若法有待成， 未成云何待？ 若成已有待， 成已何用待？
If a dharma depends on another to exist, Before existing how can it depend? If already existing and dependent, What use is dependence when already existing?
因可燃無燃， 不因亦無燃； 因燃無可燃， 不因無可燃。
Because of fuel there is no fire, Independent there is also no fire; Because of fire there is no fuel, Independent there is no fuel.
燃不餘處來， 燃處亦無燃， 可燃亦如是， 餘如去來說。
Fire does not come from elsewhere, And where fire is there is no fire, Fuel is also like this, The rest is like coming and going.
可燃即非然， 離可燃無燃； 燃無有可燃， 燃中無可燃， 可燃中無燃。
Fuel is not burning, Apart from fuel there is no fire; Fire has no fuel, Within fire there is no fuel, Within fuel there is no fire.
以燃可燃法， 說受受者法， 及以說瓶衣， 一切等諸法。
Using the dharma of fire and fuel, One explains experiencer and experience, And also explains pot and cloth, And all other such dharmas.
若人說有我， 諸法各異相； 當知如是人， 不得佛法味
If someone speaks of a self, And dharmas each with distinct characteristics; Know that such a person Has not tasted the flavor of the Buddha's teaching."
🍃 觀本際品第十一
Chapter Eleven: Observing Initial and Final Limits
大聖之所說， 本際不可得， 生死無有始， 亦復無有終。
As spoken by the Great Sage: The original limit cannot be found, Birth and death have no beginning And also have no end.
若無有始終， 中當云何有？ 是故於此中， 先後共亦無。
If there is no beginning and end, How can there be a middle? Therefore in this case, There is no before, after, or simultaneity.
若使先有生， 後有老死者； 不老死有生， 不生有老死。
If birth exists first, And afterwards there is aging and death; Then birth would exist without aging and death, And aging and death would exist without birth.
若先有老死， 而後有生者； 是則為無因， 不生有老死。
If aging and death exist first, And afterwards there is birth; This would be without cause, With aging and death without birth.
生及於老死， 不得一時共； 生時則有死， 是二俱無因
Birth and aging-death Cannot exist simultaneously; At the time of birth there would be death, These two would both be without cause.
若使初後共， 是皆不然者， 何故而戲論， 謂有生老死？
If first and last were simultaneous, This also could not be so. Why engage in conceptual proliferation, Speaking of birth, aging and death?
諸所有因果， 相及可相法， 受及受者等， 所有一切法，
All causes and effects, Characteristics and the characterizable, Experiencer and experience, And all existing dharmas,
非但於生死， 本際不可得， 如是一切法， 本際皆亦無。
Not only regarding birth and death Can no original limit be found, But likewise for all dharmas, There is no original limit."
🍃 觀苦品第十二
Chapter Twelve: Observing Suffering
自作及他作， 共作無因作， 如是說諸苦， 於果則不然。
Self-made and other-made, Made by both or without cause, Such explanations of suffering Are not tenable regarding results.
苦若自作者， 則不從緣生， 因有此陰故， 而有彼陰生。
If suffering were self-made, Then it would not arise from conditions; Because of these aggregates, Those aggregates arise.
若謂此五陰， 異彼五陰者， 如是則應言， 從他而作苦
If you say these five aggregates Are different from those five aggregates, Then you would have to say That suffering is made by another.
若人自作苦， 離苦何有人？ 而謂於彼人， 而能自作苦。
If a person makes their own suffering, Apart from suffering how can there be a person? Yet you speak of that person Being able to make their own suffering.
若苦他人作， 而與此人者； 若當離於苦， 何有此人受？
If suffering is made by another person And given to this person; If separate from suffering, How can this person receive it?
苦若彼人作， 持與此人者； 離苦何有人， 而能授於此？
If suffering is made by that person And given to this person; Apart from suffering how can there be a person Who is able to give it to this one?
自作若不成， 云何彼作苦？ 若彼人作苦， 即亦名自作。
If self-making is not established, How can another make suffering? If another person makes suffering, That would also be called self-making.
苦不名自作， 法不自作法， 彼無有自體， 何有彼作苦？」
Suffering is not called self-made, A dharma does not make itself, That has no self-nature, How can that make suffering?
若此彼苦成， 應有共作苦； 此彼尚無作， 何況無因作！
If suffering were established by both self and other, There should be suffering made jointly; But if neither self nor other makes it, How much less could it be without cause!
非但說於苦， 四種義不成； 一切外萬物， 四義亦不成。」
Not only regarding suffering Are these four types of explanation untenable; For all external things as well, These four explanations do not hold."
🍃 觀行品第十三
Chapter Thirteen: Observing Conditioned Action (Samskara)
如佛經所說， 虛誑妄取相， 諸行妄取故， 是名為虛誑。
As spoken by the Buddha in the sutras: Things that falsely grasp at characteristics, All conditioned actions arise from false grasping, This is called deception.
虛誑妄取者， 是中何所取？ 佛說如是事， 欲以示空義。
For one who falsely grasps at deception, What is there to grasp? The Buddha spoke of such things To demonstrate the meaning of emptiness.
諸法有異故， 知皆是無性； 無性法亦無， 一切法空故。
Because all dharmas have differences, Know they all lack inherent nature; Dharmas without inherent nature also do not exist, Because all dharmas are empty.
諸法若無性， 云何說嬰兒， 乃至於老年， 而有種種異？
If dharmas have no inherent nature, How can you speak of an infant Up through old age Having various differences?
若諸法有性， 云何而得異？ 若諸法無性， 云何而有異？
If dharmas have inherent nature, How can they change? If dharmas have no inherent nature, How can they have differences?
是法則無異， 異法亦無異， 如壯不作老， 老亦不作壯。
These dharmas have no difference, Different dharmas also have no difference, Just as youth does not produce old age, And old age does not produce youth.
若是法即異， 乳應即是酪； 離乳有何法， 而能作於酪？
If this dharma itself changes, Milk should immediately be curds; Apart from milk, what dharma Could produce curds?
若有不空法， 則應有空法； 實無不空法， 何得有空法？
If there were non-empty dharmas, Then there should be empty dharmas; Since there are actually no non-empty dharmas, How can there be empty dharmas?
大聖說空法， 為離諸見故； 若復見有空， 諸佛所不化。
The Great Sage taught emptiness To free us from all views; If one then sees emptiness as existent, The Buddhas cannot help such a person."
🍃 觀合品第十四
Chapter Fourteen: Observing Unity
見可見見者， 是三各異方； 如是三法異， 終無有合時。
The seer, the seen, and seeing - These three are each different; These three dharmas being different, They can never unite.
染與於可染， 染者亦復然， 餘入餘煩惱， 皆亦復如是。
Defilement, what can be defiled, And the defiler are likewise; The remaining sense gates and afflictions Are all also like this.
異法當有合， 見等無有異， 異相不成故， 見等云何合？
Different dharmas should unite, But seeing and such have no difference; Because different characteristics are not established, How can seeing and such unite?
非但見等法， 異相不可得； 所有一切法， 皆亦無異相。
Not only regarding seeing and such dharmas Can different characteristics not be found; Among all existing dharmas, None have characteristics of difference.
異因異有異， 異離異無異； 若法從因出， 是法不異因。
Difference exists because of difference, Without difference there is no difference; If a dharma arises from causes, That dharma is not different from its causes.
若離從異異， 應餘異有異； 離從異無異， 是故無有異。
If separate from arising-from-difference there is difference, There should be other differences beyond difference; Apart from arising-from-difference there is no difference, Therefore there is no difference.
異中無異相， 不異中亦無； 無有異相故， 則無此彼異。
Within difference there are no characteristics of difference, Within non-difference there are also none; Because there are no characteristics of difference, There is no difference between this and that.
是法不自合， 異法亦不合， 合者及合時， 合法亦皆無。
A dharma does not unite with itself, Different dharmas also do not unite, The uniter, the time of uniting, And united dharmas all do not exist."
🍃 觀有無品第十五
Chapter Fifteen: Observing Being and Nonbeing
眾緣中有性， 是事則不然； 性從眾緣出， 即名為作法。
If inherent nature exists within conditions, This cannot be so; If nature arises from conditions, Then it is called a conditioned dharma.
性若是作者， 云何有此義？ 性名為無作， 不待異法成。
If nature is something conditioned, How can this make sense? Nature means unconditioned, Not depending on other dharmas to exist.
法若無自性， 云何有他性？ 自性於他性， 亦名為他性。
If dharmas have no self-nature, How can they have other-nature? Self-nature in relation to other-nature Is also called other-nature.
離自性他性， 何得更有法？ 若有自他性， 諸法則得成。
Apart from self-nature and other-nature, How can there be dharmas? If there were self and other nature, Then dharmas would be established.
有若不成者， 無云何可成？ 因有有法故， 有壞名為無。
If existence is not established, How can non-existence be established? Because of existing dharmas, The destruction of existence is called non-existence.
若人見有無， 見自性他性； 如是則不見， 佛法真實義。
If one sees existence and non-existence, Sees self-nature and other-nature; Then one does not see The true meaning of the Buddha's teaching.
佛能滅有無， 如化迦旃延， 經中之所說， 離有亦離無。
The Buddha could extinguish existence and non-existence, As taught to Katyayana, As spoken in the sutra: 'Apart from existence and also apart from non-existence.'
若法實有性， 後則不應異； 性若有異相， 是事終不然。
If dharmas truly had nature, Then they should not later change; If nature has characteristics of change, This cannot be so.
若法實有性， 云何而可異？ 若法實無性， 云何而可異？
If dharmas truly have nature, How can they change? If dharmas truly have no nature, How can they change?
定有則著常， 定無則著斷； 是故有智者， 不應著有無。
Definite existence leads to eternalism, Definite non-existence leads to nihilism; Therefore the wise Should not cling to existence or non-existence.
若法有定性， 非無則是常； 先有而今無， 是則為斷滅。」
If dharmas have definite nature, Not being non-existent means they are eternal; What existed before but now does not exist - This would be annihilation."
🍃 觀縛解品第十六
Chapter Sixteen: Observing Bondage
諸行往來者， 常不應往來， 無常亦不應， 眾生亦復然。
Those conditioned things that come and go, If permanent should not come and go, If impermanent also should not - Sentient beings are likewise.
若眾生往來， 陰界諸入中， 五種求盡無， 誰有往來者？」
If sentient beings come and go Among the aggregates, realms and sense gates, Searching in five ways nothing is found - Who is it that comes and goes?
若從身至身， 往來即無身； 若其無有身， 則無有往來。
If going from body to body, Going and coming means no body; If there is no body, Then there is no coming and going.
諸行若滅者， 是事終不然； 眾生若滅者， 是事亦不然。
If conditioned things were to cease, This cannot be so; If sentient beings were to cease, This also cannot be so.
諸行生滅相， 不縛亦不解； 眾生如先說， 不縛亦不解。
Conditioned things with characteristics of arising and ceasing Are neither bound nor liberated; Sentient beings as explained before Are neither bound nor liberated.
若身名為縛， 有身則不縛， 無身亦不縛， 於何而有縛？」
If the body is called bondage, With a body there is no bondage, Without a body also no bondage - Where then is there bondage?
若可縛先縛， 則應縛可縛； 而先實無縛， 餘如去來答
If what can be bound were bound first, Then it should bind what can be bound; But first there really is no bondage - The rest is like coming and going.
縛者無有解， 無縛亦無解， 縛時有解者， 縛解則一時。
The bound one has no liberation, Without bondage also no liberation, If there is liberation while bound, Bondage and liberation would be simultaneous.
若不受諸法， 我當得涅槃； 若人如是者， 還為受所縛。
If not accepting any dharmas, 'I shall attain nirvana'; One who thinks like this Is still bound by acceptance.
不離於生死， 而別有涅槃， 實相義如是， 云何有分別？
Not separate from birth and death, Yet distinct from nirvana - Such is the meaning of true reality, How can there be discrimination?"
🍃 觀業品第十七
Chapter Seventeen: Observing Karma
人能降伏心， 利益於眾生， 是名為慈善， 二世果報種。
When one can subdue the mind And benefit sentient beings, This is called kindness and goodness, Seeds of reward in two worlds.
大聖說二業， 思與從思生， 是業別相中， 種種分別說。
The Great Sage spoke of two types of karma: Intention and what arises from intention, Within the distinct characteristics of karma, Various differentiations are explained.
佛所說思者， 所謂意業是； 所從思生者， 即是身口業。
What the Buddha called intention Is mental karma; What arises from intention Is physical and verbal karma.
身業及口業， 作與無作業， 如是四事中， 亦善亦不善。
Physical karma and verbal karma, Active and inactive karma, Among these four things, Are both wholesome and unwholesome.
從用生福德， 罪生亦如是， 及思為七法， 能了諸業相。
From use arises merit, Sin arises likewise, And with intention makes seven dharmas, That can understand all characteristics of karma.
業住至受報， 是業即為常； 若滅即無業， 云何生果報？
If karma remains until receiving results, Then karma would be permanent; If it ceases then there is no karma, How can it produce results?
如芽等相續， 皆從種子生， 從是而生果， 離種無相續。
Like sprouts and such in succession, All arise from seeds, From this fruits arise, Without seeds there is no succession.
從種有相續， 從相續有果， 先種後有果， 不斷亦不常。
From seeds there is succession, From succession there are fruits, First seeds then fruits, Neither broken nor permanent.
如是從初心， 心法相續生， 從是而有果， 離心無相續。
Thus from initial mind, Mental dharmas arise in succession, From this there are fruits, Without mind there is no succession.
從心有相續， 從相續有果， 先業後有果， 不斷亦不常
From mind there is succession, From succession there are fruits, First karma then fruits, Neither broken nor permanent.
能成福德者， 是十白業道， 二世五欲樂， 即是白業報
What can accomplish merit Are the ten wholesome paths of karma, The five desires of two worlds Are the results of wholesome karma.
若如汝分別， 其過則甚多， 是故汝所說， 於義則不然。
If you discriminate like this, The errors would be many, Therefore what you say Is not correct in meaning.
今當復更說， 順業果報義， 諸佛辟支佛， 賢聖所稱歎。
Now I will explain again The meaning of karma and its results, As praised by all Buddhas, Pratyekabuddhas and noble ones.
不失法如券， 業如負財物， 此性則無記， 分別有四種。
The dharma of non-loss is like a contract, Karma is like owing property, Its nature is neutral, Distinguished into four types.
見諦所不斷， 但思惟所斷， 以是不失法， 諸業有果報。
What is seen by truth is not cut off, Only contemplation can cut it off; Because of this dharma of non-loss, All karma has its results.
若見諦所斷， 而業至相似， 則得破業等， 如是之過咎。
If cut off by seeing truth, When karma reaches similarity, Then karma would be destroyed and such - These would be the faults.
一切諸行業， 相似不相似， 一界初受身， 爾時報獨生。
All conditioned karmic actions, Similar and dissimilar, When first receiving a body in one realm, At that time results arise independently.
如是二種業， 現世受果報， 或言受報已， 而業猶故在。
Such two types of karma Receive results in the present life, Or it is said after receiving results, The karma still remains.
若度果已滅， 若死已而滅， 於是中分別， 有漏及無漏。
Whether extinguished after crossing over results, Or extinguished after death, Within this are distinguished The defiled and undefiled.
雖空亦不斷， 雖有亦不常， 業果報不失， 是名佛所說。
Though empty yet not cut off, Though existent yet not permanent, Karmic results are not lost - This is what the Buddha taught.
諸業本不生， 以無定性故； 諸業亦不滅， 以其不生故。
All karma fundamentally does not arise, Because it has no fixed nature; All karma also does not cease, Because it does not arise.
若業有性者， 是則名為常， 不作亦名業， 常則不可作。
If karma had inherent nature, This would be called permanent, Non-action would be called karma, What is permanent cannot be done.
若有不作業， 不作而有罪， 不斷於梵行， 而有不淨過。
If there were non-action karma, Without acting there would be sin, Not breaking pure conduct Yet having impure faults.
是則破一切， 世間語言法， 作罪及作福， 亦無有差別。
This would destroy all Worldly conventions, Doing evil and doing good Would have no difference.
若言業決定， 而自有性者， 受於果報已， 而應更復受。
If you say karma is definite And has its own nature, After receiving results One should receive them again.
若諸世間業， 從於煩惱生， 是煩惱非實， 業當何有實？
If all worldly karma Arises from afflictions, These afflictions are not real - How can karma be real?
諸煩惱及業， 是說身因緣； 煩惱諸業空， 何況於諸身。
Afflictions and karma Are said to be causes of the body; Afflictions and karma are empty - How much more so are all bodies!
無明之所蔽， 愛結之所縛， 而於本作者， 不即亦不異。
Covered by ignorance, Bound by the fetters of craving, Yet regarding the original agent, Neither identical nor different.
業不從緣生， 不從非緣生， 是故則無有， 能起於業者。
Karma does not arise from conditions, Nor from non-conditions, Therefore there is nothing That can give rise to karma.
無業無作者， 何有業生果？ 若其無有果， 何有受果者？
Without karma and without agent, How can karma produce results? If there are no results, How can there be one who receives results?
如世尊神通， 所作變化人， 如是變化人， 復變作化人。
Like the World-Honored One's spiritual powers Creating magically produced people, And those magically produced people Again create magical productions.
如初變化人， 是名為作者， 變化人所作， 是則名為業。
Like the first magical creation Is called the agent, What the magical creation does Is called karma.
諸煩惱及業， 作者及果報， 皆如幻與夢， 如炎亦如嚮。
All afflictions and karma, Agents and results, Are like illusions and dreams, Like mirages and echoes."
🍃 觀法品第十八
Chapter Eighteen: Observing Dharmas
若我是五陰， 我即為生滅； 若我異五陰， 則非五陰相。
If the self were the five aggregates, The self would be subject to arising and ceasing; If it were different from the five aggregates, Then it would not have the characteristics of the five aggregates.
若無有我者， 何得有我所？ 滅我我所故， 名得無我智。
If there is no self, How can there be what belongs to self? From the extinction of self and what belongs to self, This is called attaining the wisdom of no-self.
得無我智者， 是則名實觀； 得無我智者， 是人為希有。
One who attains the wisdom of no-self, This is called true observation; One who attains the wisdom of no-self, Such a person is rare indeed.
內外我我所， 盡滅無有故， 諸受即為滅， 受滅則身滅。
Because internal and external, Self and what belongs to self are completely extinguished, All sensations are thereby extinguished, When sensations are extinguished, the body is extinguished.
業煩惱滅故， 名之為解脫， 業煩惱非實， 入空戲論滅。
Because karma and afflictions are extinguished, This is called liberation; Karma and afflictions are not real, Entering emptiness, conceptual proliferation is extinguished.
諸佛或說我， 或說於無我， 諸法實相中， 無我無非我。
The Buddhas sometimes speak of self, And sometimes speak of no-self, In the true reality of dharmas, There is neither self nor non-self.
諸法實相者， 心行言語斷， 無生亦無滅， 寂滅如涅槃。
The true reality of dharmas Is where mental activity and speech are cut off, Without arising and without ceasing, Quiescent like nirvana.
一切實非實， 亦實亦非實， 非實非非實， 是名諸佛法。
All is real, all unreal, Both real and unreal, Neither real nor unreal - This is the teaching of the Buddhas.
自知不隨他， 寂滅無戲論， 無異無分別， 是則名實相。
Knowing for oneself, not following others, Quiescent without conceptual proliferation, Without difference, without discrimination, This is called true reality.
若法從緣生， 不即不異因， 是故名實相， 不斷亦不常。
When dharmas arise from conditions, Neither identical nor different from their causes, This is therefore called true reality, Neither cut off nor permanent.
不一亦不異， 不常亦不斷， 是名諸世尊， 教化甘露味。
Neither one nor different, Neither permanent nor cut off, This is called the World-Honored Ones' Teaching of the taste of nectar.
若佛不出世， 佛法已滅盡， 諸辟支佛智， 從於遠離生。」
If the Buddha had not appeared in the world, And the Buddha's teaching had completely perished, The wisdom of the pratyekabuddhas Would arise from seclusion."
🍃 觀時品第十九
Chapter Nineteen: Observing Time
若因過去時， 有未來現在； 未來及現在， 應在過去時。
If because of past time There is future and present; Future and present Should exist within past time.
若過去時中， 無未來現在； 未來現在時， 云何因過去？
If within past time There is no future or present; How can future and present time Depend on the past?
不因過去時， 則無未來時， 亦無現在時， 是故無二時。
Not depending on past time, There would be no future time, Also no present time, Therefore no two times.
以如是義故， 則知餘二時， 上中下一異， 是等法皆無。
Through reasoning like this, Know that the other two times, High, middle, low, same and different - All such dharmas do not exist.
時住不可得， 時去亦叵得， 時若不可得， 云何說時相？
Time's abiding cannot be found, Time's passing also cannot be grasped, If time cannot be found, How can one speak of time's characteristics?
因物故有時， 離物何有時？ 物尚無所有， 何況當有時！
Because of things there is time, Apart from things what time is there? Things themselves do not exist, How much less could time exist!"
🍃 觀因果品第二十
Chapter Twenty: Observing Cause and Effect
若眾緣和合， 而有果生者； 和合中已有， 何須和合生？
If when conditions come together, And from this a result arises; If it already exists in the combination, Why need it arise from combination?
若眾緣和合， 是中無果者， 云何從眾緣， 和合而果生？
If when conditions come together, Within this there is no result; How can it arise from conditions Coming together to produce it?
若眾緣和合， 是中有果者； 和合中應有， 而實不可得。
If when conditions come together, Within this there is a result; It should be found within the combination, But in reality it cannot be found.
若眾緣和合， 是中無果者； 是則眾因緣， 與非因緣同。
If when conditions come together, Within this there is no result; Then all these conditions Are the same as non-conditions.
若因與果因， 作因已而滅， 是因有二體， 一與一則滅。
If cause and effect-cause Act as cause and then cease, This cause has two natures: One gives and one ceases.
若因不與果， 作因已而滅， 因滅而果生， 是果則無因。
If cause does not give result And acts as cause then ceases, When cause ceases and result arises, This result then has no cause.
若眾緣合時， 而有果生者， 生者及可生， 則為一時俱。
If at the time conditions combine There arises a result, The producer and what can be produced Would exist simultaneously.
若先有果生， 而後眾緣合， 此即離因緣， 名為無因果。
If result exists before And later conditions combine, This would be apart from conditions, Called resultless of cause.
若因變為果， 因即至於果， 是則前生因， 生已而復生。
If cause transforms into result, Cause would reach to result, Then the prior-arisen cause Having arisen would arise again.
云何因滅失， 而能生於果？ 又若因在果， 云何因生果？」
How can cause when extinct Be able to produce result? Also if cause exists in result, How can cause produce result?
若因遍有果， 更生何等果？ 因見不見果， 是二俱不生。」
If cause pervades result, What further result is produced? Whether cause sees or does not see result, These two both do not arise.
若言過去因， 而於過去果， 未來現在果， 是則終不合。
If you speak of past cause With past result, Future and present results Would never come together.
若言未來因， 而於未來果， 現在過去果， 是則終不合。
If you speak of future cause With future result, Present and past results Would never come together.
若言現在因， 而於現在果， 未來過去果， 是則終不合。」
If you speak of present cause With present result, Future and past results Would never come together.
若不和合者， 因何能生果？ 若有和合者， 因何能生果？
If there is no combination, How can cause produce result? If there is combination, How can cause produce result?
若因空無果， 因何能生果？ 若因不空果， 因何能生果？
If cause is empty without result, How can cause produce result? If cause is not empty of result, How can cause produce result?
果不空不生， 果不空不滅， 以果不空故， 不生亦不滅。
Result not empty does not arise, Result not empty does not cease, Because result is not empty, Neither arising nor ceasing.
果空故不生， 果空故不滅， 以果是空故， 不生亦不滅。
Because result is empty it does not arise, Because result is empty it does not cease, Because result is empty, Neither arising nor ceasing.
因果是一者， 是事終不然； 因果若異者， 是事亦不然。
If cause and result are one, This cannot be so; If cause and result are different, This also cannot be so.
若因果是一， 生及所生一； 若因果是異， 因則同非因。
If cause and result are one, Producer and produced are one; If cause and result are different, Cause becomes same as non-cause.
若果定有性， 因為何所生？ 若果定無性， 因為何所生？
If result has definite nature, What does cause produce? If result has no definite nature, What does cause produce?
因不生果者， 則無有因相， 若無有因相， 誰能有是果？
If cause does not produce result, Then there is no characteristic of cause, If there is no characteristic of cause, What can have result?
若從眾因緣， 而有和合生， 和合自不生， 云何能生果？
If from many conditions There is production through combination, Combination itself does not arise, How can it produce result?
是故果不從， 緣合不合生； 若無有果者， 何處有合法？
Therefore result does not arise From conditions combined or uncombined; If there is no result, Where is there law of combination?"
🍃 觀成壞品第二十一
Chapter Twenty One: Observing Formation and Decay
離成及共成， 是中無有壞； 離壞及共壞， 是中亦無成。
Apart from formation and joint formation, Within this there is no decay; Apart from decay and joint decay, Within this there is also no formation.
若離於成者， 云何而有壞？ 如離生有死， 是事則不然。
If apart from formation, How can there be decay? Like death apart from birth, This cannot be so.
成壞共有者， 云何有成壞？ 如世間生死， 一時俱不然。
If formation and decay exist together, How can there be formation and decay? Like birth and death in the world, They cannot exist simultaneously.
若離於壞者， 云何當有成？ 無常未曾有， 不在諸法時
If apart from decay, How can there be formation? Impermanence has never existed, Not existing in any dharmas.
成壞共無成， 離亦無有成， 是二俱不可， 云何當有成？
When formation and decay together have no formation, And apart also has no formation, These two both being impossible, How can there be formation?
盡則無有成， 不盡亦無成； 盡則無有壞， 不盡亦不壞。
When exhausted there is no formation, When not exhausted also no formation; When exhausted there is no decay, When not exhausted also no decay.
若離於成壞， 是亦無有法； 若當離於法， 亦無有成壞。
If apart from formation and decay, There are also no dharmas; If apart from dharmas, There is also no formation and decay.
若法性空者， 誰當有成壞？ 若性不空者， 亦無有成壞。
If dharmas are empty in nature, Who can have formation and decay? If nature is not empty, There is also no formation and decay.
成壞若一者， 是事則不然； 成壞若異者， 是事亦不然。
If formation and decay are one, This cannot be so; If formation and decay are different, This also cannot be so.
若謂以眼見， 而有生滅者， 則為是癡妄， 而見有生滅。
If you say by seeing with the eyes That there is arising and ceasing, This is delusion and confusion, To see arising and ceasing.
從法不生法， 亦不生非法； 從非法不生， 法及於非法。
From dharmas no dharmas arise, Nor do they produce non-dharmas; From non-dharmas do not arise Dharmas or non-dharmas.
法不從自生， 亦不從他生， 不從自他生， 云何而有生？
Dharmas do not arise from themselves, Nor do they arise from others, Not from both self and other - How can there be arising?
若有所受法， 即墮於斷常， 當知所受法， 為常為無常。
If there are received dharmas, This falls into eternalism or annihilationism, Know that received dharmas Are either permanent or impermanent.
所有受法者， 不墮於斷常， 因果相續故， 不斷亦不常。
One who receives dharmas Does not fall into eternalism or annihilationism, Because of cause and effect in succession, Neither cut off nor permanent.
若因果生滅， 相續而不斷； 滅更不生故， 因即為斷滅。
If cause and effect arise and cease, Continuing without interruption; Because extinction does not arise again, The cause becomes annihilation.
法住於自性， 不應有有無； 涅槃滅相續， 則墮於斷滅。
If dharmas abide in their own nature, There should not be existence or non-existence; When nirvana extinguishes succession, This falls into annihilation.
若初有滅者， 則無有後有； 初有若不滅， 亦無有後有。
If what exists first ceases, Then there would be no later existence; If what exists first does not cease, Also there would be no later existence.
若初有滅時， 而後有生者， 滅時是一有， 生時是一有。
If what exists first ceases, And later existence arises, At the time of ceasing there is one existence, At the time of arising there is one existence.
若言於生滅， 而謂一時者， 則於此陰死， 即於此陰生。
If you speak of arising and ceasing As occurring simultaneously, Then in these aggregates' death Is also these aggregates' birth.
三世中求有， 相續不可得， 若三世中無， 何有有相續？
Searching for existence in the three times, Succession cannot be found, If not found in the three times, How can there be succession?"
🍃 觀如來品第二十二
Chapter Twenty-Two: Observing Tathāgata
非陰不離陰， 此彼不相在； 如來不有陰， 何處有如來？
Neither the aggregates nor apart from aggregates, Neither in this nor in that; The Tathāgata does not possess aggregates, Where then is the Tathāgata?
陰合有如來， 則無有自性； 若無有自性， 云何因他有？
If the Tathāgata exists through combination with aggregates, Then there is no self-nature; If there is no self-nature, How can it depend on other-nature?
法若因他生， 是即為非我； 若法非我者， 云何是如來？
If dharmas arise depending on others, This means they are not-self; If dharmas are not-self, How can they be the Tathāgata?
若無有自性， 云何有他性？ 離自性他性， 何名為如來？
If there is no self-nature, How can there be other-nature? Apart from self-nature and other-nature, What could be called Tathāgata?
若不因五陰， 先有如來者， 以今受陰故， 則說為如來。
If without depending on the five aggregates, There were first a Tathāgata, Because of now receiving aggregates, This would be called Tathāgata.
今實不受陰， 更無如來法， 若以不受無， 今當云何受？
Now actually not receiving aggregates, There are no more Tathāgata dharmas, If through not receiving there is nothing, How now can there be receiving?
若其未有受， 所受不名受， 無有無受法， 而名為如來。
If there has not yet been receiving, What is received cannot be called receiving, There is no dharma without receiving That could be called Tathāgata.
若於一異中， 如來不可得， 五種求亦無， 云何受中有？
If in sameness or difference The Tathāgata cannot be found, And searching five ways also finds nothing, How can it exist within receiving?
又所受五陰， 不從自性有， 若無自性者， 云何有他性？
Also the received five aggregates Do not arise from self-nature; If without self-nature, How can there be other-nature?
以如是義故， 受空受者空， 云何當以空， 而說空如來？
For these reasons, Both receiving and receiver are empty; How then through emptiness Can one speak of an empty Tathāgata?
空則不可說， 非空不可說， 共不共叵說， 但以假名說。
'Empty' cannot be spoken of, 'Non-empty' cannot be spoken of, Both or neither cannot be spoken of, They are only used as conventional designations.
寂滅相中無， 常無常等四； 寂滅相中無， 邊無邊等四。
Within the characteristic of quiescence there are not The four alternatives of permanent/impermanent; Within the characteristic of quiescence there are not The four alternatives of finite/infinite.
邪見深厚者， 則說無如來； 如來寂滅相， 分別有亦非。
Those with deep wrong views Say there is no Tathāgata; The Tathāgata's characteristic of quiescence Cannot be discriminated as existent.
如是性空中， 思惟亦不可， 如來滅度後， 分別於有無。
In such emptiness of nature, Thought also is not possible, After the Tathāgata's nirvana, To discriminate existence or non-existence.
如來過戲論， 而人生戲論， 戲論破慧眼， 是皆不見佛。
The Tathāgata transcends conceptual proliferation, Yet people give rise to conceptual proliferation; Conceptual proliferation destroys the eye of wisdom, These all fail to see the Buddha.
如來所有性， 即是世間性； 如來無有性， 世間亦無性。
The nature that the Tathāgata has Is identical to the nature of the world; The Tathāgata has no nature, And the world also has no nature."
🍃 觀顛倒品第二十三
Chapter Twenty-Three: Observing Inversion (viparyaya)
從憶想分別， 生於貪恚癡， 淨不淨顛倒， 皆從眾緣生。
From memory and discriminative thought Arise greed, anger and delusion; Pure and impure inversions All arise from conditions.
若因淨不淨， 顛倒生三毒， 三毒即無性， 故煩惱無實。
If because of pure and impure, Inversions give rise to three poisons, The three poisons have no inherent nature, Therefore afflictions are not real.
我法有以無， 是事終不成； 無我諸煩惱， 有無亦不成。
Self and dharmas as existent or non-existent, This cannot be established; Without self, all afflictions As existent or non-existent also cannot be established.
誰有此煩惱， 是即為不成； 若離是而有， 煩惱則無屬。
Who has these afflictions? This cannot be established; If they exist apart from this, Afflictions would have no basis.
如身見五種， 求之不可得， 煩惱於垢心， 五求亦不得。
Like the five types of views of body, Searching for them they cannot be found; Afflictions in the defiled mind, Searching five ways also cannot be found.
淨不淨顛倒， 是則無自性； 云何因此二， 而生諸煩惱？
Pure and impure inversions Have no self-nature; How because of these two Could afflictions arise?
色聲香味觸， 及法為六種， 如是之六種， 是三毒根本。
Form, sound, smell, taste, touch And dharmas make six types; These six types Are the root of the three poisons.
色聲香味觸， 及法體六種， 皆空如炎夢， 如乾闥婆城。
Form, sound, smell, taste, touch And dharmas - these six types Are all empty like mirages and dreams, Like a gandharva city.
如是六種中， 何有淨不淨？ 猶如幻化人， 亦如鏡中像。
Within these six types, How can there be pure and impure? Like magically created people, Also like reflections in mirrors.
不因於淨相， 則無有不淨； 因淨有不淨， 是故無不淨。
Without depending on pure characteristics, There would be no impure; Because impure exists due to pure, Therefore there is no impure.
不因於不淨， 則亦無有淨； 因不淨有淨， 是故無有淨。
Without depending on impure, There would also be no pure; Because pure exists due to impure, Therefore there is no pure.
若無有淨者， 何由而有貪？ 若無有不淨， 何由而有恚？
If there is no pure, How can there be greed? If there is no impure, How can there be anger?
於無常著常， 是則名顛倒； 空中無有常， 何處有常倒？
To grasp permanence in impermanence, This is called inversion; In emptiness there is no permanence, Where is there inversion of permanence?
若於無常中， 著無常非倒； 空中無無常， 何有非顛倒？
If regarding impermanence, Grasping impermanence is not inverted; In emptiness there is no impermanence, How can there be non-inversion?
可著著者著， 及所用著法， 是皆寂滅相， 云何而有著？」
What can be grasped, grasper, and grasping, And dharmas used in grasping, All have characteristics of extinction - How can there be grasping?
若無有著法， 言邪是顛倒， 言正不顛倒， 誰有如是事？
If there are no dharmas to grasp, Saying 'wrong' is inversion, Saying 'right' is not inversion - Who has such things?
有倒不生倒， 無倒不生倒， 倒者不生倒， 不倒亦不生。
Having inversion does not produce inversion, No inversion does not produce inversion, One inverted does not produce inversion, One not inverted also does not produce.
若於顛倒時， 亦不生顛倒， 汝可自觀察， 誰生於顛倒？
If at the time of inversion, Inversion also is not produced, You should examine for yourself: Who produces inversion?
諸顛倒不生， 云何有此義？ 無有顛倒故， 何有顛倒者？
If inversions do not arise, How can this make sense? Because there are no inversions, How can there be one who is inverted?
若常我樂淨， 而是實有者， 是常我樂淨， 則非是顛倒。
If permanent, self, pleasure and pure Actually existed, Then permanent, self, pleasure and pure Would not be inversions.
若常我樂淨， 而實無有者； 無常苦不淨， 是則亦應無。
If permanent, self, pleasure and pure Actually did not exist; Then impermanent, suffering, impure Should also not exist.
如是顛倒滅， 無明則亦滅， 以無明滅故， 諸行等亦滅。
Thus when inversions cease, Ignorance also ceases, Because ignorance ceases, All formations and such also cease.
若煩惱性實， 而有所屬者， 云何當可斷？ 誰能斷其性？
If afflictions had real nature And had something they belonged to, How could they be cut off? Who could cut off their nature?
若煩惱虛妄， 無性無屬者， 云何當可斷？ 誰能斷無性？
If afflictions were false, Without nature or basis, How could they be cut off? Who could cut off what has no nature?"
🍃 觀四諦品第二十四
Chapter Twenty Four: Observing the Four Truths
若一切皆空， 無生亦無滅， 如是則無有， 四聖諦之法。
If everything is empty, With no arising and no ceasing, Then for you it follows that The Four Noble Truths do not exist.
以無四諦故， 見苦與斷集， 證滅及修道， 如是事皆無。
Because the Four Truths do not exist, Seeing suffering and abandoning its origin, Realizing cessation and cultivating the path - All these would not exist.
以是事無故， 則無四道果； 無有四果故， 得向者亦無。
Because these things do not exist, The four fruits of the path would not exist; Without the four fruits, There would be no attainers.
若無八賢聖， 則無有僧寶； 以無四諦故， 亦無有法寶；
Without the eight types of noble ones, There would be no Sangha Jewel; Because the Four Truths do not exist, There would also be no Dharma Jewel;
以無法僧寶， 亦無有佛寶。 如是說空者， 是則破三寶。
Without the Dharma and Sangha Jewels, How could there be a Buddha Jewel? Speaking of emptiness this way Would destroy the Three Jewels.
空法壞因果， 亦壞於罪福， 亦復悉毀壞， 一切世俗法。
Emptiness would destroy cause and effect, And also destroy good and evil karma, And would also completely destroy All worldly conventions.
汝今實不能， 知空空因緣， 及知於空義， 是故自生惱。
You truly are not able To understand emptiness, its causes and conditions, And the meaning of emptiness - Therefore you trouble yourself.
諸佛依二諦， 為眾生說法： 一以世俗諦， 二第一義諦。
The Buddhas teach the Dharma Based on two truths: First, the truth of worldly convention, Second, the truth of ultimate meaning.
若人不能知， 分別於二諦， 則於深佛法， 不知真實義。
If one cannot understand The distinction between these two truths, Then of the profound Buddha Dharma, One does not understand the true meaning.
若不依俗諦， 不得第一義； 不得第一義， 則不得涅槃。
Without relying on convention, The ultimate cannot be realized; Without realizing the ultimate, Nirvana cannot be attained."
不能正觀空， 鈍根則自害， 如不善呪術， 不善捉毒蛇。
Those who cannot rightly observe emptiness Will harm themselves with dull faculties, Like those unskilled in magical spells Who are unskilled in grasping poisonous snakes.
世尊知是法， 甚深微妙相， 非鈍根所及， 是故不欲說。
The World-Honored One knew this dharma Has profound and subtle characteristics, Beyond those of dull faculties to reach, Therefore he did not wish to teach it.
汝謂我著空， 而為我生過； 汝今所說過， 於空則無有。
You say I am attached to emptiness, And create faults for me; But the faults you now speak of Do not exist within emptiness.
以有空義故， 一切法得成； 若無空義者， 一切則不成。
Because of the meaning of emptiness, All dharmas can be established; Without the meaning of emptiness, Nothing could be established.
汝今自有過， 而以迴向我， 如人乘馬者， 自忘於所乘。
You now have faults yourself, Yet turn them back on me, Like someone riding a horse Who forgets what they are riding.
若汝見諸法， 決定有性者， 即為見諸法， 無因亦無緣。
If you see all dharmas As having definite nature, Then you see dharmas As without causes and conditions.
即為破因果， 作作者作法， 亦復壞一切， 萬物之生滅。
This would destroy cause and effect, Agent, action, and dharmas of action, And would also destroy completely The arising and ceasing of all things.
眾因緣生法， 我說即是無， 亦為是假名， 亦是中道義。
Dharmas arising from conditions, I say are precisely empty, Are also conventional designations, And are also the meaning of the Middle Way.
未曾有一法， 不從因緣生， 是故一切法， 無不是空者。
Never has there been a single dharma Not arising from conditions, Therefore all dharmas Are without exception empty.
若一切不空， 則無有生滅， 如是則無有， 四聖諦之法。
If everything were not empty, There would be no arising and ceasing, And thus there would not be The dharma of the Four Noble Truths."
苦不從緣生， 云何當有苦？ 無常是苦義， 定性無無常。
If suffering does not arise from conditions, How can there be suffering? Impermanence is the meaning of suffering - With fixed nature there is no impermanence.
若苦有定性， 何故從集生？ 是故無有集， 以破空義故。
If suffering has fixed nature, Why does it arise from accumulation? Therefore there is no accumulation, Because of destroying the meaning of emptiness.
苦若有定性， 則不應有滅。 汝著定性故， 即破於滅諦。
If suffering has fixed nature, Then there should not be cessation. By your attachment to fixed nature, You destroy the truth of cessation.
苦若有定性， 則無有修道； 若道可修習， 即無有定性。
If suffering has fixed nature, Then there would be no cultivation of the path; If the path can be cultivated, Then it has no fixed nature.
若無有苦諦， 及無集滅諦， 所可滅苦道， 竟為何所至？
If there is no truth of suffering, And no truths of accumulation and cessation, Where would the path that eliminates suffering Finally lead to?
若苦定有性， 先來所不見， 於今云何見？ 其性不異故。
If suffering has fixed nature, What was not seen before, How can it be seen now? Since its nature does not change.
如見苦不然， 斷集及證滅， 修道及四果， 是亦皆不然。
Just as seeing suffering is not so, Abandoning accumulation and realizing cessation, Cultivating the path and the four fruits, These also cannot be so.
是四道果性， 先來不可得； 諸法性若定， 今云何可得？
The nature of the four fruits of the path, Could not be attained before; If dharmas have fixed nature, How can they be attained now?
若無有四果， 則無得向者， 以無八聖故， 則無有僧寶。
If there are no four fruits, Then there are no attainers, Without the eight noble ones, There would be no Sangha Jewel.
無四聖諦故， 亦無有法寶， 無法寶僧寶， 云何有佛寶？
If there are no Four Noble Truths, There would also be no Dharma Jewel, Without Dharma and Sangha Jewels, How could there be a Buddha Jewel?"
汝說則不因， 菩提而有佛； 亦復不因佛， 而有於菩提。
You say that there is no Buddha Because of enlightenment; Nor is there enlightenment Because of Buddha.
雖復勤精進， 修行菩提道， 若先非佛性， 不應得成佛。
Although one diligently practices The path of enlightenment, If one does not have Buddha-nature first, One should not attain Buddhahood.
若諸法不空， 無作罪福者， 不空何所作？ 以其性定故。
If all dharmas are not empty, And there is no doing of good and evil, What can non-emptiness do? Because its nature is fixed.
汝於罪福中， 不生果報者， 是則離罪福， 而有諸果報。
In your view of good and evil, If they do not produce results, Then apart from good and evil, How can there be any results?
若謂從罪福， 而生果報者， 果從罪福生， 云何言不空？
If you say that from good and evil Results are produced, If results arise from good and evil, How can you say they are not empty?
汝破一切法， 諸因緣空義， 則破於世俗， 諸餘所有法。
You destroy all dharmas' Meaning of emptiness and conditions, Thus destroying conventional truth And all remaining dharmas.
若破於空義， 即應無所作； 無作而有作， 不作名作者。
If you destroy the meaning of emptiness, Then there should be no action; Yet there would be action without action, And an agent without acting.
若有決定性， 世間種種相， 則不生不滅， 常住而不壞。
If things had definite nature, The world's various characteristics Would neither arise nor cease, But abide permanently without change.
若無有空者， 未得不應得， 亦無斷煩惱， 亦無苦盡事。
If there were no emptiness, What is not attained should not be attained, There would be no cutting off of afflictions, And no extinction of suffering.
是故經中說， 若見因緣法， 則為能見佛， 見苦集滅道。
Therefore the sutra says: If one sees dependent arising, Then one can see the Buddha, See suffering, its origin, cessation and the path."
🍃 觀涅槃品第二十五
Chapter Twenty-Five: Observing Nirvana
若一切法空， 無生無滅者， 何斷何所滅， 而稱為涅槃？
If all dharmas are empty, Without arising or ceasing, What is cut off, what ceases, That could be called nirvana?
若諸法不空， 則無生無滅； 何斷何所滅， 而稱為涅槃？
If dharmas are not empty, Then there is no arising or ceasing; What is cut off, what ceases, That could be called nirvana?
無得亦無至， 不斷亦不常， 不生亦不滅， 是說名涅槃。
No attainment and no reaching, Neither cut off nor permanent, Neither arising nor ceasing - This is called nirvana.
涅槃不名有， 有則老死相； 終無有有法， 離於老死相。
Nirvana is not called existence, For existence has characteristics of aging and death; There has never been an existent dharma Apart from characteristics of aging and death.
若涅槃是有， 涅槃即有為； 終無有一法， 而是無為者。
If nirvana is existence, Nirvana would be conditioned; Never has there been any dharma That is unconditioned.
若涅槃是有， 云何名無受？ 無有不從受， 而名為有法。
If nirvana is existence, How can it be called non-reception? There is nothing not from reception That can be called an existent dharma.
有尚非涅槃， 何況於無耶！ 涅槃無有有， 何處當有無？
If even existence is not nirvana, How much less non-existence! Nirvana has no existence, Where then could there be non-existence?
若無是涅槃， 云何名不受？ 未曾有不受， 而名為無法。」
If non-existence is nirvana, How can it be called non-reception? There has never been non-reception That could be called a non-existent dharma.
受諸因緣故， 輪轉生死中； 不受諸因緣， 是名為涅槃。」
Because of receiving conditions, One turns in birth and death; Not receiving conditions, This is called nirvana.
如佛經中說， 斷有斷非有； 是故知涅槃， 非有亦非無。」
As spoken in the Buddha's sutras: 'Cut off existence and non-existence'; Therefore know that nirvana Is neither existent nor non-existent.
若謂於有無， 合為涅槃者， 有無即解脫， 是事則不然。」
If you say regarding existence and non-existence That their combination is nirvana, That existence and non-existence are liberation - This cannot be so.
若謂於有無， 合為涅槃者； 涅槃非無受， 是二從受生。」
If you say regarding existence and non-existence That their combination is nirvana; Nirvana is not without reception, These two arise from reception."
有無共合成， 云何名涅槃？ 涅槃名無為， 有無是有為。」
How can existence and non-existence combined Be called nirvana? Nirvana is called unconditioned, While existence and non-existence are conditioned.
有無二事共， 云何是涅槃？ 是二不同處， 如明暗不俱。
How can the two things, existence and non-existence together, Be nirvana? These two do not dwell together, Like light and darkness cannot coexist.
若非有非無， 名之為涅槃； 此非有非無， 以何而分別？」
If neither existent nor non-existent Is called nirvana, This neither existence nor non-existence - By what is it discriminated?
分別非有無， 如是名涅槃； 若有無成者， 非有非無成。」
Discriminating neither existence nor non-existence, Thus is nirvana named; If existence and non-existence are established, Then neither existence nor non-existence is established.
如來滅度後， 不言有與無， 亦不言有無， 非有及非無。
After the Tathāgata's extinction, One does not say existent or non-existent, Nor both existent and non-existent, Nor neither existent nor non-existent.
如來現在時， 不言有與無， 亦不言有無， 非有及非無。」
When the Tathāgata is present, One does not say existent or non-existent, Nor both existent and non-existent, Nor neither existent nor non-existent.
涅槃與世間， 無有少分別； 世間與涅槃， 亦無少分別。
Between nirvana and the world There is not the slightest distinction; Between the world and nirvana There is also not the slightest distinction.
涅槃之實際， 及與世間際， 如是二際者， 無毫釐差別。」
The reality-limit of nirvana And the limit of the world - Between these two limits There is not a hair's breadth of difference.
滅後有無等， 有邊等常等， 諸見依涅槃， 未來過去世。」
Views about after extinction such as existence and non-existence, Finite and infinite, permanent and impermanent, All views depend on nirvana, And on future and past times.
一切法空故， 何有邊無邊， 亦邊亦無邊， 非有非無邊？
Because all dharmas are empty, What is finite or infinite, Both finite and infinite, Neither finite nor infinite?
何者為一異， 何有常無常， 亦常亦無常， 非常非無常？
What is same or different? What is permanent or impermanent? Both permanent and impermanent? Neither permanent nor impermanent?
諸法不可得， 滅一切戲論， 無人亦無處， 佛亦無所說。」
All dharmas cannot be apprehended, All conceptual proliferation is extinguished, No person and no place, And even the Buddha has nothing to say."
🍃 觀十二因緣品第二十六
Chapter Twenty-Six: Observing the Twelve Interdependent Links
眾生癡所覆， 為後起三行， 以起是行故， 隨行墮六趣。
Sentient beings covered by ignorance Give rise to three types of actions for the future, Because of arising these actions, They follow actions to fall into the six realms.
以諸行因緣， 識受六道身， 以有識著故， 增長於名色。
Due to conditions of these actions, Consciousness receives bodies in the six paths, Because consciousness becomes attached, Name-and-form increases.
名色增長故， 因而生六入， 情塵識和合， 而生於六觸。
Because name-and-form increases, The six sense bases arise from it, When sense organs, objects and consciousness combine, The six contacts arise.
因於六觸故， 即生於三受， 以因三受故， 而生於渴愛。
Due to the six contacts, The three feelings arise, Because of the three feelings, Craving arises.
因愛有四取， 因取故有有， 若取者不取， 則解脫無有。
Due to craving there are four grasping, Due to grasping there is becoming, If the grasper does not grasp, Then liberation has no existence.
從有而有生， 從生有老死， 從老死故有， 憂悲諸苦惱。
From becoming there is birth, From birth there is aging and death, From aging and death there arise Sorrow, lamentation and suffering.
如是等諸事， 皆從生而有， 但以是因緣， 而集大苦陰。
All such matters as these Arise from birth, Due to these conditions, The great mass of suffering accumulates.
是謂為生死， 諸行之根本， 無明者所造， 智者所不為。
This is called birth and death, The root of all conditioned actions, Created by ignorance, Not done by the wise.
以是事滅故， 是事則不生， 但是苦陰聚， 如是而正滅。
When these matters cease, These matters do not arise, This mass of suffering Thus correctly ceases.
🍃 觀邪見品第二十七
Chapter Twenty-Seven: Observing Erroneous Views
我於過去世， 為有為是無？ 世間常等見， 皆依過去世。
In past lives was I Existent or non-existent? Views of the world as permanent and such All depend on the past.
我於未來世， 為作為不作？ 有邊等諸見， 皆依未來世。
In future lives will I Act or not act? Views of limits and such All depend on the future.
過去世有我， 是事不可得， 過去世中我， 不作今世我。
That I existed in past lives Cannot be established; The 'I' of past lives Did not make the present 'I'.
若謂我即是， 而身有異相， 若當離於身， 何處別有我？
If you say I am the same, Yet the body has different characteristics, If separate from the body, Where else could there be a self?
離有無身我， 是事為已成， 若謂身即我， 若都無有我。
Whether separate from or without a body, the self - This matter is already settled. Whether you say the body is the self, Or there is no self at all.
但身不為我， 身相生滅故， 云何當以受， 而作於受者？
But the body is not the self, Because body's characteristics arise and cease; How then through receiving Can there be one who receives?
若離身有我， 是事則不然， 無受而有我， 而實不可得。
If separate from the body there is a self, This cannot be so; Without receiving yet having a self, This truly cannot be found.
今我不離受， 亦不即是受， 非無受非無， 此即決定義。
Now the self is not separate from receiving, Nor is it identical to receiving, Neither without receiving nor non-existent - This is the definitive meaning.
過去我不作， 是事則不然； 過去世中我， 異今亦不然。
That past self did not act - This cannot be so; That the self in past lives Is different from now also cannot be so.
若謂有異者， 離彼應有今， 我住過去世， 而今我自生。
If you say they are different, Apart from that there should be present; I abided in past lives While now I arise by myself.
如是則斷滅， 失於業果報， 彼作而此受， 有如是等過。
This would lead to annihilation, Losing karma and its results, That one acts while another receives - Such errors would follow."
先無而今有， 此中亦有過， 我則是作法， 亦為是無因。
If first there was non-existence And now there is existence, In this there is also error, For I would be a created dharma, Also being without cause.
如過去世中， 有我無我見， 若共若不共， 是事皆不然。
As in past lives, Views of self and no-self, Whether combined or separate, None of these can be so.
我於未來世， 為作為不作？ 如是之見者， 皆同過去世。
In future lives, Will I act or not act? Such views as these Are the same as those about the past.
若天即是人， 則墮於常邊； 天則為無生， 常法不生故。
If gods are identical to humans, This falls into eternalism; Gods would then have no birth, As permanent dharmas do not arise.
若天異於人， 是即為無常； 若天異人者， 是則無相續。
If gods differ from humans, This becomes impermanence; If gods differ from humans, Then there is no continuity.
若半天半人， 則墮於二邊， 常及於無常， 是事則不然。
If half god and half human, This falls into two extremes, Permanent and impermanent - This cannot be so.
若常及無常， 是二俱成者， 如是則應成， 非常非無常。
If permanent and impermanent Both are established, Then it should follow that Neither permanent nor impermanent exists.
法若定有來， 及定有去者， 生死則無始， 而實無此事。
If dharmas definitely come And definitely go, Birth and death would have no beginning - But this is not actually so.
今若無有常， 云何有無常， 亦常亦無常， 非常非無常？
If now there is no permanence, How can there be impermanence, Both permanent and impermanent, Neither permanent nor impermanent?
若世間有邊， 云何有後世？ 若世間無邊， 云何有後世？
If the world has limits, How can there be a future world? If the world has no limits, How can there be a future world?"
五陰常相續， 猶如燈火炎； 以是故世間， 不應邊無邊。
The five aggregates continuously proceed Like the flame of a lamp; Therefore the world Should not be finite or infinite.
若先五陰壞， 不因是五陰， 更生後五陰， 世間則有邊。
If the prior five aggregates are destroyed, And not because of these aggregates Later five aggregates arise, Then the world would be finite.
若先陰不壞， 亦不因是陰， 而生後五陰， 世間則無邊。
If the prior aggregates are not destroyed, And also not because of these aggregates Later five aggregates arise, Then the world would be infinite.
真法及說者， 聽者難得故， 如是則生死， 非有邊無邊。
Because the true dharma and its speaker, And listeners are hard to find, Therefore birth and death Are neither finite nor infinite.
若世半有邊， 世間半無邊； 是則亦有邊， 亦無邊不然。
If half the world is finite, And half the world infinite; Then it would be both finite And infinite - this cannot be so.
彼受五陰者， 云何一分破？ 一分而不破， 是事則不然。
For one who receives the five aggregates, How can one part be destroyed While one part is not destroyed? This cannot be so.
受亦復如是， 云何一分破？ 一分而不破， 是事亦不然。
Reception is also like this, How can one part be destroyed While one part is not destroyed? This also cannot be so.
若亦有無邊， 是二得成者， 非有非無邊， 是則亦應成。
If both finite and infinite Could be established, Then neither finite nor infinite Should also be established.
一切法空故， 世間常等見， 何處於何時， 誰起是諸見？
Because all dharmas are empty, Views of the world as permanent and such - Where, at what time, Who gives rise to these views?
瞿曇大聖主， 憐愍說是法， 悉斷一切見， 我今稽首禮。
The Great Sage Lord Gautama, Compassionately taught this dharma, Cutting off all views - I now bow my head in reverence."