辨法法性論
Distinguishing Phenomena and Reality
彌勒菩薩造
Treatise by Maitreya Bodhisattva
民國 苾芻法尊譯
Translated by Bhikshu Fazun, Republic of China
頂禮曼殊室利菩薩
Homage to Manjushri Bodhisattva
由知何所斷。有餘所應證。欲辨彼等相。故我造此論。
Because they understand what needs to be let go, And what is left to be realized, To clarify these distinctions clearly, I have composed this treatise.
此等一切。二類所攝。謂法與法性。法表生死。法性表三乘湼槃。
如所顯現二及名言虛妄分別是為法相。無而現者。是為虛妄。分別者謂於一切無義。唯計度耳。無能取所取能詮所詮差別之真如。是為法相。無而顯現故錯亂。是雜染之因。如見幻象等。不見有亦爾。無與現中隨缺一種。則錯亂不錯亂。雜染清淨。皆不隨轉。二者非一非異。以有無有別及無別故。
The appearance of duality and conceptual labeling in language defines the nature of phenomena. That which appears without existing is called illusory. "Conceptual labeling" refers to mere mental imputations upon what is fundamentally meaningless. The true nature of reality, which transcends distinctions between perceiver and perceived, signifier and signified, is the definition of Dharma-characteristics. Because it appears without existing, it produces confusion, which is the root of defilement—like seeing illusions or mirages. Similarly, not perceiving anything at all is also thus.
If either "non-existence" or "appearance" is absent, then confusion or non-confusion, defilement or purity, cannot arise. These two are neither identical nor different, because existence and non-existence are both distinct and non-distinct.
由六種相通達法為無上。謂相。成立。非一異。所依共。不共。悟入顯現能取所取而無實事。相及成立非一異者。如略標說。諸於何流轉。彼為所依。謂有情及器世間。器世間如共所了。有情世間有共不共。胎生。名言。攝受。治罰。功德。過失。互為因故。更互增上。故名為共。（頌本有損益二事）依。了。業。樂。苦。死。生。縛。脫。由不共故名為不共。
Through the six aspects, the Dharma is understood as the ultimate. These are: (1) characteristics, (2) establishment, (3) non-identity and non-difference, (4) shared basis, (5) non-shared basis, and (6) understanding how perceived objects and perceiving subjects appear while being ultimately unreal.
Regarding characteristics, establishment, non-identity and non-difference, they are as briefly indicated. As for the basis in which beings cycle, this refers to the sentient world and the physical world. The physical world is understood as shared. The sentient world has both shared and non-shared aspects. Birth through the womb, conceptual designation, acceptance, punishment, virtue, and faults—these mutually serve as causes and enhance one another, thus being called "shared." (The verse itself mentions two aspects: benefit and harm.) Foundation, understanding, actions, pleasure, pain, death, birth, bondage, and liberation—these are not shared, hence called "non-shared."
共現似外所取者。即能取識。離識無別義。以共故。不共他心等識為所取者。其等引非等引識亦互非等境。以於非等引前。現自分別故。於等引三摩地行境中。亦現彼影像故。若現似所取非有。則現似能取亦成立非有。故善成立能取所取現而非有。無始等起善成立故。二取非有亦善成立。
What appears to be an external object perceived in common (by multiple beings) is actually only the perceiving consciousness itself. Apart from consciousness, there is no separate object. Because it is shared, it cannot be taken as an object by other minds, such as someone else's consciousness.
The states of meditative absorption (*samāhita*) and non-absorption (*asamāhita*) are also not objects for one another. This is because, before non-absorption, one's own mental discriminations appear directly. In the state of meditative absorption (*samādhi*), those mental images also appear within the scope of that absorption.
If there is no given object that appears as an external thing, then the given subject that appears as a perceiver also is established as non-existent. Therefore, it is well established that both subject and object, as appearances, are not real.
Since the beginningless cycle of existence is well established as the basis, the non-existence of both subject and object is also well established.
由六種相通達法性是為無上。謂相。依處。決擇。觸證。隨念。悟達彼自性。相如略標說。依處謂一切法。與契經等十二分教一切句身。決擇謂依大乘經如理作意所攝一切加行道。觸證謂為正見故以見道現量加行親證領受真如。隨念謂如觸證為除彼垢之菩提分所攝一切修道。悟達彼自性謂無垢真如。於一切種唯真如現。此即轉依圓成實。
Through the six aspects, one attains the utmost realization of the true nature of reality (Dharmatā). They are: (1) Identifying characteristics, (2) Basis of reference, (3) Discernment, (4) Direct realization, (5) Recollection, and (6) Awakening to its own nature.
- **Identifying characteristics** refers to a brief indication of its definition. - **Basis of reference** refers to all phenomena and all verbal expressions found in the twelve divisions of scriptures, such as the Sutras. - **Discernment** refers to all preparatory practices on the path, which are in accord with the Mahayana scriptures and are sustained by appropriate mental attention. - **Direct realization** refers to directly experiencing and personally verifying true reality through the immediate insight of the path of seeing, which is free from false views. - **Recollection** refers to all practices on the path of cultivation, which are aimed at removing the impurities from what has been directly realized and are included among the factors of enlightenment. - **Awakening to its own nature** refers to the stainless true reality itself, where only that reality appears in all aspects. This is the perfect achievement of transforming the basis and realizing ultimate reality.
由十種相通達轉依是為無上。謂通達自性。物。補特伽羅。差別。所為所依。作意。加行。過患。勝利。通達自性謂無垢真如。不現客塵。唯現真如。通達物謂共器識真如轉依。契經法界真如轉依。不共有情界識真如轉依。通達補特伽羅初二真如轉依是佛菩薩者。後亦是聲聞獨覺者。通達差別謂諸佛菩薩有嚴淨佛土差別。法身受用身差別。獲得化身差別。以得普見。教授。自在有差別故。通達所為謂宿願差別。說大乘法所緣差別。於十地中加行差別故。
There are ten aspects by which the supreme transformation of the ground is realized.
1. **Realizing Essential Nature**: Recognizing the stainless suchness, with adventitious defilements no longer manifest—only suchness appears.
2. **Realizing Objects**: The transformation of the ground regarding the shared consciousness and objects; the transformation regarding the scriptural Dharma-realm; and the transformation regarding the non-shared sentient beings' consciousness.
3. **Realizing Individuals**: The first two transformations belong to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas; the latter also belong to Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas.
4. **Realizing Distinctions**: The distinctions among Buddhas and Bodhisattvas—such as differences in purifying buddha-lands, differences in Dharma-body and enjoyment-body, and differences in attaining manifest bodies—derived from distinctions in universal vision, teaching, and mastery.
5. **Realizing Purpose**: Distinctions based on past vows, the focus of teaching the Great Vehicle, and the practices in the ten stages.
通達所依謂由六相通達無分別智故。由六相通達者謂由所緣故。由離相故。由正加行故。由相故。由勝利故。由徧知故。由四相通達所緣。謂說大乘法。於彼勝解。決定。圓滿資粮故。由四相通達離相。謂由離所治品。能治品。真如。智法相故。如其次第此即顯示永離粗。中。細。長隨轉相。通達正加行亦有四相。謂由有得加行。由無得加行。由有得無得加行。由無得有得加行。通達性相亦有三相。謂住法性故。由善安住無二取離言說之法性故。無顯現故。以二取。言說。根。境。識。器世間不顯現故。此顯彼相如經所說。無色。無觀。無示。無對。無住。無現。無了。無依。是無分別智。顯現故。由見一切法。如虛空故。見一切行如幻等故。通達勝利有四相。謂得圓滿法身故。得無上樂住故。得見說自在故。通達徧知亦有四相。謂對治徧知故。自相徧知故。差別徧知故。業徧知故。其對治徧知謂無分別智。是五種無執之對治。謂執著法。人。變壞。異。損減。自相徧知謂不作意。超尋伺。寂靜。自性義。取相。離彼五事是此自相。差別徧知謂由無分別。非一分性。無住性。畢竟性。無上。五相差別故。業徧知謂遠離諸分別。給無上安樂。令離煩惱所知二障。其後得智。悟入一切所知相。嚴淨佛土。成熟有情。給一切相智。五種業差別。通達作意者。如云。菩薩欲證無分別智。當如是作意。由無始時來不知真如。虛妄分別一切種子。是現似不實二取之因。於彼能依亦異。其因及果。雖現似有而非真實。由如是現。法性不現。由彼不現法性則現。菩薩如是如理作意。便能通達無分別智。由如是緣。便達緣唯識。由緣唯識便能通達一切義無得。由一切義無得便能通達唯識亦無所得。由彼無得便能通達緣二無別。其二俱無得。即無分別智。此無境無得。是一切相無得所顯故。
**How to Realize Non-Discriminative Wisdom**
Realization of Non-Discriminative Wisdom is achieved through six aspects:
**1. Realization through the Object of Focus (Four aspects)** - Engaging with Mahayana teachings - Gaining confident understanding of them - Reaching certainty in them - Completing the accumulation of spiritual resources
**2. Realization through Letting Go of Fixations (Four aspects)** - Letting go of negative qualities (coarse level) - Letting go of their opposites (subtle level) - Letting go of the idea of true reality (very subtle level) - Letting go of attachment to knowledge itself (continuously sustained level)
**3. Realization through Correct Practice (Four aspects)** - Practice based on gaining - Practice based on letting go of gaining - Practice alternating between gain and letting go - Practice moving from letting go to gain
**4. Realization through Essential Nature (Three aspects)** - Abiding in the nature of reality—peacefully settled in the non-duality of subject and object, beyond words - No appearance—the perceiver, perceived, words, sense organs, objects, consciousness, and material world do not appear - Seeing all things—like space, emptiness itself; like illusions, mere appearances
**5. Realization through Benefits (Four aspects)** - Attaining the perfect Dharma body - Attaining supreme bliss - Freedom in seeing and teaching - Complete knowledge
**6. Realization through Comprehensive Understanding (Five aspects)** - **As a remedy**—Non-Discriminative Wisdom counters five types of fixation: attachment to existence, self, change, difference, and denial - **Through its own nature**—It does not engage with concepts, goes beyond thought, is still, has its own natural meaning, and perceives without grasping—free from these five - **Through its distinctions**—It is non-discriminative, not partial, not fixed, ultimate, and unsurpassable in five aspects - **Through its function**—It removes all mental constructs, provides supreme peace, eliminates both afflictive and cognitive obscurations, and through its subsequent wisdom allows understanding of all phenomena, purification of Buddha lands, maturing of beings, and attainment of all-knowing wisdom
**How to Practice:**
A Bodhisattva who wishes to realize Non-Discriminative Wisdom should practice like this:
Since beginningless time, not understanding true reality, deluded perceptions have arisen from various seeds—these appear as subject and object but are not real. Because of these appearances, reality does not appear. When these appearances cease, reality appears.
By practicing in accordance with this truth, one realizes Non-Discriminative Wisdom. Through this, one realizes that all experience is mere consciousness. Then one realizes that all objects of experience are ungraspable. Then one realizes that even consciousness is ungraspable. Finally, one realizes that subject and object are not two—both are without independent existence. This non-grasping of subject and object is Non-Discriminative Wisdom itself—revealed through the ungraspability of all appearances.
加行通達有四種相。謂勝解行地。由勝解加行故。是決擇位。於初地中由各別內證加行故。是觸證位。未淨六地中由善修習加行故。清淨三地中亦爾。是隨念位。於佛地中由究竟加行故。佛事任運無間故。是到達自性位。通達過患謂若無轉依有四種過。謂無不起煩惱所依之過。無發起道所依之過。無般涅槃補特伽羅安立名言所依之過。無安立二種菩提差別名言所依之過。與彼相違有轉依。應知即是四種勝利。
There are four aspects of applied practice leading to realization:
First, in the stage of Aspiring Practice, through intentional effort, one reaches the phase of discerning analysis.
Second, in the First Stage (Ground of Joy), through personal inner realization, one reaches the phase of direct experience.
Third, in the impure Six Stages, and likewise in the pure Three Stages, through sustained and refined cultivation, one reaches the phase of mindful recollection.
Fourth, at the level of Buddhahood, through ultimate and complete effort, where awakened activity occurs naturally without interruption, one reaches the phase of arriving at one’s true nature.
Regarding the understanding of faults: if there is no fundamental transformation (revolution of the basis), four flaws arise. These are: (1) the flaw of having a basis from which afflictions continually arise without end, (2) the flaw of having no basis from which the path can be generated, (3) the flaw of having no basis for establishing the conventional designation of a person who attains nirvāṇa, and (4) the flaw of having no basis for establishing the conventional distinction between the two kinds of enlightenment.
In contrast, with this fundamental transformation, one should recognize four corresponding benefits.
當知彼等實相如實通達轉依。
Know that they truly and clearly understand reality, having fully realized and transformed their minds.
無法顯現。如夢幻等。轉依之喻。如虛空金水等。
It cannot be directly perceived, like a dream or illusion. The metaphor for transformed consciousness is like empty space, gold, or water.
辨法法性論 終
End of Distinguishing Phenomena and Their Nature