觀性門第八
Chapter 8: Contemplating Nature
復次，一切法空。何以故？諸法無性故。如說：
Furthermore, all phenomena are empty. Why? Because all things lack inherent nature. As it is said:
見有變異相， 諸法無有性；
無性法亦無， 諸法皆空故。
When we see appearances change, All things have no fixed nature. No fixed nature itself also does not exist, Because all things are essentially empty.
諸法若有性，則不應變異；而見一切法皆變異，是故當知諸法無性。復次，若諸法有定性，則不應從眾緣生；若性從眾緣生者，性即是作法；不作法不因待他名為性，是故一切法空。
If things had a fixed, inherent nature, they could never change. Yet we see that all things are constantly changing. Therefore, we should know that things have no fixed nature.
Furthermore, if things had a fixed, inherent nature, they would not need to arise from causes and conditions. If a "nature" arises from causes and conditions, then that "nature" itself is something that is made. That which is un-made and does not depend on anything else is called true nature. Therefore, all things are empty.
問曰：「若一切法空，則無生無滅；若無生滅，則無苦諦；若無苦諦，則無集諦；若無苦、集諦，則無滅諦；若無苦滅，則無至苦滅道。若諸法空無性，則無四聖諦；無四聖諦故，亦無四沙門果；無四沙門果故，則無賢聖。是事無故，佛、法、僧亦無，世間法皆亦無。是事不然，是故諸法不應盡空。」
Question: "If all phenomena are empty, then there is no arising and no ceasing. If there is no arising and ceasing, then there is no truth of suffering. If there is no truth of suffering, then there is no truth of the origin of suffering. If there are no truths of suffering and its origin, then there is no truth of cessation. If there is no cessation of suffering, then there is no path leading to the cessation of suffering. If all phenomena are empty and lack inherent nature, then there are no Four Noble Truths. Without the Four Noble Truths, there are also no the four fruits of the contemplative life. Without the four fruits of the contemplative life, there are no noble beings. Since these do not exist, the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha would also not exist, and all worldly phenomena would also not exist. This cannot be the case. Therefore, phenomena should not be entirely empty."
答曰：「有二諦：一、世諦，二、第一義諦。因世諦得說第一義諦，若不因世諦，則不得說第一義諦；若不得第一義諦，則不得涅槃。若人不知二諦，則不知自利、他利、共利。如是若知世諦，則知第一義諦；知第一義諦，則知世諦。汝今聞說世諦，謂是第一義諦，是故墮在失處。諸佛因緣法，名為甚深第一義，是因緣法無自性，故我說是空。
Reply: "There are two truths: conventional truth and ultimate truth. It is through conventional truth that ultimate truth can be explained; without conventional truth, ultimate truth cannot be explained. And without understanding ultimate truth, one cannot attain nirvana. If someone does not comprehend these two truths, they do not know how to benefit themselves, benefit others, or benefit both. Thus, when one understands conventional truth, one understands ultimate truth; when one understands ultimate truth, one understands conventional truth. But you, upon hearing about conventional truth, mistake it for ultimate truth—this is why you have fallen into error. The Dharma of dependent origination taught by the Buddhas is called the profound ultimate truth. Because this Dharma of dependent origination lacks intrinsic nature, I declare it to be empty."
「若諸法不從眾緣生，則應各有定性，五陰不應有生滅相；五陰不生不滅，即無無常；若無無常，則無苦聖諦。若無苦聖諦，則無因緣生法集聖諦。諸法若有定性，則無苦滅聖諦。何以故？性無變異故。若無苦滅聖諦，則無至苦滅道。是故若人不受空，則無四聖諦；若無四聖諦，則無得四聖諦；若無得四聖諦，則無知苦、斷集、證滅、修道，是事無故則無四沙門果；無四沙門果故，則無得、向者。若無得、向者，則無佛；破因緣法故，則無法；以無果故，則無僧；若無佛、法、僧，則無三寶。若無三寶，則壞世俗法。此則不然，是故一切法空。
If phenomena did not arise from a combination of causes and conditions, they would each have a fixed, unchanging nature. The five aggregates would not then have the characteristics of being arising and ceasing. If the five aggregates neither arise nor cease, there would be no impermanence. Without impermanence, there would be no Noble Truth of Suffering. Without the Noble Truth of Suffering, there would be no Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering, which is the arising of suffering through causes and conditions. If all things had a fixed nature, there would be no Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering. Why? Because a fixed nature never changes. Without the Noble Truth of Cessation, there would be no Noble Path leading to the cessation of suffering. Therefore, if a person does not accept emptiness, there are no Four Noble Truths. Without the Four Noble Truths, there is no realization of the Four Noble Truths. Without the realization of them, there is no knowing suffering, abandoning its origin, attaining its cessation, or cultivating the path. Since these actions do not exist, there are no four fruits of the contemplative life. Without those, there are no those who have attained the fruits or those who are on the path to them. Without such people, there is no Buddha. Because the principle of dependent origination is violated, there is no Dharma. Without the fruits, there is no Sangha. Without Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, there are no Three Jewels. Without the Three Jewels, conventional truth collapses. This cannot be. Therefore, all things are empty.
「復次，若諸法有定性，則無生無滅、無罪無福；無罪福果報，世間常是一相。是故當知諸法無性。
Moreover, if all things had a fixed, inherent nature, then there would be no arising or passing away, no sin or merit; without the consequences of sin or merit, the world would forever remain one unchanging state. Therefore, you should understand that all things lack a fixed, independent nature.
「若謂諸法無自性、從他性有者，是亦不然。何以故？若無自性，云何從他性有？因自性有他性故。又他性即亦是自性。何以故？他性即是他自性故。若自性不成，他性亦不成；若自性、他性不成，離自性、他性何處更有法？若有不成，無亦不成。是故今推求無自性、無他性，無有、無無故，一切有為法空。有為法空故，無為法亦空；有為、無為尚空，何況我耶？」
"If it is claimed that all phenomena have no inherent nature (self-nature) yet arise from other conditions, this is also incorrect. Why? If there is no inherent nature, how can anything arise from other conditions? The existence of 'other' depends on the existence of 'self.' Moreover, what is called 'other nature' is also ultimately a kind of 'self-nature.' Why? Because the nature of 'other' is simply its own inherent nature. If a thing's own inherent nature cannot be established, then its nature derived from others cannot be established either.
If neither a self-nature nor a nature from others can be established, then apart from self-nature and other-nature, where else can any phenomenon be found? Existence cannot be established, and non-existence also cannot be established. Therefore, upon investigation, there is no self-nature, no other-nature, no existence, and non-existence is also unreal. Thus, all conditioned phenomena are empty. Since conditioned phenomena are empty, unconditioned phenomena are also empty. If even conditioned and unconditioned phenomena are empty, how much more so the concept of a self?"