第十、隨文解釋者，諸論之首皆有歸敬等頌，此論無者，為存略也。以此論是略論故，亦是作者隨意，有無無在。就此論中，文別有二：初、標宗辨意；二、從「釋空者」下，開宗解釋。前中三：先標宗；二、「問曰」下，辨意；三、「大分」下，會意歸宗。前中「說曰」者，問答稱論，直言曰說。又成教傳通曰論，曲授門人曰說。曰者，語辭也。「略解」者，略有四義：一、約人，謂對佛果圓音大無礙辯，廣說般若二十萬頌。今此龍樹位居不足、證法未圓、所說非廣，故云略也。二、約教，謂龍樹所造《大無畏論》十萬頌，對彼說此以為略也。三、約義，謂空為法本、有為末相，若演本從末，隨俗萬差，以為廣說；若攝末歸本，就理要妙，以為略說，則要略之略也。故文云「但解空義」，此之謂也。四、約機，謂佛在世為利根大士所說為廣；佛滅度後，菩薩為彼末世鈍根，所說為略。今此文中具斯四釋，故云略也。言解者，辨釋也。但佛經所說義理多門，未知今者解釋何義？為揀彼小乘，非此所釋，故云「摩訶衍義」。摩訶，此云大。衍者，此云乘。此大乘名，後論自釋。義者，是所以也，則是所詮義理，謂真空也。第二、辨意中有三番問答以辨其意：初一明法義利，次一彰略非廣，後一顯法名義。初中，先問後答。答中二：先歎本法甚深，後明作論之意。前中有二種甚深：初、歎證甚深，謂諸佛所有故；二、歎《阿含》甚深，為大功德利根者說故。又初則主勝故法深，後則機勝故法深。以若非諸佛大人無以能說，若非菩薩大士無以堪受。是故此法玄軌妙則無不甚深，故名為「法」。則法含攝蘊積，包容諸勝德，故名之為「藏」。「大功德」是福勝，「利根」是智，「深」者是人，謂具勝福深智之者，方堪為器，顯法深也。後明作論意，於中二：先答利；後「光闡」下，答義。何故此中先利後義者，謂表菩薩大士宜以接物為先故也。又釋：初是饒益有情，後是成就佛法。依《瑜伽》等論，然諸菩薩從初發心常修如此二種正行，亦是二利行也。前中二：先明所被劣根，後明論主設教。前中「末世」者，時劣也。此有二義：一、從佛滅後，總名末世；二、謂正法五百年已後，總名末世。「眾生薄福」等者，人劣也。謂六大五蘊積成眾生，故云眾生。薄福，翻上大功德，鈍根顯智劣，翻上利根也。尋經不達者，謂雖尋文而不達其義，聞說有無，皆隨言定解，故是迷謬失也。「我愍此」下，明論主起悲設教，論興由致，答利益也。第二、答義中，謂此菩薩光揚開闡無上大法，令久住世，報佛恩故。是《瑜伽論》菩薩造論六意之中，「為令失沒種種義門重開顯故」，此之謂也。第二、問答顯略說中，先問後答，可知。第三、顯名義中先問後答中，大有七義：一、對小超過故。二、能至大處故。三、大人所乘故，亦是曾運大。四、利用廣大故。五、多所乘故，亦是現運大。六、廣大甚深故，謂廣盡其邊，則是無邊之邊，量智境也；深窮其底，則是無底之底，理智境也。七、攝功德大故，佛經自說。又如《集論》乘有七義，《起信論》中三義皆有運轉義，是乘以無分別智為性等，廣如別說。
**10. Commentary on the text line by line**
Most treatises begin with verses of homage, but this one does not—out of brevity. Since this is a concise treatise, the author simply chose to include or omit as he saw fit.
This treatise has two main parts: First, stating the central theme and clarifying its intent. Second, from "Explaining Emptiness" onward, formally opening the commentary.
The first part has three sections:
1. Stating the central theme ("I will briefly explain"). 2. Clarifying the intent (starting with "Question"). 3. Summarizing the meaning and returning to the theme (starting with "In general").
Regarding "I will briefly explain": What is called a "treatise" is a formal system of questions and answers; what is simply spoken is called "discourse." A treatise transmits teachings through writing; discourse directly instructs students. "Says" is just a grammatical particle.
"Briefly explain": "Briefly" has four meanings:
1. **Regarding the person**: The Buddha, with his perfect, all-encompassing voice and unobstructed eloquence, extensively taught the *Perfection of Wisdom* in 200,000 verses. Nāgārjuna, by contrast, had not yet reached the ultimate stage, his realization was not yet complete, so his teaching is not as extensive—hence "brief." 2. **Regarding the teaching**: Nāgārjuna’s *Great Treatise on Non-Fear* contains 100,000 verses. Compared to that, the present work is a condensed version—hence "brief." 3. **Regarding meaning**: Emptiness is the root of all phenomena; existence is their manifested aspect. If we unfold from the root to the branches, following conventional truth, there are myriad distinctions—this is the "extensive" teaching. If we gather the branches back to the root, focusing on the essential principle, this is the "concise" teaching. Hence the text says, "only explain the meaning of emptiness"—this is precisely the point. 4. **Regarding capacity**: When the Buddha was alive, he taught extensively for sharp faculties. After his passing, bodhisattvas taught concisely for dull faculties in the final age. This text contains all four explanations, hence "brief."
"Explain" means to analyze and clarify.
Since the Buddha’s sutras teach many doctrines, what exactly is being explained here? To distinguish from the Lesser Vehicle, which is not the subject of this commentary, the text says "the meaning of the Mahāyāna." "Mahā" means great; "yāna" means vehicle. This term "Great Vehicle" will be explained later in the treatise. "Meaning" refers to the principle being taught—namely, true emptiness.
**Second section: Clarifying the intent** – three rounds of questions and answers:
- First: Clarifies the benefit of the teaching (Dharma and its meaning). - Second: Shows that this is a concise, not extensive, explanation. - Third: Explains the name and meaning of the vehicle.
**First round** – first, a question, then an answer.
The answer has two parts:
1. Praising the profound nature of the original teaching. 2. Explaining the author’s purpose in composing this treatise.
The praise has two kinds of profundity:
- **Profound realization** – because it belongs to all Buddhas. - **Profound scripture** – because it is taught for those of great merit and sharp faculties.
The first shows that the teaching is profound because the teacher is supreme; the second shows it is profound because the recipients are supreme. Only a Buddha can teach it; only a great bodhisattva can receive it. Therefore, this Dharma is supremely profound and sublime—hence it is called "Dharma." It contains and accumulates all excellent qualities—hence it is called "Treasury."
"Great merit" means superior blessings; "sharp faculties" means superior wisdom; "deep" describes the person—only those endowed with great blessings and deep wisdom are worthy vessels, showing the depth of this teaching.
**Second: the author’s purpose** – two parts:
1. First answers the "benefit" (what beings gain). 2. Second, starting from "illuminate and propagate," answers the "meaning" (why the teaching is taught).
Why is benefit placed before meaning here? To show that a bodhisattva’s priority is to help others. Another explanation: Benefit corresponds to benefiting sentient beings; meaning corresponds to perfecting the Buddha’s teaching. According to the *Yogācārabhūmi* and similar texts, bodhisattvas from the very beginning of their practice constantly cultivate these two virtuous practices—which are also the two kinds of benefit (self and other).
Within the benefit section:
1. Describes the inferior beings to be guided. 2. Explains how the treatise author establishes the teaching.
"In the final age" refers to the decline of times:
- From the Buddha’s passing onward is generally called the "final age." - More specifically, after the first 500 years of the True Dharma, it is called the "final age."
"Sentient beings of little merit" refers to the inferior quality of people:
- "Sentient beings" are formed by the six elements and five aggregates. - "Little merit" is the opposite of "great merit." - "Dull faculties" indicates inferior wisdom, the opposite of "sharp faculties."
"Though they search the scriptures, they do not understand their meaning": Although they read the words, they fail to grasp the principle. Hearing about existence and non-existence, they cling to literal interpretations—this is delusion and error.
"Having compassion for them…" explains how the treatise author develops compassion and establishes the teaching, which constitutes the answer regarding benefit.
**Second: the answer regarding meaning** – This bodhisattva illuminates and proclaims the supreme great Dharma, causing it to remain in the world for a long time, thereby repaying the kindness of the Buddha. This is what the *Yogācārabhūmi* calls one of the six intentions for composing a treatise: "To reveal and clarify various meanings that have been lost or obscured."
**Second round of questions and answers** – showing that this is a concise explanation. First a question, then an answer—the meaning is clear.
**Third round: explaining the name and meaning** – first a question, then an answer:
"Great" has seven meanings:
1. **Surpassing the Small Vehicle**. 2. **Reaching the great goal** (nirvāṇa). 3. **Ridden by great beings** – also means it has already been used. 4. **Widely beneficial**. 5. **Ridden by many** – also means it is currently being used. 6. **Extensive and profound** – "extensive" means it reaches all boundaries, even the boundless; this is the realm of wisdom that measures all things. "Profound" means it penetrates to the very bottom, which is the bottomless; this is the realm of wisdom that realizes ultimate reality. 7. **Including great qualities** – as the Buddha’s own scriptures state.
Likewise, the *Compendium of Abhidharma* explains that the vehicle has seven meanings, and the *Awakening of Faith* teaches three meanings—all involving "carrying" or "transporting." The nature of the vehicle is non-discriminative wisdom. These are explained in detail elsewhere.
第三、會意歸宗中，亦三：先、標舉法體。「大分」者，是大都之言耳。謂諸法萬差，大都總相無非是空，故不礙諸法未甞不空，故說真空名為「深義」。二、明其勝用者，若通達如此真空，則萬行皆悉圓備，略舉六度以為行本。「無障礙」者，此有三義：一、約境，謂真空不礙萬行，萬行不礙真空，故云無礙。亦乃即真空為萬行，萬行未曾不空；即萬行為真空，真空未甞不行，故云無礙也。二、約智，謂照空之智則具萬行，萬行即智，無有障礙，故云「若通達」，通達則是智也。三、約俱融，謂智有二義：一、從緣虛，故虛無不盡，智同境也；二、虛盡唯空，未甞失照，境即智也。以即空之妙智，還照即智之真空，是故終日照而無照、終日境而無境，無境無智而境智宛然，故名通達，亦云無障礙也。「是故」下，第三、結意歸宗，可知。
Third, in understanding the essential meaning, there are also three aspects. First, identifying the fundamental principle. "Great scope" refers to the vast and general sense of things. It means that though phenomena are infinitely varied, in their essential nature they are all empty. Therefore, emptiness does not hinder phenomena, and phenomena have never not been empty. Hence, true emptiness is called the "profound meaning."
Second, explaining its excellent function. If one penetrates this true emptiness, then all practices are perfectly complete. The six perfections are briefly mentioned as the foundation of practice. "Unobstructed" has three meanings:
First, from the perspective of objects: True emptiness does not hinder myriad practices, and myriad practices do not hinder true emptiness; hence it is called unobstructed. Moreover, true emptiness itself is myriad practices, yet practices have never not been empty; myriad practices themselves are true emptiness, yet true emptiness has never ceased to function; thus it is called unobstructed.
Second, from the perspective of wisdom: The wisdom that illuminates emptiness inherently contains all practices; practices are wisdom itself, with no obstruction. Therefore it says "if one penetrates," and penetrating is wisdom.
Third, from the perspective of their mutual integration: Wisdom has two aspects. The first is that it arises from conditions and is insubstantial, so its insubstantiality exhausts all things—wisdom shares the same nature as objects. The second is that when insubstantiality is completely exhausted, only emptiness remains, yet it never loses its illumination—objects are wisdom itself. The sublime wisdom that is identical with emptiness still illuminates the emptiness identical with wisdom. Therefore, throughout the day there is illumination without illumination, throughout the day there are objects without objects; there is neither objects nor wisdom, yet objects and wisdom are clearly present—this is called penetrating and also unobstructed.
"Therefore" marks the third part, concluding the meaning and returning to the essential purpose; this is self-evident.