7
Seven
一
One
緣門問曰、如是畢竟空理、当於何証。
The follower of conditions asked: This ultimate truth of Emptiness—how is it to be realized?
入理曰、当於一切色中求、当於自語中証。
Entering the truth means this: you must seek it within all that appears, and you must realize it within your own words.
二
Second.
問曰、云何当於一切色中求、当於自語中証。云何色中求、云何語中証。
Question: How should one seek within all forms, and how should one realize through one's own words? What does it mean to seek within forms? What does it mean to realize through words?
答曰、空色一合、語証不二也。
Answer: Emptiness and form are one; in both words and realization, they are not two.
三
Three
問曰、若一切法空、何為聖通凡壅。
Question: If all dharmas are empty, why are the sages free while ordinary people are blocked?
答曰、妄動故壅、真靜故通。
He replied: Because of deluded movement, there is blockage; because of true stillness, there is openness.
四
Four
問曰、既実空者、何為受薰。若既受薰、豈成空也。
Question: If everything is truly empty, how can there be any influence or conditioning? And if there is influence and conditioning, how can it still be empty?
答曰、夫言妄者、不覚忽而起、不覚忽而動。其実空体中、無有一法而受薰。
He replied: When we speak of delusion, it arises suddenly without awareness and moves suddenly without awareness. In reality, within the essence of Emptiness, there is not a single thing that can be defiled.
五
Five
問曰、若実空者、一切眾生、即不修道。何以故、自然性是故。
Question: If everything is truly empty, then all living beings would not need to practice the path. Why? Because their nature would already be so naturally.
答曰、一切眾生、若解空理、実亦不仮修道、只為於空不空、生於有惑。
They answered: If all sentient beings could understand the truth of Emptiness, they would not actually need to practice the Path. It is only because they cling to the distinction between emptiness and non-emptiness that confusion arises in their minds.
六
Six
問曰、若如此者、応離惑有道。云何言一切非道。
Question: If that is so, there should be a Path to Cessation that is free from delusion. Why then do you say that all things are not the Path?
答曰、不然。非惑即是道、非離惑是道。何以故、如人酔時非醒、醒時非酔。然不離酔有醒、亦非酔即是醒也。
He replied: No, that is not so. It is not that delusion itself is the Path, nor is the Path something apart from delusion. Why? It is like a person who is drunk—when drunk, he is not sober; when sober, he is not drunk. Yet sobriety is not apart from drunkenness, nor is drunkenness itself sobriety.
七
Seven
問曰、若人醒時、致酔何在。
Question: When a person is awake, where does the intoxication go?
答曰、如手翻覆。若手翻時、不応更問手何在。
He replied: It's like turning your hand over. When your hand turns over, you shouldn't ask where the hand went.