第一真空觀法，於中略作四句十門：一、會色歸空觀，二、明空即色觀，三、空色無礙觀，四、泯絕無寄觀。
The first is the method of contemplating True Emptiness, which is briefly set out in four statements and ten approaches: first, the contemplation that gathers form and returns it to Emptiness; second, the contemplation that clarifies that Emptiness itself is form; third, the contemplation that Emptiness and form are unobstructed; fourth, the contemplation that dissolves all and leaves nothing to rely on.
就初門中為四：
Within this preliminary section, there are four parts:
一、色不即空，以即空故。何以故？以色不即斷空故，不是空也。以色舉體是真空也，故云以即空故。良由即是真空故，非斷空也。是故言由是空，故不是空也。
1. Form is not identical to Emptiness, because it is itself Emptiness. Why? Because form is not identical to nihilistic emptiness, so it is not emptiness. Because form, in its entirety, is true Emptiness, therefore it is said, "because it is itself Emptiness." Precisely because it is true Emptiness, it is not nihilistic emptiness. Therefore it is said: because it is emptiness, it is not emptiness.
二、色不即空，以即空故。何以故？以青、黃之相，非是真空之理，故云不即空。然青、黃無體，莫不皆空，故云即空。良以青、黃無體之空，非即青、黃，故云不即空也。
Second, form is not identical to Emptiness, yet because it is identical to Emptiness. Why is that? The characteristics of blue and yellow are not the principle of true Emptiness; therefore it is said that form is not identical to Emptiness. Yet blue and yellow have no substance of their own, and none of them is not empty; therefore it is said that form is identical to Emptiness. Precisely because the emptiness of blue and yellow having no substance is not identical to blue and yellow, it is said that form is not identical to Emptiness.
三、色不即空，以即空故。何以故？以空中無色，故不即空；會色無體，故是即空。良由會色歸空，空中必無有色。是故由色空，故色非空也。
3. Form is not identical to Emptiness, because it is [precisely in being] empty. Why? Because within Emptiness there is no form, therefore it is not identical to Emptiness; yet because form, when understood, has no self-nature, therefore it is empty. Precisely because form is gathered back into Emptiness, within Emptiness there is necessarily no form at all. Therefore, because form is empty, form is not [the same as] Emptiness.
上三句以法揀情訖。
The preceding three lines have now used the Dharma to set aside partial or biased views.
四、色即是空。何以故？凡是色法必不異真空，以諸色法，必無性故，是故色即是空。如色空既爾，一切法亦然。思之。
4. Form itself is Emptiness. Why is this? All physical forms are never separate from true Emptiness, because all forms are necessarily without fixed nature. Therefore, form itself is Emptiness. Just as form and Emptiness are thus, so too are all dharmas. Contemplate this.
第二明空即色觀者，於中亦作四門。
Next, the second section explains the contemplation that Emptiness is precisely Form; it too is presented in four parts.
一、空不即色，以空即色故。何以故？斷空不即是色，故云非色。真空必不異色，故云空即色。是故要由真空即色故，令斷空不即色也。
1. Emptiness is not identical to form, because emptiness is identical to form. Why is this? Nihilistic emptiness is not identical to form, and so it is said to be "not form." True emptiness is necessarily not different from form, and so it is said that "emptiness is identical to form." Therefore, precisely because true emptiness is identical to form, nihilistic emptiness is not identical to form.
二、空不即色，以空即色故。何以故？以空理非青、黃，故云空不即色。然非青、黃之真空，必不異青、黃故，是故言空即色。要由不異青、黃故，不即青、黃，故言空即色、不即色也。
Second: Emptiness is not identical to form, because emptiness is identical to form. Why is this? Because the principle of emptiness is not blue or yellow; therefore it is said that emptiness is not identical to form. Yet the true emptiness that is not blue or yellow must not be different from blue or yellow; therefore it is said that emptiness is identical to form. Precisely because it is not different from blue or yellow, it is not identical to blue or yellow; therefore it is said that emptiness is identical to form and yet not identical to form.
三、空不即色，以空即色故。何以故？空是所依，非能依故，不即色也。必與能依作所依，故即是色也。良由是所依故，不即色；是所依故，即是色。是故言由不即色故，即是色也。
上三句亦以法揀情訖。
四、空即是色。何以故？凡是真空必不異色，以是法無我，理非斷滅故。是故空即是色，如空色既爾，一切法皆然。思之。
第三色空無礙觀者，謂色舉體不異空，全是盡色之空故，即色不盡而空現，空舉體不異色，全是盡空之色故，即空、即色而空不隱也。是故菩薩觀色無不見空，觀空莫非見色，無障無礙為一味法。思之可見。
第四泯絕無寄觀者，謂此所觀真空，不可言即色、不即色，亦不可言即空、不即空。一切法皆不可，不可亦不可，此語亦不受，迥絕無寄，非言所及，非解所到，是謂行境。何以故？以生心動念，即乖法體，失正念故。
又於前四句中，初二句八門，皆揀情顯解。第三句一門，解終趣行。第四句一門，正成行體。若不洞明前解，無以躡成此行。若不解此行，法絕於前解，無以成其正解。若守解不捨，無以入茲正行。是故行由解成，行起解絕也。