辨體第二
Chapter 2: Identifying the Essence
案道生曰：夫真理自然，悟亦冥符。真則無差，悟豈容易。不易之體為湛然常照，但從迷乖之，事未在我耳。苟能涉求，便反迷歸極。僧亮敘曰：無學地法，皆是其體。佛略說三，以標神道：一曰般若、二曰法身、三曰解脫也。法瑤敘曰：涅槃至號，其義贍博，豈唯般若等三以極其致，但略舉其要。然則此三，名殊而實同，非體異者也。如其體別，則同因成假名之法虛而不實，豈得稱常？僧宗敘曰：累患既息，體備眾德，略舉其三，可以貫眾。然此三德，體一而義異，就一體之上義目有三也。寶亮敘曰：障累既盡，萬行歸真，無德不滿、眾用皆足，轉因字果，名大涅槃。然其德淵曠，難可備舉，略陳其要，理可有三：一謂正法寶城、二標別德、三寄工用。何者？夫涅槃無體，為眾德所成，取況寶城以喻斯旨也。別德者，謂大常大我等，此是成涅槃之勝因也。工用者，謂歸依洲渚，能使物免苦而獲安也。智秀敘曰：體者，圓極妙有之本也。德者，般若法身解脫之流也。談德雖眾，論體唯一。何者？即圓極有可軌之義曰法身；有靜照之功曰般若；有無累之德曰解脫。是則即解脫之體可軌，亦可軌之體能照，更無別體而有德也。案：舊所詳習，有二種解釋：一謂圓極果體真實妙有，非如假名但以有用而無體也；一謂涅槃無體，假眾德以成，豈得不空耶？慧朗述法瑤曰：生死涅槃義分為二，謂十二因緣顛倒故有，即因緣無性是名涅槃。豈待離煩惱已，有妙有可得，而不空乎？故《般若經》云「設有法過於涅槃，亦說如幻如夢」矣。又述纖、愛、宗等舊釋云：萬行得圓極之果，果體是實，而隨德立義，非假眾義共成一體也。法安曰：涅槃雖假眾德為體，而異五陰成人也。何者？人及五陰，假實斯空；今涅槃雖空，而眾德是實也。
The Venerable An Daosheng commented: The ultimate truth—the way things naturally are—is realized through silent illumination. The truth permits no error; realization therefore cannot be attained casually. That which does not change is clear and constant. It is only because we are confused and have turned away that this truth does not yet abide in us. If we only seek, we can reverse our confusion and return to the ultimate.
The Venerable Seng Liang explained: The essential state of the one who has nothing more to learn encompasses all these attributes. The Buddha briefly listed three to illustrate the path to spiritual awakening: *prajñā* (transcendent wisdom), *dharmakāya* (truth-body), and *vimokṣa* (liberation).
The Venerable Fa Yao explained: The ultimate goal we call "Nirvāṇa" has such vast and profound meaning that these three—prajñā, dharmakāya, and vimokṣa—cannot fully express it. The Buddha simply outlined the essentials. These three have different names but are identical in reality; they are not separate substances. If they were distinct substance, they would be like constructed, conventional terms—empty and without substance—so how could they be called "eternal"?
The Venerable Seng Zong explained: Once all afflictions and suffering have ceased, the fundamental nature is replete with many qualities. The Buddha listed these three as a general summary that encompasses the rest. But while these three qualities are one in substance, they have distinct aspects. Upon this single substance, we identify three meanings.
The Venerable Bao Liang explained: When all obstacles and impurities are exhausted, the myriad practices return to truth. No virtue is incomplete; all functions are fully present. Through the transformation of cause into fruit, this is called "Great Nirvāṇa." Yet its qualities are so deep and vast that it is difficult to enumerate them all. To convey the essentials, we can categorize them into three: first, the "city of true Dharma"; second, the distinct qualities; third, the practical function. Why? Because Nirvāṇa has no independent substance—it is formed by the assembly of many virtues. We use the metaphor of a "treasure city" to illustrate this. The "distinct qualities" refer to attributes like great permanence, great self, and so on—the excellent causes that form Nirvāṇa. The "practical function" refers to being a refuge and an island, enabling beings to escape suffering and attain peace.
The Venerable Zhi Xiu explained: "Substance" refers to the perfect and ultimate ground of wondrous existence. "Qualities" refer to the categories of prajñā, dharmakāya, and vimokṣa. Although many qualities are discussed, the substance is only one. Why? Because this perfect ultimate has the aspect of being a standard—this is called dharmakāya. It has the function of clear, still illumination—this is called prajñā. It has the quality of being free from afflictions—this is called vimokṣa. Thus, the very substance of liberation can be a standard; that which is the standard can also illuminate. There is no separate substance apart from these qualities.
Note: In the traditional teaching as it was studied, there are two interpretations: one says that the fruit-body of the perfect ultimate is true, wondrous existence, not like a conventional term that has function but no substance. The other says that Nirvāṇa has no independent substance; it is constituted provisionally by various qualities—how could it not be empty?
Hui Lang, transmitting Fa Yao's view, said: "Samsara" and "Nirvāṇa" are divided into two categories conceptually, but in truth the twelve links of dependent origination exist only because of confusion. When one sees that these causal conditions lack inherent nature, that is itself Nirvāṇa. Does one need to wait until afflictions are gone to find some "wondrous existence" that is not empty? That is why the Prajñā Sūtra says, "Even if there were a Dharma beyond Nirvāṇa, it too would be said to be like an illusion, like a dream."
He also explained the older interpretation of Xian, Ai, Zong, and others: The myriad practices produce the fruit of the perfect ultimate. The fruit-body is real, and it gives rise to various meanings based on its qualities. It is not that many qualities join together to form a single essence.
Fa An said: Although Nirvāṇa is the assembly of many qualities, it is different from how the five aggregates form a person. How so? A person and the five aggregates are both empty—both the conventional self and the real aggregates are empty. But in the case of Nirvāṇa, though it is empty, its qualities themselves are real.