金剛般若波羅蜜經 分二十三 淨心行善分
前一分剛說盡「菩提無一法可得」，這一分便接一句「是法平等，無有高下」——無所得，不是落空，而是有一個平等無高下的法位在那裡，那就是真如，本然不增不減。最動人的是接下來的翻轉：佛先窮舉「無我、無人、無眾生、無壽者」，把那個能修能得的主體一層層遣盡，話音才落，卻陡然接上「修一切善法，則得菩提」——竟還要修，還能得。空與有，就在這一句裡正面相逢。古德把這層說得透：我、人是空的，所以要遣掉執實的妄心；可是善行是有的，所以要存住這善法——遣妄而存善，空有兩面一齊照看，這才是中道。連那「善法」也說「即非善法」，遣掉的只是把善當成實有自性的那一層執，真正無漏的善行，反而宛然可修。要緊的是：無我，不是叫人什麼都不做；正因為無我，所修的善才不沾染一個「我在行善」的影。在最徹底的「無所得」之上，仍能踏踏實實地行一切善——這就是淨心行善。
The previous division had just finished saying that "in bodhi there is not one dharma that can be attained," and this one follows with the line 「是法平等，無有高下」(this Dharma is level and equal, with nothing higher and nothing lower) — no-attainment is not a falling into emptiness, but the standing there of a Dharma-position level and without high or low: that is suchness (真如), of itself neither increasing nor decreasing. Most moving is the reversal that follows: the Buddha first exhausts the list — 「無我、無人、無眾生、無壽者」(no self, no person, no being, no life-span) — clearing away, layer by layer, the very subject that could practice and could attain; and no sooner has the phrase fallen than it is abruptly joined by 「修一切善法，則得菩提」(practice all good dharmas, and one attains bodhi) — there is, after all, still practice, and still attainment. Emptiness and existence meet face to face right within this one passage. The ancient masters put this layer through and through: self and person are empty, and so one must clear away the deluded mind that grasps them as real; yet good conduct exists, and so one must hold fast to this good dharma — clearing the false while keeping the good, watching over the two faces of emptiness and existence together, and just this is the middle way (中道). Even that "good dharma" is said to be 「即非善法」(is-not a good dharma): what is cleared away is only the layer that takes good as having a real self-nature, while the truly outflow-free (無漏) good conduct stands, on the contrary, vividly there to be practiced. What matters is this: no-self does not mean one should do nothing at all; it is precisely because there is no self that the good one practices is not stained by even the shadow of "I am doing good." Upon the most thoroughgoing "nothing attained," one can still, solidly and concretely, practice every good — and this is a pure mind practicing good.
Shi Huijing · Zhiyue · jingang · Division 23 · A Pure Mind Practicing Good · essence · Spring 2026
〔一〕是法平等，無有高下
經曰：
「復次，須菩提！是法平等，無有高下，是名阿耨多羅三藐三菩提；
「還有，須菩提！這個法是平等的，沒有高下之分——正因為這樣，才叫作無上正等正覺。
〔二〕以無我修善，則得菩提
經曰：
以無我、無人、無眾生、無壽者，修一切善法，則得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。
以沒有『我』、沒有『人』、沒有『眾生』、沒有『壽者』這樣的心，去修一切善法，就能成就無上正等正覺。
〔三〕所言善法，即非善法
經曰：
須菩提！所言善法者，如來說非善法，是名善法。
須菩提！所說的『善法』，其實如來說它並不是真有一個實在的善法，只是假借這個名字叫作善法罷了。」
[1] This Dharma Is Level and Equal, with No High and No Low
The sūtra says:
「復次，須菩提！是法平等，無有高下，是名阿耨多羅三藐三菩提；
"Furthermore, Subhūti, this Dharma is level and equal, with nothing higher and nothing lower — and it is precisely for this reason that it is called supreme, perfect awakening.
[2] Cultivating Good Without a Self, One Attains Awakening
The sūtra says:
以無我、無人、無眾生、無壽者，修一切善法，則得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。
When, with a mind free of any 'self,' any 'person,' any 'being,' any 'life-span,' one cultivates every kind of good, one then attains supreme, perfect awakening.
[3] What Is Called Good Is Not Good
The sūtra says:
須菩提！所言善法者，如來說非善法，是名善法。
Subhūti, as for what is called 'good' — the Tathāgata says it is not a real, substantial good; 'good' is only the name borrowed for it."
Shi Huijing · Zhiyue · jingang · Division 23 · A Pure Mind Practicing Good · vernacular · Spring 2026
拿真如平等（圓成實）、二空（人無我·法無我）、即非映三性、有空雙觀的中道，來照金剛經的「是法平等·無我修善·即非善法」。
本分的位置：法空位上的「無我修善」
這一分緊接著前一分「無有少法可得」說下來。前一分剛說盡「菩提無一法可得」，這一分隨即補上一句：「是法平等，無有高下，是名阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。」無所得，不是落入虛無；無所得處，正有一個平等無高下的法位在。
用唯識的眼看，這一分落在全經後半。前半（破我相、人相之「相」）遣的是把身心當實我的人我執，屬煩惱障；從究竟無我那一分樞紐轉過來，後半遣的是把諸法當實有的法我執，屬所知障。古德判此一周「為斷障，障即所知」（窺基依世親）。所以這一分的「無我修善」，那個「無我」已不只是人無我，而是承著樞紐分「通達無我、法」的兩重無我；它的「即非」，也不再施於外境的「相」，而施於「善法」本身——這是法執之細，後半才遣得到的一層。
「是法平等，無有高下」：真如理無增減，即圓成實
先看「是法平等」。平等的是什麼法？古德讀得很一致：是真如、是法身、是諸佛同證的菩提智。窺基一句點透：「『是法平等』者，謂真如理無增減故。」真如——就是諸法遣盡了「心外實有」的妄執之後、所顯的真實本性，唯識叫圓成實性——它本身不增不減，所以說平等。
那「無有高下」呢？窺基接著說：有為的法才有取捨高下，菩薩在十地修行中得殊勝的無漏、捨棄低劣的，這是有高下；可是無為的真如沒有勝劣可取捨，所以說「無有高下」。世親讀得更直接，逕把「是法平等」讀作「法界不增減、淨平等自相」——法界無增無減，這就是它清淨平等的自相。玄奘譯本作「於其中間無不平等」，說的是同一件事：菩提這個法位上，沒有一處不平等。
所以「平等」不是把一切差別泯成一團模糊，而是「真如理無增減」這一層的遮遣——遮掉分別心加上去的勝劣高下，顯出圓成實本然的無增減。
「以無我……修一切善法」：二空，與空有並立的弔詭
接著一個翻轉，是這一分最要緊的眼。佛先窮舉四個「無」——「無我、無人、無眾生、無壽者」，把主體一層層遣盡；話音才落，陡然接上「修一切善法，則得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提」——竟然還要修，還能得。
空在這裡，與有正面相形。「無我」是空，「修善」是有；正當遣盡主體之處，立起修因之行。怎麼會通？這正是唯識「有空雙觀」的中道。窺基引無著的話，把這層分得最清楚：前面說「無我等」，是除掉「有」這一邊的執（執實有我）；現在說「修善」，是破掉「空」那一邊的執（撥無善行）——「我、人空故，須遣自妄心；依、圓有故，須存其善法。」我、人是空的，所以要遣掉那執實的妄心；可是依他起的善行、圓成實的真如是有的，所以要存住這善法。一句收束：「滅妄想於空門，起真心於有府，有空雙觀，方成中道也。」在空門裡滅掉妄執，在有府裡立起真心，空有兩面一齊觀照，這才是中道。
這裡的「無我」，要看清是兩重無我。它承著前面樞紐分「通達無我、法」，已通到人無我加法無我——這兩重無我，就是唯識說的二空。智顗那句「忘我、人而修因，必尅無相之菩提」，說的也是這個：忘掉我、人之執而修善因，所成的必是無相的菩提。遣我執而不廢善行，這就是「無相之修善」。
「所言善法者，即非善法，是名善法」：即非映三性，施於法執
最後一句「即非」，是這一分唯一的一現，而它落的位置很要緊——施於「善法」本身。前半的即非多半施於相、身、福德這些外境，至此施於「善法」，是法執裡更細的一層。順三性看這三句：
- 「善法」就是依他起——緣修而起、可修可證的善法。窺基讀「所言善法者」為「求菩提善法，或無漏法、順無漏法」。緣生的善不是沒有，所以「修一切善法則得菩提」，這是可修的假善。
- 「即非善法」是遣遍計所執——所遣的，是把善法當成「實有自性的有漏善」那一層妄計。遍計所執就是這樣一層：把心所變現的影，當成心外實在的東西。窺基說得明白：「『說非善法』者，非是有漏生滅惡善法也」——它不是那種有漏、生滅的善。義淨譯本一句「由漏性非法」，意思是有漏之性撐不起菩提。所以「非善法」遣的是它有漏分別的那一層，並不是說沒有善。
- 「是名善法」是立圓成、存假名——遣盡妄執之處，善法作為無自性而出世的真善宛然可說。窺基說「『是名善法』者，是出世善也」；吉藏說這是「還結取無所得善法」。無所得，而善照樣宛然可修可說。
這就是這一分「即非」的唯識解密：即非遣的是「實有自性的有漏善」這層遍計，所空者唯遍計；「是名」則立起無漏出世的真善（圓成），依他的善行假名也照樣可修。同一句「善法即非善法」，般若用「空」一字總說，唯識用三性點明：空的是法執那層有漏分別，不是把善行、真如一併抹掉。
把三句連起來看，正是窺基那句「我人空故須遣妄心、依圓有故須存善法，有空雙觀方成中道」——遣遍計（即非、空門）而存依他圓成（是名、有府），這既是三性的動轉，也正是中道。這是本分法空位上最顯的一處三性轉動，也是古德對「淨心行善」的定讀。
唯識為鏡：同一實相，經語與論語
以唯識為鏡讀這一分，不是說唯識從金剛經流出——真如、三性、二空、轉依自有其經源（解深密、瑜伽），般若另是一系；而是同一「平等無住而修善」的實相，金剛經以經語（是法平等·無我修善·即非善法）說，唯識以論語（真如圓成·二空·三性·有空中道）說，兩相對照，其義益顯。三十頌以圓成實、真如說「是法平等」的不增減，以二空所顯的無漏善行說「無我修善」；成唯識論以遣遍計、存依圓的三性中道說「即非善法、是名善法」；辯中邊論辨二空、辨正行的中道，與本分「無我修善·有空雙觀」相印；般若一系的心經說「不增不減」「無智亦無得」，正是本分「是法平等·無有高下·無所得善法」同一無自性的平等。一句收束：金剛經以經語說的「是法平等·無我修善·即非善法」，成唯識論以「真如二空所顯·無漏善·遣遍計存依圓·有空中道」的技術語說的，是同一件事〔此一會通，釋慧鏡《從百法到金剛》（S5-P10）已明其旨〕。
Taking suchness’s equality (the perfectly-accomplished 圓成實), the two emptinesses (the selflessness of persons 人無我, the selflessness of dharmas 法無我), the “is-not” as mirroring the three natures, and the middle way of the twin contemplation of being-and-emptiness, to reflect the Diamond Sūtra’s “this Dharma is equal · practicing good without self · is-not good dharmas.” The mirror is not the sūtra: Yogācāra is not the source of the Diamond Sūtra but one mirror for reading it.
The Position of This Division: “Practicing Good Without Self” at the Station of Dharma-Emptiness
This division follows directly upon the previous one, “there is not the least dharma to attain.” Having just exhausted “bodhi has no one dharma to attain,” it at once adds: 「是法平等，無有高下，是名阿耨多羅三藐三菩提」— “this Dharma is equal, with no high and low; it is named anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi.” Non-attainment is no falling into nihility; right where there is no attaining stands an equal Dharma-station with no high and low.
Seen with the Yogācāra eye, this division falls in the second half of the whole sūtra. The first half (breaking the “marks” of self-mark and person-mark) removes the person-self-clinging that takes body-mind as a real self, belonging to the affliction-hindrance; from the pivotal division of “ultimately no self” onward, the second half removes the dharma-self-clinging that takes dharmas as really existent, belonging to the cognitive hindrance. The ancient masters judge this whole round as “for cutting off the hindrance, and the hindrance is the cognitive” (為斷障，障即所知, Kuiji following Vasubandhu). So this division’s “practicing good without self” — that “without self” is no longer merely the selflessness of persons, but the twofold selflessness carried over from the pivotal division’s “penetrating selflessness, and dharmas”; and its “is-not” too is applied no longer to the outer object “marks,” but to “good dharmas” themselves — a finer layer of dharma-clinging that only the second half reaches to remove.
“This Dharma Is Equal, with No High and Low”: the Principle of Suchness Neither Increases nor Decreases — That Is the Truly-Perfected
First, “this Dharma is equal.” What Dharma is equal? The ancient masters read it consistently: suchness, the Dharma-body, the bodhi-wisdom corroborated alike by all Buddhas. Kuiji catches it in a phrase: 「『是法平等』者，謂真如理無增減故」— “‘this Dharma is equal’ means the principle of suchness neither increases nor decreases.” Suchness — that is, the real nature disclosed once dharmas have had the false clinging to “real existence outside the mind” removed, which Yogācāra calls the perfectly-accomplished nature (圓成實性) — neither increases nor decreases in itself, hence “equal.”
And “no high and low”? Kuiji continues: only conditioned dharmas have grasping-and-rejecting, high-and-low; the bodhisattva, in cultivating through the ten grounds, attains the excellent uncontaminated and discards the inferior — this is to have high and low; but the unconditioned suchness has no superior or inferior to grasp or reject, hence “no high and low.” Vasubandhu reads it more directly, taking “this Dharma is equal” as 「法界不增減、淨平等自相」, “the Dharma-realm neither increasing nor decreasing, its pure, equal own-mark” — the Dharma-realm without increase or decrease, this being its pure and equal own-mark. Xuanzang’s translation reads 「於其中間無不平等」, “within it there is nothing not equal,” saying the same thing: upon the Dharma-station of bodhi, there is no place not equal.
So “equality” is not the blurring of all distinctions into one mush; it is the removal of just this layer — “the principle of suchness neither increases nor decreases” — wiping away the superior-and-inferior, high-and-low that the discriminating mind adds, and disclosing the perfectly-accomplished’s native increaselessness and decreaselessness.
“With No Self… Practice All Good Dharmas”: the Two Emptinesses, and the Paradox of Emptiness and Being Standing Together
Next comes a turn, the most vital eye of this division. The Buddha first exhausts four “withouts” — 「無我、無人、無眾生、無壽者」, “without self, without person, without being, without life-span” — removing the subject layer by layer; the words barely fall when, abruptly, he joins on 「修一切善法，則得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提」, “practice all good dharmas, and one attains anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi” — there is, after all, still practicing, and there can still be attaining.
Emptiness here stands face to face with being. “Without self” is emptiness; “practicing good” is being; right where the subject is exhausted, the practice of the cause stands up. How to reconcile them? This is precisely Yogācāra’s middle way of the twin contemplation of being-and-emptiness (有空雙觀). Kuiji, citing Asaṅga, distinguishes this layer most clearly: the foregoing “without self and so forth” removes the clinging to the side of “being” (grasping a really existent self); the present “practicing good” breaks the clinging to the side of “emptiness” (denying good practice) — 「我、人空故，須遣自妄心；依、圓有故，須存其善法」, “because self and person are empty, one must remove the deluded mind that grasps reality; because the other-dependent and the perfectly-accomplished are existent, one must preserve these good dharmas.” Self and person are empty, so one must remove the deluded reality-grasping mind; but the other-dependent good-practice and the perfectly-accomplished suchness are existent, so one must preserve these good dharmas. He gathers it in a phrase: 「滅妄想於空門，起真心於有府，有空雙觀，方成中道也」— “extinguishing deluded imagining in the gate of emptiness, raising the true mind in the storehouse of being, contemplating emptiness and being both — only this completes the middle way.”
The “without self” here, see clearly, is twofold selflessness. Carrying over the pivotal division’s “penetrating selflessness, and dharmas,” it has reached the selflessness of persons plus the selflessness of dharmas — these two selflessnesses being just what Yogācāra calls the two emptinesses. Zhiyi’s line says the same: 「忘我、人而修因，必尅無相之菩提」, “forgetting self and person yet cultivating the cause, one will surely accomplish the markless bodhi.” To remove self-clinging without abolishing good practice is just this “practicing good without marks.”
“The Good Dharmas Spoken Of Are-Not Good Dharmas; They Are Named Good Dharmas”: the “Is-Not” Mirroring the Three Natures, Applied to Dharma-Clinging
The final “is-not” is the only one in this division, and the place it falls is vital — applied to “good dharmas” themselves. The “is-not” of the first half was mostly applied to marks, body, merit, these outer objects; here it is applied to “good dharmas,” a finer layer within dharma-clinging. Read through the three natures, these three clauses:
- “Good dharmas” is dependent-arising (依他起): good dharmas arising through conditioned practice, cultivable and corroborable. Kuiji reads “the good dharmas spoken of” as 「求菩提善法，或無漏法、順無漏法」, “the good dharmas sought for bodhi, or uncontaminated dharmas, or dharmas conducive to the uncontaminated.” The conditionally-arisen good is not nothing, hence “practice all good dharmas and attain bodhi” — this is the cultivable provisional good.
- “Is-not good dharmas” is removing the wholly-imagined (遣遍計所執): what is removed is the layer of falsely reckoning good dharmas as “contaminated good possessing real own-nature.” The wholly-imagined is just such a layer: taking an image transformed-and-manifested by the mind for a thing really existent outside the mind. Kuiji says it plainly: 「『說非善法』者，非是有漏生滅惡善法也」— “‘saying are-not good dharmas’ means not that contaminated, arising-and-ceasing kind of good.” Yijing’s translation has a line, 「由漏性非法」, “because the contaminated nature is not the Dharma,” meaning the contaminated nature cannot uphold bodhi. So “are-not good dharmas” removes the layer of its contaminated discrimination, and does not say there is no good.
- “They are named good dharmas” is establishing the perfectly-accomplished, preserving the provisional name (立圓成、存假名): right where the false clinging is removed, good dharmas as the true good — without own-nature and supramundane — are vividly speakable. Kuiji: 「『是名善法』者，是出世善也」, “‘they are named good dharmas’ is the supramundane good”; Jizang says this is 「還結取無所得善法」, “returning to gather up the good dharmas of non-attainment.” Non-attaining, and yet good is just as vividly cultivable and speakable.
This is the Yogācāra decoding of this division’s “is-not”: the “is-not” removes the wholly-imagined layer of “contaminated good possessing real own-nature,” and what is emptied is only the wholly-imagined; “they are named” then raises up the uncontaminated, supramundane true good (the perfectly-accomplished), and the provisional name of the other-dependent good-practice is just as cultivable. The same line, “good dharmas are-not good dharmas,” Prajñā states summarily with the single word “empty,” and Yogācāra points out with the three natures: what is emptied is that contaminated-discrimination layer of dharma-clinging, not the sweeping-away of good practice and suchness together.
Taking the three clauses together is just Kuiji’s line — “because self and person are empty one must remove the deluded mind; because the other-dependent and the perfectly-accomplished are existent one must preserve the good dharmas; the twin contemplation of being-and-emptiness only then completes the middle way” — removing the wholly-imagined (the “is-not,” the gate of emptiness) while preserving the other-dependent and perfectly-accomplished (the “it is named,” the storehouse of being); this is at once the turning of the three natures and just the middle way. This is the most manifest turning of the three natures at this division’s station of dharma-emptiness, and the ancient masters’ settled reading of “a pure mind practicing good.”
Yogācāra as Mirror: the Same Reality, Sūtra-Language and Treatise-Language
To read this division with Yogācāra as a mirror is not to say that Yogācāra flowed out of the Diamond Sūtra — suchness, the three natures, the two emptinesses, and the transformation of the basis have their own scriptural sources (the Saṃdhinirmocana, the Yogācārabhūmi), the Prajñā corpus being another lineage. Rather, the same reality — “equal and non-abiding, yet practicing good” — is stated by the Diamond Sūtra in sūtra-language (this Dharma is equal · practicing good without self · is-not good dharmas) and by Yogācāra in treatise-language (suchness the perfectly-accomplished · the two emptinesses · the three natures · the middle way of being-and-emptiness); set side by side, the meaning shows the more clearly. The Thirty Verses use the perfectly-accomplished and suchness for the increaselessness of “this Dharma is equal,” and the uncontaminated good practice disclosed by the two emptinesses for “practicing good without self.” The Cheng weishi lun states “is-not good dharmas, are named good dharmas” with the three-nature middle way of removing the wholly-imagined and preserving the other-dependent and perfectly-accomplished. The Madhyānta-vibhāga distinguishes the two emptinesses and the middle way of right practice, which seals with this division’s “practicing good without self · the twin contemplation of being-and-emptiness.” Within the Prajñā lineage, the Heart Sūtra’s “neither increasing nor decreasing” and “no wisdom and also no attainment” are precisely the same equality-without-own-nature as this division’s “this Dharma is equal · no high and low · the good dharmas of non-attainment.” To seal it in one line: what the Diamond Sūtra states in sūtra-language as “this Dharma is equal · practicing good without self · is-not good dharmas,” and what the Cheng weishi lun states in the technical language of “disclosed by suchness and the two emptinesses · the uncontaminated good · removing the wholly-imagined and preserving the other-dependent and perfectly-accomplished · the middle way of being-and-emptiness,” are one and the same thing 〔this convergence is already set out by Shi Huijing in From the Hundred Dharmas to the Diamond (S5-P10)〕.
Shi Huijing · Zhiyue · jingang · Division 23 · A Pure Mind Practicing Good · exposition · Spring 2026
考據Apparatus
一、科判定位（平等修善 · §17 後半）
| 科判系統 | 此分之位 |
|---|---|
| 昭明 32分 | 分二十三 淨心行善分 |
| 釋慧鏡 §17 二分 | 後半（法空·破四見·所知障；樞紐分十七後·法空位之「無我修善」，即非施於「善法」之法執） |
| 道安 三分 | 正宗分 · 第二周 · 證道之佛地具足（正覺·三藐三佛陀語） |
| 無著十八住 T1510 | 第十七住 證道（淨心住處 [0758c03–04]）中，佛地六具足之心具足·為正覺故——正覺有二語：阿耨多羅語（分二十二 無法可得）、三藐三佛陀語（本分）；「『是法平等』者，為三藐三佛陀語故，顯示菩提者人平等相」[0765a01–03]；「一切善法，得正覺」者，顯示菩提道 [0765a07–08]（總攝心具足 [0764c17–0765a10]） |
| 世親 二十七疑 T1511/T1513 | 「離上上證·轉轉得菩提」之疑——若如來不得一法名菩提，云何離上上證、轉轉得菩提？答以「彼處無少法·法界不增減·淨平等自相·有無上方便」（T1511 [0793c07–11]／T1513 [0882b20–22]） |
| 吉藏（三論）T1699 | 四義釋無上菩提之第二·三·四義——「二、以體悟法界平等義，故名無上菩提」[0121b20]；以無我無人為第三義（離門）[0121b21–24]；「修一切善法」為第四義（因門·無上方便修眾行滿足）[0121b24–27] |
| 智顗（天台）T1698 | 「『是法平等』下，結成菩提義」[0082c05–06]（承前 無得無說之後；下接 第三明福多 [0082c10–11]） |
| 窺基（唯識）T1700 | 依世親「此為第三廣辨其義」[0150b21–22]——於中有三：初明不增減（是法平等·無有高下）·次顯無差別（無我無人等）·後彰方便滿足（修一切善）[0150b22–23] |
平等修善義：本分承分十七樞紐（我空轉法空）、分二十二（無法可得·阿耨多羅語）之後，以「是法平等·無我修善·善法即非」收結正覺之義。古德三家俱判此為正覺（菩提義）之廣辨——無著判屬佛地心具足「正覺」之三藐三佛陀語（人平等相），窺基（依世親）判為「廣辨其義」之三段（不增減·無差別·方便滿足），吉藏判為「四義釋無上」之後三義，智顗判為「結成菩提義」。其法空之眼：「無我修善」之「無我」通人、法二無我（承分十七「通達無我、法」），而「即非」一式所施之對象，已由前半之「相」（我執·四相）轉為「善法」（法執·分別所執之有漏善）——此即後半「破四見·斷所知障」於修善位之一施（見目三）。
二、異譯對勘（六漢譯 · 平等修善一段）
要句：是法平等無有高下 / 無我無人無眾生無壽者 / 修一切善法則得菩提 / 所言善法者即非善法是名善法
| 版本 | 平等修善一段（逐字節錄） | [出處] |
|---|---|---|
| 羅什 T235（原典） | 「復次，須菩提！是法平等，無有高下，是名阿耨多羅三藐三菩提；以無我、無人、無眾生、無壽者，修一切善法，則得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。須菩提！所言善法者，如來說非善法，是名善法。」 | 0751c24–c28 |
| 菩提流支 T236 | 「復次，須菩提！是法平等，無有高下，是名阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。以無眾生、無人、無壽者，得平等阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，一切善法得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。須菩提！所言善法、善法者，如來說非善法，是名善法。」 | 0756a25–a29 |
| 真諦 T237 | 「復次，須菩提！此法平等，無有高下，是名阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。復次，須菩提！由法無我、無眾生、無壽者、無受者等，此法平等，故名阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。復次，須菩提！由實善法具足圓滿，得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。須菩提！所言善法、善法者，如來說非法，故名善法。」 | 0765c09–c15 |
| 達摩笈多 T238 | 「雖然復次時，善實！平等正法，彼不中有不平等，彼故說名無上正遍知者。無我故、無壽故、無眾生故、無人故，平等。無上正遍知，一切善法證覺。善法、善法者，善實！非法，如是彼，如來說；彼故，說名善法者。」 | 0770c25–c29 |
| 玄奘 T220⑨ | 「復次，善現！是法平等，於其中間無不平等，故名無上正等菩提。以無我性、無有情性、無命者性、無士夫性、無補特伽羅等性平等，故名無上正等菩提。一切善法無不現證，一切善法無不妙覺。善現！善法善法者，如來一切說為非法，是故如來說名善法善法。」 | 0984c21–c26 |
| 義淨 T239 | 「妙生！是法平等，無有高下，故名無上正等菩提。以無我、無眾生、無壽者、無更求趣性，其性平等，故名無上正等菩提。一切善法皆正覺了，故名無上正等正覺。妙生！善法者，如來說為非法，故名善法。」 | 0774c21–c25 |
異文所繫：
- 「平等·無有高下」：六本全具「平等」之命題。羅什、流支、真諦、義淨作「無有高下」；玄奘獨作「於其中間無不平等」；笈多作「彼不中有不平等」——「無高下」與「無不平等」二語，繫於同一「平等性無勝劣」之義。世親二譯逕讀為「法界不增減·淨平等自相」（流支
[0793c13]）／「法界不增·清淨平等性」（義淨[0882b24]），即真如理無增減（見目四）。 - 四相／四見之列：羅什「無我、無人、無眾生、無壽者」（四名）；流支省「無我」作「無眾生、無人、無壽者」（三名）；真諦作「無我、無眾生、無壽者、無受者」（易「人」為「受者」）；笈多作「無我、無壽、無眾生、無人」（序異）；玄奘獨衍為五「無我性、無有情性、無命者性、無士夫性、無補特伽羅等性」（ātma-sattva-jīva-pudgala 之全列）；義淨作「無我、無眾生、無壽者、無更求趣性」（「更求趣」與其分二「更求趣想」
T239 [0772a19]一貫）。前半作「相」（破四相）、後半作「見」（破四見）——惟本分諸譯仍用「無我·無人」等通名，其判為「見」（法執）在古德釋（見目三、目四）。 - 「修一切善法」之動詞：羅什、流支作「修一切善法得菩提」（修→得，因行義顯）；真諦作「由實善法具足圓滿得菩提」；笈多作「一切善法證覺」；玄奘作「一切善法無不現證，一切善法無不妙覺」（現證·妙覺二舉）；義淨作「一切善法皆正覺了」。「修·得」（羅什·流支）與「證覺·現證」（能斷系）之異，繫於 kuśala-dharma 之為「所修之因」抑「所證之果法」——世親二譯判為「無上方便·一切善法滿足故說菩提」（流支
[0793c26–28]）／「於諸方便亦是無上·所有善法皆圓滿故」（義淨[0882c01–02]），即善法為菩提之方便圓滿（見目四）。 - 能斷系重詞：玄奘「善法善法者，如來一切說為非法，是故如來說名善法善法」
[0984c25–26]、流支「善法、善法者，如來說非善法，是名善法」[0756a28–29]、笈多「善法、善法者，善實！非法……說名善法者」[0770c28–29]——能斷系（玄奘·笈多）及流支俱具重詞（同名二舉），即非式作「X·X者，非法／非X，是名 X·X」；羅什、真諦、義淨則單舉（羅什「善法者，如來說非善法，是名善法」；真諦、義淨「善法者，說非法，故名善法」）。重詞乃法相系傳本之文相，逐字錄之，不縮。 - 「即非善法」之尾：羅什作「所言善法者，如來說非善法，是名善法」（具三句式）；真諦、義淨作「如來說非法，故名善法」（中句省「善」字，作「非法」）；玄奘「說為非法」、笈多「非法」——中句「非善法」（羅什·流支）與「非法」（真諦·笈多·玄奘·義淨）之異，繫於所遣者為「有漏之善法」（窺基「非有漏生滅惡善法」
[0150c24–25]）抑「有為法（漏性）之非真持」（義淨「由漏性非法，是故非善法」[0882c06]）。義所同：所遣者非無漏出世善，乃分別所執之有漏善（見目三、目四）。
三、即非・三性（眼 · 善法即非 · 法空·破法執）
本分「即非」一現：「所言善法者，如來說非善法，是名善法」[0751c27–28]——即非施於「善法」（法），非前半之施於「相」（我）。
「善法 — 即非善法 — 是名善法」映三性：
- 善法（X）即依他起——緣修而起、可修可證之善法（無漏善·順無漏法；窺基：「『所言善法者』，謂求菩提善法，或無漏法，順無漏法也」
[0150c23–24]）。緣生之善非無，故「修一切善法則得菩提」（可修之假善）。 - 即非善法即遣遍計所執——非分別所執之「實有自性之有漏善」（窺基：「『說非善法』者，非是有漏生滅惡善法也」
[0150c24–25]；義淨：「由漏性非法，是故非善法」[0882c06]，謂有漏性不能真持菩提）。「非善法」者，遣其有漏分別所執，非謂無善。 - 是名善法即立圓成實——無自性而為出世真善（窺基：「『是名善法』者，是出世善也」
[0150c25–26]；吉藏：「『是名善法』者，還結取無所得善法也」[0121c01–02]）。無所得而善宛然可修可說。
本分之眼：即非施於「善法」——前半（分一至十六）即非多施於「相·身·福德」之外境與「我為菩薩」之我執，至此分（法空·後半）施於「善法」本身（法執之細）。「無我修善」之「無我」承樞紐分十七「通達無我、法」之二無我（人、法俱空），而所修之善亦遣其有漏自性（即非善法），所證之平等亦遣其增減高下（真如無增減）——是即非一式於「法（善法）」之全施。窺基判其唯識義最明：「我、人空故，須遣自妄心；依、圓有故，須存其善法……滅妄想於空門，起真心於有府，有空雙觀，方成中道」[0150c16–21]——遣遍計（即非·空門）而存依他圓成（是名·有府），正三性之動轉、亦正中道。此即非映三性之讀，見釋慧鏡《即非三段式映射唯識三性》〔摘自 S5-P01〕；本分為其於「法空·修善」位之一施。
後半框定（破四見·所知障·二周）：本分之「即非」，於 §17 樞紐之二分結構中屬後半（法空·破四見·所知障），非前半（我空·破四相·煩惱障）。其文證有三：①「無我修善」之「無我」已通人、法二無我，承分十七「通達無我、法」（樞紐之我空轉法空）；②「即非」所施之對象為「善法」（法執），非「相」（我執）——前半破「我·人·眾生·壽者相」，後半破「我·人·眾生·壽者見」（分三十一），此分「無我等性」之列正屬後半破見位之修善；③古德判「第二周斷所知障」（窺基依世親，分十七
T1700 [0127c01–03]「第二周為斷障，障即所知也」），本分「廣辨菩提義·有空雙觀」即所知障所對之法執遣除。〔摘自《金剛經的自我重演》S5-P07；其「後半法空·破四見·所知障」之結構本即上引窺基（依世親）二周斷所知障之判。〕
四、諸家異釋（古德 · 法界平等·無上方便·善法即非 · 加重）
核心 ——世親《金剛般若論》二偈（彼處無少法·法界不增減／無上方便·離於漏法），二漢譯並存： 世親以「法界不增減·淨平等自相」釋「是法平等」、以「有無上方便·及離於漏法」釋「修一切善法·善法即非」，逐項錨於經文；二譯名異義一。
世親 T1511（菩提流支譯）：先設疑——「若如來不得一法名阿耨多羅三藐三菩提者，云何離於上上證，轉轉得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提？自下經文為斷此疑」[0793c07–10]。論偈 [0793c12–15]：
「彼處無少法，知菩提無上；法界不增減，淨平等自相。有無上方便，及離於漏法；是故非淨法，即是清淨法。」
- 釋「是法平等」：「偈言『法界不增減』，不增減者，是法平等，是故名無上，以更無上上故」
[0793c18–20]；「又諸佛如來清淨法身平等無差別，於彼處無有勝者，是故說無上」[0793c22–23]（釋「無眾生、無人、無壽者得平等菩提」）。 - 釋「修一切善法」：「又彼法有無上方便，以一切善法滿足故，說阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。餘菩提者，善法不滿足，更有上方便」
[0793c26–28]。 - 釋「即非善法」：「偈言『及離於漏法』，是故彼漏非是淨法，此即是清淨法故……彼法無有漏法故，名非善法；以無有漏法故，是故名為善法，以決定無漏善法故」
[0794a02–05]。 - 釋「度眾生」（疑由本分平等義生）——論偈
[0794b23–24]：「平等真法界，佛不度眾生；以名共彼陰，不離於法界。」「眾生假名與五陰共故……彼法界無差別故……是故如來不度一眾生」[0794b25–27]。〔此偈所釋為分二十五「化無所化」之經文，然其疑逕由本分「是法平等相無有高下」生起——「若是法平等相無有高下者，云何如來名為度眾生」[0794b20–21]，故繫於本分之平等義。〕
世親 T1513（義淨譯）：先設疑——「若言如來曾無有法是所覺知者，云何離其後後正知次第而名無上正等覺耶？為答此難」[0882b20–22]。頌 [0882b23–25]：
「少法無有故，無上覺應知，由法界不增，清淨平等性，及方便無上。」
- 釋「平等」：「於此乃至無有少法能過故名無上。又復法界無有增故，其法平等故，名無上上，上性無故。又復如來法身清淨平等故，其法無不齊等、無有少增，故名無上」
[0882b26–29]；「又復其法是無我自相，此即高，高性無，故名無上」[0882b29–c01]。 - 釋「修一切善法」：「又復於諸方便亦是無上，所有善法皆圓滿故，名為無上。此餘菩提於諸善法不圓滿故，即此方便實為有上」
[0882c01–04]。 - 釋「即非善法」——頌
[0882c06–07]：「由漏性非法，是故非善法；由此名為善。」「由有漏性彼不是持有漏之相，不能持故，由此說為善法。由無漏性決定能持，是善性故」[0882c08–09]。 - 釋「度眾生」（同上·繫平等義）——頌
[0883a07–08]：「法界平等故，佛不度眾生；於諸名共聚，不在法界外。」「即此法界其性平等，是故曾無有一眾生可是如來之所度脫」[0883a09–11]。
〔二譯對位：彼處無少法·法界不增減／少法無有·法界不增（淨平等自相／清淨平等性）· 有無上方便·離於漏法／方便無上·漏性非法（決定無漏善法／無漏性決定能持）——同一世親論之二漢譯，名異義一。「度眾生」之疑（平等故不度）二譯俱由本分「平等無高下」生起。〕
無著 T1510（達摩笈多譯）：此分屬十八住之第十七證道（淨心住處 [0758c03–04]），於佛地心具足之為正覺故——正覺有二語：阿耨多羅語（分二十二 無法可得）與三藐三佛陀語（本分）。「經言『復次，須菩提！是法平等』者，為三藐三佛陀語故，顯示菩提者人平等相」[0765a01–03]；「經言『無有高下』者，顯示一切諸佛第一義中壽命等無高下故」[0765a04–05]；「『無壽者、無眾生得彼平等阿耨多羅三藐三菩提』者，顯示菩提於生死法平等相故」[0765a05–07]；「『一切善法，得正覺』者，顯示菩提道故」[0765a07–08]；「『所言善法、善法者，如來說非善法』等，此安立第一義相故」[0765a08–10]。〔無著判本分為佛地心具足「正覺」之三藐三佛陀語（人平等相·菩提道），其展開由窺基引足之，見下窺基條。〕
吉藏（三論）T1699：科為「佛述四義釋無上菩提」[0121b18–19]。初義（以無所得故名無上，屬分二十二）[0121b19]；「二、以體悟法界平等義，故名無上菩提」[0121b20–21]；第三義（離門）「以無我無人故得菩提者……彼菩提體無二種我，名無上也……以體無有我人故名無上菩提也」[0121b21–24]；第四義（因門）「『修一切善法』者……此第四義就因門釋無上，以有無上方便修一切眾行滿足，故是無上；餘菩薩修因行不滿，故非無上也」[0121b24–27]。釋「即非善法」：「『如來說善法則非善法』者，簡上修善法義，今明是無所得善法耳。得非是有所善法，故云『則非善法』。『是名善法』者，還結取無所得善法也」[0121b28–c02]。〔吉藏依論（世親「無上方便·一切善法滿足」）生起下章七寶格量 [0121c06]。〕
智顗（天台）T1698：科為「『是法平等』下，結成菩提義」[0082c05–06]。釋平等：「人無貴賤，法無好醜，平等菩提義也」[0082c06]。釋無我修善：「無我、無人修一切善者即是修義，夫形端故影直，聲和則響順，忘我、人而修因，必尅無相之菩提」[0082c07–09]。釋即非善法：「所言善法者，人既不有，善何得實耶？善是離惡之名，法是軌持之義」[0082c09–10]。〔下接「『三千世界中山王七寶』下，第三明福多」[0082c10–11]、「『我當度眾生』下」[0082c12]。〕
窺基（唯識）T1700：依世親「此為第三廣辨其義也。於中有三，初、明不增減；次、顯無差別；後、『修一切善』下，彰方便滿足」[0150b21–23]。
- 初·不增減：「『是法平等』者，謂真如理無增減故；『無有高下』者，謂有為法有取捨，菩薩於十地中得勝無漏而捨劣故，無為無勝劣可取捨故，言無高下也」
[0150b23–27]；引無著「此顯示三藐三菩提，即謂正遍知也……『是法平等者』，謂一切諸佛共得菩提，智無勝劣故也。『無高下』者，謂一切諸佛起化身，各類共等，乃至壽命亦等也」[0150b27–c01]。 - 次·無差別：「『以無我、無人、無眾生、無壽者』……世親云，此第二顯無差別也。謂一切諸佛法，無我、法執故，法身平等，無有差別」
[0150c04–06]。 - 後·方便滿足：「『修一切善法，則得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提』……此第三彰方便滿足也……謂要近善知識，聽聞計念，如法修習，法隨法行，善根滿足故，契證真理，名為成就阿耨菩提也」
[0150c10–14]；引無著「謂前言無我等，除其有執也；今言修善者，破其空執也。我、人空故，須遣自妄心；依、圓有故，須存其善法……滅妄想於空門，起真心於有府，有空雙觀，方成中道也」[0150c15–21]。 - 善法即非：「『所言善法者』者，謂求菩提善法，或無漏法，順無漏法也；『說非善法』者，非是有漏生滅惡善法也；『是名善法』者，是出世善也」
[0150c23–26]。
古德三家異流（三論·天台·唯識）於本分同歸世親二偈：是法平等＝法界不增減·淨平等自相（真如理無增減·諸佛智無勝劣）；修一切善＝有無上方便·一切善法滿足（方便圓滿契證真理）；即非善法＝離於漏法·決定無漏善（非有漏分別之善，乃出世真善）。吉藏「四義釋無上·無所得善法」、智顗「結成菩提·忘我人修無相菩提」、窺基（依世親無著）「廣辨其義三段·有空雙觀成中道」——逐項錨於「是法平等·無我修善·善法即非」。窺基「我人空故須遣妄心、依圓有故須存善法、有空雙觀方成中道」一語，最顯本分法空位之三性動轉（遣遍計而存依他圓成），此即本分「淨心行善」之古德定讀。
五、術語
是法平等 dharma-samatā（平等性；世親「法界不增減·淨平等自相」T1511 [0793c13]／「法界不增·清淨平等性」T1513 [0882b24]；窺基「真如理無增減」[0150b24]）·
無有高下（無勝劣可取捨；窺基「無為無勝劣可取捨故言無高下」[0150b26–27]；玄奘作「於其中間無不平等」[0984c21]）·
無我·無人·無眾生·無壽者 nirātma · niḥpudgala · niḥsattva · nirjīva（玄奘衍五：我·有情·命者·士夫·補特伽羅 ātma-sattva-jīva-pudgala [0984c22–23]；義淨「無更求趣性」[0774c23]）·
善法 kuśala-dharma（修一切善法則得菩提；窺基「求菩提善法·無漏法·順無漏法」[0150c23–24]；世親「無上方便·一切善法滿足」T1511 [0793c26–27]）·
非善法／離漏法（窺基「非有漏生滅惡善法」[0150c24–25]；世親「決定無漏善法」T1511 [0794a05]／「由漏性非法·無漏性決定能持」T1513 [0882c06–09]）·
無上方便 anuttara-upāya（善法滿足為菩提之方便圓滿；吉藏「無上方便修一切眾行滿足」[0121b26]）·
有空雙觀／中道（窺基依無著「遣妄心·存善法·有空雙觀方成中道」[0150c17–21]）。〔梵文發音輔助；「善法即非／非善法／非法」之譯異見目二。〕
六、譬喻・修辭（平等·無相之修善 · 即非之結成）
本分無具象譬喻（須彌喻在分十·十七·二十四，忍辱仙人喻在分十四，六喻在分三十二）。修辭之要在平等與修善之張力、及即非之結成：
- 「平等·無高下」之遮詮：以「平等」「無有高下」雙立——正言菩提「是法平等」（齊等無勝劣），復以「無有高下」遮其取捨（無為法無勝劣可取捨，窺基
[0150b25–27]）。平等者非泯然無別，乃「真如理無增減」之遮遣分別。 - 「無我修善」之弔詭翻轉：正當「無我、無人、無眾生、無壽者」（窮遣四名·主體之空）之後，陡接「修一切善法」（宛然有修有得）——「無我」（空）與「修善」（有）相形，於遣盡主體處立修因之行。智顗「忘我、人而修因，必尅無相之菩提」
[0082c08–09]、窺基「我人空故須遣妄心、依圓有故須存善法，有空雙觀方成中道」[0150c16–21]即此空有雙立之的評——遣我執而不廢善行，是「無相之修善」。 - 即非之結成：「善法 — 即非善法 — 是名善法」三句，以即非結「修善」之義（修善而不執善之自性）。所修之善（是名）與其體之非實（即非）相形，「修一切善法」者正修其「即非善法」之無漏真善（吉藏「無所得善法」
[0121c01–02]）。此「平等而無高下·無我而修善·修善而即非」之筆，與分十「莊嚴而即非莊嚴」、分八「福多而即非福德性」同一遮立並運之構。此目於本分（平等·無我修善·即非結成）見其修辭，具象譬喻則於分四·十四·二十六·三十二加重。
七、互讀
- 百法（T1614）：善十一（信·慚·愧·無貪等·精進·不放逸等）·五位百法之「善法」位——本分「修一切善法」之法數對應（所修之善即百法善心所等諸法）。
- 三十頌（T1586）：二空·轉依（v.29 圓成實·真如）·無漏（v.30 無漏界·不思議善）——本分「是法平等（真如無增減）·即非善法（無漏善）」之論本對應；「無我修善」即二空所顯之無漏善行。
- 二十論（T1590）：唯識無境·遣法執——「即非善法」之破有漏善法自性（法執之細），即唯識遣遍計所執法之論本對應。
- 辯中邊論（T1600）：辯真實品·二空·辯無上乘品（正行）——「無我修善·有空雙觀」即二空中道、正行之論本對應〔窺基「有空雙觀方成中道」見目四〕。
- 攝大乘論（T1594）：彼果智分·無住涅槃·無漏後得智之利生善行——本分「平等故不度而度·無我修善」之論本對應。
- 成唯識論（T1585）：真如·二空所顯·無漏善·圓成實（依他·遍計·圓成三性）·有空中道——本分「真如平等·即非有漏善而存無漏善·遣遍計存依圓」之論本技術語；窺基「依、圓有故須存善法」即成唯識三性之經語對應〔見目四〕。
- 心經（T251）：「無智亦無得」「不增不減」——本分「是法平等·無有高下（不增減）·無所得善法」與心經「不增不減·無得」同一無自性之平等。
本分「是法平等·無我修善·即非善法」，即三十頌·成唯識論「真如·二空·無漏善·遣遍計存依圓·有空中道」之經語對應；「平等·無高下」即心經「不增不減」之法位。釋慧鏡命題「金剛經以經語說成唯識論以技術語說者」〔摘自《從百法到金剛》S5-P10〕：金剛經「無我修善·即非善法·有空雙觀」一語，成唯識論以「二空所顯真如·無漏善·三性中道」之技術語說同一事；所修之「一切善法」即百法善位之法。〔約定：只列實相關者，不强挂——系聯，非湊數；古德引據見目四，此處作 〔見目四〕 不重出引文。僅 成唯識論 起草中，穩定名引，俟成增鏈。〕
八、東西對觀（西方視角 · 對觀，非裁奪）
- 「是法平等·無有高下」之平等性 ↔ 西方形上學之「無差別之絕對」（斯賓諾莎之實體一元·黑格爾之絕對；神祕主義之「神性無分別」）：西方多就存有之統一／絕對之無分別立論（萬有歸於一實體或絕對精神）；古德／唯識讀「是法平等」非存有論之一元斷言，乃真如理無增減·諸佛智無勝劣（世親「法界不增減·淨平等自相」
T1511 [0793c13]）——是轉依所證之真如平等，可修可證，非形上之預設實體。 - 「無我……修一切善法」之無我而修善 ↔ 西方倫理學之「無自我之道德主體」難題（若無實在自我，道德行為與責任如何可能？康德之先驗自我為道德立法之必須；無我論與道德能動性之張力）：西方多視「無主體則道德落空」為難；古德／唯識讀「無我修善」正破此難——「無我」（遣我執之妄心）與「修善」（存依圓之善行）非相違，乃有空雙觀之中道（窺基「我人空故須遣妄心·依圓有故須存善法」
[0150c16–18]）；無實我而善行宛然，正以無我故修善無染，非無我則修善不立。 - 「善法 — 即非善法 — 是名善法」之即非 ↔ 西方真矛盾論（dialetheism；普里斯特、加菲爾德論佛教即非為真矛盾）與否定神學（via negativa·善之不可如言執實）：西方多讀「即非」為靜態之邏輯弔詭或純否定（善而非善之矛盾）；唯識讀為三性之動轉——遣遍計（即非·遣有漏分別之善）而存依他圓成（是名·無漏出世善），是「遣自性而存可說」之雙運，非邏輯之謎、非純否定。此東西之別，正一可注之義。
- 對觀之要：西方傾向以「平等·無我·即非」為形上學（絕對之統一）·倫理學（無我與道德能動）·邏輯（矛盾或否定）之命題；古德以「是法平等·無我修善·即非善法」為轉依·斷所知障之修證——平等者真如所證、無我修善者有空雙觀之行、即非善法者遣法執而存無漏善，皆可修可證之行果，非靜態之斷言或邏輯之弔詭。命題與修證之別，正是東西之一可注。
- （本目為西方視角之對觀；經與唯識讀法始終為主，西方為旁參，非裁奪義理。具體文獻屬研究者考索之事。）
九、校本定位
羅什 T0235 [0751c24–c28]（原典 · 淨心行善分）。六譯本平等修善一段 [出處] 見目二：流支 T0236a [0756a25–a29] · 真諦 T0237 [0765c09–c15] · 笈多 T0238 [0770c25–c29] · 玄奘 T220⑨ [0984c21–c26] · 義淨 T0239 [0774c21–c25]。 科判／論本：無著 T1510a [0764c23·0765a01–a10] · 世親 T1511 [0793c07–0794a05·0794b20–c08] · 世親 T1513 [0882b20–0882c09·0883a07–a16]。 古德：吉藏 T1699 [0121b18–0121c02] · 智顗 T1698 [0082c05–c10] · 窺基 T1700 [0150b20–0150c26]。
1 · Placement in the Sectioning Schemes (equality · selfless practice of good · §17 second half)
| Sectioning scheme | Placement of this division |
|---|---|
| Zhaoming 32 divisions | Division 23, A Pure Mind Practicing Good (淨心行善分) |
| Shi Huijing §17 two-part | Second half (emptiness of dharmas · breaking the four views · the cognitive hindrance; after the pivot of division 17, the "selfless practice of good" at the dharma-emptiness station, where the "is-not" falls on the clinging-to-dharmas in "good dharma") |
| Dao'an's three-part schema | Main-teaching division · second cycle · the witnessing of the way, the fulfillment at the buddha-stage (perfect awakening · the word samyak-saṃbuddha) |
| Asaṅga's eighteen abodes, T1510 | Seventeenth abode, the witnessing of the way (the abode of the pure mind [0758c03–04]), within the buddha-stage's mind-fulfillment among the six fulfillments — for the sake of perfect awakening. Perfect awakening has two utterances: the anuttara utterance (division 22, no dharma can be attained) and the samyak-saṃbuddha utterance (this division): 「『是法平等』者，為三藐三佛陀語故，顯示菩提者人平等相」 [0765a01–03]; 「一切善法，得正覺」者 displays the path of awakening [0765a07–08] (subsuming the mind-fulfillment [0764c17–0765a10]) |
| Vasubandhu's twenty-seven doubts, T1511/T1513 | The doubt "attaining awakening apart from higher-and-higher witnessing, turn upon turn" — if the Tathāgata attains no single dharma named awakening, how does one attain awakening apart from higher-and-higher witnessing, turn upon turn? Answered with 「彼處無少法·法界不增減·淨平等自相·有無上方便」 (T1511 [0793c07–11] / T1513 [0882b20–22]) |
| Jizang (Three-Treatise) T1699 | The second, third, and fourth of the four senses in which supreme awakening is explained — 「二、以體悟法界平等義，故名無上菩提」 [0121b20]; no-self-no-person as the third sense (the gate of removal) [0121b21–24]; 「修一切善法」 as the fourth sense (the gate of cause · the supreme means, the fulfillment of all practices) [0121b24–27] |
| Zhiyi (Tiantai) T1698 | 「『是法平等』下，結成菩提義」 [0082c05–06] (following "nothing attained, nothing taught"; leading on to the third, "the abundance of merit" [0082c10–11]) |
| Kuiji (Yogācāra) T1700 | Following Vasubandhu, 「此為第三廣辨其義」 [0150b21–22] — within which there are three: first, showing the absence of increase or decrease (this dharma is level · with no high and low); next, displaying the absence of difference (no self, no person, etc.); last, manifesting the fulfillment of the means (practicing every good) [0150b22–23] |
Sense of equality and the practice of good: this division, following the pivot of division 17 (the turn from emptiness-of-self to emptiness-of-dharmas) and division 22 (no dharma can be attained · the anuttara utterance), brings the sense of perfect awakening to its close through "this dharma is level · selfless practice of good · the good dharma that is-not." The three lineages of ancient masters all judge this to be the broad exposition of the meaning of perfect awakening (the sense of awakening) — Asaṅga judges it to belong to the samyak-saṃbuddha utterance of the buddha-stage's mind-fulfillment "perfect awakening" (the mark of the equality of persons); Kuiji (following Vasubandhu) judges it to be the three phases of "broadly expounding its meaning" (no increase-or-decrease · no difference · fulfillment of the means); Jizang judges it to be the latter three of the "four senses explaining the supreme"; Zhiyi judges it to be "concluding the sense of awakening." Its dharma-emptiness eye: the "no-self" of "selfless practice of good" reaches through both personal and dharmic selflessness (continuing division 17's "penetrating no-self and dharmas"), while the object on which the "is-not" formula falls has shifted from the first half's "mark" (the clinging to self · the four marks) to "good dharma" (the clinging to dharmas · the contaminated good that is grasped through discrimination) — this is one application, at the station of practicing good, of the second half's "breaking the four views · severing the cognitive hindrance" (see register 3).
2 · Collation of the Variant Translations (six Chinese versions · the passage on equality and the practice of good)
Key lines: 是法平等無有高下 / 無我無人無眾生無壽者 / 修一切善法則得菩提 / 所言善法者即非善法是名善法
| Version | The passage on equality and the practice of good (verbatim excerpt) | [loc] |
|---|---|---|
| Kumārajīva T235 (root) | 「復次，須菩提！是法平等，無有高下，是名阿耨多羅三藐三菩提；以無我、無人、無眾生、無壽者，修一切善法，則得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。須菩提！所言善法者，如來說非善法，是名善法。」 | 0751c24–c28 |
| Bodhiruci T236 | 「復次，須菩提！是法平等，無有高下，是名阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。以無眾生、無人、無壽者，得平等阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，一切善法得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。須菩提！所言善法、善法者，如來說非善法，是名善法。」 | 0756a25–a29 |
| Paramārtha T237 | 「復次，須菩提！此法平等，無有高下，是名阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。復次，須菩提！由法無我、無眾生、無壽者、無受者等，此法平等，故名阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。復次，須菩提！由實善法具足圓滿，得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。須菩提！所言善法、善法者，如來說非法，故名善法。」 | 0765c09–c15 |
| Dharmagupta T238 | 「雖然復次時，善實！平等正法，彼不中有不平等，彼故說名無上正遍知者。無我故、無壽故、無眾生故、無人故，平等。無上正遍知，一切善法證覺。善法、善法者，善實！非法，如是彼，如來說；彼故，說名善法者。」 | 0770c25–c29 |
| Xuanzang T220⑨ | 「復次，善現！是法平等，於其中間無不平等，故名無上正等菩提。以無我性、無有情性、無命者性、無士夫性、無補特伽羅等性平等，故名無上正等菩提。一切善法無不現證，一切善法無不妙覺。善現！善法善法者，如來一切說為非法，是故如來說名善法善法。」 | 0984c21–c26 |
| Yijing T239 | 「妙生！是法平等，無有高下，故名無上正等菩提。以無我、無眾生、無壽者、無更求趣性，其性平等，故名無上正等菩提。一切善法皆正覺了，故名無上正等正覺。妙生！善法者，如來說為非法，故名善法。」 | 0774c21–c25 |
What the variants turn on:
- 「平等·無有高下」 (level · with no high and low): all six carry the thesis of "equality" (平等). Kumārajīva, Bodhiruci, Paramārtha, and Yijing have 「無有高下」 (with no high and low); Xuanzang alone has 「於其中間無不平等」 (in its midst there is nothing not level); Dharmagupta has 「彼不中有不平等」 — the two phrasings "no high-and-low" and "nothing not level" both attach to the same sense, "the nature of equality has no superior or inferior." Vasubandhu's two renderings read it directly as 「法界不增減·淨平等自相」 (Bodhiruci
[0793c13]) / 「法界不增·清淨平等性」 (Yijing[0882b24]), that is, thusness as principle neither increasing nor decreasing (see register 4). - The roster of the four marks / four views: Kumārajīva has 「無我、無人、無眾生、無壽者」 (four names); Bodhiruci drops 「無我」, giving 「無眾生、無人、無壽者」 (three names); Paramārtha has 「無我、無眾生、無壽者、無受者」 (replacing 「人」 with 「受者」); Dharmagupta has 「無我、無壽、無眾生、無人」 (varied order); Xuanzang alone expands to five, 「無我性、無有情性、無命者性、無士夫性、無補特伽羅等性」 (the full roster of ātma-sattva-jīva-pudgala); Yijing has 「無我、無眾生、無壽者、無更求趣性」 (「更求趣」 being consistent with his division 2's 「更求趣想」
T239 [0772a19]). The first half phrases it as "mark" (breaking the four marks), the second half as "view" (breaking the four views) — yet in this division the versions still use the general names "no-self · no-person," and their classification as "view" (the clinging to dharmas) lies in the ancient masters' exegesis (see registers 3 and 4). - The verb of 「修一切善法」 (practicing every good dharma): Kumārajīva and Bodhiruci have 「修一切善法得菩提」 (practice → attain, the sense of practice-as-cause foregrounded); Paramārtha has 「由實善法具足圓滿得菩提」 (by the good dharma being fully complete); Dharmagupta has 「一切善法證覺」 (witnessing-awakening); Xuanzang has 「一切善法無不現證，一切善法無不妙覺」 (directly witnessing · sublimely awakening, two terms); Yijing has 「一切善法皆正覺了」. The difference between "practice · attain" (Kumārajīva · Bodhiruci) and "witness-awaken · directly-witness" (the Able-to-Cut versions) attaches to whether kuśala-dharma is "the cause one cultivates" or "the fruit-dharma one witnesses" — Vasubandhu's two renderings judge it as 「無上方便·一切善法滿足故說菩提」 (Bodhiruci
[0793c26–28]) / 「於諸方便亦是無上·所有善法皆圓滿故」 (Yijing[0882c01–02]), that is, the good dharma as the fulfilled means of awakening (see register 4). - The "Able-to-Cut" doubling: Xuanzang 「善法善法者，如來一切說為非法，是故如來說名善法善法」
[0984c25–26], Bodhiruci 「善法、善法者，如來說非善法，是名善法」[0756a28–29], Dharmagupta 「善法、善法者，善實！非法……說名善法者」[0770c28–29]— the Able-to-Cut versions (Xuanzang · Dharmagupta) together with Bodhiruci all carry the doubling (the same name uttered twice), the "is-not" form reading "X·X — is-not-dharma / is-not-X — is called X·X"; whereas Kumārajīva, Paramārtha, and Yijing utter it once (Kumārajīva 「善法者，如來說非善法，是名善法」; Paramārtha, Yijing 「善法者，說非法，故名善法」). The doubling is a textual feature of the Dharmalakṣaṇa-lineage recensions; it is recorded verbatim, not abridged. - The tail 「即非善法」 (is-not a good dharma): Kumārajīva has 「所言善法者，如來說非善法，是名善法」 (the full three-clause form); Paramārtha and Yijing have 「如來說非法，故名善法」 (the middle clause drops 「善」, giving 「非法」); Xuanzang 「說為非法」, Dharmagupta 「非法」 — the difference between the middle clause "is-not a good dharma" (Kumārajīva · Bodhiruci) and "is-not a dharma" (Paramārtha · Dharmagupta · Xuanzang · Yijing) attaches to whether what is removed is "a contaminated good dharma" (Kuiji 「非有漏生滅惡善法」
[0150c24–25]) or "the untrue sustaining of a conditioned (contaminated) dharma" (Yijing 「由漏性非法，是故非善法」[0882c06]). The sense is the same: what is removed is not the uncontaminated world-transcending good, but the contaminated good grasped through discrimination (see registers 3 and 4).
3 · “Is-Not” and the Three Natures (the eye · the good dharma that is-not · emptiness of dharmas · breaking the clinging to dharmas)
The "is-not" appears once in this division: 「所言善法者，如來說非善法，是名善法」 [0751c27–28] — the "is-not" falls on "good dharma" (a dharma), not, as in the first half, on "mark" (a self).
「善法 — 即非善法 — 是名善法」 (good dharma — is-not a good dharma — is called a good dharma) maps to the three natures:
- 善法 (X) is the other-dependent (依他起) — a good dharma that arises through cultivation, that can be practiced and witnessed (the uncontaminated good · that which conforms to the uncontaminated; Kuiji: 「『所言善法者』，謂求菩提善法，或無漏法，順無漏法也」
[0150c23–24]). The conditionally-arisen good is not nothing, hence "practicing every good dharma, one attains awakening" (a provisional good that can be practiced). - 即非善法 removes the wholly-imagined (遣遍計所執) — it is not "a contaminated good of real, self-existent nature" grasped through discrimination (Kuiji: 「『說非善法』者，非是有漏生滅惡善法也」
[0150c24–25]; Yijing: 「由漏性非法，是故非善法」[0882c06], meaning the contaminated nature cannot truly sustain awakening). To say "is-not a good dharma" is to remove its discriminated, contaminated clinging, not to say there is no good. - 是名善法 establishes the perfectly-accomplished (圓成實) — without self-nature yet a world-transcending true good (Kuiji: 「『是名善法』者，是出世善也」
[0150c25–26]; Jizang: 「『是名善法』者，還結取無所得善法也」[0121c01–02]). Without anything attained, the good stands forth, practicable and speakable.
The eye of this division: the "is-not" falls on "good dharma" — in the first half (divisions 1–16) the "is-not" mostly falls on the outer objects of "mark · body · merit" and on the self-clinging of "I am a bodhisattva"; here at this division (emptiness of dharmas · second half) it falls on "good dharma" itself (the subtle clinging to dharmas). The "no-self" of "selfless practice of good" carries division 17's pivot "penetrating no-self and dharmas" — the twofold selflessness (both personal and dharmic emptied) — and the good one cultivates likewise has its contaminated self-nature removed (is-not a good dharma), and the equality one witnesses likewise has its increase-decrease, high-low removed (thusness neither increasing nor decreasing) — this is the full application of the "is-not" formula to "dharma (good dharma)." Kuiji judges its Yogācāra sense most plainly: 「我、人空故，須遣自妄心；依、圓有故，須存其善法……滅妄想於空門，起真心於有府，有空雙觀，方成中道」 [0150c16–21] — removing the wholly-imagined (the "is-not" · the gate of emptiness) while preserving the other-dependent and perfectly-accomplished (the "is called" · the storehouse of being), which is just the turning of the three natures and just the Middle Way. This reading of "is-not" mapped to the three natures is set out in Shi Huijing's The "Is-Not" Three-Clause Formula Mapped to the Yogācāra Three Natures 〔from S5-P01〕; this division is one application of it at the station of "emptiness of dharmas · practice of good."
The second-half frame (breaking the four views · the cognitive hindrance · the second cycle): the "is-not" of this division, within the two-part structure of the §17 pivot, belongs to the second half (emptiness of dharmas · breaking the four views · the cognitive hindrance), not the first half (emptiness of self · breaking the four marks · the afflictive hindrance). There are three textual proofs: ① the "no-self" of "selfless practice of good" already reaches through both personal and dharmic selflessness, carrying division 17's "penetrating no-self and dharmas" (the pivot's turn from emptiness-of-self to emptiness-of-dharmas); ② the object on which the "is-not" falls is "good dharma" (the clinging to dharmas), not "mark" (the clinging to self) — the first half breaks the marks of "self · person · being · life-span," the second half breaks the views of "self · person · being · life-span" (division 31), and this division's roster of "no-self-nature etc." belongs precisely to the practice of good at the view-breaking station of the second half; ③ the ancient masters judge "the second cycle severs the cognitive hindrance" (Kuiji following Vasubandhu, division 17
T1700 [0127c01–03]「第二周為斷障，障即所知也」), and this division's "broad exposition of the sense of awakening · the dual contemplation of being and emptiness" is just the removal of the clinging-to-dharmas that the cognitive hindrance opposes. 〔From The Self-Reenactment of the Diamond Sūtra S5-P07; its structure of "second half · emptiness of dharmas · breaking the four views · the cognitive hindrance" is itself just the above-cited Kuiji (following Vasubandhu) judgment of the second cycle severing the cognitive hindrance.〕
4 · Variant Readings of the Ancient Masters (by school · the equality of the dharma-realm · the supreme means · the good dharma that is-not · weighted)
Core — Vasubandhu's two verses in the Vajracchedikā-prajñāpāramitā-śāstra (no slightest dharma there · the dharma-realm neither increases nor decreases / the supreme means · apart from contaminated dharmas), preserved in two Chinese renderings: Vasubandhu glosses "this dharma is level" with 「法界不增減·淨平等自相」, and "practicing every good dharma · the good dharma that is-not" with 「有無上方便·及離於漏法」, each anchored to the scriptural phrasing; the two renderings differ in name but are one in sense.
Vasubandhu T1511 (Bodhiruci's rendering): first sets the doubt — 「若如來不得一法名阿耨多羅三藐三菩提者，云何離於上上證，轉轉得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提？自下經文為斷此疑」 [0793c07–10]. The verse [0793c12–15]:
「彼處無少法，知菩提無上；法界不增減，淨平等自相。有無上方便，及離於漏法；是故非淨法，即是清淨法。」
- Glossing 「是法平等」: 「偈言『法界不增減』，不增減者，是法平等，是故名無上，以更無上上故」
[0793c18–20]; 「又諸佛如來清淨法身平等無差別，於彼處無有勝者，是故說無上」[0793c22–23](glossing "no being, no person, no life-span attaining equal awakening"). - Glossing 「修一切善法」: 「又彼法有無上方便，以一切善法滿足故，說阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。餘菩提者，善法不滿足，更有上方便」
[0793c26–28]. - Glossing 「即非善法」: 「偈言『及離於漏法』，是故彼漏非是淨法，此即是清淨法故……彼法無有漏法故，名非善法；以無有漏法故，是故名為善法，以決定無漏善法故」
[0794a02–05]. - Glossing 「度眾生」 (the doubt arising from this division's sense of equality) — the verse
[0794b23–24]: 「平等真法界，佛不度眾生；以名共彼陰，不離於法界。」 「眾生假名與五陰共故……彼法界無差別故……是故如來不度一眾生」[0794b25–27]. 〔The scripture this verse glosses is division 25's "Transforming with Nothing Transformed," yet its doubt arises directly from this division's "this dharma is level, the mark is without high and low" — 「若是法平等相無有高下者，云何如來名為度眾生」[0794b20–21]— and so it attaches to this division's sense of equality.〕
Vasubandhu T1513 (Yijing's rendering): first sets the doubt — 「若言如來曾無有法是所覺知者，云何離其後後正知次第而名無上正等覺耶？為答此難」 [0882b20–22]. The verse [0882b23–25]:
「少法無有故，無上覺應知，由法界不增，清淨平等性，及方便無上。」
- Glossing 「平等」: 「於此乃至無有少法能過故名無上。又復法界無有增故，其法平等故，名無上上，上性無故。又復如來法身清淨平等故，其法無不齊等、無有少增，故名無上」
[0882b26–29]; 「又復其法是無我自相，此即高，高性無，故名無上」[0882b29–c01]. - Glossing 「修一切善法」: 「又復於諸方便亦是無上，所有善法皆圓滿故，名為無上。此餘菩提於諸善法不圓滿故，即此方便實為有上」
[0882c01–04]. - Glossing 「即非善法」 — the verse
[0882c06–07]: 「由漏性非法，是故非善法；由此名為善。」 「由有漏性彼不是持有漏之相，不能持故，由此說為善法。由無漏性決定能持，是善性故」[0882c08–09]. - Glossing 「度眾生」 (as above · attaching to the sense of equality) — the verse
[0883a07–08]: 「法界平等故，佛不度眾生；於諸名共聚，不在法界外。」 「即此法界其性平等，是故曾無有一眾生可是如來之所度脫」[0883a09–11].
〔Correspondence of the two renderings: 彼處無少法·法界不增減 / 少法無有·法界不增 (淨平等自相 / 清淨平等性) · 有無上方便·離於漏法 / 方便無上·漏性非法 (決定無漏善法 / 無漏性決定能持) — one and the same Vasubandhu treatise in two Chinese renderings, differing in name but one in sense. The "transforming beings" doubt (equality, hence no transforming) arises in both renderings from this division's "level, with no high and low."〕
Asaṅga T1510 (Dharmagupta's rendering): this division belongs to the seventeenth abode, the witnessing of the way of the eighteen abodes (the abode of the pure mind [0758c03–04]), at the buddha-stage's mind-fulfillment for the sake of perfect awakening — perfect awakening has two utterances: the anuttara utterance (division 22, no dharma can be attained) and the samyak-saṃbuddha utterance (this division). 「經言『復次，須菩提！是法平等』者，為三藐三佛陀語故，顯示菩提者人平等相」 [0765a01–03]; 「經言『無有高下』者，顯示一切諸佛第一義中壽命等無高下故」 [0765a04–05]; 「『無壽者、無眾生得彼平等阿耨多羅三藐三菩提』者，顯示菩提於生死法平等相故」 [0765a05–07]; 「『一切善法，得正覺』者，顯示菩提道故」 [0765a07–08]; 「『所言善法、善法者，如來說非善法』等，此安立第一義相故」 [0765a08–10]. 〔Asaṅga judges this division to be the samyak-saṃbuddha utterance of the buddha-stage's mind-fulfillment "perfect awakening" (the mark of the equality of persons · the path of awakening), and Kuiji draws out its full elaboration; see the Kuiji entry below.〕
Jizang (Three-Treatise) T1699: classifies it as "the Buddha recounting the four senses in which the supreme awakening is explained" [0121b18–19]. The first sense (named supreme because nothing is attained, belonging to division 22) [0121b19]; 「二、以體悟法界平等義，故名無上菩提」 [0121b20–21]; the third sense (the gate of removal) 「以無我無人故得菩提者……彼菩提體無二種我，名無上也……以體無有我人故名無上菩提也」 [0121b21–24]; the fourth sense (the gate of cause) 「『修一切善法』者……此第四義就因門釋無上，以有無上方便修一切眾行滿足，故是無上；餘菩薩修因行不滿，故非無上也」 [0121b24–27]. Glossing 「即非善法」: 「『如來說善法則非善法』者，簡上修善法義，今明是無所得善法耳。得非是有所善法，故云『則非善法』。『是名善法』者，還結取無所得善法也」 [0121b28–c02]. 〔Following the treatise (Vasubandhu's "the supreme means · the fulfillment of all good dharmas"), Jizang opens onto the next chapter's seven-jewels comparison [0121c06].〕
Zhiyi (Tiantai) T1698: classifies it as 「『是法平等』下，結成菩提義」 [0082c05–06]. Glossing equality: 「人無貴賤，法無好醜，平等菩提義也」 [0082c06]. Glossing selfless practice of good: 「無我、無人修一切善者即是修義，夫形端故影直，聲和則響順，忘我、人而修因，必尅無相之菩提」 [0082c07–09]. Glossing the good dharma that is-not: 「所言善法者，人既不有，善何得實耶？善是離惡之名，法是軌持之義」 [0082c09–10]. 〔Leading on to 「『三千世界中山王七寶』下，第三明福多」 [0082c10–11] and 「『我當度眾生』下」 [0082c12].〕
Kuiji (Yogācāra) T1700: following Vasubandhu, 「此為第三廣辨其義也。於中有三，初、明不增減；次、顯無差別；後、『修一切善』下，彰方便滿足」 [0150b21–23].
- First · no increase-or-decrease: 「『是法平等』者，謂真如理無增減故；『無有高下』者，謂有為法有取捨，菩薩於十地中得勝無漏而捨劣故，無為無勝劣可取捨故，言無高下也」
[0150b23–27]; cites Asaṅga 「此顯示三藐三菩提，即謂正遍知也……『是法平等者』，謂一切諸佛共得菩提，智無勝劣故也。『無高下』者，謂一切諸佛起化身，各類共等，乃至壽命亦等也」[0150b27–c01]. - Next · no difference: 「『以無我、無人、無眾生、無壽者』……世親云，此第二顯無差別也。謂一切諸佛法，無我、法執故，法身平等，無有差別」
[0150c04–06]. - Last · fulfillment of the means: 「『修一切善法，則得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提』……此第三彰方便滿足也……謂要近善知識，聽聞計念，如法修習，法隨法行，善根滿足故，契證真理，名為成就阿耨菩提也」
[0150c10–14]; cites Asaṅga 「謂前言無我等，除其有執也；今言修善者，破其空執也。我、人空故，須遣自妄心；依、圓有故，須存其善法……滅妄想於空門，起真心於有府，有空雙觀，方成中道也」[0150c15–21]. - The good dharma that is-not: 「『所言善法者』者，謂求菩提善法，或無漏法，順無漏法也；『說非善法』者，非是有漏生滅惡善法也；『是名善法』者，是出世善也」
[0150c23–26].
The three lineages of ancient masters (Three-Treatise · Tiantai · Yogācāra) all converge on Vasubandhu's two verses at this division: "this dharma is level" = the dharma-realm neither increasing nor decreasing · the pure mark of equality (thusness as principle neither increasing nor decreasing · the buddhas' wisdom without superior or inferior); "practicing every good" = the supreme means · the fulfillment of all good dharmas (the means fulfilled, the principle witnessed); "the good dharma that is-not" = apart from contaminated dharmas · the decisively uncontaminated good (not the contaminated discriminated good, but the world-transcending true good). Jizang's "four senses explaining the supreme · the good dharma that attains nothing," Zhiyi's "concluding the sense of awakening · forgetting self and person, practicing markless awakening," Kuiji's (following Vasubandhu and Asaṅga) "three phases of broadly expounding its meaning · the dual contemplation of being and emptiness completing the Middle Way" — each anchored to "this dharma is level · selfless practice of good · the good dharma that is-not." Kuiji's single phrase — 「我人空故須遣妄心、依圓有故須存善法、有空雙觀方成中道」 — most plainly displays the turning of the three natures at this division's dharma-emptiness station (removing the wholly-imagined while preserving the other-dependent and perfectly-accomplished); this is the ancient masters' settled reading of "A Pure Mind Practicing Good" in this division.
5 · Terminology
是法平等 dharma-samatā (the nature of equality; Vasubandhu 「法界不增減·淨平等自相」 T1511 [0793c13] / 「法界不增·清淨平等性」 T1513 [0882b24]; Kuiji 「真如理無增減」 [0150b24]) ·
無有高下 (no superior or inferior to be grasped or rejected; Kuiji 「無為無勝劣可取捨故言無高下」 [0150b26–27]; Xuanzang has 「於其中間無不平等」 [0984c21]) ·
無我·無人·無眾生·無壽者 nirātma · niḥpudgala · niḥsattva · nirjīva (Xuanzang expands to five: 我·有情·命者·士夫·補特伽羅 ātma-sattva-jīva-pudgala [0984c22–23]; Yijing 「無更求趣性」 [0774c23]) ·
善法 kuśala-dharma (practicing every good dharma, one attains awakening; Kuiji 「求菩提善法·無漏法·順無漏法」 [0150c23–24]; Vasubandhu 「無上方便·一切善法滿足」 T1511 [0793c26–27]) ·
非善法／離漏法 (is-not a good dharma / apart from contaminated dharmas; Kuiji 「非有漏生滅惡善法」 [0150c24–25]; Vasubandhu 「決定無漏善法」 T1511 [0794a05] / 「由漏性非法·無漏性決定能持」 T1513 [0882c06–09]) ·
無上方便 anuttara-upāya (the good dharma fulfilled as the fulfilled means of awakening; Jizang 「無上方便修一切眾行滿足」 [0121b26]) ·
有空雙觀／中道 (the dual contemplation of being and emptiness / the Middle Way; Kuiji following Asaṅga 「遣妄心·存善法·有空雙觀方成中道」 [0150c17–21]). 〔Sanskrit as a pronunciation aid; the variant renderings of "is-not a good dharma / is-not a good dharma / is-not a dharma" are at register 2.〕
6 · Simile and Rhetoric (equality · the markless practice of good · the concluding "is-not")
This division has no concrete simile (the Sumeru simile is at divisions 10 · 17 · 24, the patience-ascetic simile at division 14, the six similes at division 32). The point of the rhetoric lies in the tension of equality and the practice of good, and in the concluding "is-not":
- The apophasis of 「平等·無高下」 (level · no high and low): by setting "equality" and "no high and low" together — directly affirming that awakening 「是法平等」 (level, without superior or inferior), then with 「無有高下」 removing its grasping-and-rejecting (the unconditioned has no superior or inferior to grasp or reject, Kuiji
[0150b25–27]). "Equal" is not a featureless undifferentiation but the apophatic removal of discrimination from "thusness as principle neither increasing nor decreasing." - The paradoxical reversal of 「無我修善」 (selfless practice of good): just where "no self, no person, no being, no life-span" (exhaustively removing the four names · the emptiness of the subject) is reached, it abruptly meets 「修一切善法」 (practicing every good dharma, with practice and attainment standing forth) — "no-self" (emptiness) and "practice of good" (being) set against each other, establishing the practice-as-cause just where the subject is exhausted. Zhiyi's 「忘我、人而修因，必尅無相之菩提」
[0082c08–09]and Kuiji's 「我人空故須遣妄心、依圓有故須存善法，有空雙觀方成中道」[0150c16–21]are exactly the apt verdict of this dual standing of emptiness and being — removing the clinging to self yet not abolishing the practice of good, this is "the markless practice of good." - The concluding "is-not": the three clauses 「善法 — 即非善法 — 是名善法」 conclude the sense of "practicing good" by the "is-not" (practicing good yet not clinging to the good's self-nature). The good one cultivates (the "is called") set against its substance's unreality (the "is-not") — "practicing every good dharma" is precisely cultivating its "is-not-a-good-dharma" uncontaminated true good (Jizang 「無所得善法」
[0121c01–02]). This brushstroke of "level yet with no high and low · selfless yet practicing good · practicing good yet is-not" shares one and the same apophatic-yet-affirming structure with division 10's "adorning yet is-not adorning" and division 8's "abundant merit yet is-not the nature of merit." This register shows its rhetoric in this division (equality · selfless practice of good · the concluding "is-not"); concrete simile is weighted at divisions 4 · 14 · 26 · 32.
7 · Cross-Reading
- Baifa (T1614): the eleven good (信 trust · 慚 conscience · 愧 shame · 無貪 non-greed etc. · 精進 vigor · 不放逸 non-negligence etc.) · the "good dharma" station of the five-position hundred dharmas — the dharma-enumeration correspondence of this division's "practicing every good dharma" (the good one cultivates is just the dharmas such as the good mental factors of the hundred dharmas).
- Thirty Verses (T1586): the two emptinesses · the transformation of the basis (v.29 the perfectly-accomplished · thusness) · the uncontaminated (v.30 the uncontaminated realm · the inconceivable good) — the treatise-correspondence of this division's "this dharma is level (thusness neither increasing nor decreasing) · is-not a good dharma (the uncontaminated good)"; "selfless practice of good" is just the uncontaminated good practice manifested by the two emptinesses.
- Twenty Verses (T1590): consciousness-only without object · removing the clinging to dharmas — "is-not a good dharma" breaking the self-nature of the contaminated good dharma (the subtle clinging to dharmas) is just the treatise-correspondence of consciousness-only removing the wholly-imagined dharma.
- Madhyānta-vibhāga (T1600): the chapter on the real · the two emptinesses · the chapter on the unsurpassed vehicle (right practice) — "selfless practice of good · the dual contemplation of being and emptiness" is just the treatise-correspondence of the two-emptiness Middle Way and right practice 〔Kuiji's "the dual contemplation of being and emptiness completing the Middle Way," see register 4〕.
- Mahāyāna-saṃgraha (T1594): the section on the wisdom that is the fruit · the non-abiding nirvāṇa · the uncontaminated subsequently-attained wisdom's beneficent good practice — the treatise-correspondence of this division's "not transforming yet transforming because of equality · selfless practice of good."
- Cheng weishi lun (T1585): thusness · what the two emptinesses reveal · the uncontaminated good · the perfectly-accomplished (the three natures: other-dependent · wholly-imagined · perfectly-accomplished) · the Middle Way of being and emptiness — the technical-term correspondence of this division's "thusness equal · is-not the contaminated good yet preserving the uncontaminated good · removing the wholly-imagined while preserving the other-dependent and perfectly-accomplished"; Kuiji's 「依、圓有故須存善法」 is just the scriptural correspondence of Cheng weishi lun's three natures 〔see register 4〕.
- Heart Sūtra (T251): 「無智亦無得」 (no wisdom and no attainment) 「不增不減」 (neither increasing nor decreasing) — this division's "this dharma is level · with no high and low (neither increasing nor decreasing) · the good dharma that attains nothing" is the same self-natureless equality as the Heart Sūtra's "neither increasing nor decreasing · nothing attained."
This division's "this dharma is level · selfless practice of good · the good dharma that is-not" is just the scriptural correspondence of the Thirty Verses' and Cheng weishi lun's "thusness · the two emptinesses · the uncontaminated good · removing the wholly-imagined while preserving the other-dependent and perfectly-accomplished · the Middle Way of being and emptiness"; "level · no high and low" is just the dharma-station of the Heart Sūtra's "neither increasing nor decreasing." Shi Huijing's thesis "what the Diamond Sūtra says in scriptural language, Cheng weishi lun says in technical language" 〔from From the Hundred Dharmas to the Diamond Sūtra S5-P10〕: the Diamond Sūtra's single phrase "selfless practice of good · the good dharma that is-not · the dual contemplation of being and emptiness," Cheng weishi lun says with the technical terms "the thusness revealed by the two emptinesses · the uncontaminated good · the three-natures Middle Way"; the "every good dharma" one cultivates is just the dharmas of the good station among the hundred dharmas. 〔Convention: list only what is genuinely pertinent; no forced pegging — linkage, not padding; the ancient-master citations are at register 4, and here we mark 〔see register 4〕 without repeating the citation. Only Cheng weishi lun is in progress; cited by stable name, an additive link to follow on completion.〕
8 · East–West Observation (Western perspective · observation, not adjudication)
- The equality of 「是法平等·無有高下」 ↔ Western metaphysics' "absolute without difference" (Spinoza's substance-monism · Hegel's Absolute; mysticism's "the godhead without distinction"): the West mostly argues from the unity of being / the absolute's lack of distinction (all things returning to one substance or absolute spirit); the ancient masters' / Yogācāra reading of "this dharma is level" is not an ontological monistic assertion but thusness as principle neither increasing nor decreasing · the buddhas' wisdom without superior or inferior (Vasubandhu 「法界不增減·淨平等自相」
T1511 [0793c13]) — it is the equality of thusness witnessed through the transformation of the basis, practicable and witnessable, not a presupposed metaphysical substance. - The selfless practice of good in 「無我……修一切善法」 ↔ Western ethics' problem of "a moral subject without a self" (if there is no real self, how are moral action and responsibility possible? Kant's transcendental self as the necessity of moral legislation; the tension between the no-self doctrine and moral agency): the West mostly takes "no subject means morality collapses" as the difficulty; the ancient masters' / Yogācāra reading of "selfless practice of good" precisely breaks this difficulty — "no-self" (removing the deluded clinging-to-self mind) and "practice of good" (preserving the other-dependent-and-perfectly-accomplished good practice) are not opposed but the dual contemplation of being and emptiness, the Middle Way (Kuiji 「我人空故須遣妄心·依圓有故須存善法」
[0150c16–18]); good practice stands forth without a real self, and precisely because there is no self the practice of good is unstained — without no-self the practice of good cannot be established. - The "is-not" of 「善法 — 即非善法 — 是名善法」 ↔ Western dialetheism (Priest, Garfield reading the Buddhist "is-not" as a true contradiction) and negative theology (via negativa · the good's inability to be clung-to literally as real): the West mostly reads the "is-not" as a static logical paradox or pure negation (the contradiction of good-yet-not-good); the Yogācāra reading is the turning of the three natures — removing the wholly-imagined (the "is-not" · removing the contaminated discriminated good) while preserving the other-dependent and perfectly-accomplished (the "is called" · the uncontaminated world-transcending good), a dual operation of "removing self-nature while preserving the speakable," not a logical riddle, not a pure negation. This East–West difference is itself one note worth marking.
- The point of the observation: the West tends to take "equality · no-self · is-not" as theses of metaphysics (the absolute's unity) · ethics (no-self and moral agency) · logic (contradiction or negation); the ancient masters take "this dharma is level · selfless practice of good · the good dharma that is-not" as the cultivation-and-witness of the transformation of the basis · the severing of the cognitive hindrance — equality is witnessed in thusness, selfless practice of good is the practice of the dual contemplation of being and emptiness, the good dharma that is-not removes the clinging to dharmas while preserving the uncontaminated good, all practicable and witnessable fruits of practice, not static assertions or logical paradoxes. The difference between thesis and cultivation-and-witness is just one East–West note worth marking.
- (This register is a Western-perspective observation; the scriptural and Yogācāra reading remains throughout the principal one, the West a secondary reference, not an adjudication. The specific literature is a matter for the researcher's inquiry.)
9 · Manuscript Placement
Kumārajīva T0235 [0751c24–c28] (root text · A Pure Mind Practicing Good). The six versions' passage on equality and the practice of good, [loc] at register 2: Bodhiruci T0236a [0756a25–a29] · Paramārtha T0237 [0765c09–c15] · Dharmagupta T0238 [0770c25–c29] · Xuanzang T220⑨ [0984c21–c26] · Yijing T0239 [0774c21–c25]. Sectioning / treatises: Asaṅga T1510a [0764c23·0765a01–a10] · Vasubandhu T1511 [0793c07–0794a05·0794b20–c08] · Vasubandhu T1513 [0882b20–0882c09·0883a07–a16]. Ancient masters: Jizang T1699 [0121b18–0121c02] · Zhiyi T1698 [0082c05–c10] · Kuiji T1700 [0150b20–0150c26].
Shi Huijing · Zhiyue · jingang · Division 23 · A Pure Mind Practicing Good · apparatus · Spring 2026