唯識三十頌 偈二十四 相·生·勝義無性
三個「無」，意思各不同；唯第一個是真無。
上一首說佛「密意」說無性、「非性全無」；這一首把三無性對著三性一一拆開兌現——
- 「初即相無性」（依遍計）：「體相畢竟非有，如空華故」——遍計如空中花，本來沒有。這個「無」是真無。
- 「次無自然性」（生無性·依依他）：「如幻事託眾緣生，無如妄執自然性故，假說無性，非性全無」——依他如幻事，緣生而有、非「自然有」；無的是「自然性」一義，假說無·非全無。
- 「後由遠離前所執我法性」（勝義無性·依圓成）：「由遠離前遍計所執我、法性，故假說無性，非性全無」——圓成真如之「無」，指所遠離的遍計，非真如自無，假說無·非全無。
三喻一線：相無性→空華（真無）·生無性→幻事（緣生假說）·勝義無性→太虛空（遠離所顯）。論收勝義以喻：「如太虛空雖遍眾色，而是眾色無性所顯」——真如如空，即色之「無遍計」處所顯。
唯第一個真無、後二假說。佛說「無自性」是哪一種無，全看落在三性哪一性——這正是「密意」二字的全部分量。三性三無性至此講盡；下一首收於總題「唯識實性」（圓成·真如），全論由相轉性之樞紐。
Three "no's," each different in meaning; only the first is truly absent.
The last verse said the Buddha "with hidden intent" says no-nature, "not the nature wholly absent"; this verse cashes it out, taking the three non-natures apart one by one against the three natures —
- "The first is the mark-less-nature" (upon the wholly-imagined): "its substance-mark utterly non-existent, like a sky-flower" — the wholly-imagined like a flower in the sky, never there. This "no" is truly absent.
- "The next is without a natural nature" (the birth-less-nature · upon the other-dependent): "like an illusion born depending on many conditions, without the falsely-grasped natural nature, provisionally said no-nature, not the nature wholly absent" — the other-dependent like an illusion, condition-born and existent, not "naturally existent"; the "no" is of "the natural nature" alone, provisionally said · not wholly absent.
- "The last, by being apart from the prior grasped self-and-dharma nature" (the ultimate-meaning-no-nature · upon the perfectly-accomplished): "by being apart from the prior wholly-imagined self-and-dharma nature, provisionally said no-nature, not the nature wholly absent" — the perfectly-accomplished suchness's "no" refers to the wholly-imagined departed, not suchness itself absent, provisionally said · not wholly absent.
Three similes on one thread: mark-less-nature → sky-flower (truly absent) · birth-less-nature → illusion (condition-born, provisionally said) · ultimate-meaning-no-nature → empty space (revealed by being departed-from). The CWL closes the last with a figure: "like empty space, though pervading all forms, yet revealed by the no-nature of forms" — suchness like space, revealed at the very place of forms' "no-imagined."
Only the first truly absent, the latter two provisionally said. When the Buddha says "without own-nature," which "no" it is depends on which of the three natures it lands on — the full weight of "hidden intent." The three natures and three non-natures now expounded; the next verse gathers all into "the Consciousness-Only-reality" (the perfectly-accomplished · suchness), the pivot where the treatise turns from mark to nature.
原典＝玄奘譯《唯識三十論頌》世親菩薩造（T31n1586）。釋論揉頌見《成唯識論》（T31n1585）。
本頌（玄奘 T31n1586）〔T31n1586 0061a24–25〕
初即相無性，次無自然性，
後由遠離前，所執我、法性。
偈二十四明三無性之細目（一一對三性）：初「相無性」（依遍計立·體相畢竟非有）·次「無自然性」（＝生無性·依依他立·無妄執之自然性·託緣生）·後「勝義無性」（依圓成立·由遠離前遍計所執我法性）。 科判位：唯識相 · 廣辯 · 三無性（偈二十三–二十四）→ 相·生·勝義無性細目（偈二十四）。承前偈『即三性立三無性·密意』，此偈別釋三無性。
The canonical text stands in Chinese only. This edition renders the essence, the plain reading, the exposition and the apparatus into English — never the sūtra itself. Switch to 漢讀本 or 並行雙語 above to read it.
本頌
初即相無性，次無自然性， 後由遠離前，所執我、法性。
白話
上一首說『即三性立三無性、佛密意說一切法無性』。這一首把三無性一個個對著三性講細——而且關鍵是：這三個「無」，意思各不相同。
- 「初即相無性」：第一個，「相無性」，是對著遍計所執立的。為什麼叫「相無性」？《成唯識論》說「由此體相畢竟非有，如空華故」——遍計所執的那個體相，根本沒有，就像空中花（眼花時看見的虛花）。這是真的無。
- 「次無自然性」：第二個，「生無性」（無自然性），是對著依他起立的。《成唯識論》說「此如幻事託眾緣生，無如妄執自然性故，假說無性」——依他起像變幻出來的東西，是靠眾緣才生的，沒有愚夫所妄執的那種『自然就有、自己會有』的性。注意：它不是真沒有，是『沒有自然性』，所以叫「假說無性，非性全無」（姑且說它無性，不是體性全無）。
- 「後由遠離前，所執我、法性」：第三個，「勝義無性」，是對著圓成實立的。《成唯識論》說「謂即勝義由遠離前遍計所執我、法性，故假說無性」——圓成實這個勝義，是『遠離了前面遍計所執的我、法性』所顯的；它的「無」，指的是所遠離的那個遍計，所以也是「假說無性，非性全無」（真如本身不是無）。
看清這三個「無」的差別最要緊：只有第一個（相無性）是真的無（遍計如空華）；後兩個（生無性、勝義無性）都是「假說」的無——一個是「無自然性」（依他緣生）、一個是『無遍計性』（圓成遠離遍計）。所以前一首佛說「密意」「非性全無」，到這一首就完全坐實了。
《成唯識論》還用個比喻收勝義無性：「如太虛空雖遍眾色，而是眾色無性所顯」——圓成真如像太虛空，雖然遍在一切色（物）上，可它正是由眾色『沒有遍計性』而顯出來的。
（三性、三無性到這裡講完了。下一首把這一切收到一個總題上——「唯識實性」，也就是圓成、真如。）
The verse
初即相無性，次無自然性， 後由遠離前，所執我、法性。
the first is the mark-less-nature; the next is without a natural nature; the last, by being apart from the prior grasped self-and-dharma nature.
In plain words
The last verse said "upon the three natures the three non-natures are established, the Buddha with hidden intent says all dharmas without nature." This verse states the three non-natures one by one against the three natures — and the key is: these three "no's" each mean something different.
- "The first is the mark-less-nature": the first, the "mark-less-nature," is established upon the wholly-imagined. Why "mark-less-nature"? The CWL says "for its substance-mark is utterly non-existent, like a sky-flower" — the substance-mark of the wholly-imagined is simply not there, like a flower in the sky (the phantom flower one sees when the eyes are strained). This is truly absent.
- "The next is without a natural nature": the second, the "birth-less-nature" (no natural nature), is established upon the other-dependent. The CWL says "this is like an illusion born depending on many conditions, without the falsely-grasped natural nature, provisionally said no-nature" — the other-dependent is like a thing conjured up, born depending on many conditions, without that "naturally existent, self-arising" nature the fool falsely grasps. Note: it is not truly absent, it is "without a natural nature," hence called "provisionally no-nature, not the nature wholly absent."
- "The last, by being apart from the prior grasped self-and-dharma nature": the third, the "ultimate-meaning-no-nature," is established upon the perfectly-accomplished. The CWL says "this ultimate-meaning, by being apart from the prior wholly-imagined self-and-dharma nature, is provisionally said no-nature" — this ultimate-meaning of the perfectly-accomplished is revealed by "being apart from the prior wholly-imagined self-and-dharma nature"; its "no" refers to the wholly-imagined departed, hence again "provisionally no-nature, not the nature wholly absent" (suchness itself is not absent).
Seeing the difference of these three "no's" is most crucial: only the first (the mark-less-nature) is truly absent (the wholly-imagined like a sky-flower); the latter two (the birth-less, the ultimate-meaning) are both "provisionally said" no — one "without a natural nature" (the other-dependent condition-born), one "without the wholly-imagined nature" (the perfectly-accomplished apart from the wholly-imagined). So the previous verse's Buddha-said "hidden intent" and "not the nature wholly absent" are now wholly borne out.
The CWL further closes the ultimate-meaning-no-nature with a figure: "like empty space, though pervading all forms, yet revealed by the no-nature of forms" — the perfectly-accomplished suchness is like empty space, though pervading all forms (things), yet revealed precisely by the forms' "having no wholly-imagined nature."
(The three natures and three non-natures are expounded here. The next verse gathers all this into one heading — "the Consciousness-Only-reality," that is, the perfectly-accomplished, suchness.)
上一首說「密意」，這一首要兌現
上一首立了總綱：佛說「一切法無性」是密意，「非性全無」。可「密意」「非全無」這話若不落到實處，仍是空言。這一首就把它兌現——把三無性一個一個對著三性拆開，讓人親眼看見：這三個「無」，根本不是同一個意思；唯有第一個是真無，後兩個都是「假說」。看清這層差別，前一首的「密意」才算坐實。
第一個「無」：相無性——真無，如空華
「初即相無性」，對著遍計所執立。《成唯識論》：「謂依此初遍計所執立相無性，由此體相畢竟非有，如空華故」（〔T31n1585 0048a09–11〕）。遍計所執的那個「體相」（你妄執的實我實法之相），是「畢竟非有」——徹底沒有，像空中花。眼睛壓花了看見虛空裡有花，那花從來不曾有過。遍計的體相正是如此。所以這個「無」是真無，沒有任何保留。
第二個「無」：生無性——無「自然性」，假說
「次無自然性」，對著依他起立，又叫「生無性」。《成唯識論》：「依次依他立生無性，此如幻事託眾緣生，無如妄執自然性故，假說無性，非性全無」（〔T31n1585 0048a11–13〕）。這裡的「無」就拐了個關鍵的彎：依他起像幻事，是「託眾緣生」的——它有，但它的「有」是緣生的有，不是愚夫所妄執的那種「自然性」（自己就有、自然而有、不待緣的有）。所以說它「無」，無的是「自然性」這一義，並不是它整個沒有。論主特地補一句「假說無性，非性全無」——姑且就「無自然性」這一點說它「無性」，它的體並不是全無。
第三個「無」：勝義無性——「無」的是遍計，假說
「後由遠離前，所執我、法性」，對著圓成實立，叫「勝義無性」。《成唯識論》：「依後圓成實立勝義無性，謂即勝義由遠離前遍計所執我、法性，故假說無性，非性全無」（〔T31n1585 0048a13–15〕）。這個「無」拐得更妙：圓成實這個「勝義」，本身是真如、是有的；可它之所以叫「無性」，是因為它正是『遠離了前面遍計所執的我、法性』所顯——它的「無」，指的是它所遠離掉的那個遍計，不是它自己無。所以同樣是「假說無性，非性全無」：真如本身豈會是無？
論主用一個極好的喻收住：「如太虛空雖遍眾色，而是眾色無性所顯」（〔T31n1585 0048a15–17〕）——圓成真如像太虛空，雖遍在一切色（物）之中，可它正是由『眾色沒有遍計性』這一點而顯出來的。虛空不在色外、也不是色；此喻要顯的，是眾色遠離遍計性時所顯的真如，而不是另立一個恆常空性實體。勝義無性，正是這樣『即遮（遠離遍計）而顯（真如）』的無。
三喻一線：空華、幻事、太虛空
把三個喻擺在一起，三個「無」的差別就一目了然了：
- 相無性 → 空華：本來沒有（真無）。
- 生無性 → 幻事：緣生而現、無自然性（假說無）。
- 勝義無性 → 太虛空：遠離遍計所顯之真如（假說無）。
一個是『壓根沒有』，一個是『有而非自然有』，一個是『即除妄而顯真』。三個「無」字面相同，內裡天差地別。所以佛說「一切法無自性」，到底是哪一種「無」，要看它落在三性的哪一性上——這正是「密意」二字的全部分量。三性、三無性到此講盡。下一首把這一切收到一個總題：唯識實性——也就是圓成、真如，全論由「相」轉「性」的樞紐。
The last verse said "hidden intent"; this verse must cash it out
The last verse established the general principle: the Buddha's "all dharmas without nature" is hidden intent, "not the nature wholly absent." But "hidden intent" and "not wholly absent" remain empty words unless brought down to the concrete. This verse cashes them out — taking the three non-natures apart one by one against the three natures, so one sees with one's own eyes: these three "no's" are not one and the same meaning at all; only the first is truly absent, the latter two are both "provisionally said." Seeing this difference, the previous verse's "hidden intent" is borne out.
The first "no": the mark-less-nature — truly absent, like a sky-flower
"The first is the mark-less-nature," established upon the wholly-imagined. The CWL: "upon this first, the wholly-imagined, the mark-less-nature is established, for its substance-mark is utterly non-existent, like a sky-flower" (〔T31n1585 0048a09–11〕). The "substance-mark" of the wholly-imagined (the mark of the real self and real dharmas you falsely grasp) is "utterly non-existent" — thoroughly not there, like a flower in the sky. When the eyes are strained one sees a phantom flower in space; that flower was never there. The wholly-imagined's substance-mark is just so. So this "no" is truly absent, with no reservation.
The second "no": the birth-less-nature — without a "natural nature," provisionally said
"The next is without a natural nature," established upon the other-dependent, also called the "birth-less-nature." The CWL: "upon the next, the other-dependent, the birth-less-nature is established, this like an illusion born depending on many conditions, without the falsely-grasped natural nature, provisionally said no-nature, not the nature wholly absent" (〔T31n1585 0048a11–13〕). Here the "no" takes a crucial turn: the other-dependent is like an illusion, "born depending on many conditions" — it exists, but its "existence" is condition-born existence, not that "natural nature" the fool falsely grasps (existent of itself, naturally so, not awaiting conditions). So to say it "no" is to negate "the natural nature" alone — not that it as a whole is absent. The commentator especially adds "provisionally said no-nature, not the nature wholly absent": provisionally, on the single point of "without a natural nature," it is called "no-nature"; its substance is not wholly absent.
The third "no": the ultimate-meaning-no-nature — the "no" is of the wholly-imagined, provisionally said
"The last, by being apart from the prior grasped self-and-dharma nature," established upon the perfectly-accomplished, called the "ultimate-meaning-no-nature." The CWL: "upon the last, the perfectly-accomplished, the ultimate-meaning-no-nature is established, this ultimate-meaning by being apart from the prior wholly-imagined self-and-dharma nature, provisionally said no-nature, not the nature wholly absent" (〔T31n1585 0048a13–15〕). This "no" turns more subtly still: the "ultimate-meaning" of the perfectly-accomplished is itself suchness, is existent; yet it is called "no-nature" because it is precisely what is revealed by "being apart from the prior wholly-imagined self-and-dharma nature" — its "no" refers to the wholly-imagined it has departed, not to itself being absent. So again "provisionally said no-nature, not the nature wholly absent": how could suchness itself be absent?
The commentator closes with an excellent figure: "like empty space, though pervading all forms, yet revealed by the no-nature of forms" (〔T31n1585 0048a15–17〕) — the perfectly-accomplished suchness is like empty space, though pervading all forms (things), yet revealed precisely by the point that "forms have no wholly-imagined nature." Space is not outside forms, nor is it forms; the simile discloses suchness where forms are apart from the wholly-imagined nature, rather than positing a separate, enduring emptiness-entity. The ultimate-meaning-no-nature is just such a "no" — negating (apart from the wholly-imagined) and thereby revealing (suchness).
Three similes on one thread: sky-flower, illusion, empty space
Set the three similes side by side, and the difference of the three "no's" is plain at a glance:
- Mark-less-nature → sky-flower: never there (truly absent).
- Birth-less-nature → illusion: condition-born and appearing, without a natural nature (provisionally said no).
- Ultimate-meaning-no-nature → empty space: suchness revealed by being apart from the wholly-imagined (provisionally said no).
One is "simply not there," one is "existent but not naturally existent," one is "negating the false and thereby revealing the true." The three "no's" are identical on the surface, worlds apart within. So when the Buddha says "all dharmas without own-nature," which kind of "no" it is depends on which of the three natures it lands on — and this is the full weight of the phrase "hidden intent." The three natures and three non-natures are now expounded to the full. The next verse gathers all this into one heading: the Consciousness-Only-reality — that is, the perfectly-accomplished, suchness, the pivot where the whole treatise turns from "mark" to "nature."
考據Apparatus
本偈別釋三無性：相無性（依遍計·體相畢竟非有·如空華）·生無性（依依他·無自然性·託緣生·假說）·勝義無性（依圓成·遠離遍計我法·假說）。其釋論《成唯識論》卷九釋之。唯相無性真無·餘二假說，正坐實前偈密意。
一、科判定位
| 科判系統 | 此偈之位 |
|---|---|
| 護法略標（玄奘 T1586 頌本卷首·主錨） | 唯識相 → 廣辯 → 三無性（偈二十三–二十四）→ 相·生·勝義無性細目（偈二十四）。〔T31n1586 0060a21–24〕 |
| 成唯識論 釋文科段 | 云何依此而立彼三？依遍計立相無性·依依他立生無性·依圓成立勝義無性（卷九） |
前偈立『即三性立三無性·密意』之總綱，此偈別釋三無性各立之由：相無性真無（如空華）·生無性假說（無自然性·託緣生）·勝義無性假說（遠離遍計）——唯初真無、後二假說，坐實密意「非性全無」。
二、古漢義理平行
《轉識論》T1587 僅作古漢義理平行，不作世親造、同本異譯或逐頌校本。
| 文本 | 逐字 | 出處 |
|---|---|---|
| 玄奘 T1586（本頌） | 初即相無性，次無自然性，後由遠離前，所執我、法性。 | T31n1586 0061a24–25 |
| 成唯識論 T1585（揉頌） | 「初即相無性，次無自然性，後由遠離前，所執我法性，」 | T31n1585 0047c28–29 |
義理平行所見：玄奘本頌（「所執我、法性。」）與成唯識論揉頌（「所執我法性，」）唯標點小異（本頌「我、法」一頓＋句號，揉頌「我法」無頓＋逗），文同。真諦《轉識論》三無性段循『分別性相類·依他性麁重』之異框架（〔T31n1587 0063a06–20〕），不逐頌對應玄奘「相·生·勝義無性」之三立文，於此偈無逐句對應文。
三、唯識義之釋據（眼）
（一） 相無性（依遍計·體相畢竟非有）——〔T31n1585 0048a09–11〕：
謂依此初遍計所執立相無性，由此體相畢竟非有，如空華故。〔T31n1585 0048a09–11〕
（二） 生無性（依依他·無自然性·假說）——〔T31n1585 0048a11–13〕：
依次依他立生無性，此如幻事託眾緣生，無如妄執自然性故，假說無性，非性全無。〔T31n1585 0048a11–13〕
（三） 勝義無性（依圓成·遠離遍計·假說）——〔T31n1585 0048a13–15〕：
依後圓成實立勝義無性，謂即勝義由遠離前遍計所執我、法性，故假說無性，非性全無。〔T31n1585 0048a13–15〕
→ 三無性各異其「無」：相無性＝遍計之體相畢竟非有（真無·如空華）；生無性＝依他無『妄執之自然性』（託緣生·非自然有，故假說無性，體非全無）；勝義無性＝圓成即『遠離遍計我法』之勝義（其「無」指所遠離之遍計，故假說無性，體非全無）。唯相無性是真無，生·勝義皆假說——正坐實前偈『密意·非性全無』。 → 承衍：本論 v.23（三無性總綱·密意）· v.20–22（所依三性）· v.25（勝義·唯識實性即圓成）。
四、諸家異釋（古德·標宗）
本偈三無性各立·唯相無性真無餘二假說，諸家無大諍，盡在釋論糅文（〔T31n1585 0048a12〕生無性「假說無性，非性全無」、〔0048a15〕勝義無性「假說無性，非性全無」）。其別釋本於《解深密經·無自性相品》之相·生·勝義三無自性性，成唯識論承之。
五、術語
| 漢 | 古德傳梵（羅馬字·發音輔助） | 唯識精確義 |
|---|---|---|
| 相無性 | lakṣaṇa-niḥsvabhāvatā | 依遍計立；體相畢竟非有·如空華（真無）〔0048a09〕 |
| 生無性 | utpatti-niḥsvabhāvatā | 依依他立；無妄執之自然性·託緣生（假說無·非全無）〔0048a11〕 |
| 勝義無性 | paramārtha-niḥsvabhāvatā | 依圓成立；由遠離前遍計所執我法性（假說無·非全無）〔0048a13〕 |
| 自然性 | — | 妄執之自然有（自生·自有）；依他無此性故立生無性〔0048a12〕 |
六、譬喻·修辭（本偈喻重）
空華喻（相無性）——《成唯識論》：相無性「由此體相畢竟非有，如空華故」〔T31n1585 0048a10–11〕：遍計所執之體相如空中華，畢竟非有（真無）。
幻事喻（生無性）——「此如幻事託眾緣生，無如妄執自然性故」〔T31n1585 0048a11–12〕：依他如幻事，託眾緣而生、非自然有，故立生無性。
太虛空喻（勝義無性）——「如太虛空雖遍眾色，而是眾色無性所顯」〔T31n1585 0048a15–17〕：圓成真如如太虛空，雖遍一切色，而即由眾色之『無（遍計）性』所顯——喻勝義無性『即遠離遍計所顯之真如』。
空華（真無）·幻事（緣生假說）·太虛空（遠離所顯），三喻一一對相·生·勝義無性，正顯三「無」之異。
七、互讀
- 三十頌 v.23：三無性總綱·密意說無性——本偈為其細目別釋。
- 三十頌 v.20–22：遍計·依他·圓成——本偈相·生·勝義無性即一一依此三性立。
- 三十頌 v.25：唯識實性——本偈勝義無性所依之圓成即唯識實性（次偈樞紐）。
- 解深密經·無自性相品：相·生·勝義三無自性性——本偈三無性別釋之經源。
八、校本定位
- 玄奘 T1586（底本）：偈二十四〔T31n1586 0061a24–25〕。
- 成唯識論 T1585（釋論骨幹·卷九）：相無性·如空華〔0048a09–11〕· 生無性·無自然性·假說〔0048a11–13〕· 勝義無性·遠離遍計·假說〔0048a13–15〕· 太虛空喻〔0048a15–17〕。
- 真諦《轉識論》T1587（古漢義理平行）：三無性名稱異同說（分別名相類·依他名麁重）〔0063a10–17〕· 分別名無相、依他名無生、真實名無性性〔0063b15–26〕。
- 窺基《成唯識論述記》T1830：相·生·勝義無性·三喻之疏（卷九）；本頌專釋段〔T43n1830 0554c16–0555a11〕。
This verse expounds the three non-natures in particular: the mark-less-nature (upon the wholly-imagined · its substance-mark utterly non-existent · like a sky-flower) · the birth-less-nature (upon the other-dependent · without a natural nature · condition-born · provisionally said) · the ultimate-meaning-no-nature (upon the perfectly-accomplished · apart from the wholly-imagined self-and-dharmas · provisionally said). The CWL fascicle 9 expounds it. Only the mark-less-nature is truly absent · the latter two are provisionally said, bearing out the previous verse's hidden intent.
1 · Sectioning (科判定位)
| Scheme | Placement of this verse |
|---|---|
| 護法 brief statement (head of T1586 verse-text · primary anchor) | Characteristic of Consciousness-Only → detailed exposition → the three non-natures (verses 23–24) → the mark · birth · ultimate-meaning no-nature particulars (verse 24). 〔T31n1586 0060a21–24〕 |
| CWL exegetical段 | how upon these are those three established? upon the wholly-imagined the mark-less-nature · upon the other-dependent the birth-less-nature · upon the perfectly-accomplished the ultimate-meaning-no-nature (fasc. 9) |
The previous verse established the general principle "upon the three natures the three non-natures · hidden intent"; this verse expounds in particular how each non-nature is established: the mark-less-nature truly absent (like a sky-flower) · the birth-less-nature provisionally said (without a natural nature · condition-born) · the ultimate-meaning-no-nature provisionally said (apart from the wholly-imagined) — only the first truly absent, the latter two provisionally said, bearing out the hidden intent's "not the nature wholly absent."
2 · Ancient-Chinese thematic parallels (古漢義理平行)
T1587 is used only as an ancient-Chinese thematic parallel, not as evidence of Vasubandhu authorship, a common source text, or a verse-by-verse variant recension.
| Text | Verbatim | Loc |
|---|---|---|
| Xuanzang T1586 (root verse) | 初即相無性，次無自然性，後由遠離前，所執我、法性。 | T31n1586 0061a24–25 |
| 成唯識論 T1585 (redacted verse) | 「初即相無性，次無自然性，後由遠離前，所執我法性，」 | T31n1585 0047c28–29 |
What the thematic parallel shows: Xuanzang's root verse (「所執我、法性。」) and the CWL redaction (「所執我法性，」) differ only in punctuation (root "我、法" one interpunct + full stop, redaction "我法" no interpunct + comma), the wording identical. Paramārtha's 《轉識論》 three-non-nature section follows a different framework of "the discriminated as semblance-kind · the other-dependent as coarse-heaviness" 〔T31n1587 0063a06–20〕, not redacting verse-by-verse the Xuanzang "mark · birth · ultimate-meaning no-nature" three-establishment text; no verse-by-verse parallel for this verse.
3 · The doctrinal grounding in the commentary (釋據 · the eye)
(i) The mark-less-nature (upon the wholly-imagined · its substance-mark utterly non-existent) — 〔T31n1585 0048a09–11〕:
謂依此初遍計所執立相無性，由此體相畢竟非有，如空華故。〔T31n1585 0048a09–11〕
(ii) The birth-less-nature (upon the other-dependent · without a natural nature · provisionally said) — 〔T31n1585 0048a11–13〕:
依次依他立生無性，此如幻事託眾緣生，無如妄執自然性故，假說無性，非性全無。〔T31n1585 0048a11–13〕
(iii) The ultimate-meaning-no-nature (upon the perfectly-accomplished · apart from the wholly-imagined · provisionally said) — 〔T31n1585 0048a13–15〕:
依後圓成實立勝義無性，謂即勝義由遠離前遍計所執我、法性，故假說無性，非性全無。〔T31n1585 0048a13–15〕
→ The three non-natures each differ in their "no": the mark-less-nature ＝ the wholly-imagined's substance-mark utterly non-existent (truly absent · like a sky-flower); the birth-less-nature ＝ the other-dependent without "the falsely-grasped natural nature" (condition-born · not naturally-existent, hence provisionally said no-nature, the substance not wholly absent); the ultimate-meaning-no-nature ＝ the perfectly-accomplished, which is the ultimate-meaning "apart from the wholly-imagined self-and-dharmas" (its "no" referring to the wholly-imagined departed, hence provisionally said no-nature, the substance not wholly absent). Only the mark-less-nature is truly absent; the birth-less and ultimate-meaning are both provisionally said — bearing out the previous verse's "hidden intent · not the nature wholly absent." → Further connections: this treatise v.23 (the three non-natures' general principle · hidden intent) · vv.20–22 (the three natures it rests on) · v.25 (the ultimate-meaning · the Consciousness-Only-reality is the perfectly-accomplished).
4 · Variant readings of the masters (諸家異釋 · standard-setting)
This verse's establishing of the three non-natures in particular — only the mark-less-nature truly absent, the latter two provisionally said — has no great dispute among the masters, all lying within the commentary's redaction (〔T31n1585 0048a12〕 the birth-less-nature "provisionally said no-nature, not the nature wholly absent"; 〔0048a15〕 the ultimate-meaning-no-nature "provisionally said no-nature, not the nature wholly absent"). This particular exposition is based on the Saṃdhinirmocana-sūtra's "No-Own-Nature-Mark" chapter's mark · birth · ultimate-meaning three no-own-nature-natures, which the CWL inherits.
5 · Terminology (術語)
| 漢 | Masters'-transmitted Skt. (pronunciation aid) | Yogācāra precise sense |
|---|---|---|
| 相無性 | lakṣaṇa-niḥsvabhāvatā | established upon the wholly-imagined; substance-mark utterly non-existent · like a sky-flower (truly absent) 〔0048a09〕 |
| 生無性 | utpatti-niḥsvabhāvatā | established upon the other-dependent; without the falsely-grasped natural nature · condition-born (provisionally said no · not wholly absent) 〔0048a11〕 |
| 勝義無性 | paramārtha-niḥsvabhāvatā | established upon the perfectly-accomplished; by being apart from the wholly-imagined self-and-dharmas (provisionally said no · not wholly absent) 〔0048a13〕 |
| 自然性 | — | the falsely-grasped natural existence (self-arising · self-existent); the other-dependent without it, hence the birth-less-nature 〔0048a12〕 |
6 · Simile and rhetoric (譬喻·修辭 · this verse is simile-weighted)
The sky-flower simile (the mark-less-nature) — the CWL: the mark-less-nature "for its substance-mark is utterly non-existent, like a sky-flower" 〔T31n1585 0048a10–11〕: the wholly-imagined's substance-mark is like a flower in the sky, utterly non-existent (truly absent).
The illusion simile (the birth-less-nature) — "this is like an illusion born depending on many conditions, without the falsely-grasped natural nature" 〔T31n1585 0048a11–12〕: the other-dependent is like an illusion, born depending on many conditions · not naturally existent, hence the birth-less-nature is established.
The empty-space simile (the ultimate-meaning-no-nature) — "like empty space, though pervading all forms, yet is revealed by the no-nature of forms" 〔T31n1585 0048a15–17〕: the perfectly-accomplished suchness is like empty space, though pervading all forms, yet revealed precisely by the forms' "no-(wholly-imagined)-nature" — figuring the ultimate-meaning-no-nature as "the suchness revealed by being apart from the wholly-imagined."
Sky-flower (truly absent) · illusion (condition-born, provisionally said) · empty-space (revealed by being departed-from), the three similes correspond one-to-one to the mark · birth · ultimate-meaning non-natures, just showing the difference of the three "no's."
7 · Cross-readings (互讀)
- 三十頌 v.23: the three non-natures' general principle · the hidden-intent teaching of no-nature — this verse is its particular exposition.
- 三十頌 v.20–22: the wholly-imagined · the other-dependent · the perfectly-accomplished — this verse's mark · birth · ultimate-meaning non-natures are each established upon these three natures.
- 三十頌 v.25: the Consciousness-Only-reality — the perfectly-accomplished on which this verse's ultimate-meaning-no-nature rests is the Consciousness-Only-reality (the next verse's pivot).
- 解深密經·無自性相品 (Saṃdhinirmocana · No-Own-Nature-Mark chapter): the mark · birth · ultimate-meaning three no-own-nature-natures — the scriptural source of this verse's particular exposition.
8 · Manuscript loci (校本定位)
- Xuanzang T1586 (base): verse 24 〔T31n1586 0061a24–25〕.
- 成唯識論 T1585 (commentary backbone · fasc. 9): the mark-less-nature · like a sky-flower 〔0048a09–11〕 · the birth-less-nature · without natural nature · provisionally said 〔0048a11–13〕 · the ultimate-meaning-no-nature · apart from the wholly-imagined · provisionally said 〔0048a13–15〕 · the empty-space simile 〔0048a15–17〕.
- 真諦《轉識論》 T1587 (ancient-Chinese thematic parallel): alternate naming around the three non-natures (the discriminated as semblance-kind · the other-dependent as coarse-heaviness) 〔0063a10–17〕 · discriminated as markless, other-dependent as birthless, real as non-nature-nature 〔0063b15–26〕.
- 窺基《成唯識論述記》 T1830: gloss on the mark · birth · ultimate-meaning non-natures · the three similes (fasc. 9); verse-specific section 〔T43n1830 0554c16–0555a11〕.