The Lankavatara Sutra, Volume Two
佛告大慧：「一切聲聞、緣覺、菩薩，有二種通相，謂：宗通及說通。大慧！宗通者，謂：緣自得勝進相，遠離言說文字妄想，趣無漏界自覺地自相，遠離一切虛妄覺想，降伏一切外道眾魔，緣自覺趣光明暉發。是名宗通相。云何說通相？謂：說九部種種教法，離異不異、有無等相，以巧方便，隨順眾生如應說法，令得度脫。是名說通相。大慧！汝及餘菩薩，應當修學。」
The Buddha told Mahamati: "All shravakas, pratyekabuddhas and Bodhisattvas have two kinds of penetration, namely the penetration of the doctrine and the penetration of speech. Mahamati! What is called the penetration of the doctrine is the mark of surpassing advancement realized by oneself through conditions, far from the imagination of speech and letters, going toward the self-mark of the self-aware stage of the undefiled realm, far from all false awareness-thoughts, subduing all non-Buddhists and the many demons, and the light of self-realization going toward its radiance. This is called the mark of the penetration of the doctrine. What is the mark of the penetration of speech? It is to teach the nine kinds of scriptures and various teachings, apart from the marks of different, not different, existence and non-existence, using skillful means to accord with beings and teach the Dharma as is fitting, so that they gain deliverance. This is called the mark of the penetration of speech. Mahamati! You and the other Bodhisattvas should study these."
爾時，世尊欲重宣此義而說偈言：
At that time the World-Honored One, wishing to restate this meaning, spoke in verse:
「宗及說通相，緣自與教法，
"The marks of the penetration of doctrine and of speech, self-realization through conditions and the teaching,
若見善分別，不隨諸覺想。
if seen and discriminated well, do not follow the awareness-thoughts.
非有真實性，如愚夫妄想，
It is not that there is a real nature, like the imagination of fools,
云何起欲想，非性為解脫？
how could a desiring thought arise, taking a non-nature as liberation?
觀察諸有為，生滅等相續，
Observe all conditioned things, with arising and perishing continuing,
增長於二見，顛倒無所知。
increasing the two views, upside down and knowing nothing.
一是為真諦，無罪為涅槃，
The one is the true truth, and the blameless is nirvana,
觀察世妄想，如幻夢芭蕉。
observe the imagination of the world as like an illusion, a dream, a plantain tree.
雖有貪恚痴，而實無有人，
Though there are greed, anger and delusion, in reality there is no person,
從愛生諸陰，有皆如幻夢。」
the skandhas arise from craving, and what exists is all like an illusion or a dream."
爾時，大慧菩薩白佛言：「世尊！唯願為說不實妄想相。不實妄想云何而生？說何等法名不實妄想？於何等法中不實妄想？」
At that time Bodhisattva Mahamati said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One! I beg you to explain the marks of unreal imagination. How does unreal imagination arise? What dharma is called unreal imagination? In what dharma is there unreal imagination?"
佛告大慧：「善哉，善哉！能問如來如是之義，多所饒益，多所安樂，哀愍世間一切天人。諦聽，諦聽！善思念之，當為汝說。」
The Buddha told Mahamati: "Good, good! To be able to ask the Tathagata about such a meaning brings much benefit and much peace and joy, and shows compassion for all devas and humans of the world. Listen carefully, listen carefully! Think it over well, and I will explain it to you."
大慧白佛言：「善哉，世尊！唯然受教。」
Mahamati said to the Buddha: "Good, World-Honored One! Yes, we receive your instruction."
佛告大慧：「種種義，種種不實妄想計著，妄想生。大慧！攝所攝計著，不知自心現量，及墮有無見，增長外道見。妄想習氣，計著外種種義。心心數妄想，計著我我所生。」
The Buddha told Mahamati: "Various meanings, various unreal imaginations, clinging, and imagination arises. Mahamati! Clinging to the grasper and the grasped, not knowing the measure of what one's own mind manifests, and falling into views of existence and non-existence, increases the non-Buddhists' views. The habit-energy of imagination clings to various external meanings. The imagination of mind and mental functions gives rise to clinging to self and what belongs to self."
大慧白佛言：「世尊！若種種義，種種不實妄想，計著妄想生。攝所攝計著，不知自心現量，及墮有無見，增長外道見。妄想習氣，計著外種種義。心心數妄想，我我所計著生。世尊！若如是外種種義相，墮有無相，離性非性，離見相。世尊！第一義亦如是，離量限分譬喻因相。世尊！何故一處妄想不實義，種種性計著妄想生，非計著第一義處相妄想生，將無世尊說邪因論邪？說一生一不生。」
Mahamati said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One! If various meanings and various unreal imaginations cling, and imagination arises. Clinging to the grasper and the grasped, not knowing the measure of what one's own mind manifests, and falling into views of existence and non-existence, increases the non-Buddhists' views. The habit-energy of imagination clings to various external meanings. The imagination of mind and mental functions gives rise to clinging to self and what belongs to self. World-Honored One! If external various meanings and marks thus fall into the marks of existence and non-existence, and are apart from nature and non-nature and apart from the marks of views. World-Honored One! The highest meaning is also thus, apart from measure, limit, division, simile and the mark of cause. World-Honored One! Why in one place does the imagination of unreal meanings arise from clinging to various natures, yet in the place of the highest meaning no imagination of marks arises from clinging? Does the World-Honored One teach a doctrine of wrong causes? Saying that one arises and one does not arise?"
佛告大慧：「非妄想一生一不生。所以者何？謂：有無妄想不生故。外現性非性，覺自心現量，妄想不生。大慧！我說餘愚夫自心種種妄想相故，事業在前，種種妄想性想計著生。云何愚夫得離我我所計著見？離作所作因緣過，覺自妄想心量，身心轉變，究竟明解一切地，如來自覺境界，離五法自性事見妄想。以是因緣故，我說妄想從種種不實義計著生。知如實義，得解脫息種種妄想。」
The Buddha told Mahamati: "It is not that imagination is one arising and one not arising. Why? Because the imagination of existence and non-existence does not arise. When what appears externally is known as without real nature, and one awakens to the measure of what one's own mind manifests, imagination does not arise. Mahamati! I speak of the various imagined marks of the minds of other fools, with their business before them, various imagined natures cling to the thought and arise. How can fools leave the views of clinging to self and what belongs to self? By leaving the faults of the causes and conditions of making and what is made, awakening to the measure of one's own imagining mind, transforming body and mind, and ultimately understanding all stages, the realm of the Tathagata's self-awareness, apart from the five dharmas, the views of self-nature and the imagination. For this reason, I say that imagination arises from clinging to various unreal meanings. Knowing the real meaning, one gains liberation and stops the various imaginations."
爾時，世尊欲重宣此義而說偈言：
At that time the World-Honored One, wishing to restate this meaning, spoke in verse:
「諸因及與緣，從此生世間，
"The various causes and conditions, from these the world arises,
妄想著四句，不知我所通。
imagination clings to the four alternatives, and does not know the path I have mastered.
世間非有生，亦復非無生，
The world is not born as existent, and not born as non-existent,
不從有無生，亦非非有無。
it is not born from existence or non-existence, and not neither existent nor non-existent.
諸因及與緣，云何愚妄想，
The various causes and conditions, how can fools imagine
非有亦非無，亦復非有無？
that they are neither existent nor non-existent, and not both existent and non-existent?
如是觀世間，心轉得無我，
Thus observing the world, the mind turns and attains selflessness,
一切性不生，以從緣生故。
all natures are unborn, because they arise from conditions.
一切緣所作，所作非自有，
All is made by conditions, and what is made does not exist of itself,
事不自生事，有二事過故。
a thing does not give birth to a thing itself, because it would have the fault of two things.
無二事過故，非有性可得。
Without the fault of two things, there is no nature to be found.
觀諸有為法，離攀緣所緣，
Observe all conditioned things, apart from the object of clinging and the cognized,
無心之心量，我說為心量。
the measure of mindless mind, I say, is the measure of mind.
量者自性處，緣性二俱離，
What is called measure: the place of self-nature, leaving both condition and nature,
性究竟妙淨，我說名為量。
the nature ultimately wondrous and pure, I say, is called measure.
施設世諦我，彼則無實事，
The self posited by conventional truth, there there is no real thing,
諸陰陰施設，無事亦復然。
the skandhas and the postulates of skandhas, nothing real, are the same.
有四種平等，相及因性生，
There are four equalities: marks, and arising from cause and nature,
第三無我等，第四修修者，
third is selflessness and the like, fourth is practice and the practitioner.
妄想習氣轉，有種種心生，
When the habit-energy of imagination turns, various minds arise,
境界於外現，是世俗心量。
realms appear outwardly, and this is the worldly measure of mind.
外現而非有，心見彼種種，
Appearing outwardly but not existing, the mind sees various things there,
建立於身財，我說為心量。
establishing body and wealth, I say, is the measure of mind.
離一切諸見，及離想所想，
Leaving all views, and leaving thought and what is thought,
無得亦無生，我說為心量。
with no gain and no arising, I say, is the measure of mind.
非性非非性，性非性悉離，
Neither nature nor non-nature, leaving nature and non-nature altogether,
謂彼心解脫，我說為心量。
speaking of the liberation of that mind, I say, is the measure of mind.
如如與空際，涅槃及法界，
Suchness and the limit of emptiness, nirvana and the Dharma realm,
種種意生身，我說為心量。」
the various mind-made bodies, I say, are the measure of mind."
爾時，大慧菩薩白佛言：「世尊！如世尊所說，菩薩摩訶薩當善語義。云何為菩薩善語義？云何為語？云何為義？」
At that time Bodhisattva Mahamati said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One! As the World-Honored One has said, a Bodhisattva-mahasattva should be skilled in speech and meaning. How is a Bodhisattva skilled in speech and meaning? What is speech? What is meaning?"
佛告大慧：「諦聽，諦聽！善思念之，當為汝說。」
The Buddha told Mahamati: "Listen carefully, listen carefully! Think it over well, and I will explain it to you."
大慧白佛言：「善哉，世尊！唯然受教。」
Mahamati said to the Buddha: "Good, World-Honored One! Yes, we receive your instruction."
佛告大慧：「云何為語？謂：言字妄想和合，依咽喉唇舌齒齗頰輔，因彼我言說，妄想習氣計著生。是名為語。大慧！云何為義？謂：離一切妄想相、言說相，是名為義。大慧！菩薩摩訶薩於如是義，獨一靜處，聞思修慧，緣自覺了，向涅槃城，習氣身轉變已，自覺境界，觀地地中間勝進義相。是名菩薩摩訶薩善義。
The Buddha told Mahamati: "What is speech? It is words, letters and imagination in combination, relying on the throat, lips, tongue, teeth, gums and cheeks, because of that speech about self, with the habit-energy of imagination clinging and arising. This is called speech. Mahamati! What is meaning? It is leaving all marks of imagination and marks of speech; this is called meaning. Mahamati! A Bodhisattva-mahasattva, toward such meaning, alone in a quiet place, with the wisdom of hearing, thinking and cultivation, realizing through conditions by self-awareness, going toward the city of nirvana, with the habit-energy body transformed, the realm of self-awareness, observes the marks of meaning of surpassing advancement between one stage and the next. This is called the good meaning of a Bodhisattva-mahasattva.
「復次，大慧！善語義菩薩摩訶薩，觀語與義，非異非不異；觀義與語，亦復如是。若語異義者，則不因語辯義，而以語入義，如燈照色。復次，大慧！不生不滅，自性涅槃，三乘一乘，心自性等，如緣言說義計著，墮建立及誹謗見。異建立，異妄想，如幻種種妄想現。譬如種種幻，凡愚眾生作異妄想，非聖賢也。」
"Furthermore, Mahamati! A Bodhisattva-mahasattva skilled in speech and meaning observes speech and meaning as neither different nor not different; observing meaning and speech is also so. If speech and meaning were different, one would not discern meaning by means of speech, but would use speech to enter meaning, like a lamp illuminating forms. Furthermore, Mahamati! Non-arising and non-ceasing, nirvana of self-nature, three vehicles and one vehicle, the self-nature of mind and the like, if one clings through the meaning of speech, one falls into views of establishing and slandering. Different establishing, different imagination, illusion-like imagination shows in various ways. Like various illusions, ordinary fools make different imaginations, and not the sages."
爾時，世尊欲重宣此義而說偈言：
At that time the World-Honored One, wishing to restate this meaning, spoke in verse:
「彼言既妄想，建立於諸法，
"Those words are imagination, establishing all dharmas,
以彼建立故，死墮泥犁中。
because of establishing them, at death one falls into the hells.
陰中無有我，陰非即是我，
In the skandhas there is no self, and the skandhas are not the self,
不如彼妄想，亦復非無我。
it is not as they imagine, and it is not that there is no self either.
一切悉有性，如凡愚妄想，
All things have a nature, as ordinary fools imagine,
若如彼所見，一切應見諦。
if it were as they see it, all would see the truth.