[259] The Empty, False And Middle Contemplations Of The Buddha’s Dharma Teachings 佛法之空假中观

佛法之空假中观
[259] [The] Empty, False [And] Middle Contemplations Of [The] Buddha’s Dharma [Teachings]

夫三谛、三观，乃佛法中之纲要。

Those Three Truths [and] Three Contemplations, [are] thus [the] essential points within [the] Buddha’s Dharma [teachings].

约理性说，则名为谛，谛即理。约修持说，则名为观，观即修也。

Speaking about principles’ nature, [they are] then named as truths, [with] truths then [being] principles. Speaking about practices, [they are] then named as contemplations, [with] contemplations then [being] cultivation.

真谛一法不立，俗谛万法圆备。

Absolute [i.e. Ultimate; Supramundane] Truth [is with] one dharma not established, [and] Relative [i.e. Conventional; Mundane] Truths [are with the] ten thousand dharmas completely gathered.

观真谛之理，名为空观。观俗谛之理，名为假观。

[The] principle of contemplating Absolute Truth, [is] named as Emptiness Contemplation. [The] principle of contemplating Relative Truths, [is] named as False [i.e. Provisional] Contemplation.

空观乃观其一法不立之真如法性，此并空有两空之空，此即《心经》「诸法空相」之「空相」。

Emptiness Contemplation [is] thus contemplating that True Suchness’ Dharma-nature [with] one dharma not established. This [is] also [the] emptiness of emptiness [and] existence, [these] two [kinds of] emptiness. This then [is the] Heart Sūtra’s ‘characteristics [of] emptiness’ of ‘all dharmas [are] characteristics [of] emptiness.’

不但色空、空空，并菩提、涅槃亦空。若有一法不空，不名真空。

Not only [are] forms empty, [and] emptiness empty, also [with] Bodhi [and] Nirvāṇa, [they are] likewise empty. If having one dharma [that is] not empty, [this is] not named [as] True Emptiness.

[Note: The Middle Contemplation is then with the Middle Truth of the Middle Path between Emptiness Contemplation and False Contemplation contemplating. (中观即以空观与假观之间之中道之中谛而观。) The Middle Contemplation is not of emptiness and not of the false, is also of emptiness and also of the false. (中观非空非假，亦空亦假。)]

此三观空观之空，何可以万事不管不做当之？

[With] this emptiness of [the] Three Contemplations’ Emptiness Contemplation, how can [there be] with [the] ten thousand matters not paid attention [to], not doing [and] handling them?

俗谛之俗，非鄙俗、雅俗之俗，乃以建立施设，名之为俗。假亦非真假之假，亦建立施设之假。

[The] ‘Relative’ [i.e. mundane; common; worldly] of Relative Truths, [is] not [that] ‘mundane’, of [the] lowly, debased, elegant [and] vulgar, thus with creating [and] establishing, naming it as [the] ‘Relative’. [The] ‘False’ [is] likewise not [the] ‘false’ of ‘true [or] false’, likewise [being the] ‘False’ of creating [and] establishing.

观俗谛之理之观，名为假观者，以真谛一法不立之性体，圆具六度万行诸法圆备之功德。

That contemplation of contemplating [the] principles of Relative Truths, [is] named as False Contemplation. With [the] nature [and] essence of [the] Absolute Truth [with] one dharma not established, [it is] complete [with] all gathered meritorious virtues of all Six Perfections’ ten thousand practices’ all Dharma [teachings].

此即《心经》「诸法空相」之「诸法」，何可以凡夫当之乎？凡夫，乃苦集二谛所摄。此空假乃圆教圆妙道理，二乘尚非其分，况凡夫乎？

[As] this then [is the] Heart Sūtra’s ‘all dharmas’ of ‘all dharmas [are] characteristics [of] emptiness’, how can [this be] with ordinary beings undertaking it? Ordinary beings, [are] thus [by the] two truths [of] suffering [and] accumulation those gathered. This emptiness [and the] false [are] thus [the] Complete Teachings’ complete [and] wonderful path’s principles, [that those of the] Two Vehicles still [do] not [have] their parts [in], moreover ordinary beings.

净土宗十三祖印光大师
Pure Land Tradition’s 13th Patriarch Great Master Yìnguāng
《印光法师文钞》（续编）：复江易园书四；
Dharma Master Yìnguāng’s Collected Writings (First Compilation): Fourth Reply Letter [To] Jiāng Yìyuán;
印光大师文钞菁华录（第两百五十九则）：八、释普通疑惑：论理事（第八则）
Record [Of] Great Master Yìnguāng’s Collected Writings’ Essence (259th Short Section): 8th Chapter: Explanations [On] Common Doubts [And] Confusions: Discussion [On] Principles [And] Practices (8th Short Section)
[Ref: #259 / 8.8]

Namo Amituofo : Translation and notes by Shen Shi’an