二谛：了解中观的前提

The necessity of separating the two truths

(二)分开二谛的必要性

Both Madhyamaka and Mahamadhyamaka should be understood from the point of view of the two truths to avoid misapprehension.

上述的两种中观都需要分二谛，否则在理解上就会产生错乱。

The main subject here is Madhyamaka, not Mahamadhyamaka, and it will be examined from the perspective of the relative truth and the ultimate truth because the two truths encompass the whole meaning of Madhyamaka. It is also critically important to separate the two.

此处主要是讲中观，不是讲大中观，而且是从二谛，即胜义谛和世俗谛两方面来讲。因为二谛涵盖了所有中观的含义，而且分开二谛也是至关重要的。

Many people who do not understand the views of Madhyamaka tend to find many contradictions when reading the scriptures of Prajnaparamita, such as the Diamond Sutra and the Heart Sutra, that expound the idea of emptiness, i.e., the five aggregates, the four elements and in fact all phenomena are without distinct self¬nature. This is plainly because they do not know the need to separate the two truths in their analysis. Here are some of the usual questions: Is Buddhahood a fallacy? If the Buddha is empty of self¬nature, what is the point of practicing the Dharma and how is one supposed to attain Buddhahood? Are causality and rebirth for real? If karma, samsara, Buddhahood, the practice itself and the act of freeing sentient beings from suffering are all real, how can they be empty of self-nature at the same time? To answer these questions, the two truths must be applied separately.

很多不了解中观的人，在看到《金刚经》、《心经》等般若波罗密多经论里讲五蕴皆空、四大皆空、诸法空性等等时，因为不懂得将世俗谛与胜义谛分开，总是感到其中矛盾重重：到底有没有成佛之说呢？既然佛是空性，为什么要学佛呢？怎么能成佛呢？有没有因果轮回？既然因果、轮回、学佛、成佛以及度化众生都是存在的，又怎么会是空性呢？要解决这些问题，就需要分开二谛。

In his treatise, Introduction to the Middle Way, Chandrakirti referred to a debate in the opening chapter on emptiness. As he was explaining the non-existence of cause and effect, someone objected by saying, “Cause and effect clearly are real phenomena to our five sense consciousnesses. If they are non-existent, how can eye-consciousness see, or ear-consciousness hear?”

月称菩萨在《入中论》讲解空性的开篇就提出一个争论。什么争论呢？月称菩萨在讲因果关系不存在的时候，有人便反驳道：我们的眼耳鼻舌等五识明明能接触到因果，若因果不存在，则眼识为何能看到？耳识为何能听到呢？

How did Chandrakirti end the debate? By applying the ultimate truth and the relative truth separately to his explanation, he was able to dispel the doubt.

对此争论，月称菩萨是如何制止的呢？他将胜义谛和世俗谛分开，疑问便迎刃而解。

Actually, the reason to separate the two truths is not to stop any argument or to refute the viewpoints of any individual or other beliefs, but to disprove our own misconceptions. Similarly, the purpose for teaching prajnaparamita by the Buddha or writing the Six Treatises on Madhyamaka by Nagarjuna is to dismiss the wrong views of ordinary people, not merely to prevent any arguments. Though we do not need to debate with others, we need to convince ourselves. Therefore, it is absolutely necessary to learn the theory of the two truths of Madhyamaka.

我们在这里分开二谛的原因，不是为了制止他人的争论，也不是为了推翻其他教派或者其他人的观点，就是要推翻自己原有的错误观点。释迦牟尼佛宣讲般若波罗密多和龙树菩萨造《六论》，也不仅仅是为了制止他人的争论，也同样是为了推翻凡夫人的错误观点。虽然我们不需要跟别人辩论，但需要跟自己辩论。所以，学习中观二谛的理论是非常有必要的。