证悟之前，必须有中观概念

I. Overview

一、概述

The differentiation of Madhyamaka

(一)中观的分别

In Tibetan Buddhism, a distinction is made between Madhyamaka (Middle Way) and Mahamadhyamaka (Great Middle Way). Its explanation is the following.

在藏传佛教里，有中观和大中观之分。何为中观？何为大中观呢？

The theory put forward in the scriptures like Nagarjuna’s Six Treatises on Madhyamaka, the Wisdom Chapter of The Way of the Bodhisattvas by Shantideva, Introduction to the Middle Way by Chandrakirti and so forth is Madhyamaka, not Mahamadhyamaka. The reason is that these texts only explain the teachings from the second turning of the wheel of Dharma and do not directly address the luminous nature of mind that is free of all graspings as taught in the third turning of the wheel. It is possible that people with superior faculty may realize emptiness while cultivating renunciation or bodhicitta. For instance, when we have contemplated the different facets of renunciation or bodhicitta for some time until the mind becomes weary, we will stop and just let the mind rest. At this point, all thoughts fall away naturally. If one has accumulated sufficient merit and purified enough negative karma, one may realize emptiness at the very instant when all deluded thoughts vanish. However, one must have acquired certain knowledge of Madhyamaka beforehand.

龙树菩萨的《中观六论》、寂天菩萨《入行论》的智慧品、以及月称菩萨的《入中论》等论典所提出的理论，就是中观，而不是大中观。原因何在呢？因为，它们只解释了第二转法轮的思想，还未直接涉及到第三转法轮所讲的远离一切执着的光明。根机较好的人，在修出离心或菩提心的同时，也有可能证悟空性。譬如，当我们反复思维到心非常疲惫时，便不再观想，心安住下来，这时，一切杂念会自然离去，如果积资、忏罪的条件也已经具备，则在所有杂念离开的那一刹那间，也有可能证悟空性。但是，在此之前，必须要有中观的概念才行。

Mahamadhyamaka refers to Shentong Madhyamaka or Tathagatagarbha. In the Indian Buddhist tradition, there are no such terms as Rangtong (empty of self) and Shentong (empty of other). The Tibetans coined these terms, but the significance of Rangtong and Shentong is still present in Indian Buddhism. Mahamadhyamaka is about Tathagatagarbha. It is Great Madhyamaka because it comprises the additional meaning of “Clear Light.” As there is no discussion of clear light, considered the ultimate of Buddhist teachings, in Nagarjuna’s Six Treatises on Madhyamaka, it is designated only as an exposition on Madhyamaka.

而大中观是指他空中观或如来藏中观。在印度佛教里没有“自空”和“他空”的名词，这是西藏人造的，但是，在印度佛教里存在“自空”和“他空”的涵义。大中观就是讲如来藏，因为它多了“光明”的含义，所以叫大中观；而《龙树六论》中还没有提到“光明”的一面，缺了最究竟的内容，故只能称为中观。