Land of Enlightened Wisdom

Chapter Five: Analysis of the Elements

Before the characteristics of space,
There is no space whatsoever.
If it existed before its characteristics,
It would follow that it has no characteristics. [5.1]

Something without characteristics
Does not exist anywhere at all.
Since there is no thing without characteristics,
To what do the characteristics apply? [5.2]

Characteristics do not apply to what has them,
Nor do they apply to what does not.
Neither do characteristics apply to something
Other than what does or does not have them. [5.3]

If characteristics have no application,
It makes no sense that there should be bearers of them.
If the bearers of characteristics are unreasonable,
Their characteristics cannot exist either. [5.4]

Therefore, the bearers of characteristics do not exist,
And characteristics themselves have no existence either.
Yet aside from bearers and characteristics
There are no entities. [5.5]

If there is no entity,
Of what would there be no entity?
What entity, nonentity, or otherwise
Would be the knower of entity and nonentity? [5.6]

Space, therefore, is not an entity, not a nonentity,
Not a bearer of characteristics, not a characteristic.
As for the other five elements,
The case is the same as with space. [5.7]

The feebleminded who see
Things in terms of existence and nonexistence
Fail to see what is to be seen –
The peace of complete pacification. [5.8] <- Prev Next ->

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