Arya Nargarjuna
Mulamadhyamaka-karikas
Fundamentals of the Central Philosophy of Buddhism
Section 16: An Analysis of Being Bound and Release (Bondage and Release)
XVI.1.
When conditioned elements (dispositions, conditioning?) continue to change (through rebirths?), they do not continue to change as eternal things (the same before and after).
Likewise they do not continue to change as non-eternal things (different before and after).
The arguments here is the same as for a living being.
XVI.2.
If the personality would change when it is sought five ways in the “groups” (skandha), “bases of sense perception” (ayatana), and the “irreducible elements” (dhatu),
Then it does not exist. Who is it who will change?
XVI.3.
Moving from “acquisition” (upadana) to “acquisition” would be “that which is without existence” (vibhava).
Who is he who is without existence and without acquisition? To what will he change?
XVI.4.
The final cessation (nirvana) of the conditioned elements certainly is not possible at all.
Nor is the final cessation of even a living being possible at all.
XVI.5.
The conditioned elements, whose nature (dharma) is arising and destruction, neither are bound nor released.
Likewise a living being neither is bound nor released.
XVI.6.
If the acquisition (upadana) were the “binding,” that one having the acquisition is not bound;
Nor is that one not having the acquisition bound.
Then in what condition is he bound?
XVI.7.
Certainly if the “binding” would exist before “that which is bound,” then it must bind;
But that does not exist. The remaining analysis is stated in the analysis of “the present going to,” “that which has already gone to” and “that which has not yet gone to.”
XVI.8.
Therefore, “that which is bound” is not released and “that which is not bound” is likewise not released.
If “that which is bound” were released, “being bound” and “release” would exist simultaneously.
XVI.9.
“I will be released without any acquisition.”
“Nirvana will be mine.”
Those who understand thus hold too much to “a holding on” i.e., both to the acquisition of karma, and to a viewpoint.
XVI.10.
Where there is a super-imposing of nirvana on something else, nor a removal of existence-in-flux,
What is the existence-in-flux there?
What nirvana is imagined?
Source: Orientalia
