Fundamental Verses on the Middle Way (XXI) — by Nagarjuna

XXI.1. There is no disappearance either with origination or without it.
There is no origination either with disappearance or without it.

XXI.2. How, indeed, will disappearance exist at all without origination?
How could there be death without birth?
There is no disappearance without prior origination.

XXI.3. How can disappearance exist concomitantly with origination?
Since, surely, death does not exist at the same moment as birth.

XXI.4. How, indeed, will origination exist at all without disappearance?
For, impermanence does not fail to be found in existent things ever.

XXI.5. How can origination exist concomitantly with disappearance?
Since, surely, death does not exist at the same moment as birth.

XXI.6. When two things cannot be proved either separately or together,
No proof exists of those two things.
How can these two things be proved?

XXI.7. There is no origination of that which is destructible, nor of that which is not-destructible.
There is no disappearance of that which is destructible nor of that which is non-destructible.

XXI.8. Origination and disappearance cannot exist without an existent thing.
Without origination and disappearance an existent thing does not exist.

XXI.9. Origination and disappearance does not obtain for that which is empty.
Origination and disappearance does not obtain for that which is non-empty.

XXI.10. It does not obtain that origination and disappearance are the same thing.
It does not obtain that origination and disappearance are different.

XXI.11. You argue: Origination, as well as disappearance, is seen.
Therefore it would exist for you.
But origination and disappearance are seen due to a delusion.

XXI.12. An existent thing does not originate from another thing;
and an existent thing does not originate from a non-existent thing.
Also, a non-existent thing does not originate from another non-existent thing;
and a non-existent thing does not originate from an existent thing.

XXI.13. An existent thing does not originate either by itself or by something different.
Or by itself and something different at the same time. How, then, can it be produced?

XXI.14. For someone assuming an existent thing, either an Eternalistic or nihilistic point of view would logically follow,
For that existent thing would be either eternal or liable to cessation.

XXI.15. An opponent objects:
For someone assuming an existent thing, there is not only Eternalism or nihilism,
Since this is existence: namely, the continuity of the originating and stopping of causes and product.

XXI.16. Nargarjuna replies:
If this is existence: namely, the continuity of originating and stopping of causes and product,
It would logically follow that the cause is destroyed because the destroyed thing does not originate again.

XXI.17. If there is self-existence of something which is intrinsically existing, then non-existence does not obtain.
At the time of nirvana there is destruction of the cycle of existence (bhavasamtana) as a result of the cessation.

XXI.18. If the last part of existence is destroyed, the first part of existence does not obtain.
If the last part of existence is not destroyed, the first part of existence does not obtain.

XXI.19. If the first part of existence were produced while the final part were being destroyed,
There would be one thing being destroyed and being produced both at the same time.

XXI.20. If the one “being destroyed” and the one “being produced” cannot exist together,
Can someone be produced in those “groups of universal elements” (skandhas) in which he is also “dying”?

XXI.21. Thus, the chain of existences is not possible in any of the tree times i.e. past, present, and future;
And if it does not exist in the three times, how can the chain of existences exist?

Source: Orientalia