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

XXIV.1. If everything is empty, there is no origination nor destruction.
Then you must incorrectly conclude that there is non-existence of the four holy truths.

XXIV.2. If there is non-existence of the four holy truths, the saving knowledge, the elimination of illusion,
The “becoming” enlightened (bhavana), and the “realization” of the goal are impossible.

XXIV.3. If there is non-existence, then also the four holy “fruits” do not exist.
In the non-existence of fruit there is no “residing in fruit” nor obtaining.

XXIV.4. When the community of Buddhists does not exist, then those eight “kinds of persons” i.e., four abiding in the fruit and four who are obtaining do not exist.
Because there is non-existence of the four holy truths, the real dharma does not exist.

XXIV.5. And if there are no dharma and community, how will the Buddha exist?
By speaking thus, that everything is empty certainly you deny the three jewels, the Buddha, the dharma, and the community.

XXIV.6. You deny the real existence of a product, of right and wrong,
And all the practical behavior of the world as being empty.

XXIV.7. We reply that you do not comprehend the point of emptiness;
You eliminate both “emptiness” itself and its purpose from it.

XXIV.8. The teaching by the Buddhas of the dharma has recourse to two truths:
The world-ensconced truth and the truth which is the highest sense.

XXIV.9. Those who do not know the distribution (vibhagam) of the two kinds of truth
Do not know the profound “point” (tattva) in the teaching of the Buddha.

XXIV.10. The highest sense of the truth is not taught apart from practical behavior,
And without having understood the highest sense one cannot understand nirvana.

XXIV.11. Emptiness, having been dimly perceived, utterly destroys the slow-witted.
It is like a snake wrongly grasped or magical knowledge incorrectly applied.

XXIV.12. Therefore the mind of the ascetic Gautama was diverted from teaching the dharma,
Having thought about the incomprehensibility of the dharma by the stupid.

XXIV.13. Time and again you have made a condemnation of emptiness,
But that refutation does not apply to our emptiness.

XXIV.14. When emptiness “works”, then everything in existence “works”.
If emptiness “does not work”, then all existence “does not work”.

XXIV.15. You, while projecting your own faults on us,
Are like a person who, having mounted his horse, forgot the horse!

XXIV.16. If you recognize real existence on account of the self-existence of things,
You perceive that there are uncaused and unconditioned things.

XXIV.17. You deny “what is to be produced,” cause, the producer, the instrument of production, and the producing action,
And the origination, destruction, and “fruit.”

XXIV.18. The “originating dependently” we call “emptiness”;
This apprehension, i.e., taking into account all other things, is the understanding of the middle way.

XXIV.19. Since there is no dharma whatever originating independently,
No dharma whatever exists which is not empty.

XXIV.20. If all existence is not empty, there is neither origination nor destruction.
You must wrongly conclude then that the four holy truths do not exist.

XXIV.21. Having originated without being conditioned, how will sorrow (dukkha) come into existence?
It is said that sorrow (dukkha) is not eternal; therefore, certainly it does not exist by its own nature (svabbava).

XXIV.22. How can that which is existing by its own nature originate again?
For him who denies emptiness there is no production.

XXIV.23. There is no destruction of sorrow (dukkha) if it exists by its own nature.
By trying to establish “self-existence” you deny destruction.

XXIV.24. If the path of release is self-existent, then there is no way of bringing it into existence (bhavana);
If that path is brought into existence, then “self-existence,” which you claim does not exist.

XXIV.25. When sorrow (dukkha), origination, and destruction do not exist,
What kind of path will obtain the destruction of sorrow (dukkha)?

XXIV.26. If there is no complete knowledge as to self-existence, how can there be any knowledge of it?
Indeed, is it not true that self-existence is that which endures?

XXIV.27. As in the case of complete knowledge, neither destruction, realization, “bringing into existence,”
Nor are the four holy fruits possible for you.

XXIV.28. If you accept “self-existence,” and a “fruit” is not known by its self-existence,
How can it be known at all?

XXIV.29. In the non-existence of “fruit,” there is no “residing in fruit” nor obtaining the “fruit”;
When the community of Buddhists does not exist, then those eight “kinds of persons” do not exist.

XXIV.30. Because there is non-existence of the four holy truths, the real dharma does not exist.
And if there is no dharma and community, how will the Buddha exist?

XXIV.31. For you, either the one who is enlightened (Buddha) comes into being independent of enlightenment,
Or enlightenment comes into being independent of the one who is enlightened.

XXIV.32. For you, some one who is a non-Buddha by his own nature (svabhava) but strives for enlightenment (i.e. a Bodhisattva)
Will not attain the enlightenment though the “way of life of becoming fully enlightened.”

XXIV.33. Neither the dharma nor non-dharma will be done anywhere.
What is produced which is non-empty? Certainly self-existence is not produced.

XXIV.34. Certainly, for you, there is a product without the distinction of dharma or non-dharma.
Since, for you, the product caused by dharma or non-dharma does not exist.

XXIV.35. If, for you, the product is caused by dharma or non-dharma, be non-empty?
How can that product, being originated by dharma or non-dharma empty?

XXIV.36. You deny all mundane and customary activities
When you deny emptiness in the sense of dependent co-origination (patytya-samutpada).

XXIV.37. If you deny emptiness, there would be action which is un-activated.
There would be nothing whatever acted upon, and a producing action would be something not begun.

XXIV.38. According to the doctrine of “self-existence” the world is free from different conditions;
Then it will exist as un-produced, undestroyed and immutable.

XXIV.39. If non-emptiness does not exist, then something is attained which is not attained;
There is cessation of sorrow (dukkha) and actions, and all evil is destroyed.

XXIV.40. He who perceives dependent co-origination (patytya-samutpada)
Also understands sorrow (dukkha), origination, and destruction as well as the path of release.

Source: Orientalia