The Dilemma of Duality and the Middle Path

Then the Buddha praised Bodhisattva Kasyapa: "Well said, well said, Oh good man! You reached the deepest and sharpest of Wisdom. Now, I will talk about how one enters the Tathagatagarbha. If the ‘Self’ lives, this is the teaching of 'is'. It does not depart from suffering. If the Self does not exist, there can be no benefit, even if one practices pure actions. If one says that all things do not possess Self, this is nothing more than the theory of ‘not-is’ ['ucchedika drsti ', i.e., the world-view of the total denial of any existence, which is the theory of all-void]. If one says that Self exists, it is the theory of ‘ever is’ ['sasvata drsti' - a wrong view of life which takes existence as something concrete and immutable]. If one says that all things are non-eternal, this is the view of ‘not-is’. If one says that all things exist, this is the view of ‘ever is’. If one says that all is suffering, this is the ‘not-is’. If one says that all things are bliss, this is the ‘ever is’. If a person practices the Way of ‘ever is’of all things, such a person falls into the heresy of ‘not-is’. A person who practices the Way according to which all things become extinct, falls into ‘ever is’. This is like the measuring of a worm, which carries its hind legs forward by the action of its front legs.

The same goes with the person who practices the ‘ever is’ and the ‘not-is’. The ‘not-is’ rests on [depends on, is based on] the ‘ever is’. Because of this, those of other teachings who practice suffering (the practice of austerities) are called 'not-good'. Those of other teachings who practice bliss are called 'good'. Those of other teachings who practice the 'not-Self' are those of illusion. Those of other teachings who practice 'ever-is' say that the Tathagata secretly holds (it hides) [truths]. The so-called Nirvana has no a cave or house to live in it. Those of other teachings who practice 'not-is' refers to property, those of other teachings who practice the 'ever-is' refers to Buddha, Dharma, Sangha and right emancipation (i.e., distinguish). Know that the Middle Path of the Buddha denies the two plans and speaks of the True Dharma. Even the common mortals and ignorant abide in it and have no doubts. It's like when the weak and the sick take butter, and as a result they feel lightness in spirit.

The dual nature of 'is' and 'not-is' is undefined. For example, the natures of the four elements [earth, water, fire and wind] are not the same. Each differs from the other. A good doctor well sees that each one stands in opposition to the other. He sees even through a unilateral phase (part) of what happens. Oh good man! The same goes with the Tathagata. He acts as a good doctor towards all beings. He knows the difference between the internal and external nature of illusion, eradicates it, and reveals the fact that the undisclosed storehouse of the Tathagata is pure, and the Buddha-Nature is eternal and unchanging. If a person says 'is', it must be attentive to that his Wisdom does not get tainted; if a person says 'not-is', this is just a falsehood. If one says 'is', one cannot fall into contradiction. Also, one could not play with words and dispute; only seek to know the true nature of all things. Common mortals play with words and dispute, betraying their own ignorance as to the undisclosed storehouse of the Tathagata. When it comes to the question of suffering, the ignorant says that the body is non-eternal and everything is suffering. Moreover, they do not know that there is also the nature of bliss in the body. If the Eternal is alluded to, common mortals say that all bodies are non-eternal, and are like tiles. One with Wisdom discriminates things and does not say that everything is non-eternal. Why not? Because humans possess the seed of the Buddha-Nature. When the non-Self is mentioned, common mortals say that there can be no Self in the Buddhist teaching. One who is wise should know that non-Self is a temporary existence (an aspect of duality) and is not true. Knowing thus, one should not have any doubt. When the hidden Tathagatagarbha is established as being empty and quiet, common mortals will think of cessation and extinction. One who is wise knows that the Tathagata is Eternal and Unchanging."

Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 12 - On the Nature of the Tathagata.