Non-A is A=非A即A; Tri śatikā y ā ḥ Prajñāpāramitā y ā ḥ Kārikāsaptatiḥ=能斷金剛般若波羅蜜多經論誦; Bodhiruci=菩提流支; Yijing=義淨; Vajracchedikā=金剛般若經
摘要
The well-known formula in the Vajracchedikā：“That A taught by the Tathāgata, it is taught as non-A by the Tathāgata, thus it is called A by the Tathāgata” (hereafter abbreviated as “non-A is A”) takes over the role of emptiness, and initiated debates among some Japanese scholars about its connotation and application. One of the topics of discussion is whether the “non-A is A” formula expresses emptiness in the ontological sense of the Madhyamaka, or whether it illustrates a graduated path to be performed by the Bodhisattva. These two views do not commensurate with each other, because, for them, the Madhyamaka non-A, that is emptiness, stands for the inexpressible highest truth, while in the graduated path non-A is a negation of what is falsely imagined by ordinary people. These scholars have not consulted the Yogācāra views on this formula. There is besides a verse summary of the Vajracchedikā composed by Asaṅga called the Triśatikāyāḥ Prajñāpāramitāyāḥ Kārikāsaptatiḥ also a commentary written by Vasubandhu. The verse summary is comprehensible only by referring to Vasubandhu’s commentary, which is extant in only two Chinese translations. These Yogacara’s work provide several ways of interpretation of the formula“non-A is A”. In them both views of the Japanese debate, whether “non-A is A” expresses the highest truth or whether it illustrates a graduated path to be performed by the bodhisattva, are integrated toghther.
1. Introduction 3 2. The problems of Chinese translations 8 3. Variants in the Sanskrit version and the Chinese translations 12 4. The meanings of non-A 14 5.“ Non-A is A” 47 6. Conclusion 51
