Prajñāpāramitā studies became popular in the Eastern Jin dynasty from the time of Daoan 道安 （312–385）. Later, when the Mahāyāna Nirvāṇa sūtra was translated, the mainstream of Chinese Buddhist thought unexpectedly and rapidly converted from “innate emptiness related to the Prajñāpāramitā Sūtras” to “marvelous existence related to the Mahāyāna Nirvāṇa sūtra.” Earlier research pointed out that Lushan Huiyuan 廬山慧遠 （334–416） and the people around him had already prepared the ideological conversion from “innate emptiness related to the Prajñāpāramitā sūtras” to “marvelous existence related to the Mahāyāna Nirvāṇa sūtra.” Based on this hypothesis, this paper considers how Chinese Buddhists interpreted the problem of existence, non-existence and the middle way through the Mahāyāna Nirvāṇa sūtra. This is interpreted in the Da banniepan jing jijie 大般涅槃經集解 with 71 fascicles. Because it is a massive commentary, I focus on the interpretations of Sengliang 僧亮 （400?–468?）, Sengzong 僧宗 （438–496）, and Baoliang 寶亮 （444–509） in their commentaries on the concept of “middle way” in the chapters of “Sadness （哀歎品）,” “Longevity （長壽品）,” “Four truths （四諦品）,” “Pure practices （梵行品）,” and “Virtuous king （德王品）.”
