..續本文上一頁Below is a short introduction to these five great arguments:

　　1. Diamond Slivers reasoning: This method observes the causes of the production of things and events and concludes that they have no intrinsic nature. That is to say, things and events are not produced from themselves, nor from another, also not from both, nor without cause either, and thus are ascertained as the emptiness of production. To elaborate further, if things and events are produced from themselves, then they would be produced again and again without end; if they are produced from another, then brightness also can be produced from darkness. This kind of logical analysis is presented meticulously in Chandrakirti”s Introduction to the Middle Way. Since the production of things and events has no ontological status, then their true existence is also not tenable, and their ceasing also cannot exist. Through this Diamond Slivers reasoning, we can then conclude that things and events are empty.

　　2. Neither One nor Many reasoning: This method investigates whether “true singularity” can be established. After careful investigation and detailed analysis, it concludes that true singularity cannot be established. From this, we can conclude that the “plurality” of things cannot be established, since they depend on the existence of “singularity.” For example, if there is no single person present here, then it is impossible to have ten people here, because “ten” depends on the basis of “one” as its composition.

　　Why is it that singularity cannot be established

　　 Take, for example, the “I.” The “I” is something that sentient beings are very attached to; however, it is only imputed by the deluded mind and falsely assumed to be there. When we analyze it critically, we see that the head is not the “I,” the hand is not the “I,” and the leg is not the “I.” By doing the above investigations, the intrinsically real “I” cannot be found at all. After you reflect in this way, you come to realize that what people normally feel and believe to be the “I” is only a deluded attachment to the accumulation of the five aggregates as a unitary entity: “I.” This “I” is actually devoid of inherent existence and does not exist. In the same way, we can ascertain that the nature of phenomena is emptiness. This kind of logical analysis is broadly elucidated in Mipham”s Commentary on the Ornament of the Middle Way. To delve deeper into this subject, you can study this treatise.

　　3. Refutation of Existent or Non-Existent Production reasoning: This reasoning ascertains that the “result produced” by things and events has no intrinsic nature. “Neither an existent nor nonexistent can be properly said to arise.” That is to say, if the result or effect is already present during the time when the cause is present, then it would be unnecessary for it to be produced again, because of being already existent; if the result or effect was formerly non-existent at the time of its causes, then it would be impossible to be produced, such as the son of a barren woman. This logical analysis is widely explained in the Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way.

　　4. The Refutation of Production from Four Alternatives reasoning: This method investigates the cause and result together at the same time. It is previously used in the Distinction between the Two Truths. It can be grouped into four alternatives: a single cause producing several results, a single cause producing a single result, several causes producing several results, and several causes producing a single result. By reflecting on these investigations, grasping on the intrinsically real nature of “cause can produce result” can be eliminated.

　　5. Great Interdependence reasoning: This method ascertains that the ontological status of all things and events is the great empti…

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