The Fifth of Ten Wrong Paths – Four Fallacies on Existence and Nonexistence
“Further, when the good practitioner’s mind is firm, clear, and proper in the cultivation of Samadhi, no demon can disturb him. He may then thoroughly investigate the origin of all categories of living beings, and he may contemplate the source of its subtle, clear, and constant movement. But if he begins to speculate about knowledge and viewpoints, he could fall into one of the four wrong fallacies involving speculations on existence and nonexistence:
“First, as he observes the source of all the fluctuations within the mental formation skandha, when he sees movement and flows, he calls it ‘change’; when he sees continuous patterns, he calls it ‘constancy’; when he can see something, he calls it ‘production’; when he can see nothing, he calls it ‘destruction’; when there is unbroken continuity in a flux, he calls it ‘increasing’; when there is interruption in the continuity of a flux, he calls it ‘decreasing’; when he sees the arising of all things, he calls it ‘existence’; when he sees the perishing of all things, he calls it ‘non-existence’. Thus, he observes everything in light of mental formations, which lead to variety of views. If a seeker of Dharma comes to ask him about it, he will say, ‘I am both being alive and being dead, both existing and non-existing, both increasing and diminishing.’ At all times he speaks in such a confusing way, leaving people speechless.
“Second, he may look into his own mind intently, finding everything to be found nowhere, and thus realizing non-existence. When someone comes to ask him anything, he replies with only one word – ‘No’. He will say nothing other than ‘No’.
“Third, he may look into his own mind intently, finding everything to be found there, and thus realizing existence. When someone comes to ask him anything, he replies with only one word – ‘Yes’. He will say nothing other than ‘Yes’.
“Fourth, when looking into his own mind, he may sometimes see existence and sometimes see nonexistence. Because of this ramification of experience, his mind is scattered and confused. If someone comes to ask him anything, he will say, ‘Existence is nonexistence. Within nonexistence there isn’t existence.’ All is sophistry that cannot withstand careful examination.
“With such sophistic, empty speculations, he takes a wrong path and becomes confused about the nature of Bodhi. This is the fifth wrong path, constituted by four fallacies on immortality.”
又三摩中诸善男子，坚凝正心，魔不得便。穷生类本，观彼幽清常扰动元，于知见中，生计度者，是人坠入四种颠倒不死矫乱 ，遍计虚论。一者、是人观变化元。见迁流处，名之为变；见相续处，名之为恒。见所见处，名之为生；不见见处，名之为灭。相续之因，性不断处，名之为增；正相续中，中所离处，名之为减。各各生处，名之为有；互互亡处，名之为无。以理都观，用心别见。有求法人来问其义，答言：我今亦生亦灭，亦有亦无，亦增亦减。于一切时，皆乱其语，令彼前人遗失章句。二者、是人谛观其心，互互无处，因无得证。有人来问，唯答一字，但言其无 。除无之余，无所言说。三者、是人谛观其心，各各有处，因有得证。有人来问，唯答一字，但言其是，除是之余，无所言说。四者、是人有无俱见，其境枝故，其心亦乱。有人来问，答言：亦有即是亦无，亦无之中不是亦有。一切矫乱，无容穷诘。由此计度 ，矫乱虚无，堕落外道，惑菩提性。是则名为第五外道，四颠倒性不死矫乱，遍计虚论。
Buddha Mind 