The three things without a nature or separate existence of their own: (a) 相無性 form, appearance or seeming, is unreal, e.g. a rope appearing like a snake; (b) 生無性 life ditto, for it is like the rope, which is derived from constituent materials; (c) 勝義無性 the 勝義, concept of the 眞如 or bhūtatathatā, is unreal, e.g. the hemp of which the rope is made; the bhūtatathatā is perfect and eternal. Every representation of it is abstract and unreal. The three are also known as 相無性, 無自然性, 法無性; v. 唯識論 9.
梵語 trividhā nihsvabhāvatā。係針對遍計所執等三性之有法所說三種無性之空義。又作三種無自性性、三無自性、三種無性。即就遍、依、圓三性而論各無自性之義,分別有相無性、生無性、勝義無性等三種。(一)相無性(梵 laksana-nihsvabhāvatā),又稱相無自性性,乃針對遍計所執性而立。蓋遍計所執性為所謂「情有理無」,迷情之上雖有,唯不過是當情所現之假相,譬如空華,於理而言,體、相俱無,故稱相無性。(二)生無性(梵 utpatti-nihsvabhāvatā),又稱生無自性性,乃針對依他起性而立。蓋依他諸法乃託眾緣而生,無定實之性,譬如幻事,故稱生無性。(三)勝義無性(梵 paramārtha-nihsvabhāvatā),又稱勝義無自性性、無真性、第一義諦無自體相。乃針對圓成實性而立。真如為殊勝之真理,亦為根本無分別智之對境,故稱勝義。謂由遠離前遍計所執「我、法」性故,假說無性,非性全無。此即真如,亦即唯識實性。然此三無性被視為「密意說」,而非「了義」,因三自性中之後二自性,其性非無;今假說其無性者,是為否定世俗所執持之「實性」。〔解深密經卷二無自性相品、瑜伽師地論卷七十三、卷七十四、顯揚聖教論卷十六、辯中邊論卷上、三無性論〕(參閱「三性」563)
三無性 The 'three non-natures.' In contrast to the 'three natures' of 'attachment to pervasive imagination', 'dependent arising', and 'perfectly accomplished reality', these three non-natures are established from the point of view of the lack of self nature of elements. Thus, this is an explanation from the standpoint of emptiness. (1) 相無性 - Form, appearance, or seeing is unreal, e.g., a rope appearing like a snake. (2) 生無性 - Arising, existence, has no self nature. Arising appears dependent upon causes and conditions, and its existence is provisional. (3) 勝義無性 - The non-nature of ultimate reality.
相無性、生無性、勝義無性。相無性是說一切計所執的事物,其相皆假而非實有;生無性是說一切法皆依因緣和合而生,因緣生則無有實性;勝義無性是說諸法勝義原無生滅,本不可說,故無有實性。
三無性===﹝出成唯識論
〔一、相無性〕,謂一切眾生,於世間之相,處處計著,執為實有。佛為除此妄執,說一切法皆無自性,故名相無性。
〔二、生無性〕,謂一切諸法,皆託因緣和合而生,本無自性,故名生無性。
〔三、勝義無性〕,謂前相無性、生無性,因破眾生妄執之情,假說無性;非性全無,是故佛說勝義無性者,謂真如勝義之性,遠離遍計妄執之性,故名勝義無性。
如一切諸法皆無自性中說。
二解 顯揚十六卷四頁云:論曰:如是三種自性,當知由三無自性。故說三無性。一、相無性。謂遍計所執自性。由此自性,體相無故。二、生無性。謂依他起自性。由此自性,緣力所生,非自然生故。三、勝義無性。謂圓成實自性。由此自性,體是勝義;又是諸法無性故。
(名數)楞伽經唯識論等所明。對遍等三性之有法而說相等三無性之空義:一、相無性,一切眾生以妄心向因緣生之事物,計度有我有法之我法相名為遍計所執性。此遍計所執性之法,如認繩而浮蛇之相。其相非實有。故名相無性。二、生無性,一切諸法,不關於本來妄心,由因緣相和而生者,謂之依他起性。此依他起性之法為因緣生,因緣生無實性,恰如繩之因緣生,無繩之實體,故名為生無性。三、勝義無性,真如為圓為常,為一切有為法之實性,故謂之圓成實性。離此圓成實性,一切有無之諸相,名為勝義無性。勝義者,名於圓成實性。圓成實性為絕待之法,故不帶何等之相,如麻中無蛇與繩之相。即空真如也。又名相無性,無自然性,法無性。唯識論九曰:「依此三性立彼三無性。(中略)稱三無性,謂即相生勝我無性。」
tri-vidhā niḥsvabhāvatā