妙法蓮華經玄義 9.110

9.110

三、眾經因果同異者，謂迹因果或同或異，本因果永異迹。因果者，實相通印諸體，何經不約此論因果？《大品》明非因非果，實相為體，而但因為宗般若遣蕩，正是因意。故云：「菩薩心中名般若，在佛心中名薩婆若。」文中亦說菩薩無生無滅因，獲不斷不常薩婆若果。叡師序云：「啟玄章以不住為始，歸三慧以無得為終。」終始，因果也。文中亦說一切種智佛果，為成般若因，因正果傍。無量義宣說摩訶般若，歷劫修行，故知彼經用因為宗也。《淨名》用佛國因果兩義為宗，寶積具問因果，佛備答因果。故知雙用因果為宗也。《華嚴》圓頓之教，解宗不同。或言用因為宗，據題言華嚴是萬行莊飾，修因之義。文中多說四十地行相，故用因為宗。又云果為宗，據題云大方廣佛，佛是極果之名，華嚴是定慧萬善，莊嚴佛身，非莊嚴因。文中多說舍那法身之事，即用果為宗也。又解云：因果合為宗，如言佛即是果，華嚴即是因，文中具說法身，亦說諸地，俱用因果為宗。

Third, the identity and difference of cause and effect in the various scriptures: this means that trace cause and effect are either the same or different, while original cause and effect are eternally different from the traces. As for trace cause and effect, the real mark universally seals all substances; what scripture does not discuss cause and effect on this basis? The Pañcaviṃśati clarifies that the real mark, being neither cause nor effect, is the substance, yet takes cause alone as the central purport; the clearing away through prajñā is precisely the intention of cause. Therefore it says: ‘In the mind of a bodhisattva it is called prajñā; in the mind of a buddha it is called sarvajñā.’ The text also speaks of the bodhisattva's cause of neither birth nor destruction obtaining the effect of sarvajñā which is neither annihilated nor permanent. Master [Seng]rui's preface says: ‘Opening the profound chapters, it takes non-abiding as the beginning; returning to the three wisdoms, it takes non-attainment as the end.’ Beginning and end are cause and effect. The text also speaks of the buddha-fruit of the knowledge of all aspects as accomplishing the cause of prajñā; cause is primary and effect is secondary. The Immeasurable Meanings expounds Mahāprajñā, practicing throughout kalpas; hence we know that that scripture takes cause as its central purport. The Vimalakīrtinirdeśa takes the two meanings of cause and effect of the buddha land as its central purport; Ratnarāśi fully inquires about cause and effect, and the Buddha fully answers about cause and effect. Hence we know that it takes both cause and effect as its central purport. Regarding the circular and sudden teaching of the Avataṃsaka, understandings of its central purport differ. Some say it takes cause as the central purport: relying on the title, it says ‘Flower Adornment’ refers to the myriad practices adorning [it], which is the meaning of cultivating cause; because the text mostly speaks of the practices and marks of the forty stages, it takes cause as the central purport. Others say effect is the central purport: relying on the title, it says ‘Great Expansive Buddha’; ‘Buddha’ is the name of the ultimate effect, and ‘Flower Adornment’ refers to samādhi, wisdom, and the myriad goods adorning the Buddha's body, not adorning the cause; because the text mostly speaks of the matter of Vairocana's dharma-kāya, it takes effect as the central purport. Yet another interpretation says: cause and effect are combined as the central purport, as when saying ‘Buddha’ is the effect and ‘Flower Adornment’ is the cause; because the text fully speaks of the dharma-kāya and also speaks of the stages, it takes both cause and effect together as the central purport.