妙法蓮華經玄義 2.119

2.119

Regarding the inconceivable non-arising and non-ceasing of the twelve links of conditioned arising: this manifests the principle directly through phenomena for those of sharp capacity. The Great Sūtra states: "The twelve links of conditioned arising are called buddha-nature." Since ignorance, craving, and grasping are afflictions, the path of afflictions is itself bodhi. Bodhi is thoroughly penetrating and has no further afflictions; since afflictions are absent, this is ultimate purity, the revealing-cause buddha-nature. Activity and existence are the path of karma, which is itself liberation; liberation is sovereign mastery, the conditional-cause buddha-nature. Name-and-form and aging-and-death are the path of suffering; suffering is itself the dharma-kāya. The dharma-kāya has neither suffering nor pleasure, and this is called great bliss. Non-arising and non-dying are permanence, the direct-cause buddha-nature. Therefore it is said that between the two—ignorance and craving—is the Middle Way. Ignorance is the past, and craving is the present; whether extreme or middle, there is nothing that is not buddha-nature, and all are permanence, bliss, self, and purity. Ignorance does not arise, nor does it cease. This is called the twelve links of the inconceivable non-arising and non-ceasing of conditioned arising.