觀音玄義 2.38

2.38

第三明宗者，以感應為宗，十界之機扣寂照之知，致有前後感應之益。益文雖廣，直將感應往收，如牽綱目動，所以用感應為宗。餘經或用因果為宗，今品不爾者，因果語通，從凡乃至上地各有因果，能感所感既皆有因果，但經文意似不至此，機家雖有因果，但以感為名，聖雖無因果，但以應為名，則扶文義便也。感應義有六：一列名、二釋相、三釋同異、四明相對、五明普不普、六辯觀心，具在《大本》。

Third, explaining the central theme: taking stimulus and response as the central theme. When the capacities of the ten realms knock upon the knowledge of calm illumination, this brings about the benefits of prior and subsequent stimulus and response. Although the text on benefits is broad, directly using stimulus and response to subsume it is like pulling the main cord of a net so that all the meshes move; this is why stimulus and response are used as the central theme. Other sūtras sometimes use cause and effect as the central theme, but this chapter does not do so because the term 'cause and effect' is general: from ordinary beings up to the higher stages, each has cause and effect; since both the agent of stimulus and the object of stimulus have cause and effect, the intent of the sūtra text does not seem to refer to this. Although the party of capacity has cause and effect, it is only designated by 'stimulus'; although the sage is without cause and effect, [the sage] is only designated by 'response'—this then accords with the meaning of the text and is convenient. There are six points in the meaning of stimulus and response: first, listing names; second, explaining marks; third, explaining identity and difference; fourth, explaining relative opposition; fifth, explaining universal and non-universal; sixth, discerning the contemplation of mind. These are fully set forth in the *Great Text*.