華嚴經探玄記 16.15

16.15

二來意，亦二：先分來，謂會前差別因果令歸平等。即會前從第二會至〈菩薩住處品〉來差別因，歸此普賢圓因故；〈性起品〉會〈不思議品〉來三品差別果，歸平等性故，是故來也。又釋：上來差別明三乘因果，此下明一乘因果，明與上三乘為所依故也。又推前差別，至此本位故來也。又前明修生，此明修顯故也。二品來者。前品明前位修果，此品辨後位了因。義次第故，是故來也。

Second, the rationale for its placement also has two aspects: First, the placement of the division: it gathers the previous differentiated causes and fruits to make them return to equality. That is, it gathers the differentiated causes from the second assembly up to the 'Chapter on the Dwellings of Bodhisattvas' to return them to this perfect cause of Samantabhadra; and the 'Chapter on Nature Manifestation' gathers the differentiated fruits of the three chapters coming from the 'Chapter on the Inconceivable' to return them to equal nature; hence it comes here. Another explanation: above, the differentiated causes and fruits of the three vehicles were explained; below, the causes and fruits of the One Vehicle are explained, showing that they are the basis for the three vehicles above. Furthermore, it traces the previous distinctions back to this fundamental stage, hence it comes here. Furthermore, what was previously explained was cultivation and generation, while what is explained here is cultivation and revelation, hence it comes here. Second, the placement of the chapter: the previous chapter explained the cultivated fruit of the preceding stage; this chapter discerns the clarifying cause of the subsequent stage. Because of the sequence of meaning, it therefore comes here.