華嚴經探玄記 13.60

13.60

First, with regard to the sūtra: it clarifies that once the false marks of these branches of existence are exhausted, they conform to having nothing and penetrate through to the absolute truth. This reveals that without destroying the conventional, it is ever true; therefore it says that with ignorance as cause and condition formations arise, which conforms to having nothing. Question: Ignorance producing formations conforms to having something; why does it say it conforms to having nothing? Answer: Following the sequence of the preceding gates up to this point, it reveals that when that ignorance is just producing formations, it conforms to non-production and enters into the principle. Such is the intention of the sūtra. Question: If the forward contemplation is thus, what about the reverse? Answer: Since the nature of production is exhausted, both having something and having nothing are transcended; therefore it says 'the explanation of the contemplation of the exhaustion of conforming to having nothing'. The meaning of 'explanation' is the same as before; ponder and grasp its import.