華嚴經探玄記 18.45

18.45

Seventh, within deferring and not deferring, there are two: the spiritual benefactors of the various stages all conclude their own share and look up with deference to the superior advancement [of the next]. Only the first one and the last three have no concluding and no deferring, in order to manifest the veneration of the person and the perfection of virtue. Why is there a sending off? It symbolizes causing the stage to increase and reveals the distinctness of the Dharma gates. The other stages have concluding and deferring, because the causal practice is not yet complete. If so, why do Samantabhadra and others not defer to the Buddha? Because they are not gathered under good friends of the causal stages.