花嚴經文義綱目 1.24

1.24

總者，古德出宗不同。如遠法師，以花嚴三昧為宗。又衍師等，以法界為宗等。今依光統師，以因果緣起理實為宗趣。因果是位，緣起是義，理實是體，以因果與理實不二，故是緣起也。又因果約事，緣起會相，理實顯體。此中作二門：一約文。或唯果，如〈不思議品〉及〈舍那品〉等。或唯因，如〈明難品〉至〈僧祇品〉及〈普賢品〉等。或俱，如七八二會。或俱非，如〈性起品〉。若細取一一會一一品，亦一一文皆具因果，思之可見。二約義。或因果俱因，以約緣起故此通一部，以果分不可說故。或因果俱果，以起即不起故、因相盡故，約理實也。或前俱果，因以是所起故。或後俱因，果以是所依本故，由是緣起理實故。或因即果、果即因，因非果、果非因，因是因、果是果，因非因、果非果，如是無障無礙。人法教義等，皆准此知。

Generally speaking, ancient masters differed in identifying the central theme. For instance, Dharma Master Yuan took the Avataṃsaka-samādhi as the central theme. Master Yan and others took the dharmadhātu as the central theme, and so forth. Now, relying on Master Guangtong, we take cause and effect, pratītyasamutpāda, and the real fact of principle as the central theme and orientation. Cause and effect is the stage, pratītyasamutpāda is the meaning, and the real fact of principle is the essence; because cause and effect is not two from the real fact of principle, it is pratītyasamutpāda. Furthermore, cause and effect concerns phenomena, pratītyasamutpāda unifies characteristics, and the real fact of principle reveals the essence. Here two approaches are made: 1. In terms of the text: It is either solely fruit, as in the "Inconceivable Chapter" and the "Rocana Chapter" and so forth; or solely cause, as from the "Chapter on Clarifying Difficulties" to the "Asaṃkhyeya Chapter" and the "Samantabhadra Chapter" and so forth; or both, as in the seventh and eighth assemblies; or neither, as in the "Chapter on the Arising of the Tathāgata Nature." If one examines each assembly and each chapter in detail, each and every passage also possesses both cause and effect, as can be seen upon reflection. 2. In terms of the meaning: Either cause and effect are both cause, which, being viewed in terms of pratītyasamutpāda, applies throughout the entire work, because the fruition-division is ineffable. Or cause and effect are both fruit, because arising is non-arising and the marks of cause are exhausted, which is in terms of the real fact of principle. Or the former are both fruit, because the cause is that which is arisen. Or the latter are both cause, because the fruit is the basis upon which it relies, by virtue of pratītyasamutpāda and the real fact of principle. Or cause is identical to fruit, fruit is identical to cause; cause is not fruit, fruit is not cause; cause is cause, fruit is fruit; cause is not cause, fruit is not fruit—thus there is no hindrance and no obstruction. Person, Dharma, teaching, meaning, and so on are all to be understood following this.