大方廣佛華嚴經疏 5.8

5.8

第七前後者，初列菩薩、後列餘眾者，表從本以起末。下讚即後明菩薩者，表尋末歸本。良以本末無二故，二文互舉。又從本流末，必先小後大，故自在天為末；攝末歸本，必從深至淺，故先明自在。然皆顯法界緣起逆順自在故也。又表四十位，一一皆徹因門並該果海故，互舉前後，令物不作優劣之解故。

Seventh, preceding and following: listing the bodhisattvas first and the other assemblies afterward expresses proceeding from the fundamental to raise the derivative. Praising them below and then explaining the bodhisattvas afterward expresses tracing the derivative to return to the fundamental. Truly, because the fundamental and derivative are not two, the two passages mention them reciprocally. Furthermore, flowing from the fundamental to the derivative must go first from small to great, hence the Sovereign Deva is at the end; gathering the derivative to return to the fundamental must go from deep to shallow, hence the Sovereign [Deva] is explained first. Yet both show that the pratītyasamutpāda of the dharmadhātu is sovereign whether progressing forward or in reverse. Furthermore, it expresses that the forty stations each completely penetrate the causal gate and encompass the ocean of fruition; hence their preceding and following are mentioned reciprocally, so that beings do not form notions of superior and inferior.