大方廣佛華嚴經疏 4.6

4.6

Fifth, the outline of interlocking connections before and after is also divided into ten: First, the first assembly is the cause and effect of dependent recompense: the first clarifies the fruit of dependent recompense, and the subsequent 'Vairocana Chapter' explains the cause. Second, further taking 'Vairocana' and the first three chapters of the second assembly as the cause and effect of primary recompense: cause first, fruit second. Third, from 'Name' to 'Abodes of Bodhisattvas' is named the cause and effect of relying and arising, because one cultivates and arises by relying on the fundamentally existent: fruit first, cause second. Fourth, from the 'Chapter on Inquiries for Clarification' to the 'Chapter on the Secondary Marks' clarifies distinct cause and effect: cause first, fruit second. Fifth, taking from 'Inconceivable' down to the 'Chapter on the Practice of Samantabhadra' as the cause and effect of perfect interpenetration: fruit first, cause second, because 'Inconceivable' and so on serves as the fruit for the preceding, and the fruit is distinct from the cause, while as the fruit for the subsequent, it interpenetrates and gathers each and every one. Now, there are six points of evidence to establish this: 1. In the outline of the mutual correspondence of cause and effect, it is mostly fruit first and cause second. 2. After [the] forty-eight [questions] there is no corroboration, but after the 'Practice of Samantabhadra' there is corroboration, which connects and subordinates it to the preceding. 3. At the beginning of the 'Samantabhadra Chapter' there is no distinct initiation, but immediately follows the preceding by stating 'briefly showing a small portion of the Tathāgata's realm.' 4. Explaining it through meaning, the 'Inconceivable Dharma' reveals that the Buddha's virtues are unfathomable, each and every one perfectly interpenetrating. 5. Although questions were raised before, at the beginning of the 'Inconceivable Chapter' the questions are recollected again. 6. At the beginning of the second assembly, the three karmas already served as distinct fruit. Due to these six points of evidence, the 'Chapter on the Practice of Samantabhadra' can be subordinated to the preceding cause. Sixth, taking the 'Practice of Samantabhadra' and the 'Chapter on Manifestation' as the equal cause and effect: cause first, fruit second. Seventh, taking 'Manifestation' and the 'Chapter on Transcending the World' as the cause and effect of manifestation: fruit first, cause second, because attaining buddhahood and nirvāṇa are also manifested through causes; it does not mean that genuine attainment depends on transcending the world as the cause before one can manifest in the world. Eighth, the 'Chapter on Transcending the World' is the cause and effect that accomplishes practice, because it generally explains practice and is complete with cause and effect. Ninth, taking the 'Chapter on Transcending the World' and the 'Dharmadhātu Chapter' as the cause and effect of the dharmadhātu: cause first, fruit second, because transcending the world accords with the dharmadhātu; hence the cause does not rely on stations, and the fruit is solely realization and entry. Tenth, the single 'Dharmadhātu Chapter' is in itself the cause and effect of realization and entry: fruit first, cause second. From Sudhana onward it is likewise the inexhaustible cause and effect: cause first, fruit second. Traversing events down to a single pore of Samantabhadra, the causes are inexhaustible; Samantabhadra speaks of the Buddha's virtues exceeding empty space, and the fruits are inexhaustible; since this is taken as the dissemination, it is not explained here.