大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 64.37

64.37

疏「前滅後生」者，無明緣行，前緣已滅引起後故。若前不滅則墮常故，若後不生即是斷故。無明緣行者，由前滅故後方得生，十二支皆然，自是一義釋之。

On "the former ceases and the latter arises": with avidyā conditioning saṃskāras, the former condition has already ceased, giving rise to what follows. If the former did not cease, one would fall into eternalism; if the latter did not arise, that would be annihilationism. Avidyā conditioning saṃskāras means: because the former ceases, the latter is then able to arise. The twelve links are all like this; this is naturally explained as a single meaning.