大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 11.32

11.32

In the commentary, from "First, the meaning that the various conditions are each distinct" downward, is the second: the specific explanation. Among the ten gates, the first three are the root, and the latter seven arise from them. That is, the fourth, fifth, and sixth arise from the first gate; the seventh, eighth, and ninth arise from the second gate; and the tenth gate arises from the third gate; because the third gate merely combines the preceding two gates, it produces only a single gate. Regarding the first three gates: the first is the gate of distinct essences; the second is the gate of identical essence; the third is the joint elucidation of identity and difference. The reason there are identical and distinct essences is that within the gates of conditioned arising there are two meanings: first, the meaning of non-dependence, namely, inherently possessing virtue, like not relying on conditions within the cause; second, the meaning of dependence, like relying on conditions and so forth. The first is the gate of distinct essences, and the latter is the gate of identical essence. If so, why does the first gate of distinct essences say that the various conditions are each distinct and not confused with one another, while the second gate of identical essence says that mutually pervading and responding only then accomplishes conditioned arising? The explanation says: It is precisely because they are each distinct that they can rely on conditions. It is precisely because they pervade and respond that they inherently possess virtue. The reason the preceding two gates each generate three is that there are three meanings: 1. mutual support, possessing power and lacking power; 2. mutual eclipse, possessing essence and lacking essence; 3. essence and function mutually blending, without before and after. The main idea is already known.