大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 23.14

23.14

Regarding the Commentary's statement "as for the result being without distinction, it is answered within the seventh assembly itself": the word dāng (當) is in the falling tone, and has two meanings. First, in contrast to the dissimilarity of the preceding six assemblies, here it is answered only within the single seventh assembly. Because six chapters of the seventh assembly are the cause, it is not said that a single assembly answers. Second, not contrasting with the preceding six, but within the seventh assembly itself, the six chapters fulfill the causes and the five chapters consummate the results; since it shares the assembly with the causes, it is called "within the assembly itself." Right within the fulfillment of the causes, it clarifies the consummation of the result; hence it is called "within the assembly itself." Here there should be a question: If the result is without distinction, why is it not answered in a separate assembly? Therefore it is now answered: Wishing to show that when the causes are fulfilled one immediately attains the consummation of the result, it is answered within the assembly itself. If it were in yet another assembly, it would not encompass the fulfillment of the causes. Therefore, looking back, the first six chapters are causes; looking forward, they are results.