大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 36.68

36.68

Regarding the Commentary's statement, "Because it can generate the Buddha-fruit, it is called the path of the generative cause": the above explained the direct cause; here, it explains the generative cause. Previously, there were six pairs of generative and revealing causes: the first three pairs take the cause as the generative cause and the condition as the revealing cause, all in terms of that which can produce; the latter three pairs discuss generative and revealing by looking from the cause toward the fruit. Here, it is the former sense: just as milk is the generative cause, while yeast and the like are the revealing cause. Milk and the like are similes for sentient beings, functioning as causes looking toward the Buddha-fruit.