大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 53.24

53.24

Regarding the commentary's: "The treatise says: within this matter..." on downward, this is the third part, explaining the root treatise. Ancient masters had three explanations. One says: "Within this matter" is the true path of seeing; "within that time" is the preceding time of the stage of contemplation. The second says: "Within this matter" is the same as the former; "within that time" is the subsequent stage of the path of cultivation, which must also be understood well, as below in the fruition of setting out, where one must know from the second bhūmi up to the buddha-fruition. The third says: "This matter" is within the subsequent path of seeing characteristics; "that time" is the true path of seeing of the fundamental cognition, both of which must be known well. Now, because the latter view is somewhat more correct, we rely upon it, and both belong to the path of seeing characteristics; both are subsequent [cognition], which differs from past interpretations, because modeling on the true path of seeing to contemplate that direct realization is also subsequent [cognition]. The commentary's: "Viewing [this] in comparison with the previous true [path], it is therefore called 'that'" means that characteristics constitute "this."