大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 67.47

67.47

Regarding the commentary's statement, "The rest are as explained elsewhere": this was already briefly shown in the first bhūmi, and is now briefly clarified once more. That is, it is sometimes taught that the true nature has neither beginning nor end, because the nature is free from arising and ceasing. The nature-virtues, [numerous as] the sands of the Ganges, are explained as characteristics in reliance upon essence; they too have neither beginning nor end. Realising pure bodhi has a beginning but no end; because it is attained through initial cultivation, it is said to have a beginning, yet because it secretly accords with the true nature, it has no end. The deceptive phenomena of saṃsāra have no beginning but do have an end; because thoughts have never yet been parted from, they have no beginning, yet because delusion can be severed, being originally present and now absent, they are said to have an end. If spoken of in terms of causes bringing about effects, avidyā is the beginning and old age and death are the end, so there are both beginning and end. In terms of cognition tallying with principle, principle has neither beginning nor end, and cognition likewise has no beginning; if it were not so, true cognition would not be identical with the real. Deceptive phenomena have two [aspects under which] they also have neither beginning nor end: first, because when arising from conditions their entire essence is empty, there is nothing that can have a beginning or an end; second, because delusion is identical with the real, they have neither beginning nor end, just as waves are identical with wetness, and being identical with the nature, have no end. When one observes conventional [truth] in concordance with it, it is identical with the ultimate truth; if there were beginning and end, it would not be identical with the real. Therefore the commentary concludes: "Thus the true principles of both defilement and purity are free from beginning and end."