大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 71.28

71.28

Seventh, the dense forest of taking birth (upapatti-gahana). "The treatise generally takes it as eight": among the eight, the first seven contrast causes to manifest fruits, and the final one clause reveals the accumulation capable of producing in contrast to subsequent suffering. Within the first seven, they are subsumed into three pairs: namely, the first two, the middle three, and the final two. Within these three pairs, the first in each discusses birth in terms of its direct characteristic, and the second speaks of birth in contrast to its cause. Within the first pair, "1. The varieties of bodies" discusses birth in terms of its direct characteristic. "2. The varieties of karmic causes" discerns birth in contrast to causes: because karma varies, the births that are generated are manifold. Among the three clauses of the second pair, the first two clauses discuss birth in terms of their direct characteristics. "3. The varieties of dwelling places": not only the six destinies, for within a single destiny there are immeasurable places. Regarding the commentary's phrase "4. The two lines of the fourth and fifth: the varieties of upper and lower in form and perception": the present sūtra's two lines form a single clause in the treatise. The sūtra says: "the diverse characteristics of having form and being formless, the diverse characteristics of having perception and being non-percipient." Two realms possess form, while the formless realm is formless; the heaven of non-perception is non-percipient, while the rest are all percipient. As for saying "upper and lower": taking the formless as upper and having form as lower; taking non-perception as upper and having perception as lower. There should also be neither-perception-nor-non-perception, which is also subsumed under non-perception. Yet the treatise only says "upper and lower in form and perception"; hence Master Yuan asked: "How can the formless be considered upper and lower within form?" The explanation states: "That realm lacks coarse form, but has subtle form." He also asked: "How can non-perception be considered upper and lower within perception?" The reply has the same meaning as before, intending that that realm lacks coarse perception, but has subtle perception. The rest is as discerned in the first stage. The commentary's phrase "5. The varieties of causes identical to external form" discerns birth in contrast to causes. Because it cites causes past karma to manifest that sprouts exist, as detailed in the sixth stage. In the third pair, "6. The varieties of individual essences" discusses birth in terms of its direct characteristic, also as in the sixth stage. However, some essences are solely form, and some essences possess both; hence it says "varieties."