大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 75.25

75.25

Regarding the commentary's statement from "If according to the two meanings on the cloth" onward: this is the second, distinguishing non-identity and non-difference in relation to the first approach. The commentary's text has three parts: first, marking what is relied upon; second, from "First, according to the cloth" onward, listing and explaining the ten propositions; third, from "If according to the approach of non-difference" onward, concluding the essential meaning. Now for the first: the phrase "the two meanings on the cloth" refers to, first, the meaning of abiding in its own nature, and second, the meaning of forming an elephant. The first is the meaning of being unchanging, and the second is the meaning of concordance with conditions. The two meanings on the elephant are: first, the meaning of emptiness of essence, and second, the meaning of differentiation. The first is the lack of nature, and the second is illusory existence. In the second part, specifically explaining the ten propositions: the first four propositions are non-difference; the next four propositions are non-identity; the ninth and tenth propositions subsume the preceding two approaches to clarify non-identity and non-difference. Within the first [group of] non-difference: the first proposition is the non-difference between concordance with conditions and differentiation; the second proposition is the non-difference between being unchanging and emptiness of essence; the third proposition combines the preceding two propositions in terms of non-obstruction; the fourth proposition combines the preceding two propositions in terms of mutual displacement. Now, within the first proposition, the commentary from "The sūtra says: 'The dharmakāya transmigrates'" onward cites testimony. It cites two sūtras as proof, which were already distinguished in the "Clarifying Inquiries" [chapter] and will now be explained again. First, "The dharmakāya transmigrating in the five destinies is called sentient beings" is from the Anūnatvāpūrṇatvanirdeśa-sūtra. The dharmakāya is precisely tathatā; transmigrating in the five destinies is concordance with conditions; and being called sentient beings is the meaning of differentiation. Next, "The tathāgatagarbha undergoes suffering and pleasure, is conjoined with causes, and appears to arise and cease" is from the fourth [fascicle] of the Laṅkāvatāra. It says there: "Mahāmati, the seven consciousnesses do not transmigrate, do not undergo suffering and pleasure, and are not the cause of nirvāṇa. Mahāmati, the tathāgatagarbha undergoes suffering and pleasure, is conjoined with causes, and appears to arise and cease." The explanation is: The seven consciousnesses arise and cease from moment to moment and are impermanent; arising, they immediately vanish. Transmigrating like a flowing river, they have no established essence of their own, and therefore do not undergo suffering and pleasure. They are neither the basis for defilement nor the basis for untainted nirvāṇa. As for the tathāgatagarbha, it is truly permanent and omnipresent, yet when one is deluded about this in the six destinies, it can concord with conditions to accomplish things and undergo the fruits of suffering and pleasure. Being conjoined with the seven consciousnesses is called "conjoined with causes." Not keeping to its own nature, it forms the seven consciousnesses, and relying on this it undergoes arising and ceasing; hence it is said to "appear to arise and cease." This clarifies that the tathāgatagarbha is precisely tathatā, which undergoes suffering and pleasure and so forth because it concords with conditions.