大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 75.30

75.30

Regarding the Commentary's statement, "Sixth, on the cloth becoming an elephant," and so forth: in the previous first phrase, the cloth becoming an elephant was contrasted with differentiation and therefore was not different; now it is contrasted with the emptiness of essence and therefore is not identical. First, he directly clarifies this. Under "Furthermore, the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra says: 'The seven consciousnesses do not transmigrate,'" he adduces scriptural proof; that is the fourth fascicle of the sūtra, which was already cited previously. However, although it was fully cited before, the intention then was on the Tathāgatagarbha experiencing suffering and pleasure, taking it to mean concord with conditions to produce phenomena. Now, although the Commentary fully cites it, the intention is to take the sense that the seven consciousnesses do not transmigrate, thereby establishing mutual contradiction, because the branches are immediately empty. "The seven consciousnesses do not transmigrate" means that because the root harms the branches to make them empty, there is nothing that can transmigrate. "Only the Tathāgatagarbha experiences suffering and pleasure" means that because the branches harm the root, it does not keep its own nature, and the pure essence follows conditions to become existent. Just as it is about to become an elephant, it is contradicted by the emptiness of essence; just as it is about to be empty of essence, it is contradicted by the formation of an elephant; therefore they are not identical.