大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 78.12

78.12

From the commentary's "Evil karma and good roots" onward: this wards off an objection to explain the text. Fearing that someone might object, saying: "Since hell and the body arise from evil karma, they come from within evil karma; since the previously mentioned retribution of karma achieves buddhahood, it comes from within good roots. Why is it said in both cases that they do not come from the ten directions?" Therefore it is now explained: "Precisely because it arises from karma, this is arising from conditions without self-nature, so coming is non-coming. If it did not arise from conditions, there would be a fixed nature, and one could not have non-coming." The Madhyamakaśāstra says: "If phenomena arise from conditions, / that means they are without a fixed nature. / If they are without a fixed nature, / how could such phenomena exist?" This is simply the meaning of emptiness by reason of causes and conditions. Regarding the commentary's "Causes and conditions are named wisdom": this is a brief, implicit citation of Nirvāṇa [Sūtra] 21 as proof, which was already cited in the earlier commentary. That sūtra says: "The Dharma of wisdom does not arise from causes and conditions; why ask about causes and conditions?" Here we adopt this rhetorical force: for what reason, O sons of gods, did you previously doubt? For what reason did you emit this subtle and wondrous sound?