大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 89.55

89.55

In the commentary, regarding "Third, harmonising and returning to the middle way", there are two parts in the commentary: first an overall explanation, and then a specific analysis. In the former, where it says "Each phrase in turn leaves behind the above errors", it is like how a sprout arising from a seed is free from annihilation, permanence, causelessness, inversions, and so forth. Here, speaking generally for now, without setting it against the various errors, it simply explains the meaning of the middle way in a common sense. In the commentary, from "Just as a seed produces a sprout..." onward, in the specific analysis, it demonstrates the mark of the middle way solely through the seed and sprout. The rest are all omitted. Explaining this middle contemplation encompasses the previous two; this reveals that emptiness and the provisional are precisely the emptiness and provisional of this middle way, not that one enters this middle from that emptiness and provisional. "Thus leaving behind annihilation, permanence, and so forth": this explains the preceding text by analogy, collectively departing from all errors. In the commentary, "The seed and sprout are a horizontal metaphor for the ten thousand dharmas": because it speaks of knowing all dharmas. That is, whether good or evil, internal or external, they all arise from their own seeds through provisional conditions. "Just as an impression produces an inscription is a vertical metaphor for all dharmas": "this skandha also ceases", meaning the present skandha ceases. "That skandha arises in succession": viewing the three times in mutual relation. This is from the Nirvāṇa Sūtra, already cited in the "Summit of Mount Sumeru Chapter", and is now briefly shown again. That is, when this skandha ceases, the intermediate skandha arises. Yet these five skandhas do not travel to the intermediate skandha, nor do the five skandhas of the intermediate existence come from elsewhere; dependent on the present skandha, there is the skandha of intermediate existence. "Just as a wax seal stamps clay": the wax seal is compared to the present skandha. The formation of the imprint on the clay illustrates the intermediate skandha. The destruction of the seal is the cessation of the present skandha. The formation of the imprint is the arising of the intermediate skandha. The seal does not travel into the clay, just as the present skandha does not travel to the future skandha. Producing this imprint through the causes and conditions of the seal is just like having the intermediate skandha dependent on the present skandha. The present skandha not traveling to the future skandha is non-permanence; the future skandha not coming from elsewhere but existing dependent on the present skandha is non-annihilation. Non-annihilation and non-permanence are the meaning of the middle way. The rest are as explained before. In the commentary, "Comprehending that the world is manifested by mind is also the mind-only contemplation": this is precisely the middle way, hence the word "also" is used. That is, the three contemplations are distinguished in terms of mind-only: the provisional mind manifesting through conditions is the provisional contemplation; manifesting yet lacking self-nature is the contemplation of emptiness; the above two being non-dual is the contemplation of the middle way. The subsequent phrases of doctrine and metaphor can be known in contrast to the above. The "praise of the inhabited upper-storied pavilion" is vast in principle and extensive in scriptural text; by analogy it can be known, and so is not explained in detail.