大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 9.17

9.17

Regarding the Commentary's statement "Three: in the final teaching, the characteristics of phenomena are spoken of sparsely," and so forth: the Commentary also has three parts: first, a general statement; next, specific explanations; and finally, a conclusion. Now, the first: in comparison to the preceding initial teaching, that there is more or less in each can be understood. Regarding "the characteristics of phenomena that are spoken of are also returned and integrated into the nature": for example, when the five aggregates are spoken of, the five aggregates are empty, and emptiness is precisely dharmatā. A subsequent passage says: "The phenomena of the five aggregates in the three periods of time are called the world. Their cessation is not the world; such things are merely conventional designations." It also says: "Where there is dispute, saṃsāra is spoken of; where there is no dispute, nirvāṇa is spoken of. Both saṃsāra and nirvāṇa are ungraspable," and so on. Again, for example, speaking of the mind: "The mind is precisely free from thoughts, of one mark with the dharmadhātu, the ocean of worlds of the Flower Store, the dharmadhātu without distinctions," and so forth. Such passages are more than one. Therefore, in this school, it is not that characteristics are absent; the intention of the school is to reveal the nature as profound and subtle, causing living beings to comprehend this and quickly realize bodhi. Therefore the chapter "Awakening through Light" says: "That which is turned by the Tathāgata..." and so on.