大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 9.24

9.24

The Commentary states: "The four characteristics are simultaneous, and their essential nature is precisely extinguished"; this is the seventh [section], concerning the meaning of simultaneity within the distinction between the four characteristics being simultaneous versus successive. Because taking essential extinction as extinction is adopted, they can be simultaneous. Therefore the *Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra* states: 'At initial arising there is extinction; I do not teach this to fools. All dharmas do not arise; I speak of the meaning of the kṣaṇa.' The *Vimalakīrtinirdeśa* states: 'For you at this very moment also arise, also age, and also become extinguished.' It also states: 'The past is already extinguished, the future has not yet arrived, and the present has no abiding; the three times are all empty.' Therefore, the essential nature being precisely extinguished is returning characteristics to nature. Hence the *Awakening of Faith* states: 'If one attains non-thought, one knows the mind's characteristics of arising, abiding, change, and extinction. Because of non-thought and the like, in truth there is no difference of initial awakening. Because the four characteristics exist simultaneously, all lacking self-standing, they are fundamentally equal and share the same single awakening.' The former teaching provisionally establishes four characteristics, so they are not simultaneous; this teaching takes the entity of the characterized dharmas to be harmonized in accordance with dharmatā, and therefore the characterizing characteristics also arise and cease without obstruction.