大般涅槃經集解 54.173

54.173

案道生曰：因果同為譬耳。作因果不同，前二分為四，此乃為三，此為異也。僧亮曰：舉十二因緣相生為類也。僧宗曰：無明為行作因，故言因也。此行復為識作因，若類前句，還以行為因因也。一以從前因而生、二以與識作因，故言因因也。而文句言無明為因因，亦應以十二因緣為因因，如似不類也，消息取耳。寶亮曰：為因果立譬也。就三法上互望之，有因因果果義也。

Daosheng comments: Causes and effects together serve as the metaphor. Their formulation of cause and effect is not the same: previously two were divided into four, whereas here there are three; this is the difference. Sengliang comments: This cites the mutual production of the twelve links of dependent origination as an analogy. Sengzong comments: Ignorance serves as the cause for formations, hence it is called the cause. These formations further serve as the cause for consciousness; if analogized to the previous sentence, formations would conversely be the cause of causes: first, in arising from the preceding cause; second, in serving as the cause for consciousness; hence they are called the cause of causes. However, the text says that ignorance is the cause of causes, so one should also take the twelve links of dependent origination as the cause of causes; it appears not to correspond analogously, which must be considered and grasped accordingly. Baoliang comments: This establishes a metaphor for cause and effect. Viewing the three phenomena in relation to each other, there is the meaning of cause of causes and effect of effects.