大般涅槃經集解 54.185

54.185

案道生曰：作有故起滅。得本自然，無起滅矣。僧亮曰：菩提果性非因所作，所以名第一義也。僧宗曰：謂三菩提也。非因故非因，不為生所生故非果也。以非生因所得故，所以常恒也。寶亮曰：第四意，明判因果性位也。是因者，正因也。正因唯得居因位，不得稱果也。是果非因者，涅槃也。唯得名果，不得稱因也。是因是果者，緣因性有，即因即果義也。非因非果者，還遣向言涅槃名果、萬行是因。物情執言，謂是生因生果；今遣言：涅槃之體，百非所不得，非生因之因，復非生因之果，無名無相，豈是因是果耶？

Daosheng comments: Because conditioned existence is created, it arises and ceases. Attaining the fundamental nature, there is no arising or ceasing. Sengliang comments: The nature of the fruit of bodhi is not produced by causes; hence it is called the supreme truth. Sengzong comments: This refers to sambodhi. Because it is not a cause, it is not a cause; because it is not produced by arising, it is not an effect. Because it is not obtained through an active cause of production, it is permanent and eternal. Baoliang comments: In the fourth point, it clarifies and distinguishes the natures and positions of cause and effect. 'That which is a cause' is the direct cause. The direct cause can only occupy the position of cause, and cannot be called an effect. 'That which is an effect and not a cause' is nirvāṇa. It can only be called an effect, and cannot be designated a cause. 'That which is both cause and effect' means that the nature of the conditioning cause exists, which is the sense of being simultaneously cause and effect. 'That which is neither cause nor effect' overturns the earlier statement that nirvāṇa is called an effect and the myriad practices are a cause. Ordinary grasping says that they are productive causes and produced effects; now it is overturned, saying: the substance of nirvāṇa cannot be apprehended by any of the hundred negations; it is not a cause of production, nor is it an effect of production; having no name and no characteristics, how could it be cause or effect?