大般涅槃經義記 4.39

4.39

In the second section, first the metaphor is established, and then the doctrine is revealed in reference to it. In the metaphor, it clarifies that although the producer and the produced are different before and after, their nature is identical and non-dual, by which it analogizes that although ignorance, formations, and so forth are different before and after, their true nature is non-dual. In the text, it first says, "Conditioned by this cow eating water and grass, blood transforms into milk," clarifying the two of before and after. Below, it clarifies that their nature is non-dual in reference to these two: "Eating sweet [grass], the milk is sweet; eating bitter [grass], the milk is bitter; eating rich grass, one obtains pure clarified butter," clarifying that their nature is non-dual; the milk produced from eating grass versus grain differs in color and flavor—when eating grain the milk is good, and when eating grass the milk is poor—clarifying that their nature is non-dual. Below, it reveals the doctrine in reference to this: "Taking light and ignorance to give rise to two characteristics" corresponds to eating water and grass; "blood transforms into milk" clarifies the duality of doctrinal characteristics. "If ignorance transforms, it becomes light" corresponds to eating sweet grass making the milk sweet, and so forth, clarifying that their nature is non-dual. "All dharmas are also like this" analogizes the subsequent by the initial; "having no two characteristics" concludes the meaning of duality and non-duality, as also distinguished above.