淨名玄論 5.3

5.3

Cognition does not arise in isolation; it must be brought forth by an object. Therefore the object is the root of cognition. The object does not stand independently; it receives its designation on account of cognition. Therefore cognition is the root of the object. Without the object, there would be nothing to bring forth cognition; without cognition, there would be nothing to illuminate the object. Because without the object there is nothing to bring forth cognition, the object is that which can bring forth, and cognition is that which is brought forth. Because without cognition there is nothing to illuminate the object, cognition is that which can illuminate, and the object is that which is illuminated. Since the object is that which can bring forth and is illuminated by cognition, the object's being that which can [bring forth] constitutes the object of cognition. Since cognition is that which can illuminate and is brought forth by the object, cognition's being that which can [illuminate] constitutes the object of the object. That which is illuminated by the object can bring forth cognition; therefore that which the object [illuminates] is cognition's capacity. That which is brought forth by cognition can illuminate the object; therefore that which cognition [brings forth] is the object's capacity. One cannot say that the object is prior and cognition is posterior, nor that cognition is prior and the object posterior, nor that they are simultaneous; they can only be named conditioned object and cognition.