成唯識論述記 3.656

3.656

述曰：下顯因果不斷之義。二、於一法辨。法生時酬因，即後法為果，在現在法滅時引果，即前法為因在現在，此是二法為二時。今此所論即一法體生時為果，滅時為因，為果之時與前法俱，為因之時與後法並，此是一法。然現在二時，前後位別故，此之二時俱現在有，時雖有二，前後位別，而體是一，無別法體，即於一法而辨二時，為因為果。

The Commentary states: Below, it clarifies the meaning of cause and effect being uninterrupted. Second, analyzing them on a single dharma. When a dharma arises, it repays its cause—that is, the subsequent dharma acts as an effect; when it ceases in the present, it induces its effect—that is, the prior dharma acts as a cause in the present. This is two dharmas as two temporal positions. Now, what is discussed here is precisely one substantive entity: when arising, it is the effect; when ceasing, it is the cause. When it acts as the effect, it is together with the prior dharma; when it acts as the cause, it is paired with the subsequent dharma. This is a single dharma. However, there are two temporal positions in the present because of the distinction between prior and subsequent states. Therefore, both of these two temporal positions exist in the present; although the times are two, with distinct prior and subsequent states, their substance is one, without a separate dharma entity: that is, on a single dharma one distinguishes two temporal positions, serving as cause and serving as effect.