大乘義章 3.47

3.47

六種相者，出《華嚴經．十地品》也。諸法體狀，謂之為相。門別名門，此門所辨，異於餘門，故曰門別。如經中說不二法門有盡解脫門等。若對行心，能通趣入，故曰門也。門別不同，故有六種，所謂總、別、同、異、成、壞。此六乃是諸法體義，體義虛通，旨無不在。義雖遍在，事隔無之，是以論言「一切十句，皆有六相。除事，事謂陰界入等。」陰界入等彼此相望，事別隔礙不具斯六，所以除之。若攝事相以從體義，陰界入等一一之中皆具無量六相門也。今且就一色陰之中辨其六相，餘類可知。如一色陰，同體具有恒沙佛法，謂苦、無常、不淨、虛假、空、無我等一切佛法。是等諸法，義別體同，互相緣集，攝彼同體一切佛法以成一色，色名為總。就此總中，開出無量恒沙佛法，色隨彼法則有無量，所謂苦色、無常色、不淨色、名用色、空無我色，乃至真實緣起之色。如是無量差別之色，是名為別。就彼別中，苦無常等諸法之上皆有色義，名之為同。色義雖同，然彼色苦異、色無常異，如是一切各各不同，是名為異。就彼異中，義門雖殊，其體不別。體不別故，諸義雖眾，不得相離。不相離故，隨之辨色得攝為一，是故名成。成猶略也。體雖不別，義門恒異。義門異故，一色隨之，得為多色，目之為壞。壞猶廣也。據實論之，說前四門辨義應足，為約同異成前二門，故有六也。色義如是。今更就彼色無常中以辨六相，餘類可知。總攝諸義以為無常，是名為總。就此總中，開出無量恒沙佛法，無常隨彼則有無量，謂色無常、苦無常、不淨無常、空無常、無我無常，乃至真實緣起無常，有如是等無量差別，是名為別。就彼別中，色苦等上皆有無常，是名為異。無常雖同，而色苦等各各不同，是名為異。就此異中，義門雖殊，體性不別。性不別故，義門雖眾，不得相離。不相離故，隨諸義門所辨無常，得攝為一，是名為成。體雖不別，義門恒異。義門異故，無常隨之得為眾多，是名為壞。如是色中無量諸義，及餘一切陰界入等，准此可知。六相之義既通諸法，依法成行，行亦齊有，是故初地第四願中宣說，一切菩薩所行皆有總別同異等也。隨行所說，廣如《地論》。此六乃是大乘之淵綱、圓通之妙門，若能善會斯趣，一異等執逍然無迹。六相之義，略辨如是。

The six characteristics come from the 'Daśabhūmika' chapter of the Avataṃsaka Sūtra. The substantial forms of all dharmas are called their 'characteristics'. Individual approaches are called 'approaches'; because what is distinguished in this approach differs from other approaches, they are called 'individual approaches'. This is like the sūtras speaking of the 'non-dual Dharma-approach' or the 'inexhaustible liberation-approach', and so forth. In relation to the practitioner's mind, because it is capable of entering through them, it is called an 'approach'. Because the distinct approaches are not the same, there are six kinds: namely, universality, particularity, identity, difference, integration, and disintegration. These six are the substantial principles of all dharmas; their substantial principles are open and pervasive, and their import is nowhere absent. Although their principle is omnipresent, in differentiated phenomena they do not exist; hence the treatise states: 'All ten phrases possess the six characteristics, except in phenomena—phenomena referring to the aggregates, realms, and sense fields, and so forth.' When the aggregates, realms, sense fields, and so forth are viewed in relation to one another, their phenomenal distinctions constitute obstacles and do not fully possess these six; therefore they are excluded. If one subsumes phenomenal characteristics under the substantial principles, within each and every one of the aggregates, realms, sense fields, and so forth there are fully present immeasurable approaches of the six characteristics. Now, taking just the single form-aggregate, we distinguish its six characteristics; the others can be understood by analogy. For example, within the single form-aggregate, its identical substance possesses as many Buddha-dharmas as the sands of the Ganges—namely, suffering, impermanence, impurity, emptiness, no-self, and all other Buddha-dharmas. These various dharmas differ in principle but are identical in substance, conditioning and assembling together; subsuming all these Buddha-dharmas of identical substance to constitute the one form is called 'universality'. From within this universality, immeasurable Buddha-dharmas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges unfold; as form accords with those dharmas, it is immeasurable—namely, the form of suffering, the form of impermanence, the form of impurity, the form of names and functions, the form of emptiness and no-self, up to the form of true dependent origination. Such immeasurable distinct forms are called 'particularity'. Within those particularities, the principle of form is present upon all dharmas such as suffering and impermanence; this is called 'identity'. Although the principle of form is identical, yet form-suffering is distinct, form-impermanence is distinct, and in this manner all are individually different; this is called 'difference'. Within those differences, although the conceptual approaches are distinct, their substance is not different. Because the substance is not different, although the principles are manifold, they cannot be separated from one another. Because they are not separated, distinguishing form in accordance with them allows it to be subsumed into one; therefore it is called 'integration'. Integration is like abbreviation. Although the substance is not different, the conceptual approaches are ever distinct. Because the conceptual approaches are distinct, the one form accords with them and can become manifold forms; this is termed 'disintegration'. Disintegration is like expansion. Speaking according to fact, explaining the first four approaches would suffice to distinguish the principle; but to demonstrate the first two approaches by means of identity and difference, there are six. Such is the principle of form. Now we further distinguish the six characteristics in terms of the impermanence of form; the rest can be understood by analogy. Subsuming all principles into impermanence is called 'universality'. From within this universality, immeasurable Buddha-dharmas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges unfold; as impermanence accords with them, it is immeasurable—namely, the impermanence of form, the impermanence of suffering, the impermanence of impurity, the impermanence of emptiness, the impermanence of no-self, up to the impermanence of true dependent origination; having such immeasurable distinctions is called 'particularity'. Within those particularities, impermanence is present upon form, suffering, and so forth; this is called 'identity'. Although impermanence is identical, form, suffering, and so forth are individually different; this is called 'difference'. Within those differences, although the conceptual approaches are distinct, their substantial nature is not different. Because the nature is not different, although the conceptual approaches are manifold, they cannot be separated from one another. Because they are not separated, the impermanence distinguished in accordance with the conceptual approaches can be subsumed into one; this is called 'integration'. Although the substance is not different, the conceptual approaches are ever distinct. Because the conceptual approaches are distinct, impermanence accords with them and can become manifold; this is called 'disintegration'. The immeasurable principles within form, as well as all other aggregates, realms, and sense fields, can be understood by analogy with this. Since the principle of the six characteristics applies generally to all dharmas, when practice is cultivated in accordance with the Dharma, practice likewise possesses them equally; therefore, in the fourth vow of the first stage, it is proclaimed that all practices of bodhisattvas possess universality, particularity, identity, difference, and so forth. What is explained according to practice is detailed in the Treatise on the Ten Stages Sutra (*Daśabhūmivyākhyāna). These six are the profound guiding framework of the Mahāyāna and the wondrous gate of complete penetration; if one can skillfully grasp their purport, attachments to oneness and difference will vanish without a trace. The meaning of the six characteristics is briefly distinguished as above.