華嚴經義海百門 1.9

1.9

Third, realising anutpāda: The dust mote is the condition for the mind, and the mind is the cause for the dust mote; when causes and conditions combine, illusory marks then arise. Because it arises from conditions, it must lack intrinsic nature. Why is this? Now, the dust mote does not condition itself; it must depend on the mind. The mind is not mind by itself; it also depends on conditions. Because they are mutually dependent, there is no fixed [entity]; they belong to conditional arising. Since there is no fixed [entity] and they belong to conditional arising, this is called non-arising (anutpāda); it is not that one speaks of non-arising apart from conditional arising. A treatise says: 'A cause does not produce itself; it arises because conditions arise. A condition does not produce itself; it arises because the cause arises.' Now, only through arising from conditions can it be called arising. Understanding that arising has no intrinsic nature is precisely non-arising. Yet arising and non-arising mutually establish and mutually negate each other: when negating, there is non-arising; when establishing, there is conditional arising. Because establishing is precisely negating, at the very time of arising there is non-arising. One who understands like this is said to have realised anutpāda.