華嚴法界玄鏡 2.21

2.21

The commentary says: Below is the fourth pair, mutual identity. Earlier, concealment and annulment were explained: phenomena conceal principle yet principle does not perish; principle annuls phenomena yet phenomena still remain. Although it is said that the annulment of phenomena is complete, the meaning lies in the phenomenal characteristics being empty, not in the non-existence of those phenomena. Now, mutual identity is explained: abandoning oneself to identify with the other, each is solely the other. In this seventh gate, principle is viewed from phenomena, and there are also the Dharma and a metaphor. In the Dharma, first there is a brief explanation; then, from "because it is the selflessness of dharmas" onward, the reason is given. If it were merely emptiness, existing outside of phenomena, then it would not be identical to phenomena. Now, since identical dharmas are the principle of selflessness, what principle could there be apart from phenomena? Therefore, principle is empty and devoid of [independent] essence; it takes the original emptiness and quiescence of phenomenal dharmas in their entirety to be true principle. In the metaphor, there is no movement that is not wetness: by phenomena being identical to principle, it intends to clarify that wetness is taken in its entirety to be movement, and thus principle is identical to phenomena.