華嚴法界玄鏡 2.29

2.29

The commentary says: The third part is the concluding exhortation, which has two parts: first, concluding the preceding meanings; second, exhorting practice to accomplish the contemplation. In the first part, there is first a general statement: if a single meaning is missing, it is not true pratītyasamutpāda. Then, from "Viewed from principle" onward, it separately gathers the ten gates to form eight words; however, gates one, three, five, seven, and nine view phenomena from principle, while gates two, four, six, eight, and ten view principle from phenomena. First, regarding principle viewed from phenomena: having "establishment" is the third gate, of establishing phenomena based on principle; having "destruction" is the fifth gate, of true principle annulling phenomena; having "identity" is the seventh gate, of true principle being identical to phenomena; having "detachment" is the ninth gate, of true principle not being phenomena. In phenomena viewed from principle: having "manifestation" is the fourth gate, of phenomena being able to manifest principle; having "concealment" is the sixth gate, of phenomena being able to conceal principle; having "oneness" is the eighth gate, of phenomenal dharmas being identical to principle; having "difference" is the tenth gate, of phenomenal dharmas not being principle. Now, establishment, destruction, and so forth are spoken of in terms of function: saying there is "establishment" means principle can establish phenomena, not that principle establishes itself. The other seven are also like this; thus, each and every gate contains the meaning of the non-obstruction of principle and phenomena, hence it says "Viewed from principle looking at phenomena," and so on. The reason mutual pervasion is not brought together here has three meanings: first, it is the general characteristic, and the subsequent eight [gates] are accomplished based on this mutual pervasion; second, mutual pervasion has no distinct or different characteristic, unlike the distinctions of establishment, destruction, concealment, manifestation, and so forth; third, it is broadly identical with mutual identity and subsumed by mutual identity. Stating "In reverse and direct order there is mastery" means: principle and phenomena looking at each other each have two direct and two reverse [aspects]; three (establishment) and seven (identity) are principle direct toward phenomena; four (manifestation) and eight (identity) are phenomena direct toward principle; five (annulment) and nine (negation) are principle reverse toward phenomena; six (concealment) and ten (negation) are phenomena reverse toward principle. The words "mutual pervasion" are also direct; wishing to establish, it establishes; wishing to destroy, it destroys; wishing to manifest, it manifests; wishing to conceal, it conceals, and so forth; hence it is called "mastery." Establishment does not obstruct destruction, destruction does not obstruct establishment, and so forth, hence it is called "unimpeded." The very time of establishment is the time of destruction, and so on, hence it says "simultaneously." The five pairs have no before or after, hence it says "arising suddenly." Furthermore, in the above four pairs, principle viewed from phenomena has only establishment and so forth, and not manifestation and so forth; phenomena viewed from principle has only manifestation and so forth, and not establishment and so forth. Because phenomena are established from principle, it may be granted to say "establishment." Because principle is not newly existent, one can only speak of "manifestation." Since established phenomena must cease, one can say "destruction." True principle is permanently abiding, so one can only speak of "concealment." Because principle has no form or characteristics, it can only be identical to phenomena. Because phenomena have ten thousand distinctions, they can merge with principle, so one can say "oneness." Principle is detached from all characteristics, so it says "detached from phenomena." Phenomena have distinctions, so it says "different characteristics." Above, differentiated according to meaning, there are these differences. Collecting them together, they only form five pairs. Among the five, the first four clarify that principle and phenomena are not detached, while the last one clarifies that principle and phenomena are not identical; neither identical nor detached is precisely the characteristic of pratītyasamutpāda. Furthermore, among the five pairs there are three meanings in total: the pair of establishment and manifestation is the meaning of principle and phenomena mutually producing each other; the two pairs of annulment-concealment and non-identity are the meaning of principle and phenomena running counter to each other; the two pairs of mutual pervasion and mutual identity are the meaning of principle and phenomena not obstructing each other. Furthermore, due to mutual pervasion there is mutual production; due to mutual production there is mutual identity; due to running counter to each other there is non-identity. Moreover, if there were no non-identity, there would be nothing to be identical, and so on up to mutual pervasion. Because of mutual pervasion, the four pairs are all established; therefore it is said that true emptiness and marvelous existence each have four meanings. Principle viewed from phenomena has the four meanings of true emptiness: first, the meaning of abandoning oneself to establish the other, which is the gate of establishing phenomena based on principle; second, the meaning of annihilating the other to manifest oneself, which is the gate of true principle annulling phenomena; third, the meaning of both self and other being preserved, which is the gate of true principle not being phenomena; fourth, the meaning of both self and other being annihilated, which is the gate of true principle being identical to phenomena. Due to their mutual identity, they can mutually annihilate each other. Furthermore, from the first and the third there is the gate of principle pervading phenomena, because by preserving itself its entire substance establishes the other, thereby pervading the other. Next, phenomena viewed from principle has the four meanings of marvelous existence: first, the meaning of manifesting the other while exhausting oneself, which is the gate of phenomena being able to manifest principle; second, the meaning of manifesting oneself while concealing the other, which is the gate of phenomena being able to conceal principle; third, the meaning of both self and other being preserved, which is the gate of phenomenal dharmas not being principle; fourth, the meaning of both self and other being annihilated, which is the gate of phenomenal dharmas being identical to principle. Furthermore, from the first and the third there is the gate of phenomena being identical to and pervading principle, because by preserving itself it can manifest the other, thereby pervading the other. Therefore, regarding existence, preservation, and demise being unhindered in true emptiness, and concealment and manifestation having mastery, they are in reverse and direct order with mastery, unhindered and unimpeded. Second, from "Reflecting deeply" onward, it exhorts practice to accomplish the contemplation. Learning without reflecting is equivalent to gaining nothing; realizing and reaching it in one's mind, one turns an ordinary person into a sage.