華嚴一乘法界圖 1.57

1.57

Question: What is the meaning of "in the same place side by side"? Answer: "In the same place side by side" has the meaning of not knowing each other. Why? Because of non-differentiation. Question again: What is the meaning of "non-differentiation"? Answer: "Non-differentiation" has the meaning of arising from conditions. That is to say, beginning and end and so forth are without duality or distinction. Why is it like this? All conditionally arisen dharmas have no maker, no accomplisher, and no knower; quiescence and function are of a single characteristic, high and low are of a single flavor, just like empty space. The dharmatā of all dharmas has originally been like this. Therefore the sūtra says: "Observe that all dharmas have neither arising nor ceasing, yet exist due to causes and conditions." Passages such as this express precisely this meaning.