法界次第初門 3.20

3.20

次六波羅蜜而辯四依者，菩薩既欲學六波羅蜜之正行，而行不孤立，必有所依而得成就。依憑若正，則具正行，能至菩提；依憑若邪，則墮邪道。故次六度而明四依也。此四通名依者，依憑也。依憑此四法，能成諸波羅蜜萬行之因，滿足菩提佛果，故云依也。

The reason the four reliances are explained next after the six pāramitās is that the bodhisattva, having wished to learn the correct practice of the six pāramitās, finds that practice does not stand alone; it must have that upon which it relies in order to achieve completion. If the reliance is correct, one then possesses correct practice and is able to reach bodhi; if the reliance is corrupt, one then falls into corrupt paths. Therefore, after the six pāramitās, the four reliances are clarified. The reason these four are collectively called 'reliances' (yī) is that they are bases of reliance. Relying upon these four dharmas can accomplish the cause of the myriad practices of the pāramitās and fulfill the buddha-fruit of bodhi; hence they are called 'reliances'.