法界次第初門 3.61

3.61

The reason the ten similes are explained after the eighteen modes of emptiness is that these ten similes are taught in order to make emptiness easy to understand. If one who cultivates the contemplation of the eighteen modes of emptiness does not skillfully use the ten similes to illuminate their deluded attachments and stagnations in existence, there will be no way for a correct understanding of the true emptiness of dharmas to arise. Therefore, following the eighteen modes of emptiness, the ten similes are explained in order to bring about an easy awakening to the contemplation of emptiness, and also to distinguish it from the cultivation of emptiness by the two vehicles through destroying dharmas. The reason these ten are collectively called 'similes' is that concrete phenomena are borrowed to clarify principle, thereby illuminating deluded sentiments; hence they are called similes. Now, using the easily understood emptiness of worldly illusions and dreams to illustrate the difficult-to-understand emptiness of frozen attachments in a deluded mind, they are made equally easy to understand; thus these ten phenomena serve as similes.