佛祖統紀 1.70

1.70

沙玄釋本迹有六義。謂本者。理本。即是實相一究竟道（大論佛言唯一究竟道無眾多究竟道也）迹者。除諸法實相其餘種種。皆名為迹。又理之與事。皆名為本（科云理真事俗）說理說事皆名教（籤云真俗是理說此真俗為教）又理事之教。皆名為本。稟教修行。名之為迹。如人依處則有行迹尋迹可得處也又行能證體。體為本。依體起用。用為迹。又實得體用。名為本。權施體用。名為迹。又今日所顯者為本。先來已說者為迹。此之六義。通論諸佛本迹也。其別論者。唯在今佛。亦有六義。一約理事明本迹者。從無住本立一切法。無住之理即是本時實相。真諦也。一切法即是本時森羅。俗諦也（此釋本迹之相○籤云。無明為一切法作本。無明即法性。無明復以法性為本。當知諸法亦以法性為本。法性即無明。法性復以無明為本。法性即無明。法性無住處。無明即法性。無明無住處。無明法性雖皆無住。而與一切諸法為本。故云從無住本立一切法。無住之本既通。是故真諦指理也。一切諸法事也）。

The Miaofa lianhua jing xuanyi explains origin and trace through six meanings: The origin is the fundamental principle, which is the ultimate path of the true nature of reality (the Dazhidu lun says: "The Buddha declared that there is only one ultimate path, not many ultimate paths"). The traces are everything other than the true nature of all phenomena; all are termed traces. Furthermore, both principle and phenomena are termed the origin (the section outline says: "principle is absolute truth, phenomena are conventional truth"). Speaking of principle and speaking of phenomena are both termed the teaching (the Shiqian says: "The absolute and the conventional are principle; expounding this absolute and conventional is teaching"). Furthermore, the teachings of principle and phenomena are both termed the origin, while practicing according to the teaching is termed trace. Just as when a person relies on a place there are footprints, and by following the footprints the place can be found. Furthermore, practice can realize the essence; essence is the origin. Arising into function relying on the essence; function is the trace. Furthermore, the true realization of essence and function is termed the origin; the expedient provision of essence and function is termed the trace. Furthermore, that which is revealed today is the origin, while what was previously taught is the trace. These six meanings generally discuss the origin and traces of all Buddhas. Specific discussion applies only to the present Buddha, which also has six meanings: First, clarifying origin and trace in terms of principle and phenomena: All phenomena are established from the non-abiding origin. The principle of non-abiding is precisely the true nature of reality at the origin, which is absolute truth (paramārtha-satya). All phenomena are precisely the manifold array of things at the origin, which is conventional truth (saṃvṛti-satya) (this explains the characteristics of origin and trace; the Shiqian says: "Ignorance serves as the origin for all phenomena. Ignorance is precisely Dharma-nature. Ignorance again takes Dharma-nature as its origin. One should know that all phenomena also take Dharma-nature as their origin. Dharma-nature is precisely ignorance; Dharma-nature again takes ignorance as its origin. Dharma-nature is precisely ignorance; Dharma-nature has no abiding place. Ignorance is precisely Dharma-nature; ignorance has no abiding place. Although ignorance and Dharma-nature are both non-abiding, they serve as the origin for all phenomena. Therefore it is said that all phenomena are established from the non-abiding origin. Since the non-abiding origin is universal, absolute truth points to principle, and all phenomena are phenomena").