佛祖統紀 1.71

1.71

由實相真本垂於俗迹。尋於俗迹即顯真本。本迹雖殊不思議一。文云。觀一切法空如實相（以明本迹相顯理融○籤云。此理性之本迹。由此方有外用本迹）二明理教明本迹者。即是本時所照二諦俱不可說皆名本也。昔佛方便說之即是二諦之教。教名為迹（釋本迹相）若無二諦之本。則無二種之教。若無教迹豈顯諦本。本迹雖殊不思議一（相顯理融）文云。是法不可示。言辭相寂滅。以方便力故。為五比丘說（引文證）三教行為本迹者。最初稟昔佛之教。以為本。則有修因致果之行（釋本迹相○應有以為迹三字）由教詮理。而得起行。由行會教。而得顯理。本迹雖殊不思議一（相顯理融）文云諸法從本來。常自寂滅相。佛子行道已。來世得作佛（引文證）四約體用明本迹者。由昔最初修行。契理證於法身為本。初得法身本故。即體起應身之用（釋本迹相○應有以為迹三字）由於應身得顯法身。本迹雖殊不思議一（相顯理融）文云。吾從成佛已來。甚大久遠若斯。但以方便教化眾生。作如此說（引文證）五約實權明本迹者。實者。最初久遠得法應二身。皆名為本。中間數數唱生唱滅。種種權施法應二身。故名為迹（釋本迹相）若非初得法應之本。則無中間法應之迹。由迹顯本。本迹雖殊不思議一（相顯理融）文云。是我方便。諸佛亦然（引文證）六約今已論本迹者。前來諸教已說事理乃至權實者。皆是迹也（已即是迹。即指迹門。及諸迹教。今即是本。即指本門。本門已前。皆名為已。涌出已後。方名為今）今經所說久遠事理乃至權實者。皆名為本（釋本迹相）非今所明久遠之本。無以垂於已說之迹。非已說之迹。豈顯今本。本迹雖殊不思議一（本迹相顯理融）文云。諸佛法久後。要當說真實（引文證）最初之本。但本而非迹（最初實成。既未垂迹。故唯屬本）最後已說。但迹而非本（已說迹門。未顯本時。故唯屬迹）中間亦迹亦本（中間相望。互為本迹。又中間垂迹。名為亦迹。顯本之時。名為亦本）若無本時之本。不能垂得中間最後之迹。若無已說之迹（舉今日迹門）不能顯得今說之本（今日本門）本迹雖殊不思議一（已上並六重本迹文）若執迹為本者。斯不知迹亦不識本。有言文殊觀音調達。或稱為師。或稱弟子。惑者未了。若拂中間。無非是迹。則迹本可解。若執迹疑本。則二義俱失。（玄文）　六重本迹之圖。

From the true origin of the true nature of reality, conventional traces are projected; following the conventional traces, the true origin is revealed. Although origin and traces differ, they are an inconceivable unity. The text says: "Contemplate all phenomena as empty, like the true nature of reality" (this clarifies that origin and traces manifest mutually and principle harmonizes; the Shiqian says: "This is the origin and trace of the nature of principle; only through this are there the origin and traces of external function"). Second, clarifying origin and trace in terms of principle and teaching: That is, the two truths illuminated at the origin are both inexpressible, and both are termed the origin. When past Buddhas expediently taught them, these were the teachings of the two truths; the teachings are termed traces (explaining the characteristics of origin and trace). Were there no origin of the two truths, there would be no two kinds of teaching. Were there no traces of teaching, how could the origin of truths be revealed? Although origin and traces differ, they are an inconceivable unity (characteristics manifest mutually and principle harmonizes). The text says: "This Dharma cannot be shown; the characteristics of words are extinguished. By the power of expedient means, it was preached to the five monks" (citing textual evidence). Third, teaching and practice as origin and trace: Initially receiving the past Buddhas' teaching serves as the origin, and thereupon there is the practice of cultivating causes to attain the fruits (explaining the characteristics of origin and trace; there should be the three characters "serves as the trace"). Through teaching explaining principle, practice can arise; through practice according with teaching, principle can be revealed. Although origin and traces differ, they are an inconceivable unity (characteristics manifest mutually and principle harmonizes). The text says: "All phenomena from their origin are constantly calm and extinct in characteristic; when the Buddha's disciples have practiced the path, they will become Buddhas in future ages" (citing textual evidence). Fourth, clarifying origin and trace in terms of essence and function: Through initial practice in the past, according with principle and realizing the Dharmakāya serves as the origin. Because the origin of the Dharmakāya was initially attained, the function of the Nirmāṇakāya arises from the essence (explaining the characteristics of origin and trace; there should be the three characters "serves as the trace"). Through the Nirmāṇakāya, the Dharmakāya is revealed. Although origin and traces differ, they are an inconceivable unity (characteristics manifest mutually and principle harmonizes). The text says: "Since I attained Buddhahood, it has been extremely long and distant, like this; merely by expedient means to teach and transform sentient beings, I make such statements" (citing textual evidence). Fifth, clarifying origin and trace in terms of the real and the expedient: The "real" is initially attaining both the Dharma and Nirmāṇa bodies in the remote past, both of which are termed the origin. Intermediate repeated proclamations of birth and proclamations of extinction, with various expedient provisions of Dharma and Nirmāṇa bodies, are therefore termed traces (explaining the characteristics of origin and trace). Were there not the origin of initially attaining the Dharma and Nirmāṇa [bodies], there would be no traces of intermediate Dharma and Nirmāṇa [bodies]. Through the traces the origin is revealed; although origin and traces differ, they are an inconceivable unity (characteristics manifest mutually and principle harmonizes). The text says: "This is my expedient means; for all Buddhas it is also thus" (citing textual evidence). Sixth, discussing origin and trace in terms of the present and the past: The previous teachings that have already spoken of phenomena and principle, up to the expedient and the real, are all traces (the "past" is precisely the trace, referring to the trace gate and all trace teachings; the "present" is precisely the origin, referring to the origin gate. Everything prior to the origin gate is termed the past; only after the emergence [from the earth] is it termed the present). What the present sūtra speaks of concerning the remote phenomena and principle, up to the expedient and the real, are all termed the origin (explaining the characteristics of origin and trace). Were it not for the remote origin clarified at present, there would be no way to project the traces already spoken; were it not for the traces already spoken, how could the present origin be revealed? Although origin and traces differ, they are an inconceivable unity (origin and traces manifest mutually and principle harmonizes). The text says: "After a long time, the Buddhas' Dharma must surely preach the real truth" (citing textual evidence). The initial origin is only origin and not trace (since the initial actual realization had not yet projected traces, it pertains solely to the origin). The final that has already been spoken is only trace and not origin (since the trace gate already spoken has not yet revealed the origin, it pertains solely to the trace). The intermediate is both trace and origin (viewed in relation to one another, the intermediate are mutually origin and trace; furthermore, intermediate projections of traces are termed 'also trace', and when revealing the origin, they are termed 'also origin'). Were there no origin of the primal time, the intermediate and final traces could not be projected. Were there no traces already spoken (referring to today's trace gate), the origin spoken at present could not be revealed (today's origin gate). Although origin and traces differ, they are an inconceivable unity (the above are all texts on the sixfold origin and traces). If one clings to the traces as the origin, one neither understands the traces nor recognizes the origin. There are those who say that Mañjuśrī, Avalokiteśvara, and Devadatta are sometimes called teachers and sometimes called disciples; the confused do not understand this. If one sweeps away the intermediate, none are not traces, and then traces and origin can be comprehended. If one clings to the traces and doubts the origin, then both meanings are lost. (Fahua xuanyi). Chart of the Sixfold Origin and Traces: