佛祖統紀 1.70

1.70

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").