Partial/In-Progress | Last Updated: 8 April 2025
Mutuality / Interdependence
mutual inclusion (Ch. xiāng rù 相入)
in realm of Samantabhadra, each has power to cause the effects that others project
key metaphor: Indra's net
mutual identity (Ch. xiāng jí 相即)
in realm of Samantabhadra, each brings to fruition the specific characteristics of others
key metaphor: building
of principle (Ch. lǐ 理) and things (Ch. shì 事)
key metaphors: golden lion, golden ornament; water-waves
One Mind (yīxīn 一心) with Two Gates
true suchness (Skt. tathātā, Ch. zhēn rú 真如)
arising-and-ceasing (Ch. shēng miè 生滅)
key metaphor: painting
sources:
Contemplations on Exhausting Delusion
Commentary on Awakening Mahāyāna Faith
Two Bodies (for Mutuality)
different body (Skt. anyatva; Ch. yì tǐ 異體): each one of many in relation to each of the many individually
same body (Skt. ekatva; Ch. tóng tǐ 同體): each one of many in relation to the many collectively
sources:
Treatise on the Five Teachings of Huayan, Chapter 10, Section 3 (T45.1866.503b2-6)
Essay on the Three Treasures (T45.1874.620a5-6, 10-12, b10-14)
Three Natures
completely perfect nature (Skt. pariniṣpanna-svabhāva, Ch. yuán chéng shí xìng 圓成實性, abbreviated as 圓成)
realm of Mañjuśrī (Ch. Wénshū 文殊)
key metaphor: bright mirror
other-dependent nature (Skt. paratantra-svabhāva, Ch. yītā qǐ xìng 依他起性, abbreviated as 依他)
realm of Samantabhadra (Ch. Pǔxián jìngjiè 普賢境界), or dharma-realm of dependent arising (Skt. dharmadhātu-pratītyasamutpāda; Ch. fǎjiè yuánqǐ 法界緣起)
key metaphor: sky-flowers through clear eyes
imaginary nature (Skt. parikalpita-svabhāva, Ch. biànjì suǒzhí xìng 遍計所執性, abbreviated as 遍計)
realm of obstruction (Ch. zhàng 障), laden with duḥkha (Ch. kǔ 苦)
key metaphors: demon-like tree; sky-flowers through diseased eyes
sources:
Treatise on the Five Teachings of Huayan, Chapter 10, Section 1
Essay on the Golden Lion, Chapter 3
Commentary on the Mahāyāna Secret Adornment Sūtra (X34.368.251d-252b)
Commentary on [Nāgārjuna's] Twelve Gate Treatise (T42.1826.215b-217b)
scholarship:
Whalen W. Lai, “Nonduality of the Two Truths in Sinitic Mādhyamika: Origin of the ‘Third Truth,’” JIABS 2.2 (1979): 45-65
Liu Ming-Wood 廖明活, "The Three-Nature Doctrine and Its Interpretation in Hua-Yen Buddhism," T'oung Pao 68.4/5 (1982): 181-220
Five Teachings
dharma teaching of the śrāvaka
initial teaching of Mahāyāna
final teaching of Mahāyāna
sudden teaching of Mahāyāna
perfect teaching of the one vehicle
sources:
Treatise on the Five Teachings of Huayan, Chapter 4, Section 1 (T45.1866.481b7-8)
Essay on the Golden Lion, Chapter 6
scholarship: Liu Ming-Wood 廖明活, "The P'an-chiao System of the Hua-yen School in Chinese Buddhism," T'oung Pao 67.1/2 (1981): 10-47
Six Characteristics (for Causes)
instantaneous cessation 剎那滅
simultaneous existence 俱有
needing many conditions 待眾緣
determinate 決定
projecting its own effect 引自果
always changing in accordance with conditions 恒隨轉
source: Treatise on the Five Teachings of Huayan, Chapter 10, Section 2
precedents:
Mahāyānasaṃgraha 攝大乘論 (T31.1593.115c1+)
Xuanzang, Chéng Wéishì Lùn 成唯識論 (T31.1585.9b7-29)
Xuanzang, 攝大乘論釋 (T31.1597. 329b27-c13)
Zhiyan, 搜玄記 (T35.1732. 66a22-b4)
Six Characteristics 六相 (for Wholes)
wholeness (Ch. zǒng 總): one having the power of many
particularity (Ch. bié 別): many not being one
identity (Ch. tóng 同): many not opposing each other
difference (Ch. yì 異): many differing from each other
integration (Ch. chéng 成): all dependently arising together
disintegration (Ch. huài 壞): each of the many maintaining its own character and not moving from itself
sources:
Treatise on the Five Teachings of Huayan, Chapter 10, Section 4
Essay on the Golden Lion, Chapter 8 (but reverses meaning of "identity" and "integration" from Treatise)
scholarship:
Nicholaos Jones, "The Architecture of Fazang's Six Characteristics," British Journal for the History of Philosophy 27.3 (2019): 468-491
Seunghak Koh, "The Huayan Philosophers Fazang and Li Tongxuan on the “Six Marks” and the “Sphere of Edification,”" The Eastern Buddhist 46.2 (2015): 1-18