Excerpts from Fazang, Treatise on the Five Doctrines (trans. Cook 1970, pp.444-467).

Chapter 10 Part 2 The Six Meanings of Dependent Origination in the Causal Aspect In explaining these six meanings, I will divide them into six topics: 1. Explanation of the characteristics; 2. theory; 3. enumeration of the alternatives; 4. analysis and synthesis; 5. mutual inclusion; 6. [the six meanings] with reference to the five doctrines. There are two parts to the first topic: first, I enumerate the names; next, I explain the characteristics. First, the names: all causes have six meanings. 1. [Cause] is empty, has power, does not require conditions. 2. Is empty, has power, [requires] conditions. 3. Is empty, lacks power, requires conditions. 4. Exists, has power, does not require conditions. 5. Exists, has power, requires conditions. 6. Exists, has no power, requires conditions. Two, explanation of the characteristics: the first means instantaneous extinction. Why is this? Because of instantaneous extinction, [cause] is shown to be without self-nature. This is emptiness. Because of this extinction, the production of the result is possible. This means having power. However, because this extinction does not result from the power of conditions, it is said that there is no need of conditions. The second means [that the cause] exists together [with the result]. Why is this? Because they exist together, [cause] exists at that time. That means [that the cause] is non-existent. This means empty. Because it exists together [with the result], it can form existence. This is the possession of power. Because it exists together [with the result], it is not alone, so it requires conditions. The third means it requires all conditions. Why is this? Because [cause] is without a nature of its own, it is empty. Because the cause does not produce [result] and the conditions do, it has no power. For this reason, it requires conditions. The fourth means [the nature of the cause is] fixed. Why is this? It has the meaning of existence because its own species does not change. Because it has the power to produce the result of itself, without altering, it has power. However, this non-alteration is not the result of the power of conditions, and this means that it does not require conditions. The fifth means [the cause] attracts its own result. Why is this? It exists because it attracts and manifests its own result. Even though it requires conditions when it produces a result, it does not produce a result which has the nature of the conditions. This means it has power. Therefore, it requires conditions. The sixth means [the cause] continuously evolves in dependence [on other conditions]. Why is this? Because of dependence on something other, it would not be non-existent. Because it cannot diverge from conditions, it has no power. For this reason, it requires conditions. Thus, in order to show these six meanings, the Mahayanasamgraha gives this verse: "Instantaneous cessation, existing together [with the result], continuously evolving in dependence, you should know, and fix [nature], requiring many conditions, and attracting only its own result [are the six meanings of cause]." Two, the theory. Question: Why are just six meanings taught, and not increased to seven or decreased to five? Answer: if you combine the direct cause with the conditions, there are only three

possibilities. 1. The cause has power and does not require conditions, because it produces [the result] completely from its own essence, and does not combine with the power of conditions. 2. The cause has power and requires conditions, because it gives rise [to a result] through mutual assistance [of conditions]. 3. Cause has no power and requires conditions, because it is completely non-efficient and is absorbed into the conditions. Also, with regard to these three meanings, in each cause there are two meanings; that is to say, emptiness and existence are each combined with the three above meanings. Because this makes six, there is no increase or decrease. Question: Why isn't the fourth meaning without power, not requiring conditionsproposed? Answer: It is not proposed because it doesn't have the meaning of cause. There is no need to go into details. [omission of several Q&A sections] Three, the enumeration of alternatives: there are two kinds. The first has to do with essence [ti]; the second concerns function [yong]. First, in connection with the existence or non-existence of the essence [of cause], there are four alternatives. 1. It exists; i.e., this means that its nature is fixed. 2. It does not exist; this means instantaneous cessation. 3. It both exists and does not exists; this is a unity of the combination of [the meanings of] attracting its own result and existing simultaneously [with the result]. 4. It neither exists nor does not exist; this is the unity of the combination of [the meanings of] constantly evolving in dependence and requiring conditions. The four alternatives in connection with function are: 1. [The function is] not born of itself, because of the unity of the combination [of the meanings] of constantly evolving in dependence and requiring conditions. 2. It is not born from something other than itself, because of the unity of the combination of instantaneous cessation and fixed [nature]. 3. It is not both of both [itself and another], because of the unity of the combination of existing together [with the result] and attracting its own result. 4. It is not born without a cause, because of [emptiness and existence] possessing the three alternatives and uniting to make the six meanings and becoming a cause. Consequently, as a result of the six meanings, cause and conditions are wholly absorbed [into each other], and show the marvelous qualities of dependent origination. Therefore, the Treatise on the Dasabhumika says, "[Result] is not produced from the cause because it is produced from conditions. It is not produced from conditions because it is produced from its own cause. It is not produced from both because there is no connection between them because at the time of activity, [cause] does not remain. It is not born without a cause because [the result] exists in dependence on conditions." Also, the Abhidharmasamuccaya-vyakhya says, "Because [a result] has its own seed, it does not arise out of another. Because it requires conditions, it does not arise out of itself. Because [the cause] lacks power, [the result] is not produced from both [itself and another]. Because [the cause] has power, [the result] is not produced without a cause." [omission of a Q&A session] Four, analysis and synthesis. 1. [Concerning] essence, there is only one, because cause does not have two essences. 2. [Concerning] meaning, this is two-fold; i.e., it is empty and existent, because it is without a nature of its own, and because things appear as a result of conditions production. 3. With regard to function, it is divided into three: one, it has power and does not require conditions; two, it has power and requires conditions; three, it is without power and requires conditions. In one, there is total power; in three, there is no power at all; and in the middle one, there is both power and no power. A fourth alternative, no power and not requiring conditions, is not discussed because it is not a cause. Therefore, there are only these three alternatives. [omission of some further categorizations and of "Five, fusion"]

Six, as far as the [five] doctrines are concerned, in the small vehicle, the characteristics of cause [must be considered from the standpoint] of attachment to dharmas [as having only the meaning of existence]. The names and significance of the six meanings do not exist. In the three vehicles, in the alaya-vijnanai and the tathagata-garbha as cause for the [belief in] emptiness of dharmas, the name and meaning of the six meanings exist, but still there is no possession of the interrelationship of primary [substance/ti] and secondary [function/yong]. In the perfect causation of the one vehicle, [symbolized by the realm] of Samantabhadra, [the teaching of causation] reaches perfection in the infinitely repeated possession of the secondary by the primary and the infinity of [the activity of] dependent origination. Because of the concepts of emptiness and existence, there is mutual identity; because of the concepts of having and not having power, there is mutual pervasion; because of the concepts of requiring conditions and not requiring them, there is the category of identical essence and difference essence. Because these concepts exist, oceans of Buddhalands can be put in the follicle of a hair. This is evident if you think about it.

from Francis Cook, Fa-Tsang's Treatise on the Five Doctrines: An Annotated Translation. Ph.D. Dissertation. Madison: University of Wisconsin, 1970.