With regard to the Ten Suchnesses in the Buddha-realm, “appearance” refers to the Buddha-nature as the Conditional Cause (Yiian-yin) of Buddhahood, i.e., the merits living beings accumulate; “nature” refers to the Buddha-nature as the Understanding Cause (Ch., Liao-yin; Skt., vyan͂janahetu) of Buddhahood, i.e., the wisdom of beings; “substance” refers to the Buddha-nature as the Fundamental Cause (Cheng-yin) of Buddhahood, i.e., the pure and tranquil mind as the ultimate truth beings possess; “power” refers to the Buddha’s initial aspiration for enlightenment that surpasses that of the Two Vehicles; “function” refers to the Buddha’s performance of the Four Great Vows; “causes” refers to the Buddha’s grand adornment of knowledge and wisdom; “conditions” refers to the Buddha’s grand adornment of blessings and virtues; “effects” refers to the repetitive effects of the state of unsurpassed enlightenment in which each thought of the Buddha is integrated with the mind of great awakening; “retributions” refers to the fruit of mahāparinirvāṇa, and the last suchness “beginning-and-end-ultimately-alike” conveys the truth of the Middle Way, meaning that the Threefold Truth inherent in sentient beings at the beginning stage of practice is not different from the Threefold Truth revealed at the final stage of enlightenment. This is to say, both types of the Threefold Truth denote the same aspects (i.e., Emptiness, the Provisional, and the Middle Way), and both are based on the same reality consisting of causes and conditions. Chih-i supports his statement by explaining that in terms of the truth of Emptiness, sentient beings and the Buddha are inherently not different, since they are empty of substantial Being. When this non-distinction is spoken of in terms of the truth of the Provisional, it means that the Ten Dharma-realms are interpenetrating and mutually inter-existent. Sentient beings are the same as the Buddha, in a sense that they all inherently possess the Buddha-nature. The Buddha and sentient beings are the same, considering that everyone can attain Buddhahood as long as one makes efforts through diligent practices like the Buddha did in his previous lives before his enlightenment. With regard to the truth of the Middle Way, “ultimately alike” means that all of ignorant men and sages are part of reality that constitute the Ultimate Truth. (Vol. 2, Page 79)

(4) The characteristics of the Ten Suchnesses are defined in the group of bodhisattvas and Buddhas

The meaning of the Ten Suchnesses concerning the fourth group of bodhisattvas and Buddhas (P’u-sa Fo) is described in three categories regarding the bodhisattvas of various levels of attainment: the bodhisattva of the Tripiṭaka Teaching, the bodhisattva of the Common Teaching, and the bodhisattvas of the Separate Teaching.

With regard to the bodhisattva of the Six Perfections” (Liu-tu P’usa) (of the Tripitaka Teaching), “appearance,” “nature,” “substance,” “power,” and “function” are discussed in terms of the bodhisattva’s blessings and virtues, which are derived from practicing the Six Perfections (pāramitās). “Causes” refers to wholesome karman, for the bodhisattva still abides in the human world. “Conditions” refers to affliction (Ch., Fa-nao; Skt., kleśa), for the bodhisattva has not severed defilement. “Effects” refers to the bodhisattva’s severance of bonds by means of thirty-four mental states. “Suchness of its retributions” refers to the Ten Suchnesses the bodhisattva is endowed with.” With regard to the bodhisattva of the Common Teaching (T’ung-chiao P’u-sa), “appearance,” “nature,” “substance,” “power,” “function,” “causes,” “conditions,” and “effects” are discussed from the perspective of non-defilement. “Retributions” means that the bodhisattva receives retribution before the sixth of the Ten Stages, and does not receive any retribution starting from the sixth of the Ten Stages. This is because on the Sixth Stage, the bodhisattva completely severs wrong attitudes and do not receive any rebirth, given that the action of their vow to assist sentient beings is not the retribution per se resulted from real karman. Thus, he is endowed with nine suchnesses but not ten (e.g. “retributions” is not included).

With regard to the bodhisattva of the Separate Teaching (Piehchiao P’u-sa), because of his cultivation of the Middle Way, and his gradual progress in contemplation, the bodhisattva embraces the Ten Dharma-realms. (Vol. 2, Page 78)

The meaning of the Ten Suchnesses in the realm of the Two Vehicles (śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha) is defined from the perspective of the attainment of real non-defilement (Chen-wu-lou). “Appearance” refers to Nirvāṇa that is attained by the Two Vehicles. “Nature” indicates that the Two Vehicles are beyond the dichotomy of good and evil. “Substance” refers to the five attributes of the Dharma-body (dharmakāya). “Power” refers to the ability of the Two Vehicles to appear and move about in the three realms (desire, form, and formlessness), and is their potential capability of attaining the Path (i.e., liberation or nirvāṇa). “Function” means to strive diligently to make progress. “Causes” refers to correct knowledge of non-defilement. “Conditions” refers to practice of practice (Hsing-hsing), which is the auxiliary for attaining enlightenment. “Effects” refers to the Four Fruitions. “Retributions” indicates that the Two Vehicles have no retribution, since they have no further rebirth. Chih-i adds that this no-retribution is from the point of view of Śrāvakayāna. From the viewpoint of Mahāyāna, their non-defilement is still considered to be defilement, because the Two Vehicles have not eliminated all delusions, and still receive the rebirth of metamorphoses. Chih-i further explains that if non-defilement is the cause and ignorance is the condition, then being reborn in the land of metamorphoses is the retribution.” (Vol. 2, Page 77-78)