In this part, Chih-i defines the common meaning of the Ten Suchnesses. “Appearance” signifies external existence that can be distinguished; “nature” denotes internal being that is unchangeable; “substance” refers to the principal quality that intrinsically belongs to oneself; “power” refers to potentiality; “function” refers to that which constructs; “causes” refers to the causes that bring about effects similar to themselves (such as a good thought produces more good thoughts, and a bad thought produces more bad thoughts); “conditions” refers to indirect or conditional causes; “effects” refers to the effects that are the same as their causes; “retributions” refers to the effects resulting from the deeds one has done in the past incarnation (such as a good life leads to a pleasant rebirth, and a wicked life leads to an unpleasant one); and “beginning-and-end-ultimately-alike” refers to the identity of the first suchness “appearance” and the last ninth suchness “retributions,” as both the beginning and the end share the same reality: the beginning contains the destination pointing to the end, and the end is the result that manifests what is contained in the beginning. (Vol. 2, Page 75-76)