Q: Do each and every one of these suchlikes include the threefold truth?

A: They do include the threefold truth.

Q: What do you mean by “include”?

A: The term “such” of all the Ten Suchlikes refers to the meaning of emptiness. The conventional constructions, which are all different, such as appearance, nature, and so forth, refer to the meaning of conventional existence. The term “like” of all the Ten Suchlikes refers to the meaning of the Middle.

Q: If the text is read on this basis, what does it mean?

A: There are three “turnings” [of the phrase]. The first is (to emphasize “suchness” or emptiness] by reading it as “the appearances are such, the nature is such the retributions are such. ” The second is [to emphasize the conventional aspects by] reading it as “the appearances are so-and-so, the nature is so-and-so and the retributions are so-and-so.” The third is [to emphasize the aspect of the Middle by] reading it as “suchlike are the appearances, suchlike is the nature and suchlike are the retributions.”

Q: Why is this threefold distinction made?

A: Such distinctions are made in order to facilitate understanding. If one understands and tries to verbalize this, it is expressed as “emptiness is identical to conventional existence and the Middle, conventional existence is identical to the Middle and emptiness, and the Middle is identical to emptiness and conventional existence.”

Q: What is the meaning of “emptiness is identical to conventional existence and the Middle,” and so forth?

A: If emptiness is clarified with reference to suchness, then the emptiness of one is the emptiness of all. If appearances [and so forth] are clarified with regard to suchness, then the conventional existence of one is the conventional existence of all. If the Middle is discussed in terms of “likeness,” then the Middleness of one is the Middleness of all.