In Huayanjing Guanmai Yiji 華嚴經關脈義記 , development 展 轉 and envelopment 卷攝 originally refer to the variation of content, including the variation of development, the variation of envelopment, the diverse variation of the nonduality of development and envelopment and the variation of questions and answers. In the Avataṃsaka Commentaries 華嚴經疏 by Chengguan (澄觀), however, development and envelopment became ways to explain sutra titles. Chengguan composed the Avataṃsaka Commentaries on the basis of differences between two versions of translation in the Jing and Tang dynasties respectively as well as features of development and envelopment. By comparing these two books, the development and envelopment of “Dharma realm-Title-Content” strides across the formless Dharma realm and formable doctrines that present the teaching derived from bhūtatathatā 真 如 , the nonduality of appearances 事事無礙 and the nonduality of appearances and reality 事理無礙. While continuing on parts of the Huayanjing Guanmai Yiji, Chengguan brought in the concept of “one-minded” 一心 to intermingle the essence with the teaching so as to rectify malpractices. This makes the explanation of sutra title to be a means of implementing both samatha (serenity) and vipassana (insight) rather than an idle doctrine. As a result, the Mahā-vaipulyabuddhâvataṃsaka-sūtra refers to a sutra title with broader and more comprehensive meaning. It equals to the entire Dharma realm, representing principle and gnosis of the Mahā-vairocana as well as cause and effect of the practice. In addision it’s also the essence of the Avaṃsaka-sūtra and an approach of understanding the Dharma realm for Huayan practitioners.
