「性起」觀念在華嚴教學裡佔有重要位置，史家每把它跟天臺宗的「性具」觀念對舉，視之為華嚴宗思想的主要標識。本文對性起觀念的來源及其在早期華嚴宗教學裡的意義作出分析。「性起」觀念源出六十卷本《華嚴經》之〈如來性起品〉，而此品所謂「性起」，基本上是指如來所顯現的各種性相。又此品分述如來所顯現諸性相，在說明如來的智慧性和覺性為無所不及時，提出一切眾生悉具如來的智慧性和覺性的說法。這說法在華嚴宗教學的始創者智儼（602-668）的著作裡，得到開展，成為智儼的性起思想的主眼。又智儼界定了「性起」一辭的涵義，對「性起」跟「緣起」的關係、「性起」跟「緣修」的分別等問題，都有清楚說明，奠定了華嚴宗性起思想的基礎。智儼的弟子法藏（643-713）為華嚴宗教學體系的建立者。法藏除了像智儼般自眾生因地的層面講性起外，同時亦從如來果地的層面陳述性起。更值得注意者，是法藏把性起觀念跟華嚴教學的一即一切、相融無礙的宇宙觀連結，從而突出了性起觀念在華嚴思想整體的意義。

　　　　　The teaching of "nature origination" (hsing-ch'i性起) is generally regarded as an important component of Hua-yen thought, and this paper examines its origin and early history. The term "nature origination" is derived from the title of chapter 30 of the 6O chuan version of the Avatamsaka Sutra, where it is used to refer to the manifestation of the characteristics of the Buddha. On depicting the Buddha's characteristics of wisdom and enlightenment, the Sutra speaks about their presence in every sentient being; and this thought of the omnipresence of the Buddha's nature of enlightenment underlies the teaching of nature-origination of Chih-yen 智儼 (602-668) and Fa-tsang 法藏 (643-713), the founders of the Hua-yen School 華嚴宗. Both Chih-yen and Fa-tsang use ideas denoting man's inherent essence of enlightenment, such as "Buddha-nature" and "tathagatagarbha" to explain the meaning of "nature origination". Both contrast the teaching of "nature origination" with the teachings of "dependent origination" (yuan-ch'i緣起) and "conditioned practice" (yuan-hsiu緣修), with an eye to highlighting the notion of inherent enlightenment. Different from Chih-yen's exposition of "nature origination" which focuses on the aspect of cause, Fa-tsang�s interpretation of "Nature origination" comphasizes the aspect of fruit. Fa-tsang further eonneets the teaching of "Nature origination"with the Hua-yen teaching of universal harmony, presenting the former as the theoretical basis of the latter.