釋摩訶衍論 1.52

1.52

論曰：此文中有二門。云何為二？一者能入門、二者所入門。能入門者，於所詮理善趣入故。所入門者，善為彼法作依止故。有法者，總標十六能入門法。能起信根者，總標門法作業之相。摩訶衍者，總標十六所入法體并及不二摩訶衍體。信決定進心，根生長行法，若為入理無超此二，故曰信根。復次信謂十信，根謂從初發心住乃至法雲地。所以者何？初信無根隨緣進退，譬如班多伽伊摩華故。後信轉勝堅固不動，譬如鍵鳩阿彌禮樹故。信根有幾義？各其相云何？頌曰：

The commentary says: In this passage there are two gates. What are the two? The first is the gate of what can enter; the second is the gate of what is entered. As for 'the gate of what can enter,' it is because it skillfully gains entry into the principle to be explained. As for 'the gate of what is entered,' it is because it skillfully serves as the support for that teaching. 'There is a teaching' generally indicates the sixteen dharmas of the gate of what can enter. 'Can awaken the root of faith' generally indicates the characteristics of the operations of the dharmas of the gate. 'Mahāyāna' generally indicates the substance of the sixteen dharmas entered, along with the non-dual substance of the Mahāyāna. Faith is the mind of decisive advancement, and the root is the practice that produces and grows; if one seeks to enter the principle, nothing surpasses these two, hence it is said 'the root of faith.' Furthermore, 'faith' refers to the ten faiths, and 'root' refers to [the stages] from the stage of first arousing the mind up to the stage of the Cloud of Dharma (dharmameghā-bhūmi). Why is this? Because initial faith lacks a root and advances or regresses according to conditions, like the bandhuka-ima flower; whereas later faith becomes increasingly superior, firm and immovable, like the kankuva-amile tree. How many meanings does the root of faith have, and what are their respective characteristics? The verse says: