釋摩訶衍論 3.25

3.25

The root text states: What does this mean? It is like an ordinary person who, perceiving that a preceding thought has given rise to evil, is able to stop succeeding thoughts and prevent them from arising. Although this is also named awakening, it is just non-awakening. It is like the contemplative wisdom of the two vehicles, the newly resolved bodhisattvas, and so forth, who awaken to the difference of thoughts, [knowing that] thoughts have no characteristic of difference. Because they abandon coarse conceptual discrimination and attachment to characteristics, this is named approximate awakening. It is like the dharmakāya bodhisattvas and so forth, who awaken to the dwelling of thoughts, [knowing that] thoughts have no characteristic of dwelling; because they are free from the characteristics of coarse discriminating thoughts, this is named partial awakening. It is like the bodhisattvas who have exhausted the grounds: fulfilling skillful means, in a single thought corresponding [with reality], they awaken to the mind's initial arising, [knowing that] the mind has no initial characteristic. Because they are far removed from subtle thoughts, they obtain the vision of the mind's nature, and the mind is constantly abiding; this is named ultimate awakening. For this reason, the sūtras state: "If there are sentient beings who can contemplate thoughtlessness, they are heading toward the Buddha-ground." Moreover, regarding the mind's arising, there is no knowable initial characteristic. When it is said that one knows the initial characteristic, this means thoughtlessness. For this reason, all sentient beings are not called awakened, because from the beginning thought succeeds thought in continuity without ever being free from thoughts; this is called beginningless fundamental ignorance. If one attains thoughtlessness, then one knows the mind's characteristics of arising, dwelling, difference, and cessation. Because of the equality of thoughtlessness, there is in truth no difference in initial awakening, because the four characteristics exist simultaneously, none having self-establishment, and are fundamentally equal as the identical one awakening.