金剛經纂要刊定記 1.28

1.28

Regarding "originally pure": in the metaphor, it can be understood. In the Dharma, there are two meanings: first, from the very beginning, the nature of this mind has been ultimately empty; second, presently, although entangled by afflictions, it remains undefiled. This corresponds to the gate of tathatā in the *Treatise on the Awakening of Faith*. Hence the *Mahāsaṃnipāta Sūtra* states: "Good sons! The mind-nature of all sentient beings is originally pure. Because the mind is originally pure, the afflictions and bonds cannot defile it. Just like empty space, which cannot be stained, the nature of the mind and the nature of emptiness are equal and without duality," and so forth. "Image" refers to the myriad images manifested in the mirror; "form" refers to the dharmas manifested by the originally pure mind. However, the dharmas manifested do not exceed form and mind. Now, mentioning only form and not mind is: first, because the phrasing of the text is restricted; second, because [mind] is implicitly reflected in the clause below; third, because the first subsumes the rest. The first two can be known; the latter meaning is that all dharmas do not fall outside the five aggregates, and the single word "form" heads the five; in mentioning "form" now, the first is cited to subsume the rest. Therefore, in the *Large Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra*, whenever dharmas are listed, they invariably take the word "form" as the first. As it says: "Subhūti! Because the perfection of prajñā is pure, form is pure; because form is pure, the knowledge of all aspects is pure," and so forth. Thus, although the text marks "form," the intention encompasses "mind"; when form and mind are made clear, the myriad dharmas are complete.