仁王護國般若波羅蜜多經疏 2.164

2.164

The commentary explains: As for 'the mark of initially generating the thought', Tripiṭaka Master Chang'er said: 'In the initial acquired lineage, there is generating the thought in three marks: first, generating it through provisional conception; second, generating it through light conception; third, generating it through faithful conception. Generating it through provisional conception relies on three kinds of power: first, the power of good friends, meaning the spiritual guide; second, the power of practice, meaning receiving the precepts; third, the power of phenomena, which has general and particular causes—the general is the tathāgatagarbha, and the particular is the five faculties, such as faith. Due to these three powers, one provisionally generates the conception of bodhi regarding the Buddha's bodhi, seeking one's own peace and the peace of all sattvas, just as a śrāvaka contemplates what is not blue by provisionally generating the conception of blue, thereby being able to suppress afflictions. Here it is also like this; hence it is called generating it through provisional conception. Later, as this conception is practiced without ceasing, the principle is still difficult to discern, like a light feather with nothing to rest upon; this is called generating it through light conception. After this, as the successive mind-states progress, the jewel of faith becomes apparent; this is called generating it through faithful conception.' Attaining entry into the ten faiths is called 'the mark of generating the thought'. As for 'sentient beings as numerous as the sands of the Ganges', this shows that although those who generate the thought are numerous, those who reach non-retrogression and enter the stage of kṣānti are extremely few. It is like fish roe and the blossoms of the mango tree: though both are numerous, those that form fruit are extremely few. As for 'who see the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha', this explains the conditions for generating the thought: either hearing that the single-essence Three Jewels are inherently eternal, or seeing the distinct-phenomenal enduring Three Jewels. Relying on the power of instruction, they generate the conception of the supreme, excellent field of merit regarding the Three Jewels, and giving rise to settled faith, they enter the ten faiths. Next is the second [section], explaining the minds of the ten faiths.