仁王護國般若波羅蜜多經疏 2.469

2.469

The commentary states: "Yet for all sattvas" universally subsumes all sages and ordinary beings prior to equal awakening. "Through distant kalpas": because time has no beginning, it merely says "distant." As for "the consciousness of the initial thought-moment has differed from wood and stone," there are two explanations. Some say: the initial consciousness is the eighth consciousness of the very first thought-moment at the stage of connecting life according to whichever destiny one is in. Consciousness possesses cognitive apprehension, differing from wood and stone because they lack cognitive apprehension. Some say: the initial consciousness is as stated in the first fascicle of the four-fascicle Laṅkāvatāra: "The consciousnesses have three characteristics, namely, the transforming characteristic, the karma characteristic, and the true characteristic." Regarding the "true characteristic," Master Haedong [Wonhyo] said: "The truly enlightened original mind does not rely on delusive conditions; it is called its own true characteristic." The karma [characteristic] and transforming [characteristic] are as follows in order. Furthermore, the Awakening of Faith speaks of karma, transforming, and manifesting, which broadly agrees with the Laṅkāvatāra, though the names differ slightly. Haedong explained: "Regarding the karma characteristic, fundamental ignorance stirs stillness to cause movement; moving is karma consciousness, because it is extremely subtle. Regarding the transforming characteristic, it is the characteristic capable of seeing; relying on the previous karma characteristic, it transforms into an active cognizer; though there is an active cognizer, it is not yet able to reveal the cognitive object." Regarding the manifesting characteristic, it is the characteristic of the objective realm; because relying on the previous transforming characteristic, it can manifest the realm. Hence the Laṅkāvatāra says: 'Like a clear mirror holding various visible forms, what is manifested by the manifesting consciousness is also like this.' Furthermore, lower down the sūtra says: 'It suddenly and discriminatively knows the body manifested by its own mind, and the realm of enjoyment established for the body'—in order, these are the sense organs, the external receptacle world, and the five objects such as form, because they manifest spontaneously at all times. These are the three subtle [aspects], which are the fundamental consciousness. If so, what does the 'initial consciousness' in the sūtra designate? Relying on what perfuming does it arise through cause and condition? Answer: The initial karma consciousness is the initial consciousness, following the sequence of the gate of origination. Furthermore, through distant kalpas, time has no initial beginning, past and future lack real substance, perfuming is mind-only, and deluded thoughts are the initial, because they arise in opposition to the true. Furthermore, regarding perfuming, the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra states: 'Inconceivable perfuming and inconceivable transformation are the causes of the manifesting consciousness.' Haedong explained: 'Fundamental ignorance perfuming that original awakening is called inconceivable perfuming. Original awakening following movement is called perfuming. Furthermore, although the substance of that original awakening does not change, because it accords with conditions, it is called transformation. Whether perfuming or transformation, the path of mind and speech is cut off, so it is called inconceivable. As for being the cause of the manifesting consciousness, it is stated according to what is coarse and manifest; but in its actual principle, it is the cause of the karma consciousness.' Furthermore, regarding cause and condition, where Master Haedong explains the flow and succession in the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra and discriminates cause and condition: original awakening is the cause and ignorance is the condition to give rise to the karma consciousness, existing differently from wood and stone, which agrees with the previous explanation. Second, following upon this, is clarifying the support for defilement and purity.