金剛三昧經論 3.195

3.195

論曰：此下第二往復重顯。於中即有二番問答：初番顯其懺悔道理、後番顯其懺悔行法。此中問意言懺悔先罪名懺悔者，先罪不入於過去耶？若先非今故入過去者，云何於無罪而有懺悔耶？答中言如是者，如是先罪不入過去故，不於無而有懺悔。所以然者？先所作罪熏於本識，種子恒流在於現在，由是道理未入過去。且今懺悔能治生時，令彼罪種不流現在。如燈生時室暗方滅。罪種不至於今現故，是時方說令入過去。而無說悔先所有罪者，先所有者非悔所及，不能令彼非先有故；但其先有令不至現，不至現者由悔所為。此與斷結之義異者，彼約生滅道故，令未生者不至現在；此就相續道故，令先有者不至現在。又斷結者永斷種子，悔先罪者損伏種子增強之用不至現在，故約此義說入過去也。

The treatise says: From here down is the second, reiterating it through question and answer. Within this there are two rounds of questions and answers: the first round reveals the principle of confession and repentance, and the latter round reveals the practice and method of confession and repentance. The intention of the question here is: if confessing and repenting past sins is called repentance, do the past sins not enter into the past? If the past is not the present and thus enters the past, how can there be repentance regarding what is nonexistent? In the answer, 'So it is' means: indeed, past sins do not enter the past, and thus one does not repent regarding nonexistence. Why is this? The sins previously committed perfumed the fundamental consciousness, and their seeds constantly flow in the present; by this principle, they have not yet entered the past. Moreover, now when repentance as the antidote arises, it causes those sinful seeds not to flow into the present. Just as when a lamp arises, the room's darkness is then extinguished. Because the sinful seeds do not reach the present, only at this time is it said that they are caused to enter the past. 'Do not say that in repenting all past sins' means: that which previously existed is not reached by repentance; one cannot cause what previously existed to not have existed; it only prevents what previously existed from reaching the present, and its not reaching the present is effected by repentance. How this differs from the meaning of severing fetters is: that concerns the path of arising and cessation, causing what has not arisen not to reach the present; this regards the path of continuity, causing what previously existed not to reach the present. Furthermore, severing fetters permanently eradicates the seeds; repenting past sins damages and subdues the strengthening activity of the seeds so that they do not reach the present; therefore, in terms of this meaning, it is said that they enter the past.