新華嚴經論 3.40

3.40

Regarding the teaching of the third period, which expounds the Saṃdhinirmocana Sūtra to harmonize emptiness and existence: in order to harmonize the preceding two teachings of emptiness and existence so that those with extreme views would not stagnate in the two gates of emptiness and existence, he established the teaching of neither emptiness nor existence. Because persons of the two vehicles extinguish consciousness to realize quiescent cessation and abide in quiescence devoid of knowing, in order to redirect them, he provisionally spoke of the ninth, ādānavijñāna, as the purely undefiled consciousness. The fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth consciousnesses constantly rely on that ninth consciousness as their support. Ordinary, foolish beings fail to understand this and falsely grasp it as a self. Just as a torrential waterflow is not separate from the substance of water, and the various waves and ripples rely on water, so the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth consciousnesses constantly rely on the pure consciousness. Thus he gradually turned the minds of the two vehicles, enabling them to comprehend consciousness and accomplish wisdom. Why did he establish the ninth consciousness as the pure consciousness? Because persons of the two vehicles have long harbored dread toward the karmic seeds of birth-and-death in the sixth, seventh, and eighth consciousnesses. Fearing that it would be difficult for them to believe, he expediently posited a pure consciousness apart from the seeds of birth-and-death to guide them gradually, wishing to have them retain afflictions without extinguishing them, so that compassion and wisdom could gradually arise. The Saṃdhinirmocana Sūtra says: 'Thus the bodhisattva, although abiding by phenomena, relies on wisdom as support, gradually causing those holding views of emptiness to comprehend consciousness and accomplish wisdom.'