首楞嚴義疏注經 4.269

4.269

This text has a twofold explanation. First, it is explained in terms of the Buddha's own awakening: "Elucidated" is like awakening. Although the Buddha has awakened and all delusions are completely eliminated, he still cannot turn back awareness to reach the root of delusion, because delusion has no cause to be aware of; hence it says, "still cannot return [to] such a cause of delusion." Furthermore, taking the phrase "such a cause of delusion" and connecting it to the following clause for reiteration, it should say: "such a cause of delusion exists of itself because of delusion." The meaning is: if one speaks of causes in terms of delusive phenomena arising successively, this is merely speaking of causes based on delusion, not saying that delusion has a primal cause; hence it says, "exists of itself because of delusion." Since one recognizes that delusion has no cause, one knows that delusion has no basis of support; how can one speak of it as arising, and furthermore as having cessation? This explanation concerns the Buddha's own awakening, in which there is no cause of delusion that can be returned to. Next, it is explained in terms of the Buddha speaking for others, where one cannot turn delusion back into awakening: "Elucidated" is like proclaiming and discerning. Although the Buddha extensively proclaimed and discerned [it] for Pūrṇa, [Pūrṇa] was still personally unable to turn delusion back to bring about awakening; hence it says, "is still unable to return." From "such" downward, the meaning of the explanation is as before. Truly, because this principle is difficult to clarify, people are mostly heavily deluded. Just as when one speaks to someone with diseased eyes of the absence of flowers in space, who can grasp and awaken to it? When one speaks to someone with deluded attachments of the absence of all delusions, who is willing to believe and follow? If one suddenly awakens, one naturally knows the absence of a cause; how could one take anything as delusion that has arising and cessation?!