[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [大乘起信論義疏](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1843) › 1.12 # 大乘起信論義疏 1.12 大乘起信論義疏 1.12 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [1.12](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1843.1.12) 敬佛寶竟，此下明法。言「法性」者，此之真有自體名法，恒沙佛法滿足義故；非改名性，理體常故。《大智論》云「白石銀性、黃石金性；水是濕性、火是熱性；一切眾生有涅槃性，故言法性。」言「真如」者，是之真空無可妄故，名之為真；無所立故，名之為如；此法絕待，超出百非，故曰真如。故《十地論》云「自體本來空。」自體此是猶前法性，空猶真如。所言「海」者，從喻為名，不得當法為言，故舉勝以況，深邃難底猶如大海。故《大經》中「譬如大海有八不思議。」《涅槃》亦爾。此之一句明嘆理性。自下一句行教合論。言「無量」者，數中極也。此之非是《華嚴經》中數中無量，非數量故名為無量。言「功德」者，為功用所得，故為功德。德者得也。修行所得，非數量故，名無量功德。此之行法。所言「藏」者，此之教也，教能包含理行之法，故名為藏。故文言「三藏教也。」亦可行藏。無量功德積集名藏，理法如海，行法如藏，教法無也。何故無者？教無別體，音聲為體，故是不敬。此之二句明法寶也。自下一句嘆僧寶。言「如實」者，遣邪取正，故曰如實。言「修行」者，在不足位，研習勝進，故曰修行。所言「等」者，此類非一，故曰等也。自下一偈，造論之意。此中有二：一者半偈遣邪；二者半偈立正。言「為欲令眾生」者，明所為人，不自為己，專為眾生。造論意業，故曰為欲。以惡法成故處處受生，名為眾生。自下一句明所除事。言「除疑」者，猶豫名疑，正信對治，名為除也。何故除者？諸眾生等不得聖道，生諸惑者皆以疑故，故須除也。除者遣也。言「捨邪執」者，諸眾生等，以我見故以為邪執；今題正義故捨邪執。捨者離也，何故捨者？我見是其眾惑之本，若無我見，眾惑無住。 > Having finished paying homage to the Buddha Jewel, below this clarifies the Dharma. The words 'dharmatā': this true existence with its own essence is called dharma, because it has the meaning of being filled with Buddha-dharmas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges; not changing is called nature, because the essential substance of the principle is eternal. The Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa says: 'White stone has the nature of silver; yellow stone has the nature of gold; water has the nature of wetness; fire has the nature of heat; all sentient beings have the nature of nirvāṇa; therefore it is called dharmatā.' The words 'tathatā': this true emptiness has nothing false, and therefore it is called true; having nothing established, it is called suchness; this dharma transcends relativity and surpasses the hundred negations, and therefore it is called tathatā. Hence the Daśabhūmivyākhyāna says: 'The self-nature is originally empty.' 'Self-nature' corresponds to the preceding 'dharmatā', and 'empty' corresponds to 'tathatā'. The word 'ocean' derives its name from metaphor; it cannot be expressed by the dharma itself, so a supreme thing is adduced to illustrate it, being profound and difficult to reach the bottom of, just like a great ocean. Hence the Great Sūtra says: 'For example, the great ocean has eight inconceivable qualities.' The Nirvāṇa Sūtra is also like this. This single phrase praises the nature of principle. Next, the subsequent phrase treats practice and teaching together. The word 'measureless' is the utmost among numbers. This is not the 'measureless' among numbers in the Avataṃsaka Sūtra; because it is not countable, it is called measureless. The words 'meritorious virtues' mean what is attained through functional effort, and therefore they are meritorious virtues. 'Virtue' (de) means 'attainment' (de). Being attained through cultivation and not countable, they are called measureless meritorious virtues. This is the dharma of practice. The word 'treasury' refers to the teaching; the teaching can contain the dharmas of principle and practice, and therefore it is called a treasury. Hence the text says 'the teaching of the three treasuries.' Alternatively, it can be the treasury of practice. The accumulation of measureless meritorious virtues is called a treasury; the dharma of principle is like an ocean, the dharma of practice is like a treasury, and the dharma of teaching is absent. Why is it absent? The teaching has no separate essence, taking voice and sound as its essence, and therefore it is not paid homage to. These two phrases clarify the Dharma Jewel. Next, the subsequent phrase praises the Saṅgha Jewel. The words 'in accord with reality' mean dispelling the heterodox and grasping the orthodox, and therefore it is said 'in accord with reality.' The words 'cultivating practice' mean being in a state that is not yet fully complete and studying to advance toward excellence, and therefore it is called cultivating practice. The word 'etc.' means that this kind is not single, and therefore it says 'etc.' Next, the subsequent verse clarifies the intention behind composing the treatise. Herein there are two: first, a half-verse dispels the heterodox; second, a half-verse establishes the orthodox. The words 'desiring to cause sentient beings' clarify those for whose sake it is written, not for oneself, but exclusively for sentient beings. Because it is the mental activity of composing the treatise, it says 'desiring.' Because they are formed of evil dharmas and receive birth everywhere, they are called sentient beings. Next, the subsequent phrase clarifies what is to be eliminated. The words 'eliminate doubt': vacillation is called doubt; correct faith as an antidote is called eliminating. Why eliminate it? Sentient beings do not attain the noble path and give rise to various afflictions all because of doubt; therefore it must be eliminated. 'Eliminating' means dispelling. The words 'abandon heterodox attachments': sentient beings, on account of the view of self, hold heterodox attachments; now by bringing forth the correct meaning, heterodox attachments are abandoned. 'Abandoning' means leaving behind. Why abandon them? The view of self is the root of all afflictions; if there is no view of self, the afflictions have nowhere to abide. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 1.11](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1843.1.11) - [Next: 1.13](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1843.1.13) - [Up: 1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1843.1) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1843~en-mt.1.12) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1843.1.12](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1843.1.12) · Pramāṇa