大乘起信論義疏 1.2

1.2

《大乘起信論》者，蓋乃宣顯至極深理之妙論也，摧邪之利刀、排淺之深淵、立正之勝幢，是以諸佛法身菩薩皆以此法為體、凡夫二乘此理為性，改凡成聖莫不由之。是故釋尊為表此法以殊勝故，超過巨海、須彌山等，於鐵圍上楞伽城中，十頭羅剎宮殿之中，說此法也。即表其三乘絕分，如《法華論》主。論主問言：「何故住此靈鷲山中，說此法耶？」釋言：「為題此一乘法以殊勝故，依處以題。」又《十地論》中問：「何故在此他化自在天，摩尼寶殿中說此法門？」釋言：「為題十地法門以殊勝故，挍量勝故。」此亦如是。一化所說，教雖眾多，要唯有二：一者聲聞藏；二者菩薩藏。教聲聞法名聲聞藏，教菩薩法名菩薩藏。何以故知佛教但二？有事有文。言有事者，佛滅度後，迦葉、阿難於王舍城結集三藏，名聲聞藏；文殊、阿難於鐵圍山集摩訶衍，名菩薩藏，故知佛教無出此二。言有文者，《涅槃經》言「十二部中唯方廣部菩薩所持，餘十一部聲聞所持。」《地持論》中亦同此說。下復說言「聲聞、菩薩出苦道說修多羅。」結集經者，謂集二藏，說聲聞行為聲聞藏，說菩薩行為菩薩藏，故知所說無出此二。亦名大乘小乘、半滿教也。名雖有異，其義不殊。此二藏中各分有三：謂修多羅、毘尼、毘曇。小乘三藏者：如四阿含經，是修多羅藏；五部戒律是毘尼藏；毘曇、成實是毘曇藏。大乘三藏者，如《涅槃》、《華嚴》等，是修多羅藏；《清淨毘尼方等經》等是毘尼藏；《十地》、《地持》等是阿毘曇藏。今此論者，二藏之中菩薩藏攝，三藏之中是第三阿毘曇藏。亦名摩德勒伽藏，此云行境界；亦名摩夷，此云行母。此論所明，八識之理為體，行法為宗，諸菩薩等依於此理，得起修行，依行成德，故言菩薩摩德勒伽藏也。

The Awakening of Faith in the Mahāyāna is a wondrous treatise that proclaims and reveals the ultimate, profound principle. It is a sharp blade that cuts down heterodoxy, a deep abyss that rejects shallowness, and a victorious banner that establishes correctness. For this reason, the Buddhas and dharmakāya bodhisattvas all take this teaching as their essence, while pṛthagjanas and the two vehicles take this principle as their nature; transformation from an ordinary person to a sage is in no case accomplished without it. Therefore, to indicate the pre-eminence of this teaching, crossing beyond the great ocean and Mount Sumeru, on the Iron Ring Mountains within the city of Laṅkā, in the palace of the ten-headed rākṣasa, the Sage of the Śākyas taught this Dharma. This indicates that it transcends the sphere of the three vehicles, just as [explained by] the author of the Saddharmapuṇḍarīkopadeśa. That treatise master asks: "Why did [the Buddha] dwell on this Vulture Peak to preach this Dharma?" He explains: "It is to designate the pre-eminence of this ekayāna Dharma, designating it by means of the place." Furthermore, it is asked in the Daśabhūmivyākhyāna: "Why was this Dharma gate taught in the palace of maṇi jewels in this Paranirmitavaśavartin Heaven?" He explains: "It is to designate the pre-eminence of the Dharma gate of the ten grounds, because it is of superior measure." Here it is also like this. Although the teachings spoken in a single dispensation are numerous, in essence there are only two: first, the Śrāvakapiṭaka; second, the Bodhisattvapiṭaka. The teaching of the śrāvaka Dharma is named the Śrāvakapiṭaka; the teaching of the bodhisattva Dharma is named the Bodhisattvapiṭaka. How is it known that the Buddha's teachings are only two? There are both events and texts. As for the events: after the Buddha's parinirvāṇa, Kāśyapa and Ānanda compiled the three piṭakas at Rājagṛha, which is called the Śrāvakapiṭaka; Mañjuśrī and Ānanda compiled the Mahāyāna at the Iron Ring Mountains, which is called the Bodhisattvapiṭaka. Thus we know that the Buddha's teachings do not go beyond these two. As for the texts: the Nirvāṇa Sūtra states, "Among the twelve divisions, only the Vaipulya division is upheld by bodhisattvas; the remaining eleven divisions are upheld by śrāvakas." In the Bodhisattvabhūmi, it is also explained in the same way. Below it also states, "The sūtras teach the path of transcending suffering for śrāvakas and bodhisattvas." Those who compiled the scriptures compiled the two piṭakas: expounding śrāvaka practices is the Śrāvakapiṭaka, and expounding bodhisattva practices is the Bodhisattvapiṭaka. Thus we know that what was taught does not go beyond these two. They are also called Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna, or the half-word and full-word teachings. Though the names differ, their meaning is not distinct. Within these two piṭakas, each is divided into three: namely, sūtra, vinaya, and abhidharma. As for the three piṭakas of the Hīnayāna: scriptures such as the four Āgamas are the Sūtrapiṭaka; the five divisions of the vinaya are the Vinayapiṭaka; and the abhidharma and the Tattvasiddhi-śāstra are the Abhidharmapiṭaka. As for the three piṭakas of the Mahāyāna: scriptures such as the Nirvāṇa Sūtra and Avataṃsaka Sūtra are the Sūtrapiṭaka; scriptures such as the Sūtra of Pure Vinaya and Vaipulya are the Vinayapiṭaka; and treatises such as the Daśabhūmi and Bodhisattvabhūmi are the Abhidharmapiṭaka. Now, this treatise is subsumed under the Bodhisattvapiṭaka between the two piṭakas, and is the third, the Abhidharmapiṭaka, among the three piṭakas. It is also called the Mātṛkāpiṭaka, translated here as "realm of practice"; it is also called the mayi, translated here as "mother of practice." What is clarified in this treatise takes the principle of the eight consciousnesses as essence and the practice of the Dharma as principal theme. The bodhisattvas, relying upon this principle, are able to give rise to cultivation, and relying on cultivation, they accomplish virtue; therefore it is called the Bodhisattva-mātṛkāpiṭaka.