大乘起信論義疏 1.20

1.20

自下第二「有難解」者，重料簡。此中有二：一者問、二者答。就答中有三：一者略、二者廣、三者結。初中二句：一初所為人，後所寄人。言「眾生根行不等」者，受道眾生，心器不平也。根者就昔，行者據今；昔根今欲深淺不同，故言不等。言「受解緣別」者，昔是極聖，說經是佛；今日論主，不足之人，故言緣別。既言所寄不同，所為不等，何不重說？

Next, the second part, "for those who have difficulties in understanding", re-analyzes [the matter]. Here there are two: first, a question; second, an answer. Within the answer there are three: first, brief; second, extensive; third, a conclusion. In the first there are two clauses: first, the persons for whom it was made; next, the person relied upon. As for "Sentient beings' faculties and practices are not equal": the mental capacities of sentient beings who receive the Way are uneven. Faculties pertains to the past, while practices is based on the present; past faculties and present inclinations differ in depth and shallowness, hence they are called unequal. As for "the conditions for receiving and understanding differ": in the past it was the ultimate sage, and the one who expounded the sūtras was the Buddha; today the treatise author is an incomplete person, hence it says the conditions differ. Since it is said that the one relied upon differs and those for whom it is made are unequal, why should it not be expounded again?