起信論疏 1.7

1.7

次釋題名。言「大乘」者，大是當法之名，廣苞為義；乘是寄喻之稱，運載為功。總說雖然，於中分別者，則有二門：先依經說、後依論明。依經說者，如《虛空藏經》言「大乘者，謂無量無邊無崖故，普遍一切，喻如虛空，廣大容受一切眾生故，不與聲聞、辟支佛共故，名為大乘。」復次乘者，以正住四攝法為輪、以善淨十善業為輻、以淨功德資糧為轂、以堅固淳至專意為輨轄釘鑷、以善成就諸禪解脫為轅、以四無量為善調、以善知識為御者、以知時非時為發動、以無常苦空無我之音為驅策、以七覺寶繩為𮧖靷、以淨五眼為索帶、以弘普端直大悲為旒幢、以四正勤為軔（軫也，枝本輪也）、以四念處為平直、以四神足為速進、以勝五力為鑒陣、以八聖道為直進、於一切眾生無障礙慧明為軒、以無住六波羅密迴向薩般若、以無礙四諦度到彼岸，是為大乘。解云：上來以二十句，舉喻況法，以顯乘義。又下文云「此乘諸佛所受，聲聞、辟支佛所觀，一切菩薩所乘，釋梵護世所應敬禮，一切眾生所應供養，一切智者所應讚歎，一切世間所應歸趣，一切諸魔不能破壞，一切外道不能測量，一切世間不能與競。」解云：上來以十句，對人顯大乘也。

Next is explaining the title. As for "Mahāyāna" (Great Vehicle): "great" is a name applied to the reality, meaning vast inclusion; "vehicle" is an appellation drawn from a metaphor, functioning to carry and transport. Although spoken of generally in this way, if distinguished within it, there are two gates: first, explaining according to sūtras; second, clarifying according to treatises. Explaining according to sūtras: as the Ākāśagarbha-sūtra says: "'Mahāyāna' means immeasurable, boundless, and cliff-less; it pervades everything, like space, because it broadly accommodates all sentient beings; and because it is not shared with śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, it is called the Mahāyāna." Furthermore, regarding the vehicle: taking properly abiding in the four means of embrace as its wheels; taking pure ten wholesome actions as its spokes; taking the pure sambhāra of merit as its hub; taking firm, pure, and dedicated intent as its linchpins and axle-pins; taking the good accomplishment of the dhyānas and liberations as its shafts; taking the four immeasurables as its good training; taking good spiritual friends as its driver; taking knowledge of the right and wrong time as its movement; taking the sounds of impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and non-self as its whip; taking the jeweled ropes of the seven bodhyaṅgas as its traces and reins; taking the purified five eyes as its girth-straps; taking broad, pervasive, upright mahākaruṇā as its pennant and banner; taking the four samyakprahāṇas as its brake (zhěn, the root of the wheel's branch); taking the four smṛtyupasthānas as its levelness; taking the four ṛddhipādas as its rapid progress; taking the superior five powers as its vanguard; taking the eightfold noble path as its direct advance; taking unimpeded bright wisdom toward all sentient beings as its carriage-box; dedicating the non-abiding six pāramitās toward sarvajñā; and crossing over to the other shore through the unobstructed four truths—this is the Mahāyāna. Explanation: Above, with twenty phrases, metaphors are raised to illustrate the Dharma and reveal the meaning of the vehicle. Again, the text below says: "This vehicle is received by all Buddhas, contemplated by śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, ridden by all bodhisattvas, reverently saluted by Śakra, Brahmā, and the World-Protectors, worshipped by all sentient beings, praised by all the wise, sought as a refuge by all the world; it cannot be destroyed by any māras, cannot be fathomed by any non-Buddhists, and cannot be rivaled by anything in all the world." Explanation: Above, with ten phrases, the Mahāyāna is revealed in relation to persons.