[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) › [起信論疏](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1844) › 1.9 # 起信論疏 1.9 起信論疏 1.9 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [1.9](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1844.1.9) 言「起信」者，依此論文，起眾生信，故言起信。信以決定謂爾之辭，所謂信理實有、信修可得、信修得時有無窮德。此中信實有者，是信體大，信一切法不可得故，即信實有平等法界；信可得者，是信相大，具性功德熏眾生故，即信相熏必得歸原；信有無窮功德用者，是信用大，無所不為故。若人能起此三信者，能入佛法，生諸功德，出諸魔境，至無上道。如經偈云「信為道元功德母，增長一切諸善根；除滅一切諸疑惑，示現開發無上道。信能超出眾魔境，示現無上解脫道；一切功德不壞種，出生無上菩提樹。」信有如是無量功德，依論得發心，故言起信。 > As for "Awakening of Faith": relying on the text of this treatise, it awakens faith in sentient beings; hence it is called "Awakening of Faith." Faith is a term expressing decisive certainty—namely, believing that the principle truly exists, believing that it can be attained through cultivation, and believing that when attained through cultivation, it possesses inexhaustible merits. Herein, believing that it truly exists is believing in the greatness of essence; because all phenomena cannot be grasped, one believes that the equal dharmadhātu truly exists. Believing that it can be attained is believing in the greatness of attributes; because the endowed merits of the nature perfume sentient beings, one believes that phenomenal perfuming must lead to returning to the source. Believing that it possesses inexhaustible merit and function is believing in the greatness of function, because there is nothing it does not do. If someone can awaken these three kinds of faith, they are able to enter the Buddhadharma, generate all merits, emerge from all realms of Māra, and reach the supreme path. As a sūtra verse says: / "Faith is the source of the path, the mother of merit, / Nurturing all wholesome roots; / Dispelling all doubts, / Revealing and opening the supreme path. / Faith can transcend the realms of all māras, / Revealing the supreme path of liberation; / It is the indestructible seed of all merit, / Producing the supreme bodhi tree." / Since faith has such immeasurable merits, relying on the treatise one is able to generate the aspiration; hence it is called "Awakening of Faith." > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 1.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1844.1.8) - [Next: 1.10](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1844.1.10) - [Up: 1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1844.1) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1844~en-mt.1.9) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1844.1.9](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1844.1.9) · Pramāṇa