[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) › 2.6.3 # 起信論疏 2.6.3 起信論疏 2.6.3 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [2.6.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1844.2.6.3) 由先修習念住力故，明知內外一切諸法，本來無有能想可想，推其念念不生不滅，數數作意而不遠離，不遠離住，即是近住也。 次言「亦不得隨心外念境界」者，是明第五調順之心。 諸外塵相念心散亂，依前修習安住近住，深知外塵有諸過患，即取彼相為過患想，由是想力折挫其心令不外散，故名調順也。 次言「後以心除心」者，是明第六寂靜之心。 諸分別想令心發動，依前調順，彌覺其患，即取此相為過患想，由此想力轉除動心，動心不起，即是寂靜也。 次言「心若馳散」，乃至「念念不可得」者，是明第七最極寂靜之心。 於中有二：初言「心若馳散即當攝來乃至唯心無外境界」者，是明失念暫馳散外塵，而由念力能不忍受也。 次言「即復此心亦無自相，念念不可得」者，是明失念還存內心，而由修力尋即反吐也； 能於內外不受反吐，是故名為最極寂靜。 次言「若從坐起去來乃至淳熟其心得住」者，是明第八專住一趣。 謂有加行有功用心，故言「常念方便隨順觀察」也。 無間無缺定心相續，故言「久習淳熟其心得住」，即是專住一趣相也。 次言「以心住故漸漸猛利，隨順得入真如三昧」者，是明第九等持之心。 由前淳熟修習力故，得無加行無功用心，遠離沈浮，任運而住，故名等持。 等持之心住真如相，故言「得入真如三昧」。 「深伏煩惱信心增長，速成不退」者，略顯真如三昧力用，由此進趣得入種性不退位故。 上來所說名能入者，「唯除」以下，簡不能者。 修止方法竟在於前。 「復次」以下，第二明修止勝能，是明依前真如三昧，能生一行等諸三昧。 所言「一行三昧」者，如《文殊般若經》言「云何名一行三昧？ 佛言『法界一相，繫緣法界，是名一行三昧。 』入一行三昧者，盡知恒沙諸佛、法界無差別相。 阿難所聞佛法，得念總持，辯才智慧於聲聞中雖為最勝，猶住量數，即有限礙。 若得一行三昧，諸經法門，一一分別，皆悉了知，決定無礙。 晝夜常說，智慧辯才終不斷絕。 若比阿難多聞辯才，百千等分不及其一。 」乃至廣說。 真如三昧能生此等無量三昧，故言「真如是三昧根本」也。 修止勝能竟在於前。 「或有」以下，第三明起魔事，於中有二：略明、廣釋。 略中亦二：先明魔嬈、後示對治。 初中言「諸魔」者，是天魔也； 「鬼」者，堆惕鬼也； 「神」者，精媚神也。 如是鬼嬈亂佛法，令墮邪道，故名「外道」。 如是諸魔乃至鬼神等，皆能變作三種五塵，破人善心：一者作可畏事，文言「坐中現形恐怖」故； 二者作可愛事，文言「或現端政男女」故； 三非違非順事，謂現平品五塵，動亂行人之心，文言「等相」故。 「當念」以下，次明對治，若能思惟如前諸塵，唯是自心分別所作，自心之外無別塵相。 能作是念，境相即滅，是明通遣諸魔鬼神之法。 別門而言，各有別法，謂治諸魔者，當誦大乘諸治魔呪咀念誦之。 堆惕鬼者，或如虫蝎，緣人頭面，攢刺㿇㿇； 或復擊攊人兩掖下，或乍抱持於人，或言說音聲喧喧，及作諸獸之形，異相非一，來惱行者； 則應閉目一心憶而作如是言「我今識汝，汝是此閻浮提中食火臭香偷臘吉支，即見汝喜，汝破戒種，我今持戒，終不畏汝。 」若出家人，應誦戒律； 若在家人，應誦《菩薩戒本》，若誦三歸五戒等，鬼便却行匍匐而出也。 精媚神者，謂十二時狩，能變化作種種形色或作少男女相，或作老宿之形，及可畏身等； 非一眾多，惱亂行者。 其欲惱人，各當其時來：若其多於寅時來者，必是虎兕等； 多於卯時來者，必是兔獐等； 乃至多於丑時來者，必是牛類等。 行者恒用此時，則知其狩精媚，說其名字呵嘖即當謝滅。 此等皆如禪經廣說。 上來略說魔事對治，「或現」以下第二廣釋，於中有三：一者廣顯魔事差別； 「以是義故」以下，第二明其對治； > Because of the power of previously cultivating the smṛtyupasthānas, one clearly knows that among all inner and outer phenomena, there is originally neither that which can conceptualize nor that which can be conceptualized. Inferring that thought-moment after thought-moment they are unarisen and unceasing, one frequently directs attention to this without straying from it; to abide without straying from it is precisely 'close abiding' (upasthāna / samupasthāna). Next, the statement 'One also must not follow the mind in externally reflecting upon sense-objects' explains the fifth \[state\], the mind of 'disciplining' (damana). The signs of external dust cause the mindful mind to be distracted. Relying on the previous cultivation of firmly abiding and close abiding, deeply knowing that external dust entails various faults, one immediately conceives those signs as faulty; by the power of this conception, one curtails one's mind so that it does not scatter outward, hence it is called 'disciplining'. Next, the statement 'Afterwards, using the mind to eliminate the mind' explains the sixth \[state\], the mind of 'pacification' (śamana). Various discriminative thoughts cause the mind to be agitated. Relying on the prior disciplining, one even more acutely perceives their faults, immediately conceives these signs as faulty, and by the power of this conception turns to eliminate the agitated mind; because the agitated mind does not arise, it is precisely 'pacification'. Next, the passage from 'If the mind wanders and scatters' up to 'moment by moment cannot be apprehended' explains the seventh \[state\], the mind of 'complete pacification' (vyupaśamana). In this there are two parts: first, the statement 'If the mind wanders and scatters, one should immediately rein it back... up to... mind-only without external sense-objects' explains that through loss of mindfulness, the mind momentarily wanders and scatters to external dust, yet by the power of mindfulness one is able not to endure it. Next, the statement 'Moreover, this mind also lacks self-nature and moment by moment cannot be apprehended' explains that through loss of mindfulness, \[the thought\] still subsists in the internal mind, yet by the power of cultivation one immediately vomits it back out. Being able neither to accept \[it\] outwardly nor retain \[it\] inwardly, it is therefore called 'complete pacification'. Next, the statement 'If rising from sitting, going, coming... up to... becoming thoroughly ripe, one's mind is able to abide' explains the eighth \[state\], 'one-pointed abiding' (ekotīkaraṇa). That is, having a mind of preliminary application and purposeful exertion, the text thus states 'always mindful of upāyas, conforming to and contemplating'. With an uninterrupted and flawless continuous samādhi mind, the text thus states 'practicing for a long time until thoroughly ripe, one's mind is able to abide'—this is precisely the aspect of one-pointed abiding. Next, the statement 'Because the mind abides, it gradually becomes sharp and vigorous, and in accordance \[with it\], one attains entry into the tathatā-samādhi' explains the ninth \[state\], the mind of 'equipoise' (samādhāna). By the power of the previous cultivation that has become thoroughly ripe, one attains a mind free of preliminary application and purposeful exertion; far removed from sinking and floating, it abides spontaneously, hence it is called 'equipoise'. Because the mind of equipoise abides in the aspect of tathatā, the text states 'attains entry into the tathatā-samādhi'. 'Deeply subduing afflictions, faith increases, and one quickly achieves non-retrogression' briefly reveals the power and function of the tathatā-samādhi, because through progressing in this, one is able to enter the stage of non-retrogression of the gotra. The above has explained those who are able to enter; from 'except only' downward, it excludes those who are unable. The method for cultivating śamatha has been concluded above. From 'Furthermore' downward, the second part explains the superior efficacy of cultivating śamatha, explaining that based on the aforementioned tathatā-samādhi, one is able to produce various samādhis such as the samādhi of one act (ekavyūha-samādhi). Regarding the so-called 'samādhi of one act', as stated in the Mañjuśrī-prajñā-sūtra: 'What is called the samādhi of one act? The Buddha said: "The dharmadhātu has a single characteristic; binding one's focus to the dharmadhātu is called the samādhi of one act." One who enters the samādhi of one act completely knows the undifferentiated characteristic of the dharmadhātu and the Buddhas \[as numerous as\] the sands of the Ganges. As for the Buddha-dharma heard by Ānanda, he attained the dhāraṇī of mindfulness; though his eloquence and wisdom were foremost among the śrāvakas, they still abided in measurable quantities, and thus had limitations and obstructions. If one attains the samādhi of one act, each and every doctrinal gate of the sūtras is distinguished and completely understood, determined and unobstructed. Constantly expounding them day and night, wisdom and eloquence never cease. If compared to Ānanda's vast learning and eloquence, even one part in a hundred thousand does not match it.' Up to its extensive explanation. The tathatā-samādhi can generate such immeasurable samādhis, hence it is said that 'tathatā is the fundamental root of samādhis'. The superior efficacy of cultivating śamatha has been concluded above. From 'Or there may be' downward, the third part explains the arising of demonic events, within which there are two parts: a brief explanation and an extensive analysis. In the brief explanation there are also two parts: first explaining demonic harassment, and afterwards showing the remedy. In the first part, the term 'demons' refers to heavenly demons; 'ghosts' refers to dūti ghosts; 'spirits' refers to enchanting spirits. When such ghosts disturb the Buddha-dharma and cause one to fall into false paths, they are called 'non-Buddhists'. Such demons, ghosts, and spirits are all capable of transforming into three kinds of five dusts to destroy a person's wholesome mind: first, producing terrifying situations, as the text states 'manifesting forms while seated \[in meditation\] to cause fright'; second, producing alluring situations, as the text states 'or manifesting handsome men or women'; third, situations neither adverse nor agreeable, meaning manifesting neutral five dusts to disturb and agitate the practitioner's mind, as the text states 'and other such signs'. From 'One should reflect' downward, it next explains the remedy: if one can contemplate that the aforementioned dusts are merely created by the discrimination of one's own mind, and that outside of one's own mind there are no distinct signs of dust. When one can maintain this reflection, the objective signs will immediately vanish; this clarifies the general method for dispatching all demons, ghosts, and spirits. Speaking in terms of specific gates, each has a specific method: as for remedying various demons, one should recite the various Mahāyāna spell-incantations that ward off demons, keeping them in mind and chanting them. As for the dūti ghosts, they may appear like scorpions or insects climbing over a person's head and face, stinging and piercing with a creeping itch; or they may strike and tickle beneath both armpits of the person; or suddenly embrace the person; or make clamorous vocal sounds; or assume the forms of various beasts—not of one kind but various abnormal forms—to come and disturb the practitioner. One should then close one's eyes, single-mindedly recall and speak thus: 'I now recognize you; you are a fire-eating, foul-smelling, and lard-thieving kṛtyā in this Jambudvīpa who rejoices at the sight of me. You destroy the seed of the precepts; I now maintain the precepts and ultimately do not fear you.' If one is a monastic, one should recite the vinaya; if one is a layperson, one should recite the Bodhisattva-prātimokṣa, or recite the three refuges, the five precepts, and so forth, whereupon the ghost will crawl backwards and retreat. As for the enchanting spirits, they refer to the beasts of the twelve earthly branches, which can transform into various shapes and colors: either assuming the appearance of young boys and girls, or assuming the form of old elders, or terrifying bodies, and so forth; not one, but many, disturbing the practitioner. When they wish to afflict a person, each comes at its corresponding hour: if they mostly come at the yin hour (3–5 a.m.), it is certainly a tiger, rhinoceros, or the like; if they mostly come at the mao hour (5–7 a.m.), it is certainly a hare, musk deer, or the like; and so on, if they mostly come at the chou hour (1–3 a.m.), it is certainly of the bovine kind, and so forth. If the practitioner always uses these times, then knowing the enchantment of those beasts, speaks their names and scolds them, they will immediately disperse and vanish. All these are as explained at length in the dhyāna-sūtras. The above has briefly explained demonic events and their remedies. From 'Or they may manifest' downward is the second part, the extensive analysis, within which there are three: first, extensively revealing the distinctions among demonic events; from 'For this reason' downward, the second part explains their remedy; > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 2.6.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1844.2.6.2) - [Next: 2.6.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1844.2.6.4) - [Up: 2.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1844.2.6) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1844~en-mt.2.6.3) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (2) - [大乘起信論義記](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1846.3.447) — Classical Chinese - [釋摩訶衍論](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1668.8.27) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1844.2.6.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1844.2.6.3) · Pramāṇa