起信論疏 1.15

1.15

Below this is the second chapter-heading, establishing the meaning, within which there are also two parts: first, explaining the meaning of "great" (mahā); next, revealing the meaning of "vehicle" (yāna). This also initiates the subsequent text in the explanation; when reaching that text, they will correspond to each other. Among the meanings of "great," the greatness of essence is in the gate of tathatā, and the two greatnesses of characteristics and function are in the gate of arising and ceasing. Within the gate of arising and ceasing there is also its own essence, but because essence is subsumed under characteristics, it is not spoken of separately. When it says "the tathāgatagarbha is replete with immeasurable essential virtues," this refers to the non-empty tathāgatagarbha within the two kinds of garbha, and the encompassing tathāgatagarbha among the two kinds of garbha; the meaning of essential virtues and the meaning of the greatness of function will be distinguished in detail when reaching the explanation below. In the meaning of "vehicle," there are two phrases: "because all Buddhas originally rode it" explains the meaning of "vehicle" by establishing the effect in view of the cause; "because all bodhisattvas ride this dharma to arrive at the Tathāgata-stage" explains the meaning of "vehicle" based on the cause in view of the effect.