起信論疏 1.27

1.27

The extensive explanation above of 'this mind's arising and ceasing' in the section establishing the doctrine has already concluded. Below this, the second part explains its primary and secondary causes (hetu and pratyaya). Here there are two: first, clarifying the meaning of arising and ceasing relying on causes and conditions; second, revealing the essence and characteristics of the relied-upon causes and conditions. In the first there are also two: a general statement and a detailed explanation. In the general statement, 'causes and conditions' means that the essence of the ālayavijñāna mind transforms to make all dharmas, which is the cause of arising and ceasing; fundamental avidyā perfumes and stirs the mind-essence, which is the condition of arising and ceasing. Furthermore, the ground of avidyā, as the root of all defilements, gives rise to all arisings and ceasings, and is thus spoken of as the cause; the objects of the six sense-data are able to stir the wave-like arising and ceasing of the seven consciousnesses, and are the conditions of arising and ceasing. Relying on these two meanings, causes and conditions are revealed. The various characteristics of arising and ceasing gather and arise, hence they are called 'sentient beings'; yet they have no separate essence, relying solely on the mind-essence, hence it says 'relying on the mind'—that is, the mind as the self-characteristic of the ālaya. The sentient beings that rely are the manas and manovijñāna; therefore it says 'the evolving of manas and manovijñāna'. From 'what does this mean?' downward is the detailed explanation. Here there are three: first, explaining reliance on the mind; next, explaining the evolving of manas; finally, explaining the evolving of manovijñāna. In the first, 'ālayavijñāna' is the above-mentioned mind, which is the cause of arising and ceasing; speaking of 'there is avidyā' refers to what resides in the ālayavijñāna, which is the condition of arising and ceasing. Wanting to clarify that manas and manovijñāna evolve relying on these causes and conditions, it therefore says: 'Because relying on the ālayavijñāna, it is said that there is avidyā.' In the general statement above, it briefly indicated the cause, and so only said 'relying on the mind'; here in the detailed explanation, it fully reveals cause and condition, and so speaks of also relying on avidyā that is within the ālayavijñāna. From 'non-enlightenment' downward, next is explained the evolving of manas, in which there are three: first, briefly clarifying the evolving of manas; second, extensively revealing the characteristics of evolving; third, concluding the meaning of relying on the mind. The first clarifies the characteristics of the five kinds of consciousness: 'arising through non-enlightenment' means the relied-upon mind-essence, perfumed by avidyā, moves in its entirety—this is 'karmic consciousness'. 'Able to see' means that the very mind-essence evolves into the capacity to see—this is 'evolving consciousness'. 'Able to manifest' means that the very mind-essence again becomes able to manifest—this is 'manifesting consciousness'. 'Able to grasp objects' means being able to grasp the objects manifested by the manifesting consciousness—this is 'wisdom consciousness'. 'Giving rise to continuous thoughts' means giving rise to various coarse thoughts regarding the grasped objects—this is 'continuous consciousness'. Relying on these five meanings, evolving in sequence, it is able to confront all objects and generate 'manovijñāna'; hence these five are spoken of as manas. From 'this manas' downward, the second part extensively clarifies [them], having two: a general statement and a detailed explanation. In the detailed explanation, 'the power of avidyā' presents the relied-upon condition; 'the movement of the non-enlightened mind' explains its karmic meaning, because the meaning of stirring into movement is the meaning of karma. In evolving consciousness, 'because relying on the moving mind there is the characteristic of being able to see' means that relying on the movement of the prior karmic consciousness, it evolves into the characteristic of being able to see. However, evolving consciousness has two aspects: if regarded as evolving into the ability to see stirred by avidyā, it is in the root consciousness; if regarded as evolving into the ability to see stirred by external objects, it refers to the seven consciousnesses. The characteristic of evolving here concerns the first meaning. In manifesting consciousness, 'able to manifest all objects' means that relying on the seeing of the prior evolving consciousness, it further gives rise to the function of being able to manifest. As the text above says: 'Because relying on the ability to see, objects falsely appear.' One should know that manifesting consciousness relies on evolving consciousness; the function of being able to see is not itself being able to manifest. Therefore it previously said 'able to see and able to manifest'. Next is a simile, followed by its application. In the application, 'five sense-data' merely presents the coarse and apparent to match visible shapes, but strictly speaking it manifests all objects universally. 'Because at all times it arises spontaneously and is constantly present' means that, unlike the sixth and seventh consciousnesses, it is never interrupted. Certified by this text, one should know that these three are all distinct functions within the root consciousness. The fourth, 'wisdom consciousness', is the first 'wisdom characteristic' among the six characteristics on the level of the seventh consciousness; its meaning is as explained before: agreeable and disagreeable fruits are called defiled and pure dharmas; discriminating those dharmas and conceiving of self and what belongs to self is why it says 'discriminating defiled and pure dharmas'. The fifth, 'continuous consciousness', is the characteristic called 'continuity' among the six characteristics on the level of the manovijñāna. 'Because conforming with thoughts without interruption' means that by conforming with attachment to dharmas, it achieves long continuity; this explains the meaning of continuity with reference to the uninterruptedness of its own substance. From 'sustaining' onward, it explains the meaning of continuity with reference to its function. This consciousness can give rise to the afflictions of craving and grasping, and thus can lead and sustain the karmic formations produced by past avidyā, causing them to become existence capable of [bearing] future fruits; hence it says 'sustaining... so that they are not lost'. Furthermore, it can give rise to afflictions that moisten rebirth, enabling karmic fruits to continue arising without break; hence it says 'accomplishing without discrepancy'. In this way, the causes and fruits of the three periods of time circulate without break, the efficacy lying in the manovijñāna; for this reason it is named continuous consciousness. Next, saying 'recalling past matters and anticipating future matters' reveals that this consciousness's function is coarse and apparent discrimination, unlike the subtle discrimination of wisdom consciousness; from this we know that this consciousness belongs solely to the manovijñāna, unlike the continuous mind mentioned earlier. From 'therefore' downward, the third part concludes by clarifying the meaning of relying on the mind, in which there are two: first brief, then extensive. At first, 'therefore' means that the aforementioned five kinds of consciousness and so forth are formed relying on the mind; for this reason, all dharmas of the three realms are mind-only. As the Daśabhūmika-sūtra says: 'Sons of the Buddha! The three realms are made only by the One Mind'—this is what it means. From 'what does this mean?' downward is the extensive explanation, in which there are two: first, clarifying that all dharmas are not non-existent yet are not existent; second, showing that all dharmas are not existent yet are not completely non-existent. In the first, 'because all dharmas arise from the mind and are born of false thoughts' clarifies that dharmas are not without manifestation; 'all discrimination is discriminating one's own mind, and mind does not see mind; no characteristic is obtainable' clarifies the meaning that dharmas are non-existent. As the ten-fascicle sūtra says: 'The body, provisions, and sustaining—if they arise as in a dream, there should be two kinds of minds, yet the mind does not have two characteristics. Just as a sword does not cut itself, and a finger does not point to itself; as the mind does not see itself, the case is just the same.' The explanation states: If the various things seen in a dream—if what is seen like that were truly existent, there would be the two characteristics of the grasper and the grasped, yet in a dream there are truly not two dharmas. All minds of the three realms are like this dream: outside of the mind there is nothing to discriminate, hence it says that all discrimination is discriminating one's own mind; yet within one's own mind, it cannot see itself, like the sword and the finger, hence it says that mind does not see mind. Since there is no other to be seen, and it cannot see itself, because the grasped is absent, the grasper is absent. Both the two characteristics of grasper and grasped are unobtainable; hence it says that no characteristic is obtainable. Resolving difficulties and harmonising the new and old [translations] here is distinguished as finely as dust in the Separate Record. From 'one should know' downward, next is clarified the meaning of being non-existent yet not non-existent. First, 'one should know that worldly... down to having no substance obtainable, but being only the mind's falsity' clarifies non-existence. Next, from 'because when the mind arises, dharmas arise' onward shows that they are not non-existent. Relying on the power of avidyā, the non-enlightened mind stirs, down to being able to manifest all objects, etc.; hence it says 'when the mind arises, various dharmas arise'. If the mind of avidyā ceases, objects cease accordingly, and all discriminating consciousnesses can all be extinguished; hence it says 'when the mind ceases, various dharmas cease', which does not clarify arising and ceasing in terms of kṣaṇas (moments). The extensive explanation of manas is finished.