起信論疏 2.6.1

2.6.1

In the section on cultivating faith, there are three parts: first, citing the person to briefly state the general meaning; second, relying on the Dharma to broadly distinguish the aspects of practice; third, showing the upāya for non-retrogression. In the first part, the statement that "the cultivation of faith is explained for the sake of sentient beings who have not entered the samyak-niyata" means: above, in explaining the characteristics of aspiring to the path, it was said to rely on sentient beings in the undetermined group; now, stating here that they "have not entered the samyak-niyata," one should know that these are also people of the undetermined group. However, within the undetermined group, there are inferior and superior [capacities]. The superior advance by the vehicle, while the inferior may retrogress. For those superior people, the aspiration [to the path] is taught—namely, the aspiration of faith accomplished up to the aspiration of realization, and so forth—in order to cause superior people to progressively advance. For the inferior ones, the cultivation of faith is taught—namely, the four kinds of faith, the five gates of practice, and so forth—so that the faith of those inferior people does not retrogress. If these inferior people accomplish the cultivation of faith, they will also advance relying on the three kinds of aspiration in the section on aspiring [to the path]. Therefore, what the two sections are intended for is different, but the principle to which they tend has no distinction. From "What [are the four kinds of faith]?" onwards is the second part, the broad explanation. First two questions are raised, and then two answers are given in turn. In answering about faith, the phrase "faith in the fundamental" means: the dharma of tathatā is that to which all Buddhas return and the source of all practices; hence it is called the "fundamental." The rest of the text can be understood. In answering about cultivation, there are three parts in the text: first, adducing the number to state the general topic; second, opening the gates according to the number; third, individually explaining according to the gates. In the first part, "able to accomplish this faith" means: if there is faith without practice, then faith is not mature; faith that is not mature will retrogress upon encountering conditions. Therefore, one cultivates the five practices to accomplish the four faiths. In the second part, opening the gates, "the gate of śamatha and vipaśyanā" means: among the six pāramitās, concentration (samādhi) and wisdom (prajñā) are cultivated together; therefore, these two are combined as the gate of śamatha and vipaśyanā. The third part, individual explanation, is divided into two sections for explanation: the first four [practices] are briefly clarified, and the last one is broadly explained. The first part also has two aspects: first, individually clarifying the four kinds of cultivation; from "Furthermore, if a person..." onwards, the second shows the practitioner's upāya for eliminating hindrances. This second part also contains two clauses: first, clarifying the hindrances to be eliminated, and then showing the methods capable of eliminating them. In the methods, the phrase "worshipping all Buddhas" generally clarifies the upāya for eliminating all hindrances. Just as a debtor who places himself under the protection of a king cannot be harmed by his creditor, so too when a practitioner pays homage to all Buddhas and is protected by all Buddhas, they can be freed from all hindrances. From "repentance" onwards, the four hindrances are individually eliminated. What are the four hindrances? First, the hindrance of all evil karma, which is eliminated through repentance; second, slandering the true Dharma, which is eradicated through supplication; third, jealousy of others' superiority, which is countered by sympathetic joy; fourth, attachment to the three realms of existence, which is countered by dedication. Because of these four hindrances, practitioners are caused not to give rise to practices and not to tend toward bodhi; therefore, they cultivate these four practices as remedies. This meaning is explained in detail in the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra. Furthermore, these four dharmas of repentance and so forth not only eliminate all hindrances, but also have immeasurable merit; hence it says "free from all hindrances, and roots of goodness increase." This meaning is broadly explained as in the Suvarṇaprabhāsa-sūtra. Within the gate of śamatha and vipaśyanā, there are two parts in the text: first, a brief clarification; second, a broad explanation. In the initial brief clarification, "stopping all signs of perceptual objects" means: previously, through discrimination, all external dust-like objects were formed; now, using awakening wisdom to shatter the signs of external dust, once the signs of dust are stopped, there is nothing to discriminate; hence it is called "stopping" (śamatha). Next, "discriminating the characteristics of arising and ceasing" means: relying on the gate of arising and ceasing, one examines the characteristics of phenomena; hence it is called "discriminating." As the *Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra*, "Bodhisattvabhūmi," says: "Here, when a bodhisattva has no discrimination with regard to all phenomena, this should be known as stopping. When, regarding the ultimate principles of all phenomena and the immeasurable conventional principles, one exercises wondrous mundane wisdom, this should be known as contemplation." From this, we know that by relying on the gate of tathatā, one stops all signs of objects and therefore has no discrimination, which constitutes non-discriminative wisdom; relying on the gate of arising and ceasing, one discriminates all signs and contemplates all principles, which constitutes subsequently attained wisdom. "Conforming to the meaning of contemplating śamatha" and "conforming to the meaning of contemplating vipaśyanā": in Sanskrit it is called śamatha, translated here as "stopping"; vipaśyanā is translated here as "contemplation." However, the translator of this treatise, to distinguish upāya from correct contemplation, retained the Sanskrit terms for correct contemplation. If one were to preserve this phrase fully, it should say "conforming to the meaning of stopping-contemplation" and "conforming to the meaning of contemplation-contemplation," wishing to show that the simultaneous operation of śamatha and vipaśyanā is itself correct contemplation; hence it says "stopping-contemplation" and "contemplation-contemplation." In the stage of upāya, stopping all signs of dust conforms to the stopping of correct contemplation; hence it says "conforming to stopping-contemplation." Furthermore, being able to discriminate the characteristics of causes and conditions conforms to the contemplation of correct contemplation; hence it says "conforming to contemplation-contemplation." From "How does one conform?" onwards, it directly explains this meaning. "Gradually cultivating" clarifies the upāya capable of conforming; "becoming present before oneself" shows the correct contemplation to which one conforms. Here, the meaning of śamatha and vipaśyanā is briefly clarified: speaking according to their aspects, concentration is named stopping, and wisdom is named contemplation; speaking according to reality, concentration pervades both stopping and contemplation, and wisdom is also like this. As the *Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra*, "Śrāvakabhūmi," says: "Furthermore, such one-pointedness of mind is either in the category of śamatha or in the category of vipaśyanā. If it is one-pointedness of mind among the nine mental abidings, it is called the category of śamatha; if it is one-pointedness of mind among the four practices of wisdom, it is called the category of vipaśyanā. What are called the nine mental abidings? Namely, a bhikṣu causes the mind to abide inwardly, abide equally, settle down, abide close, become tamed, become pacified, become supremely pacified, focus on one direction, and maintain equanimity. These are called the nine mental abidings. What is inward abiding? It means drawing back the mind from all external cognitive objects and tying it within, not scattering outward; hence it is called inward abiding. What is equal abiding? It means that the initially bound mind is by nature coarse and restless, and cannot yet be made to abide equally everywhere; then, upon this cognitive object, by means of continuous upāya and clarifying upāya, one checks it, makes it subtle, and gathers it to abide everywhere; hence it is called equal abiding. What is settling down? It means that although this mind has thus abided inwardly and abided equally, yet due to loss of mindfulness it scatters outwardly, and one gathers it back again and places it upon the internal object; hence it is called settling down. What is abiding close? It means that one should previously practice mindfulness in this way, and by virtue of this mindfulness, frequently direct attention to cause the mind to abide inwardly, not allowing this mind to abide far away externally; hence it is called abiding close. What is being tamed?"