大乘起信論別記 1.38

1.38

言「本覺」者，謂此心性離不覺相，是覺照性，名為本覺。如下文云「所謂自體有大智惠光明義故」。言「始覺」者，即此心體，隨無明緣動作妄念，而以本覺熏習力故稍有覺用，乃至究竟還同本覺，是名始覺。言「不覺義」，亦有二種：一者根本不覺；二者枝末不覺。枝末不覺者，謂梨耶識內根本無明，名為不覺。如下文云「依阿梨耶識，說有無覺而起」故。言枝末不覺者，謂無明所起一切染法，皆名不覺。如下文云「一切染法皆是不覺相」故。若依識相差別簡本異末義門，則梨耶識中唯有本覺及本不覺。若就識體無二攝末歸本義門，則彼始覺及末不覺亦是梨耶識內之義。故上云此識有二義者，通含如是二種之意。故下釋中通舉本始二覺及二不覺義也。

Regarding "innate enlightenment," it means that this nature of the mind is free from the characteristics of non-enlightenment; being of the nature of enlightened illumination, it is called innate enlightenment. As it says below: "Because its very essence has the meaning of the light of great wisdom." Regarding "actualized enlightenment," it means that this essence of the mind, following the condition of avidyā, stirs and produces deluded thoughts; yet, through the vāsanā-power of innate enlightenment, it gradually comes to have an enlightened function, until at the culmination it returns to being identical with innate enlightenment; this is called actualized enlightenment. The "meaning of non-enlightenment" also has two kinds: first, fundamental non-enlightenment; second, branch-and-leaf non-enlightenment. [Fundamental non-enlightenment] means the fundamental avidyā within the ālayavijñāna, which is called non-enlightenment. As it says below: "Relying on the ālayavijñāna, it is said that non-enlightenment arises." Regarding branch-and-leaf non-enlightenment, it means that all defiled dharmas produced by avidyā are called non-enlightenment. As it says below: "All defiled dharmas are characteristics of non-enlightenment." If one relies on the doctrinal approach of distinguishing the root from the branches according to the differences among consciousness-characteristics, then within the ālayavijñāna there are only innate enlightenment and fundamental non-enlightenment. If one takes the doctrinal approach of subsuming the branches into the root based on the non-duality of the essence of consciousness, then that actualized enlightenment and branch-and-leaf non-enlightenment are also meanings within the ālayavijñāna. Therefore, what was said above—that this consciousness has two meanings—comprehensively encompasses these two perspectives. Thus, in the explanation below, it comprehensively raises both the two enlightenments (innate and actualized) and the two non-enlightenments.