大乘起信論別記 1.38

1.38

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.