[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [大乘起信論義記](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1846) › 1.54 # 大乘起信論義記 1.54 大乘起信論義記 1.54 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [1.54](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1846.1.54) 初中所為眾生雖多，三聚統收，準下文，正唯為不定聚眾生故，下云：為未入正定眾生修行信心等，兼為邪定作遠因緣，兼為正定具增妙行。別舉下文因緣分中六位眾生，至彼當辨。二、所成益中有二：先令得離過益，後得成行益。初中由疑故迷真失於樂也，由執故起妄種於苦也。《十地論》中，「菩薩三種觀，於眾生起大慈悲：一、遠離最上第一義樂；二、具足諸苦；三、於彼二顛倒。」解云：真樂本有，失而不知；妄苦本空，得而不覺；於彼得失都無覺知故，令菩薩生悲造論。「是故」以下，文立義分及顯示正義，解釋如來根本之義，令諸眾生正解不謬，以除疑惑令悟真樂；以對治邪執遣其二執，令離苦因。故下云「遠離癡慢出邪網」等，故云除疑捨邪執也。二、成行者，既於真不疑、於邪不執，未知於何乘起行？謂於大乘，以是究竟根本法故。未知於此大乘起何等行？謂起信心行，以信是眾行之本故。亦即翻前疑，故云信；翻前邪執，故云正，是云起大乘正信也。則以下文分別發趣道相及修行信心分成此行也。三、成益意者，謂令眾生離過成行，使信位成滿，入位不退堪成當果，故云佛種不斷。下文云「信成就發心」者，畢竟不退，入如來種中，正因相應等。又釋：由此所說，令諸眾生修行佛因常恒不絕，故云不斷。《華嚴》云「下佛種子於眾生田，生正覺芽，是故能令佛寶不斷。」此之謂也。又釋：由此教法流傳，如前所釋，亦為不斷。此當勸修利益分所作也。上來歸敬辨竟分竟。 > In the first part, although the sentient beings for whose sake it is made are many, they are collectively subsumed under the three groups. According to the text below, it is primarily and strictly for the sake of sentient beings of the indeterminate group; hence it says below: "for sentient beings who have not yet entered the correctly determined \[group\] to cultivate the faithful mind," and so forth. Secondarily, it serves as a distant cause and condition for the errantly determined, and secondarily, it fully increases wonderful practice for the correctly determined. The specific raising of the six ranks of sentient beings in the chapter on Causes and Conditions below will be distinguished when we come to that passage. Second, in the benefit achieved, there are two aspects: first, causing them to attain the benefit of leaving faults behind; second, attaining the benefit of completing practice. In the first, through doubt one is deluded about the true and loses joy; through attachment one arouses the false and plants seeds of suffering. In the Daśabhūmikaśāstra: "The bodhisattva's three kinds of contemplation arouse great compassion for sentient beings: 1. being far removed from the joy of the supreme ultimate truth; 2. being fully endowed with all sufferings; 3. being inverted with respect to those two." The explanation states: True joy is fundamentally possessed, yet they lose it without knowing; false suffering is fundamentally empty, yet they obtain it without realizing. Because they have no awareness at all regarding their gaining and losing, it causes the bodhisattva to give rise to compassion and compose the treatise. From "Therefore" onward, the chapters on Explaining the Fundamental Meaning and Manifesting the Correct Meaning explain the fundamental meaning of the Tathāgata, causing all sentient beings to have correct understanding without error, so as to eliminate doubts and cause them to awaken to true joy; through counteracting errant attachments, it dispels their two attachments, causing them to leave the causes of suffering behind. Hence it says below: "leaving behind delusion and pride, escaping the net of error," and so forth; thus it says "eliminate doubts and abandon errant attachments." Second, completing practice: once they have no doubt regarding the true and no attachment to the errant, it is not yet known in which vehicle they should initiate practice. It is in the Mahāyāna, because it is the ultimate, fundamental dharma. It is not yet known what kind of practice they should initiate in this Mahāyāna. It is initiating the practice of the faithful mind, because faith is the root of all practices. This also turns around the preceding doubt, hence it says "faith"; it turns around the preceding errant attachment, hence it says "correct"; thus it is called "arouse correct faith in the Mahāyāna." Then, through the chapters below on Distinguishing the Marks of Setting Forth on the Path and Cultivating Faith, this practice is completed. Third, the intent behind achieving the benefit: causing sentient beings to leave faults behind and complete practice, making the stage of faith complete and fulfilled, entering the rank of non-retrogression and becoming capable of achieving the future fruition; hence it says "and prevent the lineage of the Buddha from being severed." The text below says: "those whose faith is accomplished and arouse the mind \[for awakening\]" are ultimately non-retrogressing, entering the lineage of the Tathāgata, conjoined with the correct cause, and so forth. Another explanation: through what is explained here, it causes all sentient beings to cultivate the cause of buddhahood constantly and without interruption, hence it says "not severed." The Avataṃsakasūtra says: "Planting the seed of buddhahood in the field of sentient beings, the sprout of correct awakening is born; therefore one is able to keep the Buddha Jewel from being severed." This is what it means. Another explanation: through the circulation of this teaching and Dharma, as explained before, it is also not severed. This corresponds to what is performed by the chapter on Encouraging Practice and the Benefits. The above section on distinguishing the veneration and refuge is finished. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 1.53](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1846.1.53) - [Next: 1.55](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1846.1.55) - [Up: 1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1846.1) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1846~en-mt.1.54) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (1) - [大乘起信論內義略探記](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1849.1.9) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1846.1.54](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1846.1.54) · Pramāṇa