大乘起信論義記 2.136

2.136

問：四相云何而得俱時？既其俱時，何故上文覺有前後？答：上已辨竟，謂唯一夢心四相流轉，處夢之士謂為前後，各各隨其智力淺深分分而覺。然大覺之者，知夢四相唯一淨心，無有體性可辨前後，故云俱時無有自立等也。故《攝論》云「處夢謂經年，悟乃須臾頃，故時雖無量，攝在一剎那。」此中一剎那者，即謂無念。《楞伽》云「一切法不生，我說剎那義，初生即有滅，不為愚者說。」解云：以剎那流轉必無自性，無自性故即是無生，若非無生則不流轉，是故契無生者方見剎那也。又《淨名經》中「不生不滅是無常義」等。《楞伽》又云「七識不流轉、不受苦樂，非涅槃因。如來藏者受苦樂，與因俱，若生若滅。」此等經意並明真心隨流作染淨等法，染淨等法本無自體，無自體故唯一真心。是故四相即一真心，不覺即同本覺，故云本來平等同一覺也。

Question: How can the four marks be simultaneous? If they are simultaneous, why did the previous text speak of awakening having a before and after? Answer: This was already distinguished above: that is, it is merely the four marks transmigrating within the single dreaming mind; persons residing in the dream consider them to have before and after, and each awakens partially according to the shallowness or depth of their intellectual power. However, the great awakened ones know that the four marks of the dream are merely the single pure mind, having no substantial nature by which before and after could be distinguished; hence it says 'simultaneously none of them stands independently' and so forth. Thus the Mahāyānasaṃgraha says: 'Residing in a dream, one thinks years have passed; on waking, it is but an instant. Therefore, although the time is immeasurable, it is subsumed in a single kṣaṇa.' Here, 'a single kṣaṇa' means thoughtlessness. The Laṅkāvatāra says: 'All dharmas do not arise: this is the meaning of kṣaṇa that I preach. In the initial arising there is cessation; this is not preached for fools.' The explanation says: Because kṣaṇika transmigration must be without self-nature, and being without self-nature it is precisely non-arising; if it were not non-arising, it would not transmigrate. Therefore, only one who tallies with non-arising sees the kṣaṇa. Moreover, in the Vimalakīrtinirdeśasūtra it says: 'Non-arising and non-ceasing is the meaning of impermanence' and so forth. The Laṅkāvatāra also says: 'The seven consciousnesses do not transmigrate, do not experience suffering and pleasure, and are not the cause of nirvāṇa. The tathāgatagarbha experiences suffering and pleasure; together with the cause, it either arises or ceases.' The intention of these sūtras is to explain that the true mind, following the flow, produces defiled and pure dharmas and so forth. Defiled and pure dharmas originally have no intrinsic nature; having no intrinsic nature, they are merely the single true mind. Therefore, the four marks are themselves the single true mind, and non-enlightenment is identical with innate enlightenment; hence it is said, 'they are originally equal and identical to the One Enlightenment.'