大乘起信論義記 3.132

3.132

合中眾生，合前木也；正因，合火性；若不遇諸佛菩薩等，合若無人知等也。能自斷下，合能自燒無有是處，此顯闕緣之失也。若雖有下，明闕因不成，謂無明厚重之流，雖本覺內熏，然未有力故，是故雖遇善友外緣之力，而亦不能令其得道也。此即明因緣互闕之失。

In the application: 'sentient beings' corresponds to the aforementioned 'wood'; 'proper cause' corresponds to the 'nature of fire'; 'if they do not encounter the Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and so forth' corresponds to 'if there is no person who knows', and so on. 'Being able themselves to sever [afflictions]…' on corresponds to 'being able to burn itself is impossible'; this reveals the fault of lacking conditions. 'Although there is…' on explains that lacking the cause results in non-attainment: this refers to the stream of beings whose avidyā is thick and heavy; although innate enlightenment perfumes internally, it does not yet have strength; therefore, although they encounter the power of external conditions such as good friends, they still cannot be brought to attain the Way. This explains the fault of mutual deficiency in cause and conditions.