大乘起信論義記 1.2

1.2

Now, the true mind is vast and open, transcending words and images beyond fish trap and rabbit snare; serene, empty, and silent, it obliterates object and cognition beyond the apprehending and the apprehended; neither arising nor ceasing, it is unmoved by the four characteristics; neither coming nor going, it cannot be altered by the three times. Yet, having non-abiding as its nature, it branches along various streams: rising and sinking following delusion and awakening, arising and ceasing depending on causes and conditions. Although it flourishes and surges in myriad ways, it has never moved from the source of the mind; although tranquil, void, and congealed, it has never contradicted karmic fruition. Therefore, it brings about pratītyasamutpāda without changing its nature, so defilement and purity remain constantly distinct; without abandoning conditions, it is immediately true, so ordinary beings and sages are unified. It is like how, because waves are not movements separate from water, one distinguishes waves by means of water; and because water has no moistness separate from movement, one clarifies water by means of waves. Thus movement and tranquility thoroughly interpenetrate, the true and the conventional are both harmonized, and saṃsāra and nirvāṇa are evenly and equally bound together. However, when the Tathāgata was in the world, capacities were mature and easily tamed, and upon receiving the Honored One's words, all tallied with them in advance. After the Great Master passed into extinction, divergent attachments arose in confusion, some turning down evil paths and some racing along the lesser path. Consequently, the treasure trove within the house could not relieve the destitute from poverty, and the bright pearl inside the garment failed to free the hired laborer from want. Furthermore, the profound intent of the Mahāyāna sank onto palm leaves without being investigated, while the blind throngs among sentient beings sped down divergent paths with none returning. Thereupon there was a great being named Aśvaghoṣa, who lamented this decaying order and grieved over these drowning souls. Wishing to disclose the wondrous intent of the profound sūtras and once more illuminate the dark paths, and to refute the inverted vision of wrong views so as to bring beings back to the correct path, he enabled those returning to the source to reach it, and made the return to the origin not far off. At that time, he composed an extensive treatise to broadly benefit all sorts of beings; yet because its text was voluminous and its meaning distant, it was not something of shallow understanding could fathom. Grieving for the deluded masses of the final age, he further composed this treatise, which may be called rich in meaning and concise in phrasing, encompassing both understanding and practice, whereby those of intermediate and lower capacities might awaken and enter! Now, 'Great' has the meaning of encompassing; 'Vehicle' has the function of carrying; 'Awakening' is the stirring of the mind facing objects; and 'Faith' is being decisively settled regarding conditions. Moving back and forth in refutation and analysis, it is therefore called a 'treatise'; hence it is called the *Mahāyānaśraddhotpādaśāstra*. The remaining meanings will be distinguished separately below.