大乘起信論義記 2.280

2.280

The answer states: Because all phenomena are produced by this mind following perfuming and have no other substance, they are said to be mind-only. A doubt arises: Why does this mind produce all phenomena? The explanation states: Due to being perfumed by delusive thoughts, it generates all phenomena; therefore it says "born through delusive thought". Alternatively, one might doubt: Since phenomena are mind-only, why do I not see it, and what I see is only something different from the mind? The explanation states: What is called different from the mind is made by the differentiation of your own delusive thoughts; therefore it says "born from delusive thought". "Simply the differentiation of one's own mind" means: since sense-objects are only the manifesting consciousness and there are no external, real phenomena, differentiation is therefore merely the differentiation of one's own mind, directly demonstrating the meaning of the absence of dusts and mind-only. "The mind does not see the mind" means: since dusts have no marks and consciousness does not take itself as an object, therefore, when there are no dusts, consciousness does not arise; as the Mahāyānasaṃgraha says, "there is no phenomenon whatsoever that can grasp any phenomenon". Grasper and grasped are both tranquil; therefore it says "there are no marks to be apprehended". A verse from the Madhyāntavibhāgaśāstra says: "Relying on mind-only, / the sense that objects lack substance is established; / because dusts do not exist, / the fundamental consciousness does not arise." Here, "differentiation of one's own mind" relies on mind-only to eliminate dusts, which is the same as the first half of the verse from the Madhyāntavibhāgaśāstra. "The mind does not see the mind" relies on the absence of dusts to eliminate consciousness, which is the same as the second half of the verse from the Madhyāntavibhāgaśāstra. These are spoken in terms of practice, thus eliminating the other-dependent nature. Hence the Yogācārabhūmiśāstra says: "Question: When practitioners of contemplation see the marklessness of the imagined nature, what nature should they be said to enter? Answer: They enter the consummate nature. Question: When they enter the consummate nature, what nature should they be said to eliminate? Answer: They eliminate the other-dependent nature." From this one should know that when the contemplation of mind-only is perfected, there is no consciousness. The Laṅkāvatārasūtra also says: "The mental measure of no-mind, I declare to be the mental measure." This is what it refers to. If according to this treatise, avidyā stirs tathatā to form the arising and ceasing of pratītyasamutpāda; when the wind of avidyā ceases, the waves of consciousness then stop, and there is only the equality of tathatā.