大乘起信論義記 2.289

2.289

In the first part, the statement "is this continuing consciousness", and so on, clarifies that although this arising consciousness differs in coarse and subtle, it is the same single consciousness and has no other separate essence; hence it directly refers to the preceding fifth consciousness. However, previously, in terms of the gateway of the meaning of subtle clinging to phenomena, conjoined discrimination, and reliance, it was explained as the manas. Here, in terms of the gateway of arising from what precedes in conjunction with coarse delusions capable of generating view and affection, it is called the empirical consciousness (manovijñāna)—meaning the consciousness of the manas, hence named the empirical consciousness. "Based upon ordinary persons" distinguishes it from the empirical consciousness of the noble ones. Because the preceding knowledge-consciousness and continuing consciousness are commonly generated in those of the two vehicles and bodhisattvas before the grounds, now it is explained with respect to ordinary persons to show its coarseness. "Grasp ever more deeply": because there is no antidote, pursuing and clinging to false sensory realms turns extremely coarse and manifest, hence called "deep". In the essence of delusion: it is not merely that calculating sensory realms outside the mind is coarse, but also calculating a self in the body, calculating what belongs to a self in the dusts, or clinging to being identical with the aggregates, or clinging to being apart from the aggregates, and such various false calculations; this reveals the characteristics of calculating a self. The conditions upon which it relies: meaning that merely climbing upon the affairs of inverted sensory realms, not understanding the correct principle, it is said "following states of affairs", and so forth. "Is called the empirical consciousness": this treatise takes the meaning of a single empirical consciousness, hence it does not separately set forth the five consciousnesses, but merely says that the empirical consciousness discriminates the six dusts. "Is also called the discriminating consciousness": relying upon the six sense faculties, it separately grasps the six dusts, hence called "discriminating". Furthermore, because it can discriminate past and future, internal and external, various characteristics of states of affairs, it is furthermore explained as the differentiating empirical consciousness. Below, clarifying the basis on which the consciousness arises: "view" means the bhūmi of the abiding stage of unified view, which is the delusion [abandoned in] the path of seeing. "Affection" means the three affections of desire, form, and existence, which are the delusions [abandoned in] the path of cultivation. Because these two delusions of seeing and cultivation perfume the fundamental consciousness, causing it to transform and generate this differentiating empirical consciousness, it is said to "augment". Among the six coarse marks above, the mark of grasping, the mark of calculating names, and the mark of giving rise to karma are all grouped together into this empirical consciousness; and among the subsequent six defilements, the attachment-conjoined defilement is also subsumed under this. Above, the extensive clarification of the meaning of the causes and conditions of arising and ceasing is concluded.