大乘起信論義記 2.38

2.38

In the first part, "Because all verbal expressions are provisional designations without reality" clarifies that verbal teachings are not real and cannot be grasped according to the words. "Merely follow delusional thoughts..." and so forth explains the reason why they are without reality. Fearing that ordinary fools, hearing the name "tathatā" above, would claim the treatise master is contradicting his own words—saying, "Since the preceding text says it is free from the marks of designations, why does he again establish this name 'tathatā'?"—he now explains and dispels [this doubt by showing that] provisional designations are unreal, and so there is no contradiction. Saying "also without any mark" eliminates marks, because names are established based on marks and both are cognitive objects of universal conceptualization. The Laṅkāvatārasūtra says, "Marks and names constantly accompany each other, giving rise to all delusional conceptualizations." Therefore, both are now eliminated.