大乘起信論義記 3.69

3.69

Speaking generally, both the coarse and subtle consciousnesses arise by relying on the ground of abiding avidyā; because fundamental avidyā stirs up the three subtle marks, and relying on these three subtle marks the coarse minds arise in turn, avidyā is universally their basis. Therefore it is said: '[These two kinds of arising and ceasing] exist relying on the perfuming of avidyā.' If speaking specifically: relying on the cause of avidyā, the three subtle unconjoined minds arise; relying on the condition of perceptual objects, the three coarse conjoined minds arise. Therefore it says: 'Relying on the cause... up to... falsely making perceptual objects.' The text here is brief; if fully explained, each has two causes. As the Laṅkāvatāra says: 'O Mahāmati! Inconceivable perfuming and inconceivable transformation are the causes of the manifesting consciousness. Grasping various sensory dusts and the perfuming of beginningless false conceptualisation are the causes of the differentiating empirical consciousness.' In explanation: 'Inconceivable perfuming' means that avidyā is able to perfume tathatā; it is able to perfume that which cannot be perfumed, hence it is named 'inconceivable perfuming'. Furthermore, perfuming is just non-perfuming; the perfuming of non-perfuming is named 'inconceivable perfuming'. 'Inconceivable transformation' means that the mind of tathatā receives the perfuming of avidyā, and undergoes alteration where alteration is impossible; hence it is called 'inconceivable transformation'. Furthermore, transformation is just non-transformation; the transformation of non-transformation is named 'inconceivable transformation'. In the Śrīmālā, that 'it is undefiled yet defiled, defiled yet undefiled, difficult to comprehend' refers to this inconceivability. However, because this perfuming and transformation are extremely subtle and hidden, the operational marks of the manifesting consciousness that arises are subtle. In it there are also the evolving consciousness and karmic consciousness; mentioning the coarse subsumes the subtle, so it is simply named 'manifesting consciousness', which is precisely this unconjoined mind. 'Grasping various sensory dusts' means that the various perceptual objects manifested by the manifesting consciousness are conversely able to stir the ocean of that mind, giving rise to the waves of empirical consciousnesses. 'The perfuming of beginningless false conceptualisation' means that within that unified ocean of the mind, the latent impressions of false thoughts have perfumed continuously from beginningless time, because it has never departed from thoughts. These sensory dusts and thoughts perfume and stir the ocean of the mind so that various consciousnesses arise; because false thoughts and sensory dusts are coarse and manifest, the differentiating empirical consciousness that arises from them has coarse and manifest operational marks, constituting conjoined mind. In the sūtra it intends to clarify that the manifesting consciousness comes to arise relying on inconceivable perfuming, and comes to abide relying on inconceivable transformation; while the empirical consciousness comes to arise relying on perceptual objects, and comes to abide relying on the ocean of the mind. Now in this treatise, it only speaks of the conditions for arising, and so does not discuss what they abide by; this is why among the subtle it only speaks of the perfuming of avidyā, and among the coarse it only adduces the condition of perceptual objects.