大乘起信論義記別記 1.11

1.11

第八、問：本覺既是真如，何故名覺？答：凡言覺有二義：一、覺察義，謂染所不能染故，即是斷障義；二、覺照義，謂自體顯照一切諸法，即鑒達義。但染則本來自離，德則未曾別現，故其義本自有之，故云本覺。又由此二義，除二障、顯二果，並性成就。其始覺中亦有二義同前，但始覺起為異，染窮始覺，不異本覺。何以故？由二義故：一、以無是本覺起，隨染所成，無別性故。二、覺至心源，同本覺故，無始覺之異，是故唯有一覺具二義也。一又窮此義，亦無二相，謂染離與德之現，現即染離，故唯一真覺也。又由染本性離，無染可離；德本性彰，無德可現，故其真覺無覺也。是故遠離覺所覺，無覺而不彰，一切覺故名佛。

Eighth, Question: Since original enlightenment is tathatā, why is it called enlightenment? Answer: Whenever enlightenment is spoken of, it has two meanings: first, the meaning of awareness and inspection, meaning that defilement is incapable of defiling it, which is the meaning of severing hindrances; second, the meaning of illuminating awareness, meaning that its own essence visibly illuminates all dharmas, which is the meaning of discerning comprehension. But defilement is originally and inherently separate from it, while virtues have never separately manifested; thus its meaning is fundamentally inherently possessed, and therefore it is called original enlightenment. Furthermore, by these two meanings, it eliminates the two hindrances and manifests the two fruitions, both being accomplishments of its nature. Initial enlightenment also contains two meanings identical to the previous ones; it differs only in the arising of initial enlightenment, but when defilement is exhausted, initial enlightenment is not different from original enlightenment. Why is this? Because of two meanings: first, because it arises from nothing other than original enlightenment, being formed in accordance with defilement, having no separate nature; second, because when enlightenment reaches the source of the mind, it is identical with original enlightenment, without the difference of initial enlightenment. Therefore, there is only one enlightenment possessing both meanings. Furthermore, when exhaustively examining this meaning, there are also not two characteristics: that is, the departure of defilement and the manifestation of virtue—manifestation is precisely the departure of defilement, and thus there is only the one true enlightenment. Furthermore, because defilement is originally and inherently separate by nature, there is no defilement to depart from; because virtue is fundamentally and inherently displayed by nature, there is no virtue to be manifested. Therefore, that true enlightenment is free of enlightenment. For this reason, it is far removed from the subject of enlightenment and that which is enlightened; yet there is no enlightenment that it does not display. Because it is enlightened to all, it is called Buddha.