大乘起信論義記別記 1.40

1.40

第二十五、始本相依文中，問：本覺為滅惑、不滅惑耶？若滅惑者，即無凡夫過；若不滅惑者，即無覺義過。答：滅惑故，非無覺義過。無凡夫者，亦非過也。何以故？以一切凡夫即涅槃相，不復更滅，是故凡夫本無，有何過也？亦非無凡夫過。何以故？以彼本覺性滅惑故，方名本覺。本覺存故，得有不覺；不覺有故，不無凡夫。是故本覺滅惑，方成凡夫，何得有過。

Twenty-fifth, in the text on the mutual dependence of initial and original [enlightenment], Question: Does original enlightenment eradicate delusion, or does it not eradicate delusion? If it eradicates delusion, there is the fault that there would be no ordinary beings; if it does not eradicate delusion, there is the fault of lacking the meaning of enlightenment. Answer: Because it eradicates delusion, there is no fault of lacking the meaning of enlightenment. That there are no ordinary beings is also not a fault. Why? Because all ordinary beings are identical with the mark of nirvāṇa and are not eradicated again; therefore, ordinary beings are originally non-existent, so what fault could there be? Nor is there the fault that there are no ordinary beings. Why? Because that original enlightenment by nature eradicates delusion, only then is it called original enlightenment. Because original enlightenment persists, non-enlightenment can exist; because non-enlightenment exists, there is no absence of ordinary beings. Therefore, only when original enlightenment eradicates delusion are ordinary beings established; how could there be a fault?