大乘起信論義記別記 1.58

1.58

第三十四、如來藏，二門分別：一、者喻說；二、法說。言喻說者，旦如金性有二義：一、隨緣成器調柔義；二、守性堅住不改義。問：金是有耶？答：不也。何以故？隨緣成器故。問：金是無耶？答：不也。何以故？性不改故。又問：亦有亦無耶？答：不也。一金故，不相違故。又問：非有非無耶？答：不也，金性具德故，隨緣不改故，即是顯德門也。又問：器是有耶？答：不也，由器即金故。又問：器是無耶？答：不也，由器成故。又問：亦有亦無耶？答：不也，由是一器故，不相違故。又問：是非有非無耶？答：不也，由成器即金故，亦返即是顯德門。又問：金是無耶？答：不也，由成器故。所以然者，由性不改，方能隨緣故也。又問：金是有耶？答：不也，由性不改故。所以然者，由成器故，性方不改也。又問：亦有亦無耶？答：不也，由是金故。又問：非有非無耶？答：不也，由是金故。又問：器是有耶？答：不也，由器成故。所以然者，由即金故，器方成也。問：器是有耶？答：不也，由器即金故。所以然者，由器即金，器方成也。餘句准也，返即顯德門。餘一切，准例知之。

Thirty-fourth: Tathāgatagarbha, distinguished through two approaches: first, explanation through metaphor; second, explanation through the Dharma. As for explanation through metaphor: taking the nature of gold for example, it has two meanings: first, the meaning of being pliable and conforming to conditions to form vessels; second, the meaning of preserving its nature, steadfastly abiding without changing. Question: Is gold existent? Answer: No. Why is that? Because it conforms to conditions to form vessels. Question: Is gold non-existent? Answer: No. Why is that? Because its nature does not change. Further question: Is it both existent and non-existent? Answer: No. Because it is one gold, there is no contradiction. Further question: Is it neither existent nor non-existent? Answer: No, because the nature of gold is complete with virtues, conforming to conditions without changing; this is the approach of manifesting virtues. Further question: Is the vessel existent? Answer: No, because the vessel is identical to gold. Further question: Is the vessel non-existent? Answer: No, because the vessel is formed. Further question: Is it both existent and non-existent? Answer: No, because it is one vessel, there is no contradiction. Further question: Is it neither existent nor non-existent? Answer: No, because the formed vessel is identical to gold; this conversely is also the approach of manifesting virtues. Further question: Is gold non-existent? Answer: No, because the vessel is formed. Why is this so? Because only through its nature not changing is it able to conform to conditions. Further question: Is gold existent? Answer: No, because its nature does not change. Why is this so? Because only through the vessel being formed does its nature not change. Further question: Is it both existent and non-existent? Answer: No, because it is gold. Further question: Is it neither existent nor non-existent? Answer: No, because it is gold. Further question: Is the vessel existent? Answer: No, because the vessel is formed. Why is this so? Because only through being identical to gold is the vessel formed. Question: Is the vessel existent? Answer: No, because the vessel is identical to gold. Why is this so? Because the vessel is identical to gold, the vessel is formed. The remaining propositions should be understood accordingly; conversely they are just the approach of manifesting virtues. All the rest are to be known by analogy to this.