大乘起信論義記別記 1.36

1.36

Twenty-first: The meaning of the nine marks is distinguished through seven gates: first, explaining the names; second, distinguishing the essence; third, the sequence of arising; fourth, distinguishing according to consciousness; fifth, distinguishing according to defilements; sixth, distinguishing according to the stage of cessation; seventh, distinguishing according to matching and subsumption. First, in explaining the names: fundamental folly and darkness is called avidyā. Its stirring the pure mind is called karma—that is, the karma of avidyā, an appositional compound. The movement having shapes and marks is called the mark of karma, which is a karmadhāraya compound. The remaining eight marks of characters are all explained according to this. The mental essence facing outward is called the mark of the perceiving subject; changing to resemble external objects is called the mark of manifesting; distinguishing defiled and pure is called the mark of wisdom; uninterrupted through time is called the mark of continuity; falsely grasping at affairs is called the mark of clinging; falsely grasping at names is called the mark of attachment to names; performing wholesome and unwholesome deeds is called the mark of generating karma; experiencing the results of suffering and pleasure is called the mark of suffering bound by karma. Regarding "essential nature," there are two: 1. Disclosing the essence corresponding to the marks: the first three subtle marks take the non-duality of the pratītyasamutpāda of original enlightenment and original non-enlightenment as their essential nature; the latter six coarse marks take the pratītyasamutpāda of the three subtle marks, as well as the subtle arising becoming slightly coarse according to the mark of non-enlightenment, as their essential nature. 2. Fathoming the source to distinguish the essential nature: they universally take the meaning of tathatā conforming to defilement as their essence. Hence the treatise states: "Vessel-like phenomena of various sorts all share the nature and characteristics of subtle dust," and so forth. Third, the sequence of arising: it is as given in the sequence of explaining the marks. Fourth, distinguishing according to consciousness: the first three subtle marks are the eighth consciousness; the latter six coarse marks are the six consciousnesses and so forth. Fifth, regarding defilements: among the three subtle marks is fundamental avidyā, which is the subtle defilement within attachment to dharmas; among the latter coarse marks, the first two are branch avidyā, the coarse defilements within attachment to dharmas, and the latter four are defilements of attachment to self. Sixth, the stages of cessation: the three subtle marks are severed from the eighth bhūmi up to the Buddha-stage; wisdom and continuity are severed from the first bhūmi up to the seventh bhūmi; grasping and attachment to names are severed in the stage of the three worthies prior to the bhūmis. Seventh, matching and subsumption: among them, how they match together can be known. The rest is as spoken in the treatise.