大乘起信論義記別記 1.54

1.54

Thirty-second: The meaning of the two truths is explained in two gates: first, distinguishing characteristics; second, revealing the meaning. First, distinguishing characteristics is as explained elsewhere. Second, revealing the meaning has four gates: 1. opening and combining; 2. oneness and difference; 3. mutual identity; 4. mutual containment. First, opening and combining: opening first, combining later. As for opening, within the pratītyasamutpāda of conventional truth (saṃvṛtisatya) there are four meanings: 1. the efficacy of the conditions; 2. inefficacy; 3. absence of self-nature; 4. accomplishment of affairs. Within ultimate truth (paramārthasatya) there are also four meanings: 1. emptiness; 2. non-emptiness; 3. underlying support; 4. exhaustion of affairs. As for combining, there are three gates: 1. combining conventional truth; 2. combining ultimate truth; 3. combining both. The first has three: (1) In terms of function, because efficacy and inefficacy are non-dual. (2) In terms of essence, because nature and absence of nature are non-dual. (3) Unobstructed, meaning essence and function are non-dual, being solely the conventional truth. Combining ultimate truth also has three: (1) In terms of function, because serving as the support that accomplishes the conventional is itself the eclipsing of the conventional, combining and exhausting without duality. (2) In terms of essence, because emptiness and non-emptiness are non-dual. (3) Unobstructed, meaning essence and function are non-dual. 3. Combining both has four gates: (1) In terms of initiating function, because the meaning of underlying support in the ultimate and efficacy in the conventional are non-dual. (2) In terms of obliterating characteristics, because the exhaustion of the conventional in the ultimate and inefficacy in the conventional are non-dual. (3) In terms of revealing reality, because the meaning of non-emptiness in the ultimate and the absence of nature in the conventional are non-dual. (4) The gate of accomplishing affairs, because the meaning of emptiness in the ultimate and the preservation of affairs in the conventional are non-dual. The gate of opening and combining ends. Principle and phenomena being mutually identical or not mutually identical, fused and unobstructed, each have four propositions. First, the four propositions within not being mutually identical: 1. Two phenomena are not mutually identical, because conditioned characteristics and phenomena impede each other. 2. The principles of two phenomena are not mutually identical, because they are non-dual. 3. Principle and phenomena are not mutually identical, because principle is quiescent and not active. 4. Phenomena and principle are not mutually identical, because phenomena are active and not quiescent. Second, the four propositions within being mutually identical: 1. Phenomena are identical to principle, because pratītyasamutpāda lacks self-nature. 2. Principle is identical to phenomena, because principle conforms to conditions and phenomena are thereby established. 3. The principles of phenomena are mutually identical, because they converge with reality according to explanation. 4. Two phenomena are mutually identical, because phenomena that are identical to principle are not distinct phenomena. Therefore, phenomena are like principle and without obstruction.