起信論疏筆削記 1.3

1.3

中印度境有噳羅尾儞者，此方翻為馬鳴，於佛滅後六百年內破邪見幢，樹正法寶，宗諸實教，造茲一論，名曰《大乘起信》。說有五分，大判為三：初因緣分，即序分也，明論發起由八因緣，非同率爾無利益故。後之一分勸修利益，即流通也。勸於論生信，思惟修習，得大利樂，流至後代，益眾生故。中間三分，即是正宗，謂立義一分，略標綱要，立一心法，列二種門，舉三大義，因果俱運，略為下文而張本故；解釋一分，由前略標，義理未暢，是宜廣釋，令義昭然，以生解故；信心一分，說四種信、五種修行，令諸眾生信根成熟，入不退故。此上三分是前因緣所起，是後一分所勸，由是俱號正宗。已知論文三分大節，應知能解疏文若何。以疏前有序，為序分；開章已下為正宗分；後文既無批述迴向，乃闕流通。既而三分不具，即分為二。

In the region of Central India, there was one named Yuluoweini, which is translated in this land as Aśvaghoṣa. Within six hundred years after the Buddha's parinirvāṇa, he broke down the banner of false views, erected the jewel of the true Dharma, took the definitive teachings as his authority, and composed this single treatise titled *Mahāyānaśraddhotpāda*. It is explained as having five sections, which are broadly divided into three parts: First, the section on causes and conditions, which is the introductory part. It clarifies that the arising of the treatise is due to eight causes and conditions, because it was not done rashly or without benefit. The last section on encouraging practice and the benefits is the dissemination part: it encourages producing faith in the treatise, contemplating it, and practicing it, so that one attains great benefit and bliss, and it flows down to later generations to benefit sentient beings. The middle three sections are the main part: namely, the section on establishing the meaning, which briefly indicates the essential outline, establishes the dharma of the One Mind, sets forth the two aspects, and adduces the meaning of the three greatnesses, setting in motion both cause and effect and briefly serving as the basis for the subsequent text; the section of explanations, where, because the meaning and principles were not fully unfolded by the preceding brief indication, it is fitting to explain them extensively to make the meaning luminous and thereby give rise to understanding; and the section on faith and practice, which explains the four kinds of faith and five kinds of practice so that the roots of faith of sentient beings may mature and they may enter non-retrogression. These three sections above are what was initiated by the preceding causes and conditions and what is encouraged by the subsequent section; hence they are all called the main part. Having already understood the three great divisions of the text of the treatise, one should know how the text of the commentary that can explain it is arranged: Since there is a preface before the commentary, that is the introductory part; from the opening of the chapters downward is the main part; and since the subsequent text lacks an appraisal, colophon, and dedication of merit, it lacks the dissemination part. Since the three parts are not complete, it is simply divided into two.