起信論疏筆削記 1.5

1.5

大謂體者，此有總別：總以一心為體，論之主質無出於斯，謂信所緣故、解所了故、行所趣故、證所入故、因所感故、果所顯故，故論初標以為法體。文云：摩訶衍者，一法二義。所言法者，謂眾生心，是心即攝一切世間出世間法，依於此心顯示摩訶衍義等。此是直目其法，名之為大。謂竪窮橫遍，無礙圓融，當體受名，不因待小。故《涅槃》云：不因小空名為大空。涅槃亦爾，不因小相名大涅槃。別者，約義所論，即有三種：謂體、相、用。即開前一心以為三義，即大涅槃三德是也。如下文云：所言義者，則有三種：一者體大，謂一切法真如平等，不增減故；二者相大，謂如來藏具足無漏性功德故；三者用大，能生一切世間出世間善因果故。故大之一字通於三也。

'Great' refers to the essence, which has both general and particular aspects: In general, it takes the One Mind as its essence; the principal substance of the treatise does not exceed this, meaning that it is the object of faith, that which is understood by comprehension, that toward which practice is directed, that into which realization enters, that which is induced by the cause, and that which is manifested by the fruit. Therefore, the treatise initially indicates it as the essence of dharmas. The text says: 'The Mahāyāna has one dharma and two meanings. As for the dharma, it refers to the mind of sentient beings; this mind subsumes all mundane and supramundane dharmas, and based on this mind, the meaning of the Mahāyāna is revealed,' and so forth. This directly designates that dharma and names it 'great.' It means that it extends vertically to the utmost and pervades horizontally, unimpeded and perfectly fused, receiving its name from its very essence, not dependent on or contrasting with what is small. Hence the *Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra* says: 'It is not because of a small emptiness that it is called the great emptiness. The same is true of nirvāṇa: it is not because of a small mark that it is called the great nirvāṇa.' In particular, when discussed in terms of its meanings, there are three kinds: namely, essence, attributes, and function. That is, opening the aforementioned One Mind to constitute three meanings, which are none other than the three virtues of the great nirvāṇa. As the text below says: 'As for the meanings, there are three kinds: first, the greatness of essence, meaning that the tathatā of all dharmas is equal, neither increasing nor decreasing; second, the greatness of attributes, meaning that the tathāgatagarbha is fully endowed with the uncontaminated qualities of nature; third, the greatness of function, being able to produce all mundane and supramundane good causes and effects.' Therefore, the single character 'great' applies to all three.