起信論疏筆削記 14.25

14.25

然此二緣若據論意，理合遍通因果諸位。如未入信前，不信因果、三寶、真如，名未受道。佛菩薩等以之為緣，令彼信受，始為道器，名受道緣。既入信已，所修十種信心之行，亦假其緣，令行增長，名增長行緣。如未入十解、十地、佛地等，名未受道。假其緣力而得受解入證，得涅槃等，俱名受道。若從解位已去修地前行，見道已去修地上行，佛等為緣，令其增長，名增長行。如八地菩薩得無相無功用故，擬入涅槃，不進九地。佛為此故現身七勸，然後發行，進入彌速，豈非增長行緣耶？乃至垂成正覺，亦假諸佛為緣也。受道增長或先或後，二俱通也。

However, if one relies on the treatise's meaning, these two conditions ought by principle to extend universally throughout the various stages of cause and fruition. For example, before entering faith, not having faith in cause and effect, the Three Jewels, and tathatā is called not yet receiving the Way. The Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and others act as conditions for them to cause them to faithfully accept it, so that they first become vessels for the Way, which is called the condition of receiving the Way. Having entered faith, the practice of the ten types of faithful mind that they cultivate also relies on their conditions to cause practice to increase, which is called the condition of increasing practice. For instance, before entering the ten understandings, the ten stages, the Buddha-stage, and so forth, it is called not yet receiving the Way. Relying on the power of their conditions, they are able to receive understanding, enter realization, attain nirvāṇa, and so forth, all of which are called receiving the Way. If from the stage of understanding onward they cultivate practices prior to the stages, and from the path of seeing onward they cultivate practices on the stages, the Buddhas and others serve as conditions to cause them to increase, which is called increasing practice. For example, because an eighth-stage bodhisattva attains signlessness and effortlessness, he intends to enter nirvāṇa and not advance to the ninth stage. For this reason, the Buddha manifests his body to make seven exhortations, after which the bodhisattva initiates practice and advances even more swiftly—how could this not be the condition of increasing practice? Even when on the verge of completing correct awakening, one still relies on the Buddhas as conditions. Receiving the Way and increasing practice may come earlier or later; both apply universally.