起信論疏筆削記 17.36

17.36

所言阿僧祇者，若準《本業經》，初以忉利天衣，仍用彼天時分，三年一拂，盡四十里石為小劫。次以梵天衣，拂盡八十里石為中劫。後以淨居天衣，拂盡八百里石為大劫。《雜阿含》中與此有異。又劫章頌云：風災為一數，乃至不可知，此極長遠時，名一僧祇劫。謂以此風災為數，數至不可數，更若數時，心則狂亂，齊此數不得處名一僧祇。若以此等計，三僧祇方成佛道，則百千萬人中無有一人發心修進，縱有懼於三塗苦者，但修人天戒善。或有畏於三界生死，亦但修二乘之行，焉敢希冀佛果修菩薩行？蓋為作此長久而解，有是大失。

As for what is termed an "asaṃkhyeya": according to the Benye jing, first, using a Trāyastriṃśa heaven robe and the time measurement of that heaven, to brush once every three years until a stone of forty li is completely worn away is a small kalpa. Next, using a Brahmā heaven robe to brush away an eighty-li stone is a medium kalpa. Finally, using a Śuddhāvāsa heaven robe to brush away an eight-hundred-li stone is a great kalpa. The Saṃyuktāgama differs from this. Moreover, a verse in the Chapter on Kalpas says: "Taking a wind-disaster as one count, / and continuing until it is unknowable, / this extremely long and distant time / is named one asaṃkhyeya kalpa." That is, taking this wind-disaster as a count and counting until it cannot be counted, if one were to count further, one's mind would become crazed and deranged; reaching this point where counting is impossible is called one asaṃkhyeya. If one calculates according to such [measures] that it takes three asaṃkhyeyas to attain the Buddha path, then among hundreds of thousands of people, not a single one would generate the mind to cultivate and advance. Even if there are those who fear the suffering of the three evil destinies, they would only cultivate the precepts and good deeds of humans and devas. Or if there are those who dread the saṃsāra of the three realms, they would also only cultivate the practices of the two vehicles; how could they dare aspire to the Buddha fruit and cultivate the bodhisattva practices? Therefore, making such an explanation of prolonged duration entails this great loss.