起信論疏筆削記 2.14

2.14

藉何力者，此責論主依經造論，上欲契聖、下欲利凡，流至後代，破邪立正，俾世世不絕、燈燈無盡，為用自力？為假他威耶？歸三寶者，謂三寶吉祥，一切眾生最勝良田，有歸依者，能辦大事，生諸福智，能離生死，得涅槃樂。故佛滅度，凡諸弟子所有著述皆歸三寶，示學有宗，不自專已，離過失故。今乞威加，承力而作，必至後代，人無不信。然加有二種：一顯加，謂現身說法；二冥加，但闇增智慧。今通此二也。能歸所歸，如下廣釋。

"Relying on what power": this questions whether the treatise master, in relying on the sūtras to compose the treatise—wishing above to accord with the sages and below to benefit ordinary beings, flowing into future generations to crush the heterodox and establish the orthodox, causing it to remain unbroken through successive ages like an inexhaustible lamp—used his own power, or relied on the authority of another? "Taking refuge in the Three Jewels": the Three Jewels are auspicious, the supreme field of merit for all sentient beings; one who takes refuge is able to accomplish the great matter, produce all merits and wisdom, transcend saṃsāra, and attain the bliss of nirvāṇa. Therefore, after the Buddha's parinirvāṇa, all compositions by any disciples take refuge in the Three Jewels to show that their study has an authority and is not of their own private authority, thus keeping free of error. Now begging for their majestic empowerment and composing it by relying on their power, when it reaches future generations, no one will fail to believe. Empowerments are of two kinds: first, manifest empowerment, which means appearing in bodily form to preach the Dharma; second, concealed empowerment, which merely increases wisdom in secret. The present case includes both. That which takes refuge and that in which refuge is taken are explained at length below.