起信論疏筆削記 2.19

2.19

機何益者，既為眾生造論，其有被此化者得何利益？謂令下，有四益。信謂十信，聞思修慧即三賢，證入即十地，因滿即究竟位。此則未信者令信、未解者令解、未行者令行、未證者令證、未涅槃者令得涅槃，始從凡夫，終至等覺，受斯化者咸得利益。本疏則云六益，謂信及三慧、證入、因滿，大同小異、開合兩通。

"What benefit for their capacities?" means: since the treatise was composed for sentient beings, what benefit is obtained by those who are converted by it? The phrase "namely to cause..." below contains four benefits. "Faith" refers to the ten faiths; the wisdoms of hearing, contemplation, and cultivation refer to the three stages of worthies; "realization and entry" refers to the ten bhūmis; and the "fulfillment of causes" refers to the ultimate stage. Thus, it causes those without faith to have faith, those without understanding to understand, those without practice to practice, those without realization to realize, and those without nirvāṇa to attain nirvāṇa. Beginning with ordinary beings and ending with equal enlightenment, all who receive this conversion obtain benefit. The base commentary speaks of six benefits: faith, the three wisdoms, realization and entry, and the fulfillment of causes; they are largely the same with minor differences, and both opening and combining them are valid.