起信論疏筆削記 3.35

3.35

二、隨文注解。初、論題，中二：初、釋前四字，四：今初、總釋四字。言當體者，不同權教解大者揀小為義，大外有小可揀，豈成至大？今以心性體無際畔，絕諸分量，心行處滅，言語道斷，無以名之，彊名為大。然大有二義：一是常義，謂竪通三世，無始無終，無有一法先之，唯此先於諸法，故名大也。《涅槃》云：所言大者，名之為常。二者遍義，謂橫該十方，十方窮之無有邊涯。《涅槃》又云：所言大者，其性廣博，猶如虛空。包含者，以論云：是心則攝一切世間出世間法。又經云：心精遍圓，含裹十方等。體若不遍，寧曰包含？若不包含，豈名為大？由是包含是大之義也。運載等者，然乘有五種，謂人、天、聲聞、緣覺、菩薩。雖則皆有運載之功，總名為乘，且義有大小，而載有近遠。人乘者，謂三歸五戒，運載眾生越於三塗，生於人間，其猶小船纔過谿㵎。天乘者，謂上品十善及四禪八定，運載眾生越於四洲，達於上界，如以次船渡小江河。聲聞乘者，謂四諦法門；緣覺乘者，謂十二因緣法門，皆能運載眾生越於三界，到有餘、無餘涅槃，成阿羅漢及辟支佛，皆如大船越大江河。菩薩乘者，謂悲智六度法門，運載眾生總越三界二乘之境，到無上菩提大般涅槃之彼岸也，如乘大舶過於大海。《法華》云：若有眾生從佛世尊聞法信受，勤修精進，求一切智、佛智、自然智、無師智，如來知見、力、無所畏，愍念安樂無量眾生，利益天人，度脫一切，是名大乘菩薩。求此乘故，名為摩訶薩。此乃由能乘有利鈍，故所乘有勝劣，令所越有廣狹，俾所至有近遠。今言乘者，則第五菩薩乘也。然上所說，但約常塗，以六度萬行為所乘體。今此論中明所乘者，直約體相二大，故下文云：一切諸佛本所乘故，一切菩薩皆乘此法到如來地故等。由是亦名佛乘、一乘、最上乘。今就通稱，但言大也。言雖不異，其義不同，由是此文迥異常說。常塗又說：須待能所相契，方得名乘。今論直目眾生心以為大乘法，豈得須具能所耶？故《涅槃》云：佛性者，名為一乘。大乘下，舉所信以明能信。謂由有此一心三大為勝境故，緣此勝境而發忍樂之心，名為起信。若不然者，信何法？是何信耶？信憑何起耶？是故心境合為目也。大乘之起信者，謂由大乘為所緣境故，而發得能緣信心。此則緣大乘以起信心，非起餘心也，所緣勝而能緣劣。大乘之起信，依主得名，此約境以顯心也。又亦下，對宗以別行，謂信通大小，理宜揀之。今起大乘之信，非起餘信，即以別揀通，亦依主釋。

Second, annotating following the text. First, the title of the treatise, which has two parts: first, explaining the first four words, in four [sections]: now first, generally explaining the four words. As for "in terms of its intrinsic substance": this is unlike the provisional teachings where explaining "great" takes distinguishing it from "small" as its meaning; if there were something small outside of the great to be distinguished from, how could it be the ultimate great? Now, because the substance of the mind-nature has no boundaries and transcends all measures, where the activity of the mind ceases and the path of speech is cut off, having no name for it, one is forced to call it "great." Yet "great" has two meanings: first is the meaning of permanence, meaning it extends vertically through the three times, without beginning and without end; no dharma precedes it, and it alone precedes all dharmas; hence it is called great. The *Nirvāṇa-sūtra* states: "What is called great is termed permanent." Second is the meaning of omnipresence, meaning it horizontally encompasses the ten directions; exhausting the ten directions, it has no boundaries. The *Nirvāṇa-sūtra* also states: "What is called great: its nature is vast and expansive, like empty space." As for "containing": because the treatise states, "This mind embraces all mundane and supramundane dharmas." Moreover, a sūtra says: "The essence of mind is everywhere round and full, containing the ten directions," and so forth. If its substance were not omnipresent, how could it be said to contain? If it did not contain, how could it be called great? Therefore, containing is the meaning of great. As for "carrying, etc.": there are five kinds of vehicles, namely, humans, devas, śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, and bodhisattvas. Although all possess the function of carrying and are collectively named vehicles, their meanings have great and small, and their carriage extends near and far. The human vehicle refers to the three refuges and five precepts, carrying sentient beings across the three destinies to be born in the human realm, like a small boat just crossing a mountain stream. The deva vehicle refers to the superior ten wholesome actions, four dhyānas, and eight samāpattis, carrying sentient beings across the four continents to reach the upper realms, like a secondary boat crossing a small river. The śrāvaka vehicle refers to the dharma gate of the four truths; the pratyekabuddha vehicle refers to the dharma gate of the twelve links of dependent origination; both can carry sentient beings across the three realms to reach the nirvāṇa with residue and without residue, becoming arhats and pratyekabuddhas, both like a large boat crossing a major river. The bodhisattva vehicle refers to the dharma gate of compassion, wisdom, and the six pāramitās, carrying sentient beings entirely across the realms of the three realms and the two vehicles to reach the other shore of unsurpassed bodhi and mahāparinirvāṇa, like boarding a great ocean vessel to cross the great ocean. The *Lotus Sūtra* states: "If there are sentient beings who hear the Dharma from the Buddha, the World-Honoured One, accept it with faith, cultivate diligently and vigorously, seeking all-knowledge, Buddha-knowledge, spontaneous knowledge, teacherless knowledge, the Tathāgata's knowledge and vision, powers, and fearlessnesses, pitying and comforting boundless sentient beings, benefiting humans and devas, and liberating all—this is called the Mahāyāna bodhisattva. Because they seek this vehicle, they are called mahāsattvas." This is because the riders (subject riders) have sharp and dull faculties, so the vehicles ridden (object vehicles) have superior and inferior qualities, making what is crossed broad or narrow, and causing where is reached to be near or far. Now, what is spoken of as vehicle is the fifth, the bodhisattva vehicle. However, what was explained above is merely according to the common path, taking the six pāramitās and myriad practices as the substance of the vehicle ridden. What this treatise elucidates as the vehicle ridden directly refers to the two greatnesses of essence and attributes; hence the text below states: "Because it is what all Buddhas originally rode; because all bodhisattvas ride this dharma to arrive at the Tathāgata ground," and so on. Therefore, it is also named the Buddha vehicle, the One Vehicle, and the supreme vehicle. Now, speaking in terms of the general designation, it simply says "great." Although the words are not different, their meaning is not the same; therefore this text is vastly distinct from the common explanation. The common explanation also says: "Only when subject and object accord with each other can it be named a vehicle." Now this treatise directly designates the minds of sentient beings as the Mahāyāna dharma; how could it need to possess both subject and object? Therefore the *Nirvāṇa-sūtra* states: "Buddha-nature is named the One Vehicle." In "Mahāyāna..." below, he adduces that which is trusted in order to clarify that which trusts. This means that because there are these three greatnesses of the One Mind as the superior object, directing toward this superior object generates a mind of resolve and delight, which is called "awakening of faith." If it were not so, what dharma would be trusted? What kind of faith would it be? In reliance on what would faith arise? Therefore, mind and object are combined to form the title. "Awakening of faith in Mahāyāna" means that because Mahāyāna serves as the cognized object, the cognizing subject—the faithful mind—is generated. This is directing toward Mahāyāna to arouse the faithful mind, not generating any other mind; the cognized object is superior, while the cognizing subject is inferior. "Awakening of faith in Mahāyāna" derives its name as a determinative compound (tatpuruṣa); this reveals the mind by means of the object. Also, in "Moreover, also..." below, he distinguishes practice against the tenor, meaning that faith extends to both great and small, so in principle it ought to be distinguished. Now one arouses faith in Mahāyāna, not generating other faiths; this is distinguishing the general by means of the specific, which is also an interpretation as a determinative compound.