起信論疏筆削記 3.39

3.39

何故下，二、通妨。問意云：從因至果有無量行門，何故此中獨明於信？又信是最淺之法，望於解行證果，未足為奇，如何題中唯明此耶？行本者，答前問也。信之一法為入道之弄引，河沙善品因之而起。苟無其信，安能起行而至證果？為初機者，答第二問。初機即十信菩薩，位居外凡，未入劫數。今論正被此輩，故下文云：是中依未入正定聚眾生故，說修行信心，然是初機之上根也。根若稍下，則先入小乘，漸次之大。自信己性等及《華嚴》文，並證行本之義。此義前未說故，故偏引證。初機之義懸談已明，故此不說。餘文可見。

"For what reason..." and so forth: second, dispelling objections. The objection means: from cause to fruit there are immeasurable gates of practice; for what reason is faith alone clarified here? Furthermore, faith is the shallowest dharma; compared with understanding, practice, and the realization of fruition, it is hardly extraordinary—why does the title mention only this? "The root of practice": this answers the first question. The single dharma of faith serves as the prelude to entering the path, and good qualities as numerous as the sands of the Ganges arise based on it. If one lacks faith, how could one give rise to practice and reach the realization of fruition? "For those of initial capacity": this answers the second question. Initial capacity refers to bodhisattvas of the ten faiths, whose station resides among outer worldlings, not yet having entered the kalpa count. The present śāstra is directed precisely to this group; hence the text below states: "Here, relying on those sentient beings who have not yet entered the assembly of the truly determined, the cultivation of the practice of faith is spoken." Yet these are those of superior faculties among initial capacities. If their faculties were somewhat inferior, they would first enter the Hīnayāna and only gradually progress to the Great. "Self-confidence in one's own nature" and so forth, along with the passage from the Avataṃsaka-sūtra, all corroborate the meaning of "root of practice." Because this meaning was not explained previously, these are specifically cited as proof. The meaning of initial capacity was already clarified in the overarching introduction, and so is not discussed here. The remaining text is clear.