起信論疏筆削記 4.28

4.28

疏　次二下，解釋，文三：初、正釋體相，二：初體，中三：初釋法性。上句釋體大者，即法性真如海一句，釋上標中體之一字。法性下，略標，意謂顯真性平等頓周，情與非情共一體故，染淨因果皆此性故，故云普遍。非直下，釋也。若言佛性，即但局於果，不通諸法。若言法性，則無所不該，不唯於佛也。一切法，則色心、染淨等。性謂真性，即體大也。即顯下，結也。染謂世間法，淨謂出世法。情通凡夫聖人，非情通淨土穢土。深則竪窮三際，廣即橫該十方。故《華嚴》云：法性遍在一切處，一切眾生及國土，三世悉在無有餘，亦無形相而可得。《智論》下，引證。今則一往隨名定義，故有斯文。若知三名一體，情與非情俱佛性也，只是真如一法，隨相異名。既名隨相異，則法性語通、佛性語局也，以佛亦即是法，以法未即是佛，由此佛性法性同而不同。故《金錍》云：然雖體同，不無小異。凡有性名者，多在凡在理；無性名者，多通凡聖等。應知名雖有異，其體元同，故《圓覺》云：與一切法同體平等。論下文云：一者體大，謂一切法真如平等，不增減故。

In the Commentary, from "the next two" downward, explaining the text, which has three parts: first, directly explaining essence and attributes, which has two parts: first, essence, containing three parts: first, explaining dharmatā. The preceding sentence explaining the greatness of essence refers to the phrase "the ocean of dharmatā and tathatā," which explains the single word "essence" in the heading above. From "dharmatā" downward, briefly setting out the heading, the intention is to reveal that the true nature is equal and suddenly pervasive, with the sentient and insentient sharing a single essence, and defiled and pure causes and fruits all being this nature; hence it is called "pervasive." From "not merely" downward, it explains this. If one speaks of Buddha-nature, it is confined solely to the fruit and does not pervade all dharmas. If one speaks of dharmatā, then there is nothing it does not encompass, not only the Buddha. "All dharmas" means form and mind, defilement and purity, and so forth. "Nature" means the true nature, which is the greatness of essence. From "precisely reveals" downward, there is the conclusion. "Defiled" refers to worldly dharmas; "pure" refers to supramundane dharmas. "Sentient" pervades ordinary persons and sages; "insentient" pervades pure lands and defiled lands. In depth, it vertically exhausts the three times; in breadth, it horizontally encompasses the ten directions. Hence the Avataṃsaka-sūtra says: "Dharmatā is omnipresent in all places, in all sentient beings and lands; it is present in the three times without remainder, yet no shape or mark can be found." From "the Treatise on Great Wisdom" downward, proof is cited. Here, provisionally defining the terms according to their names, we have this text. If one knows that the three names share a single essence, then both the sentient and insentient are Buddha-nature; they are just the single dharma of tathatā, given different names according to marks. Since the names differ according to marks, the term "dharmatā" is pervasive, while the term "Buddha-nature" is restricted; because the Buddha is precisely dharma, while dharma is not yet precisely the Buddha. Due to this, Buddha-nature and dharmatā are the same yet not the same. Hence the Jinbi says: "Yet although their essence is the same, they are not without minor differences. Where there is the name 'nature,' it mostly resides in the ordinary and in principle; where there is no name 'nature,' it mostly pervades ordinary and sage, and so forth." One should know that although the names differ, their essence is fundamentally the same; hence the Yuanjue jing says: "Equal in having the same essence as all dharmas." The śāstra text below says: "The first is the greatness of essence, which means that the tathatā of all dharmas is equal, neither increasing nor decreasing."