起信論疏筆削記 9.54

9.54

三、舉失。疏　是前下，釋是故二字。即顯下，解餘文。金剛已還者，無間道前諸位菩薩與諸異生，故云一切。未離等者，以生相念盡，始得名覺，當知前之三位皆名不覺，況異生耶？然則下，對前釋成也。以前說隨分覺及相似覺者，以約無明夢中四相差別，各齊一相而論，故有覺義。由分淺深，遂有隨分等別。今約無明眠之不別，俱名不覺。夢雖有差，眠豈有異？無明即生相也。此顯等者，顯無明即為諸法之始，以是五住煩惱之端、十二因緣之首故。故下云：當知無明能生一切染法。既為能生，則知無有先於此者。斯則無始屬於他染，無始之無明，依士得名。又無明下，約當體釋無始也，謂此無明無有初際，以依真故，斯則無始即無明，持業得名。故下文云：以如來藏無前際故，無明之相亦無有始。

Third, adducing the shortcomings. Commentary: 'It is the preceding…' explains the two characters 'for this reason'. 'This reveals…' explains the rest of the text. 'Prior to the adamantine [path]' refers to the bodhisattvas in all the stages before the unhindered path, as well as all ordinary beings; hence it says 'all'. 'Not yet free from…': because only when thoughts of the arising mark are exhausted can one first be called 'enlightened', one should know that the preceding three stages are all called 'unenlightened', not to mention ordinary beings. 'However…' explains and establishes this in contrast with what precedes. Previously, speaking of 'enlightenment in accordance with parts' and 'approximate enlightenment' was done in terms of the distinctions among the four marks within the dream of avidyā, delimiting each mark individually for the discussion, and thus there was the sense of enlightenment. Due to the differences in depth, there were consequently distinctions such as 'in accordance with parts'. Here, it is treated in terms of the dream-sleep of avidyā being undifferentiated, so all are called unenlightened. Though dreams vary, how could the sleep be different? Avidyā is precisely the arising mark. 'This reveals…': this reveals that avidyā is indeed the beginning of all dharmas, because it is the foremost of the afflictions of the five entrenchments and the head of the twelve links of dependent origination. Therefore it is said below: 'One should know that avidyā can produce all defiled dharmas.' Since it is that which produces, one knows that there is nothing prior to it. In this case, 'beginningless' belongs to external defilement, and 'beginningless avidyā' obtains its name as a tatpuruṣa compound. Furthermore, 'avidyā…' explains 'beginningless' in terms of its own essence, meaning that this avidyā has no initial limit because it relies on tathatā; thus 'beginningless is itself avidyā', obtaining its name as a karmadhāraya compound. Therefore the text below says: 'Because the tathāgatagarbha has no prior limit, the mark of avidyā also has no beginning.'