起信論疏筆削記 1.23

1.23

From 'profound and desert-like' downward, the virtuous marks of the mind are revealed specifically in terms of the horizontal and the vertical. 'Profound' (chong) means deep; this explains the essential nature of the mind, vertically exhausting the three periods of time and thoroughly bottomless. Therefore a sūtra says: 'The extremely deep dharmatā, the realm walked by all Buddhas.' It also says: 'Abyssal, profound, and far-reaching, etc.' 'Desert-like' (mo) refers to the sand desert; this reveals the virtuous marks of the mind, horizontally pervading the ten directions and vast without boundary. Therefore a sūtra says: 'Enlightenment pervades the realms of the ten directions, because the fundamental nature is complete.' This exhausts the three periods without the three periods altering, and pervades the ten directions without anything falling outside the ten directions. Furthermore, 'profound' means that firmness and softness find their proper measure; 'desert-like' means that names and designations can hardly reach it. Because although the essence of this mind-nature is free from marks, it accomplishes phenomena in accordance with conditions; although it arises in accordance with conditions, its fundamental nature does not change. This essence that follows conditions without changing cannot be known by wisdom-knowledge or named by names and words; therefore it is called 'desert-like'. A sūtra says: 'Undefiled yet defiled, difficult to comprehend fully; defiled yet undefiled, difficult to comprehend fully.'