起信論疏筆削記 1.31

1.31

From "However, relying..." onwards is the third part: explaining the gate of arising and ceasing. This corresponds to the text of the formulation of the thesis below, which states: "Because this mind's marks of the conditioned causes of arising and ceasing can reveal the Mahāyāna's own essence, attributes, and function." The explanatory text states: "As for the arising and ceasing of the mind, relying on the tathāgatagarbha there is the mind of arising and ceasing—namely, the union of what does not arise and do not cease with what arises and ceases, [...] up to: this cannot be known by conceptual differentiation of mind and consciousness, because it is the meaning of the tathatā's sovereign function." Here, it is explained. The text has four lines. Therein, the first line indicates the reason for arising and ceasing, and the remaining lines explain the marks of arising and ceasing. In the first line, "however" (但) is an introductory particle, and "relying" (以) means "due to" (由). Although this nature is tranquil and empty, profound and all-embracing, neither arising nor ceasing, neither defiled nor pure, yet it does not abide solely in this quiescent extinction that is neither defiled nor pure; rather, following that which can perfume, it becomes all dharmas. Following defilement, there are the arisings and ceasings of the nine marks; following purity, there are the noble paths of the three vehicles. All this is due to tathatā having non-abiding as its seed-nature; it is also because its nature is non-abiding that it can be so. The Vimalakīrtinirdeśa states: "From the root of non-abiding, all dharmas are established." The Śūraṅgama-sūtra states: "Based on this non-abiding, the world and all sentient beings are established." It is not like other schools, which explain the essence of tathatā as solely solid and dense, like jade or stone, neither receiving perfuming nor able to follow conditions, and who only speak of the ālayavijñāna as the root of defilement and purity that receives perfuming and holds the seeds.