起信論疏筆削記 1.43

1.43

From "Once receiving..." onward, it explains the supreme marks of faculties and practice. [The phrase means that] there was no need to hear [the teaching] a second time; hence it says "once." Receiving and complying with the sagely intention is why it is called "receiving." "The Honoured One's words" refers to the eight voices and four eloquence-powers, directly proclaimed from the golden mouth. Hearing them, [listeners] obtained benefit and attained the tolerance of non-arising [dharmas]; hence it says "remotely tallying." Furthermore, "remotely" means from afar; one did not necessarily hear directly from the golden mouth, but merely through transmission from person to person. For example, Śāriputra heard the verses on conditioned arising from Aśvajit, and Maudgalyāyana received the transmitted instruction from Śāriputra. When faculties of this caliber did not even require the compiled sūtras, how could they have depended on a bodhisattva composing a śāstra? Therefore the treatise below says: "If the Tathāgata were present in the world, sentient beings would have sharp faculties, the speaker's bodily and mental karmas would be supreme, and when the complete voice is once proclaimed, different classes of beings would equally understand, and thus treatises would not be needed."