起信論疏筆削記 12.19

12.19

Defiled while being pure. Commentary: The "cause" is the mind-essence of the ālayavijñāna, which is its sense of enlightenment, namely, that which inconceivably transforms. The "condition" is fundamental avidyā, which is its sense of non-enlightenment, namely, that which inconceivably perfumes. The Śāstra states: "Defiled mind": this refers to the various consciousnesses, such as [the mark of] karma, because it is perfumed and transformed where it cannot be perfumed or transformed. "Defiled while being undefiled": undefiled refers to the aforementioned self-nature of the mind-essence, which is not a defiled dharma; because it does not maintain its self-nature, it becomes defiled in accordance with perfuming. Therefore it says below: "The dharma of tathatā truly has no defilement, yet because of the vāsanā of avidyā, it has marks of defilement."