起信論疏筆削記 13.17

13.17

[On the section] "Direct Analysis."

Commentary: Regarding "obtaining the counteragent and so forth": taking avidyā as cause, it can produce the three subtle [marks]; the cognitive object is one among these three. It can further serve as a condition to produce the six coarse [marks]. Once the cause is already extinguished, on what could the condition stand? Therefore it ceases along with it. From "This depends on..." downward eliminates ambiguity. Fearing that someone might suspect: "This production and cessation is the moment-by-moment production and cessation of every thought-instant," it now eliminates this. Regarding "beginning and end": following the flow, it takes the sixth defilement as the beginning and the first defilement as the end; reversing the flow, it takes the first defilement as the beginning and the sixth defilement as the end. When arising, the six defilements proliferate, wandering through vast kalpas; when exhausted, a single thought is entirely cut off, in ultimate, quiescent permanence. Furthermore, arising and exhausting are simply the beginning and end, not identical to the impermanent production and cessation of moment-by-moment non-abiding.