起信論疏筆削記 13.26

13.26

Defilement and purity mutually support each other. "Support" (zi) means to draw upon, which is the meaning of relying on and depending upon. This means that defiled dharmas and pure dharmas cannot arise on their own; because they mutually draw upon each other and borrow each other's momentum as the conditions of reliance, they are able to arise. Furthermore, "support" has the meaning of aiding and benefiting; it means that they mutually assist and benefit each other to cause the arising of defilement and purity. Because the preceding section only explained the meaning of the arising and ceasing of defilement and purity in their proper positions, but had not yet broadly explained the active aspects of the arising of defiled dharmas and pure dharmas. Now this is explained: the intention is to clarify that defilement and purity mutually support and borrow from each other, mutually assist and benefit each other, and produce all dharmas. As defilement assists purity and purity borrows from defilement, pure dharmas follow the flow [of samsara] and give rise to various defiled dharmas; as purity assists defilement and defilement borrows from purity, defiled dharmas reverse the flow and give rise to various pure dharmas. Though originally contrary to each other, they turn out to be mutually compliant: defiled dharmas and pure dharmas alternately borrow from each other.