起信論疏筆削記 13.53

13.53

Commentary: "Realizing principle and accomplishing virtue" means that nirvāṇa below is severance, the karmic function is grace, and the single word "obtain" belongs to the realizing cognition, which is the virtue of cognition. These all refer to cultivating practice to reverse defilement and achieve purity. Thus, the two clauses in the treatise, "because of the cause" and so forth, merely restate the text of reversing defilements, stepping from this to clarify the virtues revealed. Commentary: "Defiled mind" refers generally to the six defilements. Because ignorance is extinguished, the three defiled minds, including karmic consciousness, are exhausted; because the objective realm ceases, the three defiled minds, including cognition, are exhausted. All mental characteristics do not exceed the six defilements; hence it says "are all exhausted." Thus it was stated above: "Because the cause is extinguished, the non-concomitant mind is extinguished; because the condition is extinguished, the concomitant mind is extinguished." "The mental essence transforms its support," etc.: because the mental essence was in bondage, relying upon the nine marks and the rest, it was called saṃsāra. Now, since the nine marks are extinguished, saṃsāra is exhausted and the mental essence is empty and tranquil; this is called nirvāṇa. Although the support is stated in an operative sense, there is in truth no subject and object. Furthermore, the single word "transform" conveys two nuances: transforming to extinguish saṃsāra, and transforming to obtain nirvāṇa. Moreover, "transforming to extinguish" means there are no dharmas to be extinguished, yet it appears as extinction; "transforming to obtain" means there are no dharmas to be obtained, which is true obtaining. The multiple meanings of the transformation of the support are as clarified elsewhere. "Karmic function": relying on the empty and tranquil essence of nirvāṇa, it responds and manifests according to capacity, leaving none without benefit, responding without mind. Therefore the treatise says: "Spontaneous activity transcends mind and speech." Hence the commentary says it is inconceivable. Thus, reversing the preceding false mind and false objective realms results in nirvāṇa (because all six defiled minds are afflictive hindrances). Reversing the preceding ignorance results in spontaneous activity (because ignorance is a cognitive hindrance). Yet these two headings of cause and fruit are fully complete across the four ranks of ordinary persons, sages, āryas, and the fruit. These are all cases of tathatā perfuming within, while the false mind assists from without, rendering the real potent. From an ordinary person at the start to the fruitional rank at the end, this pure karma is generated.