起信論疏筆削記 16.23

16.23

Second, the mark of attachment. Śāstra: "Failing to understand..." and so on: The Buddha's intention means: The tathāgatagarbha is the fundamental basis upon which delusion and awakening depend; in delusion there is saṃsāra, and in awakening there is nirvāṇa. However, saṃsāra has no beginning, and nirvāṇa has no end. Failing to penetrate this principle, they consequently form views of beginning and end, as fully revealed in the text below. This is also the same as the third question among the three questions of Vajragarbha in the Sūtra of Complete Enlightenment, where the text says: "If all sentient beings originally achieved buddhahood, and later gave rise to avidyā, when will all Tathāgatas once again produce all afflictions?" It is also like what is clarified in the fourth fascicle of the Śūraṅgama-sūtra. Thus, [to them,] saṃsāra and nirvāṇa both have beginnings and ends.