起信論疏筆削記 18.46

18.46

Treatise: "Therefore..." and so forth: having never cultivated in the past, body and mind were constantly tormented by suffering. If one does not cultivate now, one remains tormented by suffering as before. On this account, one disciplines oneself to undertake cultivation, without falling back in one's practice. Thus when a good person practices goodness, they only feel the days are not enough. Therefore the *Bequeathed Teaching Sūtra* says: "O bhikṣus, if you are diligent and vigorous, then nothing is difficult; therefore you must always be diligent and vigorous, just like a small stream constantly flowing that can pierce stone. If the practitioner's mind repeatedly lapses into laxity and abandonment, it is like drilling for fire and resting before it gets hot; though one wishes to obtain fire, fire is hard to obtain. Therefore, be vigorous." However, regarding this single passage, the beginning may also be taken as directly clarifying [the principle], and from "one should reflect" onwards as the skillful means, wherein the first part explains reversely and the latter part concludes positively, as can be seen from examining the text.