起信論疏筆削記 19.28

19.28

Under "revealing obstacles," the Commentary states: "vacillating regarding principle": because one is uncertain whether the aforesaid profound principles are right or wrong, one cannot enter. As the Yuanjue jing states regarding cultivating the twenty-five wheels: "A single thought of doubt and regret precludes entry." An icchantika is an a-icchantika, translated here as "lacking faith"; this refers to those who obstinately consider it to be wrong, so it is different from doubt and vacillation. Heterodox practitioners, because their school practices erroneous teachings, slander the correct path; this is not only lacking faith but adding this transgression, so it differs from the former. The five rebellious acts are: killing one's father, mother, or an arhat, causing schism in the saṅgha, and shedding the blood of a Buddha. The four grave offenses are: killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, and lying. Question: The earlier commentary text said that those with karmic obstacles should simply be made to repent; why are they excluded here? Answer: The exclusion here refers to those who do not repent; if they repent, they can enter, unlike the Hinayana where there is fixed karma. Thus the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra states: "Before entering my Dharma, karma is fixed; if one enters my Dharma, it is not fixed." As for "relying on self," this means either that one does not cultivate because of relying on a self, or that one retains a self while cultivating, so that one also cannot enter; hence the Yuanjue jing states: "If those practitioners of the path do not eliminate the mark of a self, they therefore cannot enter pure awakening." As for "heedlessness," either one does not cultivate due to craving heedlessness, or one cultivates without diligence, so one also cannot enter. "Learning as if one cannot catch up, yet fearing to lose it"—how much more so for this kind? As for "these six..." downward, it does not mean that one fails to enter only when fully possessing all six obstacles; if one has even one of the six obstacles, it can obstruct the path and prevent one from attaining samādhi.