起信論疏筆削記 2.14

2.14

"Relying on what power": this questions whether the treatise master, in relying on the sūtras to compose the treatise—wishing above to accord with the sages and below to benefit ordinary beings, flowing into future generations to crush the heterodox and establish the orthodox, causing it to remain unbroken through successive ages like an inexhaustible lamp—used his own power, or relied on the authority of another? "Taking refuge in the Three Jewels": the Three Jewels are auspicious, the supreme field of merit for all sentient beings; one who takes refuge is able to accomplish the great matter, produce all merits and wisdom, transcend saṃsāra, and attain the bliss of nirvāṇa. Therefore, after the Buddha's parinirvāṇa, all compositions by any disciples take refuge in the Three Jewels to show that their study has an authority and is not of their own private authority, thus keeping free of error. Now begging for their majestic empowerment and composing it by relying on their power, when it reaches future generations, no one will fail to believe. Empowerments are of two kinds: first, manifest empowerment, which means appearing in bodily form to preach the Dharma; second, concealed empowerment, which merely increases wisdom in secret. The present case includes both. That which takes refuge and that in which refuge is taken are explained at length below.