起信論疏筆削記 20.48

20.48

The treatise's "in accordance with the dharmatā": Because the dharmatā is all-pervading and perfectly without boundary, the merit of composing the treatise is, like the nature, vast and great, and likewise without boundary. Because the dharmatā is extremely profound and inexhaustible, the merit of composing the treatise is, like the nature, extremely profound, and likewise inexhaustible. Because the dharmatā is anāsrava and free from all defilement, the merit of composing the treatise is, like the nature, anāsrava, neither tainted nor defiled. Because the dharmatā is asaṃskṛta and free from artificial activity, the merit of composing the treatise is, like the nature, uncreated, not of saṃskṛta marks, indestructible, and endures to the end of the future. With such merit being immeasurable, inexhaustible, anāsrava, and asaṃskṛta, what does it intend to benefit? Hence the treatise states: "universally benefit the realm of all sentient beings." Now, benefiting sentient beings does not go beyond two kinds: first, causing them to leave suffering, meaning to leave the two deaths of samsaric death in portions and inconceivable transformation death; second, causing them to attain bliss, meaning to attain the two unsurpassed blisses of bodhi and nirvāṇa. Because sentient beings have differences of the three vehicles, five natures, four wombs of birth, and nine classes, it is said "all." Now, dedicating the merit that accords with the nature, it universally moistens and benefits them, causing each to receive benefit according to their own capacity, and ultimately to reach the supreme, unsurpassed path of enlightenment.