起信論疏筆削記 3.16

3.16

The words from 'However, all' onward form the second part, distinguishing them in terms of the three groups. There are three explanations: the Hīnayāna considers sentient beings of the five deeds of immediate retribution to be the wrongly determined group, learners and non-learners to be the rightly determined group, and the remaining beings with and without outflows to be the undetermined group. The provisional teaching considers beings lacking spiritual family to be the wrong group, bodhisattvas to be the right group, and beings of indeterminate nature to be the undetermined group. The Final Teaching considers all ordinary beings to be the wrong group, the three stages of the worthy to be the right group, and the ten faiths to be the undetermined group. Here we follow the latter explanation. The words 'This treatise' and so forth, regarding who is primarily addressed, are readily understood. As for secondarily addressing the wrongly determined group: as long as they see and hear it, it naturally becomes a seed; when it manifests at another time, they will certainly reach liberation. Thus there are the tied jewel in the *Saddharmapuṇḍarīka-sūtra*, the poison drum in the *Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra*, and the explanation of suddenly transcending the eight difficulties in the *Avataṃsaka-sūtra*. It also states: 'Even if they do not produce faith and delight, it still forms a wholesome root and will not be in vain, culminating ultimately in entering nirvāṇa.' This clarifies that although through slandering they fall into evil destinies, because it was heard and passed through their ears, they will eventually awaken. The treatise below states: 'In order to cause sentient beings to leave all suffering and attain ultimate bliss.' All are of this category. Regarding secondarily addressing the rightly determined group, the treatise states: 'Because it desires to explain the fundamental meaning of the Tathāgata, so that sentient beings may reach understanding without error.' The commentary correlates this with the three stages of the worthy, so it corresponds to the rightly determined group.