起信論疏筆削記 3.33

3.33

In "Specifically..." below, second, specific, which has two parts: first, listing and explaining. As for "the teachings expounded, etc.": through words meaning is expressed; when the meaning is revealed, words are forgotten. It is like riding a raft across a river: upon reaching the shore, the raft is abandoned. As for "as the text below says": in full it states, "One should know that the Tathāgata has skillful means, provisionally employing spoken words to guide sentient beings. Their purport is entirely to abandon conceptual thought and return to tathatā." As for "phenomena and principle": the tenor comes first and the purport comes later, so it should properly be said "phenomena and principle"; below follows this pattern. As for "adducing phenomena, etc.": broadly explaining arising and ceasing, defilement and purity, is entirely for the sake of returning to the principle of tathatā. As for "as from, etc.": the text states, "Furthermore, it reveals that from the gate of arising and ceasing one immediately enters the gate of tathatā; that is, by investigating the five aggregates, form and mind, and the objects of the six sense-dusts, they are ultimately without thought... and if one can contemplate and know that the mind is without thought, one will then conform and enter the gate of tathatā." As for "through the conventional and the ultimate, etc.": the ultimate truth is of one flavor; facing it, the mind ceases. Conventional objects have myriad differences; contemplating them, wisdom arises. Through this, the two gates of calming and insight are established. Hence the text below states: "What is called calming refers to calming all marks of objects, because it accords with the meaning of śamatha contemplation; what is called insight refers to distinguishing the marks of arising and ceasing through causes and conditions, because it accords with the meaning of vipaśyanā contemplation." Perfecting faith is the stage of the ten faiths. Condition non-retrogression is the three stages of worthies and above. Inferential contemplation prior to the bhūmis has not yet reached tathatā; its intention is to ascend the bhūmis and personally realize the noble nature. As for "through causes, etc.": the ten pāramitās practiced on the bhūmis intend to attain the fruit of buddhahood, bodhi.