起信論疏筆削記 3.5

3.5

"Its essence is cut off from existence and nonexistence": Master Zhao says, "If one wishes to say it exists, it has neither shape nor name; if one wishes to say it does not exist, through it the sages are spiritually efficacious." Therefore, the text below says "neither existent nor nonexistent," etc. "Its marks are not arising and ceasing": "not" means "do not." "Marks" refers to the mark of marklessness; mark is indeed nature. The treatise says: "It does not arise in the previous limit, nor does it cease in the subsequent limit." The Prajñā[-pāramitā] also says: "Neither arising nor ceasing; none can exhaust its beginning." "None" means "there is no." "Exhaust" means to investigate thoroughly. "Beginning" means the start. Since it is not a conditioned dharma of arising and ceasing, none can investigate to the end its initial limit. However, not only is it without beginning, it is moreover without end; this is merely an elliptical expression, hence it says "without beginning." This, then, re-explains the preceding "its marks are not arising and ceasing": because it does not arise, it is without beginning; because it does not cease, it is without end. "How could one see the middle or the extremes?": "Extremes" refers to the two extremes; "middle" is the middle way. Since the two extremes are obliterated, the middle way does not remain; hence it says "how could one see." "How" means "in what way." This, then, re-explains the preceding "its essence is cut off from existence and nonexistence." Existence and nonexistence are precisely the two extremes; previously it was cited summarily, only saying "existence and nonexistence," but now it is fully shown, hence it says "middle and extremes." The note "gate of tathatā": what is explained in that commentary is precisely the meaning of the gate of tathatā here. However, it was merely pointed out and correlated incidentally, and was not yet the proper opening [of the gate]; it will be clarified immediately below.