起信論疏筆削記 4.33

4.33

Commentary: "Furthermore, ocean…" introduces the third part, re-explaining the ocean metaphor. This has four meanings, divided equally between essence and attributes: the first two illustrate the essence, and the latter two illustrate the attributes. The essence is vertically deep and horizontally vast; the attributes are replete with merits and manifest dharmas. It may also be said that both essence and attributes possess all four meanings, because these two dharmas are not separate from each other; they are merely two names for a single essence, and therefore each possesses all four. Regarding the "hundred negations": this is clarified upon the four words "one", "different", "existent", and "non-existent". That is: "one", "not one", "both one and not one", and "neither one nor not one" make up one fourfold proposition. "Different" and the rest follow this pattern, altogether forming sixteen. Furthermore, past, present, and future each have sixteen, forming forty-eight. In addition, already arisen and not yet arisen each have forty-eight, totaling ninety-six. Together with the fundamental four, they all make up the hundred negations. Although errors are immeasurable, speaking generally they do not exceed these four—"one", "different", and so forth; hence the hundred negations are clarified based on this. All of these are absent, and moreover this is not temporary; hence it is called "eternally severed". Therefore the text below states: "One should know that the self-nature of tathatā is not the mark of oneness, nor the mark of difference, nor the mark of neither oneness nor difference, nor the mark of both oneness and difference; it is not the mark of existence, nor the mark of non-existence, nor the mark of neither existence nor non-existence, nor the mark of both existence and non-existence," and so forth. If one considers that each of these ten propositions can give rise to the ten entangling afflictions, this also constitutes the hundred negations. In this case, the path of language is cut off, and the place of mental activity is extinguished; it cannot be cognized by consciousness, nor known by wisdom; being deep within depth, it is therefore called "profoundly deep". Hence the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa says: "The great ocean of the perfection of wisdom can only be plumbed to the bottom by a Buddha." Regarding "containing things": as the text below says, "This mind embraces all worldly and transmundane dharmas." Although dharmas are numerous, they do not exceed the worldly and transmundane; now all are completely embraced. This is great within greatness, and therefore called "broad and vast". As the Śūraṅgama-sūtra says: "Externally, extending to the mountains, rivers, empty space, and the great earth, all are things within the wonderful, luminous true mind." Regarding "no merit not complete": as concluded in the passage on the greatness of attributes quoted earlier, "down to having the meaning of lacking nothing". "None not complete" simply means complete. Regarding "no image not manifested": according with defiled conditions, it manifests defiled images such as the three subtle and six coarse marks; according with pure conditions, it reveals pure images such as the ten powers and four fearlessnesses. Therefore the text below states: "Namely, as truly non-empty, all worldly realms manifest within it, neither exiting nor entering, neither lost nor destroyed," and so forth. The Śūraṅgama-sūtra says: "The various conditions of form and mind, mental concomitants, and all dharmas that are cognized objects are only manifestations of mind. Your body and your mind are all things manifested within the wonderful, luminous true essence, the wonderful mind." The Avataṃsaka-sūtra says: "Like the deep ocean, / Whose rare treasures are inexhaustible, / In which are all manifested / The shapes and shadows of sentient beings; / The profound ocean of causes and conditions / Has merits that are entirely inexhaustible; / Within the pure dharmakāya, / There is no image that does not manifest." There are further eight wonders and ten supreme characteristics, all of which illustrate the true nature.