起信論疏筆削記 6.38

6.38

[On] 'The Śrīmālā[devī-sūtra],' etc.: the third [part], citing proof. It comprehensively proves moving in accordance with perfusion and the meaning of the unmoved within motion. 'Not defiled yet defiled' means that tathatā becomes arising and ceasing. 'Defiled yet not defiled' means the unmoved within motion. The tathāgatagarbha is tathatā; avidyā and the seven consciousnesses are arising and ceasing; the ālayavijñāna is the union of the two above. That is, tathatā accords with conditions to become the ālaya consciousness; because it becomes consciousness, it coexists with avidyā. It can also be said that the tathāgatagarbha is itself the ālaya, differing only in terms of common marks and specific marks; hence it says: 'The tathāgatagarbha is called the ālayavijñāna.' Therefore, the sūtra says: 'The Buddha said that the tathāgatagarbha is the ālaya; those with bad intellect cannot understand that the garbha is the ālaya consciousness.' It also says: 'Like gold and a finger ring, they are mutually without distinction.' The great ocean is like the ālaya, the waves are like avidyā and the seven consciousnesses, and the water is the tathāgatagarbha; because from beginningless time the true and the deluded have been unified and never parted, it says: 'constantly without interruption.' The tathāgatagarbha is the pure nature that is perfused; the false and evil habits are the defiled illusions that perfuse; the consciousness-receptacle is the resulting ālaya. 'Being the cause of good and non-good' means that when this nature accords with good conditions to give rise to various good dharmas, the nature is the cause of good; when it accords with non-good conditions to give rise to various non-good dharmas, the nature is the cause of non-good. When experiencing pleasure in accordance with good, the nature is within it; when experiencing suffering in accordance with evil, the nature is also within it; hence it says: 'coexisting with the cause.' [On] 'If born,' etc.: cycling through the various destinies, samsaric life and death are endless; the garbha-nature accords with them and undergoes them throughout, yet its essential nature has never come or gone. Therefore, the sūtra says: 'Arising, ceasing, going, and coming are originally the tathāgatagarbha.' [On] 'Like an acrobat,' etc.: like a person putting on a performance, changing costumes and attire; the person is fundamentally one and has never changed. Therefore, that text says: 'The mind is like a skillful acrobat, manas is like the assistant, the five consciousnesses are like the music, and feeling and conception are the audience watching the act.' 'Like a person manipulating a lion: when the person enters, the lion lives; when the person exits, the lion dies. The pure cause at the time of avidyā should be known to be likewise.' Guishan says: 'The actor is originally a single physical body, now playing an official, now playing a slave; though titles and costumes are changed, from beginning to end slave and master are not different at all.' [On] 'These,' etc.: concluding and pointing. All that has been cited above speaks of tathatā according with conditions to make arising and ceasing, and the unmoved within motion.