起信論疏筆削記 6.49

6.49

In the answer, the first four lines reveal the reasons for persistence and extinguishment in the two gates: in each case, the first line is the cause, and the second line determines the definition. "Arising and ceasing..." and so on means that phenomena are revealed based on principle, and principle is the basis of phenomena, just as waves must depend on water. Thus the text below says: "Based on the tathāgatagarbha, there is the mind of arising and ceasing." "Principle is not lost": if principle were already lost, there would be no arising and ceasing, just as if water were lost, there would be no waves. Hence the treatise says: "If there were no meaning of emptiness, there would be no path and no fruition." "Not necessarily..." and so on means that the true principle is fundamentally existent and does not depend on conditions to be formed, just as water does not rely on waves; thus in the gate of tathatā, it simply says: "Tathatā is the great general mark of the one dharmadhātu," and so on, without saying that there are extinguished marks based on arising and ceasing. "Marks do not persist": if they are not extinguished, that is that; but if they are extinguished, they do not persist. When entering principle, they naturally vanish; how could arising and ceasing persist? Just as when water is clear and still, how could waves remain? The text below says: "Because all dharmas are equally tathatā." The four lines from "marks do not persist" downward pursue the preceding [points] to give the direct answer. "Marks do not persist": if marks persisted, they could demonstrate the three; since they do not persist, they are only fit to demonstrate essence. "Principle is not lost" and so forth: when the marks of arising and ceasing arise, principle also does not vanish; if it did not fully demonstrate the three, how would that accord with principle? "Therefore..." below concludes the answer by showing both, which can be understood.