起信論疏筆削記 7.14

7.14

[Treatise:] "Free from words..." [Commentary:] Directly revealing that which is to be freed from, in two parts: first, freeing from false marks to reveal the true. [Commentary:] "The path of speech is cut off": the preceding line means sounds do not reach it, and the following line means names, phrases, and syllables do not reach it. Since sounds, names, phrases, and syllables do not reach it, it corresponds to the path of speech being cut off. "Not the domain of wisdom arisen from hearing": because sounds, names, phrases, and syllables are what is heard. "Mental-speech conceptual differentiation": mental speech is just conceptual differentiation. What is expressed by the mouth is called speech; what is in the mind is called conceptual differentiation. Now, because what is conceptually differentiated is identical to what is spoken, it is called mental speech. Every spoken utterance of a person is an affair within the mind; therefore the Preface to the Classic of Poetry says: "Feelings are stirred within and take form in words." "The place of mental activities ceases": because marks are the place where the mind acts, and "acting" is like cognizing. Since one is free from marks, the mind has no cognized object; with the cognized object absent, the cognizing subject is also cut off; how could the markless true principle be reached by wisdom arisen from reflection? "Free from the counterfeit...": "counterfeit" refers to brass resembling true gold; "false" refers to a reflection being like the original substance. All dharmas possessed of names and marks are counterfeit and false. Therefore the Diamond Sūtra says: "All that has marks is empty and false." And the Śūraṅgama-sūtra says: "Illusory falsehood is called marks." Because they are counterfeit and false, they are not true. Now, being free from names and marks, it is not counterfeit and false, hence it is called "true." "Free from difference...": this means having differentiation, having change, and being destructible. Now, being free from all these, it is called "suchness" (tathā). Furthermore, according to precise glossing, "suchness" (ru) means "resemblance." When dharmas differ, they do not resemble; not resembling, they are not "such." Now, since they do not differ, not differing means resemblance, and resemblance is the meaning of "suchness." Therefore Guishan said: "This real essence, in the future is always like the past, in form is always like sensation; truly resembling, it is not a false resemblance." "Explaining in succession": why is it ultimately equal? Because it has no change. Why has it no change? Because it cannot be broken or destroyed. Again, that which cannot be broken or destroyed is so because it has no change. That which has no change is so because it is ultimately equal. "Free from the worldly": "world" (shi) means遷流 flux; "in" (jian) means falling into its midst; for differentiation, change, and destruction are worldly dharmas. Now, all being the opposite of these, it is said to be free. "Not the domain of wisdom arisen from cultivation": cultivation refers to concentration; it is not a domain of concentration. For suffering, emptiness, impermanence, impurity, and the like are all the cognized objects of concentration. "Corresponding with correct wisdom": wisdom that is identical with suchness realizes suchness that is identical with wisdom; other than this, nothing can reach it. Therefore the text below says: "Because it is a realm free from thought, it is only realized in correspondence." "From above..." unifies and judges the two passages before and after, further distinguishing the intention of the subsequent section in contrast to not being the domain of the three wisdoms.