起信論疏筆削記 7.18

7.18

[Commentary:] "Fearing that various..." relates the outside doubt, which is clear. "Therefore now..." explains the treatise. According to the commentary's intention, from "all verbal expressions" onward, all of it explains the preceding four characters, "hence it is named tathatā"; this is evident in the text. However, this text resolving doubt ought properly to be annotated under the text immediately preceding it for textual convenience, which students should know. "Not contradictory": provisional designations and freedom from names, though different in phrasing, are identical in meaning. "Because...": all that has a name is established based on marks. Tathatā is markless, so what is established is empty, for the cognized objects of parikalpita do not enter reality. Therefore the Laṅkāvatāra-sūtra below is cited to prove that both names and marks are parikalpita. Marks arise from notions; names are established based on marks; not being separate from marks, they are said to follow each other. Cognizing these marks and names, deluded conceptualizations are again produced, which is precisely the parikalpita mind.