起信論疏筆削記 8.14

8.14

Under 'the approach of non-difference', third, extensively explaining on the basis of the meaning, which has three [parts]: first, separate explanations, which has two: first, explaining non-difference, in three [subsections]. However, in these three sections, tathatā is taken as the root and arising-and-ceasing as the branch in all of them. The first is spoken looking from the unarising-and-unceasing toward arising-and-ceasing; the next is spoken looking from arising-and-ceasing toward the unarising-and-unceasing; the last is spoken of both gates at the same time and in the same place. That which is non-different has its meaning within the six characters 'able' (neng), 'form' (cheng), 'identical' (ji), 'only' (wei), 'same' (tong), and 'together' (ju); comprehend them thoroughly according to the text. Question: The treatise says 'neither one nor different'; the commentary ought to conform to the treatise to explain it. Why does it first explain non-difference and afterwards explain non-oneness? Answer: Because the treatise follows the convenience of the meaning of 'depending on the true, the false arises', it first presents non-oneness and afterwards speaks of non-difference. The text says: 'Depending on the tathāgatagarbha there is the mind of arising and ceasing; the unarising-and-unceasing combines with arising-and-ceasing.' This is the meaning of non-oneness. Yet since this arising-and-ceasing depends on the nature of non-separation from the mind-essence, only after this can one speak of non-difference. The commentary's text broadly explains according to the doctrine so as to cause people to give rise to understanding. One must first know that the essence is non-dual; because it is non-dual, only then does it not form oneness. This then fully clarifies [it] in accordance with the doctrine, causing one to awaken to the fact that originally there is no difference between the true and the false. Having awakened to this doctrine, allowing the differentiation of conceptual distinction, one will then not be deluded about the root. Therefore the commentary below says: 'Herein, it is not merely that one clarifies non-oneness without violating non-difference; it is also that due to non-difference, non-oneness is established.' Now first, explaining by bringing the root along with the branches. The sūtra says: That is, the *Laṅkāvatāra-sūtra*. 'The cause of wholesome and unwholesome': the ten unwholesome deeds such as killing are unwholesome; the ten such as non-killing are wholesome. 'All destinies and births': the six destinies and four forms of birth, among which are contained both wholesome and unwholesome. 'Arising and ceasing' has the meaning of discarding an aggregate and taking up an aggregate. Thus the tathāgatagarbha is tathatā, and the wholesome, unwholesome, and so forth are arising-and-ceasing. Since it says that the tathāgatagarbha is the cause and is able to create [them], that is non-difference. Further, the sūtra is the *Nirvāṇa-sūtra*; the text says: 'For example, in the Snow Mountains there is a medicine of a single taste named "Pleasant Taste". Its taste is extremely sweet; being beneath deep thickets, no person can see it. Someone smelled its fragrance and knew that in that ground there must be this medicine. In past ages there was a wheel-turning king who, for the sake of this medicine in the Snow Mountains, constructed wooden pipes everywhere to receive this medicine. When this medicine matured, it flowed out from the ground and gathered in the wooden pipes, its taste being true and correct. After that king passed away, this medicine became vinegar, or salty, sweet, bitter, pungent, or sour—the six tastes forming distinctions. Thus this single taste had various tastes according to the places where it flowed.' This is an analogy for Buddha-nature: because of afflictions it produces various tastes, namely the six paths and so forth. Thus Buddha-nature is tathatā, and the six paths are arising-and-ceasing. Since it says that Buddha-nature forms them according to [conditions], that is the meaning of non-difference.