起信論疏筆削記 9.55

9.55

Fourth, revealing the attainment. Commentary: 'If one reaches…': this reveals that actualized enlightenment penetrates to the source of the mind, seeing that it is itself free from thought, and also knowing that all sentient beings transform that tranquil mind into the distinctions of the four marks. Although it says 'knowing the four marks', it is actually knowing that sentient beings are identically the One Mind and have originally attained buddhahood. As the Avataṃsaka-sūtra says: 'When the Tathāgata achieved correct enlightenment, he universally saw that all sentient beings had completely attained buddhahood.' 'The explanation says…': the Buddha attains freedom from thought and knows that thoughts are originally non-existent. Although sentient beings are presently in thoughts, the Buddha knows that those thoughts of theirs are also free from thought. Thus, the Buddha's freedom from thought and sentient beings' possession of thoughts are equal in meaning; hence it is called 'equal'. Because thoughts are free from thought, upon attaining that freedom from thought, he first knows the thoughts of the four marks; this is the meaning of equality discussed in terms of sentient beings and the Buddha facing one another.