起信論疏筆削記 9.56

9.56

'Another explanation…' clarifies the meaning of equality in terms of the four marks facing one another, meaning that the four marks are all formed by the transformation of that tranquil mind. Since the four marks that are formed each have no essence of their own, are they not indeed the one tranquil mind? The tranquil mind is itself freedom from thought. Since each mark is itself free from thought, they are therefore equal. Because they are equal, one who has attained freedom from thought is able to know them. Just as four colored images appear in a single jewel, one who sees the body of the jewel can know them all. However, the former took 'having thoughts is itself free from thought' as the meaning of equality, while this takes 'the four marks each being free from thought' as the meaning of equality. The preceding interpretation above is from the Haedong Commentary. If one interprets the meaning according to the Great Commentary, it is considered in terms of penetrating to the source of the mind: because one has already attained freedom from thought, one knows the arising, abiding, changing, and ceasing of all sentient beings. However, relying on the text of the treatise, there are only the words 'knowing the marks of the mind', and no mention of 'sentient beings'. Now, directly following the text of the treatise, I will additionally offer an interpretation: when one attains this freedom from thought, one has already awakened to the fact that the initial mark originally has nothing that arises, being constantly the One Mind and originally free from thought; from this, one knows that the four marks are all like this. That is, they are the One Mind, and the marks of this mind have fundamentally never arisen; it is not that there are separate arising, abiding, changing, and ceasing arising from the mind. Why is this? Because each and every mark is identical to the initial mark and is itself free from thought; hence it says 'because by freedom from thought they are equal'. Freedom from thought is solely one, hence it is called 'equal'. Therefore the subsequent text says: 'Because the four marks are simultaneously identical to the one enlightenment'—the one enlightenment is itself freedom from thought. Therefore the later translation says: 'If deluded thoughts cease, one knows that the marks of the mind—arising, abiding, changing, and ceasing—are all without marks.' This tallies with this interpretation; let the wise examine it carefully.