大乘起信論內義略探記 1.30

1.30

問：四相何得俱時？既俱時者，何覺前後？答：唯一夢心，四相流轉，處夢之士，謂為前後，各隨智力，淺深分覺。然大覺者，知夢四相唯一淨心，都無前後體性，故云俱時無自立等。故《攝論》云「處夢謂經年，悟乃須臾頃，故時雖無量，攝在一剎那。」此中一剎那者，即無念。故《楞伽》云「一切法不生，我說剎那義。初生即有滅，不為愚者說。」解云：剎那流轉，必無自性，無自性故，即是無生。若有自性即不流轉，故證無生者，方見剎那。上來約還源門，說始覺義也。

Question: How can the four characteristics be simultaneous? If they are simultaneous, why is awakening sequential? Answer: There is only a single dreaming mind in which the four characteristics transmigrate; persons dwelling in the dream consider them to be sequential, and according to their intellectual capacities, they awaken partially in shallow or deep measures. Yet the Great Awakened One knows that the four characteristics of the dream are only the one pure mind, completely devoid of sequence or substantial essence; thus they are said to be simultaneous and without independent existence. Therefore the Mahāyānasaṃgraha says: "Dwelling in a dream, one thinks years have passed; awakening occurs in just a moment. Thus, though time is immeasurable, it is subsumed in a single kṣaṇa." Here, "a single kṣaṇa" is precisely non-thought. Thus the Laṅkāvatāra says: "All phenomena are unproduced: this is what I call the meaning of the kṣaṇa. That there is cessation immediately upon arising is not spoken for fools." The explanation is: transmigration in a kṣaṇa necessarily lacks self-nature; lacking self-nature, it is precisely non-arising. If it had self-nature, it would not transmigrate; therefore only those who realize non-arising can truly see the kṣaṇa. The above has explained the meaning of initial awakening in terms of the aspect of returning to the origin.