[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [大乘起信論內義略探記](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1849) › 1.32 # 大乘起信論內義略探記 1.32 大乘起信論內義略探記 1.32 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [1.32](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1849.1.32) 問：既得自利己，方起利他業者，何利他說無始也？答：有二釋。一云：如來一念遍應三世，所應無始故。能應即無始。猶如一念圓智，遍達無邊三世之境，境無邊故，智亦無邊。無邊之智所現之相，故得無始終，此非心識所測也。二云：無明盡故，始覺同本。然彼覺無始世來，常起業用，益眾生故。以一切佛無差別故，無新舊故，皆無始覺之異。本平等無始終故，能化眾生，是真如用，故云不思議業。此用與眾生心，本來不二，但不覺隨流，用即不現。妄心厭求，用即心中稱根顯現，而不作意我現差別，故云自然。 > Question: Since one only gives rise to the activities of benefiting others after having accomplished benefit for oneself, why is benefiting others spoken of as beginningless? Answer: There are two explanations. One says: In a single thought the Tathāgata universally responds to the three periods of time; because what is responded to is beginningless, that which responds is also beginningless. Just as in a single thought perfect gnosis universally reaches the boundless objects of the three periods of time, because the objects are boundless, the gnosis is also boundless. The aspects manifested by boundless gnosis are therefore without beginning or end; this cannot be measured by the conscious mind. The second says: Because avidyā is exhausted, initial awakening is identical to innate \[awakening\]. Yet from beginningless cosmic ages, that awakening constantly gives rise to active functions to benefit sentient beings. Because all Buddhas are without distinction and without new or old, there is no difference between initial and innate awakening for any of them. Since it is fundamentally equal, without beginning or end, it can transform sentient beings; this is the function of tathatā, hence it is called inconceivable activity. This function and the minds of sentient beings are originally non-dual; but when sentient beings do not awaken and drift with the stream, the function does not manifest. When the deluded mind experiences revulsion and seeks \[awakening\], the function manifests within the mind according with their faculties, without forming the intention "I manifest distinctions"; hence it is called spontaneous. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 1.31](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1849.1.31) - [Next: 1.33](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1849.1.33) - [Up: 1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1849.1) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1849~en-mt.1.32) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (3) - [大乘起信論義記](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1846.2.169) — Classical Chinese - [大乘起信論廣釋卷第三．四．五](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2814.3.23) — Classical Chinese - [起信論疏](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1844.1.23) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1849.1.32](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1849.1.32) · Pramāṇa