[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) › 1.33 # 大乘起信論內義略探記 1.33 大乘起信論內義略探記 1.33 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [1.33](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1849.1.33) 第二性淨本覺，謂是覺體相。今說於中有通有別。通者，此覺性不守自性故，雖隨諸緣成於染淨，而恒不失自性清淨；由不失淨性故，能隨緣成染淨也。譬如明鏡現染淨法，雖現染淨，而恒不失鏡之明淨。由不失鏡明故，能現染淨之相。以染淨知鏡明淨，以鏡相淨知現染淨。雖現淨法，不增鏡明；雖現染法，不污鏡淨。非直不污，亦乃由此反顯鏡之明淨。當知本覺亦爾，非直不動性淨成於染淨，亦乃由成染淨方現性淨，是故隨染本覺、性淨本覺，全體相收，一性無二也。別解者，以四種鏡況此本覺：一空鏡，謂離一切外物之體；二不空鏡，謂鏡體元能現萬像；三淨鏡，謂磨治離垢；四受用鏡，置于高臺，須者受用。四中前二自性淨，後二離垢淨。又初二約因隱時說，後二約果顯時說。又前二約空不空，後二體用。又初二體，後二相，故云覺體相也。為心體只無不覺，故名本覺；為心體有覺照用，故名本覺。若無不覺故名本覺者，亦可無覺照故是不覺。若有覺照名本覺者，未知此覺為斷惑不？若不斷惑，即無覺照用；若斷惑者，即無凡夫。答：非但無暗，亦有明照。有明照故，立有斷惑。此義云何？若約前眠後覺名覺者，始覺是有，本覺是無。若約本來不眠名覺者，本覺是覺，始覺即非。斷義亦爾，先有後無名斷者，始覺有斷，本覺無斷。本來離惑名斷者，本覺是斷，始覺不斷。若依此義，本來斷故，本來無凡。故論云「一切眾生從本來，入涅槃菩提之法」也。雖本來無凡，而未始覺，故本來有凡也。 > Second, regarding innate awakening pure by nature, this refers to the essence and attributes of awakening. Now, discussing it, there are general and specific aspects. As for the general, because this nature of awakening does not abide by its own nature, although it accords with various conditions to form defilement and purity, it never loses the purity of its own nature; because it does not lose its pure nature, it can accord with conditions to form defilement and purity. For example, a bright mirror reflects defiled and pure phenomena: although it reflects defilement and purity, it never loses the mirror's brightness and purity. Because it does not lose the mirror's brightness, it can manifest the aspects of defilement and purity. Through defilement and purity one knows the mirror's brightness and purity; through the purity of the mirror's aspect one knows that it manifests defilement and purity. Although it reflects pure phenomena, it does not increase the mirror's brightness; although it reflects defiled phenomena, it does not taint the mirror's purity. Not only does it not taint it, but by means of this it inversely reveals the brightness and purity of the mirror. One should know that innate awakening is also like this: not only does it form defilement and purity without moving from its pure nature, but also because it forms defilement and purity, its pure nature is manifested. Therefore, innate awakening in accordance with defilement and innate awakening pure by nature completely embrace each other; they are of one nature, without duality. As for the specific explanation, four kinds of mirrors illustrate this innate awakening: first, the empty mirror, meaning its essence is free from all external objects; second, the non-empty mirror, meaning the mirror's essence is fundamentally capable of manifesting myriad images; third, the pure mirror, meaning it has been polished and freed from defilement; fourth, the mirror for enjoyment, placed upon a high tower to be enjoyed by those who need it. Among the four, the first two are pure by self-nature, and the latter two are pure by freedom from defilement. Furthermore, the first two are spoken of in terms of the cause when hidden, and the latter two in terms of the result when manifest. Furthermore, the first two pertain to emptiness and non-emptiness, and the latter two to essence and function. Furthermore, the first two are essence, and the latter two are attributes; hence they are called the essence and attributes of awakening. Is it called innate awakening simply because the essence of the mind lacks non-awakening? Or is it called innate awakening because the essence of the mind possesses the illuminating function of awakening? If it is called innate awakening because it lacks non-awakening, then could it also be non-awakening because it lacks awakening illumination? If possessing awakening illumination is called innate awakening, does this awakening sever delusion or not? If it does not sever delusion, then it has no function of awakening illumination; if it severs delusion, then there would be no ordinary beings. Answer: Not only does it lack darkness, but it also possesses bright illumination. Because it possesses bright illumination, the severance of delusion is established. What does this mean? If awakening is named in terms of earlier sleep and later awakening, initial awakening exists, but innate awakening does not. If awakening is named in terms of originally not sleeping, innate awakening is awakening, while initial awakening is not. The meaning of severance is also like this: if severance is named as earlier existence and later non-existence, initial awakening has severance, while innate awakening lacks severance. If severance is named as being originally free from delusion, innate awakening is severance, while initial awakening does not sever. If one relies on this meaning, because it is originally severed, originally there are no ordinary beings. Therefore the treatise says: 'All sentient beings from the beginning have entered the dharma of nirvāṇa and bodhi.' Although originally there are no ordinary beings, because they have not yet initially awakened, originally there are ordinary beings. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 1.32](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1849.1.32) - [Next: 1.34](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1849.1.34) - [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.1.33) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (2) - [宗鏡錄](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016.60.5) — Classical Chinese - [大乘起信論義記](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1846.2.173) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1849.1.33](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1849.1.33) · Pramāṇa