大乘起信論內義略探記 1.38

1.38

第二出體者，通以一心為體。若別論者，自相之體，即是本覺，非動轉相，是覺照性。故論云「覺義，謂心體離念。離念相者，等虛空界無所不遍，法界一相即是如來平等法身，依此法身說名本覺。」業識體者，謂本覺心體，因無明風舉體無動，無動之相未向外緣。如海微波，從靜無動，而未從此轉移彼處。轉識體者，謂依無明及業識，有能見用，向外而起，而未能現所緣相，如海麁浪依風力及微動，從此鼓彼，轉移而起。此有二義。若約無明所動轉成能見者，在本識中；若約境界所動轉成能見者，在事識中。今此約初也。現識體者，謂由無明及轉識能見故，境界既現，於是能見所見具足，如海麁浪由風力故，萬像之相非一眾多。若通相論者，轉中有業，以是轉相，亦非轉寂，故業內有智；以本覺心舉體而動，故是智亦通轉識；以動轉中解性不壞，是即智識亦名自相。以業等相非心本相，因無明起，可名他相，不自性動，隨他動故。於中解性是心本性，不藉他成，故名自相。如是自相亦通七識，以是心轉作故。亦此七識，即是本識，以不失神解故。又轉現二識唯是業識，此業識者唯智相識，以離本覺無別體故也。智識體者，是事識內細分，謂不了前現識內所現妄境故，能起染淨微細分別。相續識體，亦是事識內細，謂法執相應長得相續，此約自體不斷釋相續義。此識能起發業、潤生煩惱，能引持過去無明所發諸行善惡業種，令成堪任成果之有。若無惑潤業，種焦亡故，此即引生令熟。又能起潤生菩薩，令熟業惑報。如是三世因流轉，連持不絕，功由意識也。

Second, revealing its essence: generally speaking, it takes the One Mind as its essence. If discussed specifically, the essence of the proper characteristic (zixiang) is innate awakening itself; it is not the characteristic of movement and transformation, but the nature of awakening and illumination. Therefore the śāstra says: "The meaning of awakening is that the mind-essence is free from thoughts. The characteristic of being free from thoughts is equal to the realm of empty space, having nowhere that it does not pervade; the single characteristic of the dharmadhātu is precisely the Tathāgata's equal dharmakāya, and relying upon this dharmakāya it is named 'innate awakening.'" The essence of karma-consciousness is that the mind-essence of innate awakening, because of the wind of avidyā, is completely unmoving in its whole essence, and this characteristic of non-movement has not yet directed itself toward external objects. Like a gentle ripple on the ocean, it arises from stillness without moving, yet has not migrated from here to another place. The essence of evolving consciousness is that, relying upon avidyā and karma-consciousness, it possesses the function of being able to perceive, rising outward, yet is not yet able to manifest the characteristics of what is cognized; like the coarse waves of the ocean relying on the power of the wind and the subtle motion, stirring from here to there, rising up in migration. This has two meanings: if taken as being moved by avidyā to turn into the ability to perceive, it belongs to the fundamental consciousness; if taken as being moved by objects to turn into the ability to perceive, it belongs to the consciousness of phenomena. Here it is taken according to the former. The essence of manifesting consciousness is that, through avidyā and the evolving consciousness's ability to perceive, once the objective realm has manifested, both the perceiver and the perceived are then complete; like the coarse waves of the ocean, through the power of the wind, where the forms of myriad images are not single but manifold. If discussed in terms of common characteristics, within evolving [consciousness] there is karma, because it is the characteristic of evolving and yet is not devoid of evolving quiescence, hence within karma there is gnosis; because the mind of innate awakening moves in its entire essence, this gnosis also pervades evolving consciousness; because within movement and transformation the nature of comprehension is not destroyed, this gnosis-consciousness is also named the proper characteristic. Because characteristics such as karma are not the mind's original characteristic, but arise due to avidyā, they may be called 'other-characteristics', as they do not move by their own nature, but move following another. The nature of comprehension within them is the mind's original nature, not accomplished by relying on another, and is therefore named the proper characteristic. Such a proper characteristic also pervades the seven consciousnesses, because they are made by the mind's evolving. Moreover, these seven consciousnesses are precisely the fundamental consciousness, because they do not lose cognitive comprehension. Furthermore, the two consciousnesses of evolving and manifesting are nothing but karma-consciousness; and this karma-consciousness is nothing but the consciousness of the characteristic of gnosis, because apart from innate awakening it has no separate essence. The essence of the consciousness of gnosis is the subtle portion within the consciousness of phenomena, meaning that because it does not comprehend the false objects manifested within the preceding manifesting consciousness, it can give rise to subtle discriminations between defilement and purity. The essence of the continuing consciousness is also subtle within the consciousness of phenomena, meaning that, associated with attachment to phenomena, it obtains continuation for a long time; this explains the meaning of continuation in terms of its own essence being uninterrupted. This consciousness can initiate karma and afflictions that moisten rebirth; it can attract and sustain the seeds of good and evil karma initiated by past avidyā, causing them to become capable of actualizing as the existence of fruitions. If there are no afflictions to moisten karma, the seeds would be scorched and perish; thus this attracts and produces them, causing them to mature. Moreover, it can generate [the karma] that moistens the rebirth of bodhisattvas, causing karmic and afflictive retributions to mature. In this way, causes cycle through the three times, continuously sustained without end, through the power of the mental consciousness.