[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) › 1.3 # 大乘起信論內義略探記 1.3 大乘起信論內義略探記 1.3 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [1.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1849.1.3) 初大意者，夫以真源寂寥，匪識所測；法性虛凝，罔言修詮。但以大悲無息，教網亘苦海而濟人天之魚；慧日無私，瑞光照暗夜以驚長睡之夢矣。如來滅後，有菩薩之，厥號馬鳴，道超三賢、位階十聖，明慧內融、慈悲外被，精窮奧旨、審察物機，巧知性欲、造論當時。其為論也，理苞群典、義括眾詮，文藻煥然、宗途易了。假使十方諸佛，長時廣歎食頃正思之福，亦不能盡。正道以之而隆、邪道因此而替，佛日再輝、法轉更復，故《摩耶經》云「如來滅後六百歲已，九十六種諸外道等競興，欲毀佛法。有比丘名曰馬鳴，菩薩說法要，降伏一切諸外道輩」等也。 > First, regarding the general import: the true source is desolate and serene, not to be measured by consciousness; the dharmatā is empty and congealed, beyond words to expound. Yet, because great compassion never ceases, the net of teachings spans the ocean of suffering to rescue the fish of humans and devas; the sun of wisdom is impartial, its auspicious light shining through the dark night to startle those from their long sleep of dreams. After the Tathāgata's parinirvāṇa, there was a bodhisattva named Aśvaghoṣa whose path surpassed the three stages of worthies and whose rank stepped into the ten sages. With luminous wisdom inwardly interfused and compassion outwardly shed, he thoroughly fathomed the profound import and closely examined the capacities of beings. Skillfully knowing their dispositions and inclinations, he composed the treatise at that time. As for this treatise: its principle embraces the multitude of scriptures, its meaning gathers all expositions, its literary elegance is brilliant, and its essential course is easy to comprehend. Even if the Buddhas of the ten directions were to extensively praise for a long time the merit of correct contemplation for the duration of a meal, they could not exhaust it. By means of it the correct path flourished, and because of it deviant paths declined; the Buddha-sun shone again, and the turning of the Dharma was restored. Therefore, the Māyā-sūtra says: 'Six hundred years after the Tathāgata's parinirvāṇa, ninety-six kinds of heterodox paths and the like will contend and arise, wishing to destroy the Buddha-Dharma. There will be a monk named Aśvaghoṣa, a bodhisattva who preaches the essentials of the Dharma and subdues all the heterodox paths,' and so forth. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 1.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1849.1.2) - [Next: 1.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1849.1.4) - [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.1.3) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (1) - [大乘起信論義記](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1846.1.33) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1849.1.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1849.1.3) · Pramāṇa