大乘起信論內義略探記 1.43

1.43

問：為心體常住又生滅也？為心相生滅也？體相合為一識，故是心體常住也？答：若得意者，二義俱許。若論常住，不隨他成也云體。若論無常，隨他生滅言相也。言生滅者，非生之生、非滅之滅，唯心之生、心之滅，故名生滅。是故得言心體生滅，如水動名浪，終不可說是動之動非水之。此中道理亦爾。設心體不動，但無明相動者，即無轉凡成聖之理。以無明相一向滅故，心體本來不作凡故。

Question: Is the mind-essence permanent, or does it also arise and cease? Or does the mind-characteristic arise and cease? Since essence and characteristic unite into one consciousness, is it that the mind-essence is permanent? Answer: If one grasps the meaning, both meanings are admitted. If discussed in terms of permanence, not accomplished by following another, it is called the essence. If discussed in terms of impermanence, arising and ceasing by following another, it is called the characteristic. What is called arising and ceasing is not the arising of arising, nor the ceasing of ceasing; it is solely the mind's arising and the mind's ceasing, hence it is named arising and ceasing. Therefore one may say that the mind-essence arises and ceases, just as the movement of water is called waves; one can never say that it is the movement of movement and not of water. The principle here is likewise so. Supposing the mind-essence did not move and only the characteristic of avidyā moved, there would be no principle of transforming from an ordinary being into a noble one. For the characteristic of avidyā is unequivocally eliminated, and the mind-essence originally does not become an ordinary being.