大乘起信論內義略探記 1.60

1.60

第一常無常者，若依小乘，二種佛身皆是無常。若依始教，二義俱有，如《金光明經》云「如是三身，有義是常，有義無常。」謂化身恒轉法輪，方便不斷，故以為常。且《涅槃經》云「若言如來身是無常，此人舌根何不墮落？」非是本故，具足大用不顯現故，說為無常。應身從無始來，相續不斷，一切諸佛不共之法能持故，眾生無量盡，用亦無盡，是故說常；非是本故，說為無常。法身非是得法，無有異相，是根本故，猶如虛空，是故說常。若依終教，修生功德是無常，又是常，已同真如，歸本體故。又法身是常，不變故；又無常，隨緣故。又常無常二融通無礙，即是佛身。若依頓教，相盡已，不說功德差別常無常義，唯一實性身。若依圓教，略有三說：一約用，佛果通三世間等一切法。二約德，四義：一修生，二本有，三本有修生，四修生本有。三約體，此三門各通無常等四句也。

First, regarding permanence and impermanence: If one relies on the Hīnayāna, both kinds of Buddha-bodies are impermanent. If one relies on the initial teaching, both meanings exist, as the Suvarṇaprabhāsa-sūtra says: "Such three bodies have the meaning of permanence and the meaning of impermanence." That is, the nirmāṇakāya perpetually turns the wheel of the Dharma and its skillful means are uninterrupted, hence it is regarded as permanent. Moreover, the Nirvāṇa-sūtra says: "If one says that the Tathāgata's body is impermanent, why does this person's tongue not fall out?" Because it is not the root, and its complete great functions are not manifested, it is said to be impermanent. The saṃbhogakāya has continued without interruption from beginningless time; because it can uphold the uncommon dharmas of all buddhas, and because sentient beings are inexhaustible, its function is also inexhaustible, and therefore it is said to be permanent; yet because it is not the root, it is said to be impermanent. The dharmakāya is not an acquired dharma and has no disparate characteristics; because it is the fundamental root, like empty space, it is therefore said to be permanent. If one relies on the final teaching, the merits produced through cultivation are impermanent, yet they are also permanent, because they are already identical with tathatā and return to the fundamental essence. Furthermore, the dharmakāya is permanent because it does not change; yet it is also impermanent because it accords with conditions. Moreover, the mutual fusion and unhindered nature of both permanence and impermanence is itself the Buddha-body. If one relies on the sudden teaching, once marks are exhausted, one does not speak of the permanence or impermanence of differentiated merits; there is solely the one body of real nature. If one relies on the perfect teaching, there are, in brief, three explanations: 1. In terms of function, the Buddha-fruit pervades all dharmas such as the three realms. 2. In terms of virtue, there are four meanings: first, produced through cultivation; second, fundamentally existing; third, fundamentally existing and produced through cultivation; fourth, produced through cultivation and fundamentally existing. 3. In terms of essence, these three portals each apply to the four propositions of impermanence and so forth.