大乘起信論內義略探記 1.69

1.69

問：若真心即佛者，何論中從十度因生？答：此約本覺隨緣義說。然其始覺至心源時，平等一際，有何差別？若約始教，以佛悲願為增上緣，眾機感種子為因緣，故詫佛本覺質上自心變顯影像，故云自識中現也。

Question: If the true mind is itself the Buddha, why does the śāstra say it is produced from the causes of the ten perfections? Answer: This is spoken with reference to the meaning of innate awakening according with conditions. Yet when its initial awakening reaches the source of the mind, it is equally of one plane; what difference could there be? According to the initial teaching, with the Buddha's compassion and vows as the predominant condition, and the seeds of beings' capacities and receptivity as the direct cause, through relying on the substantial basis of the Buddha's innate awakening, one's own mind transforms and displays an image; hence it is said to appear within one's own consciousness.