大乘起信論裂網疏 1.8

1.8

次釋信者，據《唯識論》「於諸善心所中最為上首，謂於實德能深忍樂欲，心淨為性，對治不信，樂善為業。釋云：然信差別，略有三種：一信實有，謂於諸法實事理中深信忍故；二信有德，謂於二寶真淨德中深信樂故；三信有能，謂於一切世、出世善深信有力，能得樂果、能成聖道，起希望故。由斯對治不信，彼心愛樂證修世出世善。」（文）今論中云「信有四種：一信根本，謂樂念真如法故；二信佛具無邊德，謂常樂禮敬供養，聞法修行，迴向一切智故；三信法有大利益，謂常樂修行諸波羅蜜故；四信正行僧，謂常供養諸菩薩眾，正修自利利他行故。」（文）應知《識論》一信實有，即同今論一信根本。《識論》二信有德、三信有能，即合今論第二、三、四信也。又《識論》云「此信心所，自性澄清，亦能淨餘心、心所等。如水清珠能清濁水。又諸染法各有別相，唯有不信，自相渾濁，復能渾濁餘心、心所，如極穢物自穢穢他。信正翻彼，故淨為相。」（文）良以如來藏性，不變隨緣，舉體而為一切心王、心所。而此一切心王、心所隨緣不變，一一無非全體如來藏性。故此信之一字，雖約俗諦分別，不過止是諸善心所之一，而實即是藏性全體，非是藏性少分。又雖一切諸染心所，皆亦並是藏性全體，由逆性故，多諸過咎。譬如金作穢器，不堪把玩。唯此信心，能順性故，多諸功德。譬如金作轉輪王冠，愈顯尊貴。所以一有信心，則一切善法無不共相應也。初分釋竟。

Next, to explain "faith": According to the Vijñaptimātratāsiddhi: "It is foremost among all wholesome mental factors (caitta). It means having deep conviction (adhimokṣa), delight, and desire regarding reality, virtue, and capacity, with purity of mind as its nature; its function is counteracting lack of faith and delighting in the wholesome. The explanation says: 'However, the distinctions of faith are briefly of three kinds: first, believing in real existence, which means having deep conviction in the real phenomena and principles of all dharmas; second, believing in virtue, which means having deep faith and delight in the true, pure virtues of the Three Jewels; third, believing in capacity, which means having deep faith that all mundane and supramundane wholesome [dharmas] have power, are capable of obtaining pleasurable fruits, and are capable of accomplishing the noble path, thereby giving rise to aspiration. Through this, one counteracts lack of faith, and that mind loves and delights in realising and cultivating mundane and supramundane wholesome [dharmas].'" (Text) Now, this treatise says: "Faith has four kinds: first, believing in the root, which means delighting in contemplating the dharma of tathatā; second, believing that the Buddha possesses boundless virtues, which means constantly delighting in paying homage, making offerings, hearing the Dharma and practicing it, and dedicating [merit] toward all-knowledge; third, believing that the Dharma has great benefit, which means constantly delighting in cultivating the pāramitās; fourth, believing in the Saṅgha of correct practice, which means constantly making offerings to the assemblies of bodhisattvas and correctly cultivating practices that benefit oneself and benefit others." (Text) One should know that the Siddhi's first, "believing in real existence", is identical to this treatise's first, "believing in the root". The Siddhi's second, "believing in virtue", and third, "believing in capacity", combine to make the second, third, and fourth faiths in this treatise. Furthermore, the Siddhi says: "This mental factor of faith is clear and pure by its own nature, and can also purify other minds and mental factors, just as a water-clearing jewel can clarify turbid water. Moreover, each of the defiled dharmas has its own distinct characteristics, but lack of faith alone is turbid in its own characteristic, and furthermore can turbidly defile other minds and mental factors, just as extremely foul matter defiles itself and defiles others. Faith precisely overturns this; hence purity is its characteristic." (Text) This is truly because the nature of the tathāgatagarbha is immutable yet accords with conditions, its entire essence becoming all primary minds (citta) and mental factors. And these all, primary minds and mental factors, accord with conditions yet are immutable; each and every one is nothing other than the entire essence of the tathāgatagarbha. Therefore, though this single character "faith" is differentiated in terms of conventional truth as no more than just one among the wholesome mental factors, in reality it is the entire essence of the womb-nature (garbha), not a partial fraction of it. Moreover, although all defiled mental factors are likewise the entire essence of the womb-nature, because they run contrary to the nature, they have many faults—just as gold made into a foul vessel cannot be enjoyed. Only this mind of faith, because it accords with the nature, has many virtues—just as gold made into a crown for a wheel-turning king makes its nobility all the more evident. That is why as soon as faith is present, all wholesome dharmas without exception correspond together with it. The first part, explaining them separately, is finished.