大乘起信論裂網疏 2.13

2.13

'Mind' directly designates sentient beings' momentary mind in the present. 'True' (tatha-) means that its nature is not false, because it is neither the fleshy mass [of the heart] nor the shadow of conditioned [objects], and it is free from false marks such as inner, outer, middle, past, present, future, demarcations, directions, and the like. 'Such' (-tā) means that its nature is not differentiated, because it is without arising and without ceasing, without defilement and without purity, without increase and without decrease, and free from distinctions. For tathatā is immutable yet accords with conditions, its entire essence becoming sentient beings' momentary mind in the present. This mind accords with conditions yet is immutable, still remaining the complete essence of the tathatā-dharmadhātu; hence it is said to be 'the essence of the dharma-gate of the great general characteristic of the one dharmadhātu.' Never having been dual, it is forced to be called 'one.' As the original source of all dharmas, it is forced to be called 'dharmadhātu.' Absolute and without an exterior, it is forced to be called 'great.' Having one mark which is markless, and being without marks of distinction, it is forced to be called 'general characteristic.' Capable of providing a standard and sustaining [its own character], it is forced to be called 'dharma.' Pervading everywhere without obstruction, it is forced to be called 'gate.' It is like the great ocean whose entire essence forms a bubble: examining this single bubble, it has no separate essence of its own, but merely takes the wet nature of the ocean as its essence; and this wet nature of a single bubble is the complete wet nature of the great ocean, having neither a dual nature nor any distinct mark. It is also like the light of the sun whose entire essence enters a chink: examining this chink of light, it has no separate essence of its own, but merely takes the brilliance of the sun-disk as its essence; and this luminous nature of a single chink is the complete luminous nature of the sun-disk, having neither a dual nature nor any distinct mark. From 'This is because the fundamental nature of the mind' downward explains this meaning. It means that, by virtue of the fundamental nature of sentient beings' momentary mind in the present, it does not arise because it has no beginning in the past, and it does not cease because it has no end in the future. It is like empty space, which does not exist temporarily nor can it be temporarily nonexistent, yet it is also not like the mark of empty space displayed in contrast to matter; therefore, out of necessity, it is forced to be called the mark of neither arising nor ceasing. Here, someone might ask: 'The sūtras often say that when the mind arises dharmas arise, and when the mind ceases dharmas cease. Now, directly witnessing all dharmas having various distinctions of arising and ceasing, is this not the very arising and ceasing of the mind? Why do you say it is the mark of neither arising nor ceasing?' Therefore, it is now explained: 'All dharmas possess distinctions solely due to deluded thoughts.' It is like diseased eyes falsely seeing flowers in the sky; 'if one is free from deluded thoughts, then there are no marks of distinction among objective realms.' It is like when the eye disease is eliminated, there are no marks of the arising and ceasing of flowers in the sky. Therefore, the tathatā of the mind is the tathatā of all dharmas, and the tathatā of all dharmas is the tathatā of the mind. Since the mind from the beginning has in its nature been free from speech, cannot be overtly expressed by any written words, is apart from the mind's cognitive grasping, has no marks whatsoever, is ultimately equal, eternally without alteration, and indestructible, therefore all dharmas are also from the beginning free from speech, up to being indestructible. Thus all buddhas, all sentient beings, and all provisional and real lands ultimately take solely the one pure mind as their essence, and apart from the one mind there are no other dharmas; hence, out of necessity, it is called tathatā.