大乘起信論裂網疏 2.39

2.39

"Mind" refers to the present fleeting mind of sentient beings. "The supreme nature" refers to the untainted seeds, accomplished from beginninglessness and unchanging, which is called "nature". "Free from all marks of deluded thought" means that although these untainted seeds depend upon the fundamental consciousness, they cannot be cognised by the fundamental consciousness. "Equals the realm of empty space, pervading everywhere" means that the nature of these untainted seeds conforms to tathatā and cannot be confined by spatial limits or bodily forms. "The single mark of the dharmadhātu" means that since these untainted seeds conform to tathatā, they share the same inconceivable mark as the tathatā dharmadhātu. "Is the equal dharmakāya of all Tathāgatas" means that wisdom and tathatā are equally equal; simply this suchness and the wisdom of suchness are what all Tathāgatas mutually realise, collectively named the dharmakāya. "In reliance upon this dharmakāya it is said to be original enlightenment" means that although it seems newly attained, it is actually the old Buddha. "In relation to initial enlightenment it is established as original enlightenment" means that although it is the old Buddha, this does not hinder newly attaining it. "Yet at the time of initial enlightenment, it is original enlightenment itself; no other enlightenment arises" means that the seeds in their entire essence become the actualisations, and the actualisations do not alter the beginningless seeds, just as water becomes ice and ice turns back into water—there is no other new water. Someone might ask: "Since it says that no other enlightenment arises, how can it be called initial enlightenment?" Therefore it is now answered: in reliance upon original enlightenment there is non-enlightenment, like water becoming ice; in reliance upon non-enlightenment it is said that there is initial enlightenment, like ice first melting into water. Further relying on the text below, this may be clarified with an analogy: the Tathāgatagarbha is tathatā, like the fixed directions of east and west, which are neither delusion nor awakening, yet can serve as the support for delusion and awakening. Since there are these fixed directions of east and west, there must be this knowing that knows east and knows west, which is the meaning of original enlightenment contained within the fixed directions. Having never known from the beginning, it is called delusion; this is the meaning of non-enlightenment contained within the fixed directions. Due to non-enlightenment, taking east for west and taking west for east—this is the mark of deluded thought of the transforming consciousness arising within the fixed directions. The fixed directions either accord with conditions of delusion or accord with conditions of awakening; there is never a time when they do not accord with conditions; hence there are the two meanings of enlightenment and non-enlightenment, termed the aspect of arising and ceasing. Delusion is also this direction, and awakening is also this direction, definitely not changing according to conditions; this is termed the aspect of tathatā. When deluded, one is deluded about this tathatā to form arising and ceasing, and speaking of awakening in contrast to delusion, awakening must also belong to the aspect of arising and ceasing; this is what is called "words of delusion reveal the true, yet delusion and truth are both dual delusions." When awakened, one awakens to these arisings and ceasings as being tathatā itself, and in the truth there is neither delusion nor awakening, so delusion also wholly returns to the aspect of tathatā; this is what is called "all sentient beings are identical with the mark of nirvāṇa and cannot be extinguished again; they are identical with the mark of bodhi and cannot be attained again." Vijñaptimātra also clarifies that the seeds of all dharmas exist only conventionally, not as ultimate truth, which is just like having the two dharmas of delusion and awakening in reliance upon direction. It also clarifies that tathatā is the real nature of consciousness, and there is no separate tathatā outside of matter and mind, which is just like discerning directions in reliance upon delusion and awakening; outside the two minds of delusion and awakening, how could any separate direction be found? Alas! It is clear that Aśvaghoṣa and Dharmapāla definitely have no two different intentions!