大乘起信論裂網疏 3.20

3.20

Continuity has two meanings: first, with regard to mental factors, it is sensation, recollection, and concentration. The perception of suffering and pleasure is sensation; due to recollection there is no forgetting; due to concentration there is focused attention. Second, with regard to the primary minds, it is the mental faculty of immediately preceding equivalence. Assisted by cognition and recollection, that primary mind arises in continuity; the primary mind whose preceding thought has already perished is provisionally designated as the mental faculty. However, the eighth and seventh [consciousnesses] are naturally continuous from beginninglessness and do not rely on cognition, whereas the continuity of the first six all arises based on cognition; hence it says "correspond without interruption." This continuity itself truly has no essential nature. For example, when a single spark of fire is whirled around, it forms a wheel; the fire ceases thought-moment after thought-moment, without moving from this place to another, but due to its continuity of similarity, it is falsely viewed as a wheel. The mind-nature is also like this: thought-moment after thought-moment it is tranquil and extinguished, with no reality of continuity, yet deluded sentiments take it to be seemingly permanent and seemingly one, which is called the mark of continuity. If one can clearly contemplate that continuity is devoid of marks, one will then realize the wisdom of the Tathāgata.