大乘起信論裂網疏 3.4

3.4

The prior limit of this mind can never be apprehended, hence it is said 'from beginningless time.' Tathatā only has the capacity of the inherent virtue to accord with conditions, but does not yet have the wisdom of cultivated virtue that illuminates the nature, hence it is said 'not truly knowing.' Although there are the eight consciousnesses and various mental factors, their essences, and the distinctions among the four aspects of mark and vision, they are only like illusory phenomena, their essence being tathatā; hence it is said 'because of the oneness of the true Dharma.' Just this not truly knowing is having never awakened since beginningless time; it is named fundamental non-enlightenment, and also named the seeds of beginningless abiding-ground ignorance. Although this seed is within the eighth consciousness, it does not associate with the active manifestations of the eighth; therefore, below it is named non-associated ignorance. Due to this seed of ignorance, the minds of the first seven consciousnesses, while not arising, appear to arise. Because the mind of the eighth consciousness gives rise to active manifestations, the universal, specific, and other mental factors arise together in association; hence it is said 'there are deluded thoughts.' However, these primary minds and mental factors, whether seeds or active manifestations, are all established spontaneously from beginningless time and all take the entire essence of tathatā as their essence, having no separate essence of their own; hence it is said 'themselves have no real mark.' As for 'not separate from original enlightenment,' this word 'original enlightenment' directly refers to tathatā, not to the untainted seeds in the ālayavijñāna. Tathatā is the basis of both delusion and awakening, being neither enlightenment nor non-enlightenment; yet non-enlightenment runs contrary to tathatā, and so one can only say it 'lacks reality.' Enlightenment conforms to tathatā, and tathatā originally lacks non-enlightenment; hence at times original enlightenment is called tathatā, and at other times tathatā is called original enlightenment.