大乘起信論裂網疏 5.38

5.38

That the five aggregates are unarisen in their original nature is, for example, like having red cataracts in the eyes and falsely seeing the light of a lamp as layered with five colours, when in reality no five colours have arisen. A thing must have arising and only then have cessation; since it is originally unarisen, how could it be ceased? Thus it is said: all sentient beings are identical with the mark of nirvāṇa and cannot be further ceased; this is what is called the originally self-nature pure nirvāṇa, meaning that arising and ceasing is itself the essence of tathatā. As for being ultimately free from conceptual discrimination and attachment, this means being able to contemplate that all false thoughts are without marks, which constitutes realizing the wisdom of the Tathāgata, from realizing it in name up to ultimate realization. As for knowing that all defiled dharmas and pure dharmas are established in mutual dependence: defilement refers to ignorance and false thoughts, and purity refers to untainted tathatā; relying on the true, the false exists, and relying on the false, the true is revealed; therefore, awakening and non-awakening are both subsumed under the aspect of arising and ceasing. Since they are established in mutual dependence, they are not substantially existent, and one knows that arising and ceasing is non-arising and non-ceasing, entering the aspect of tathatā, from knowing it in name up to ultimate knowing. The phrase 'all dharmas' means defiled dharmas, pure dharmas, form dharmas, mind dharmas, wisdom dharmas, consciousness dharmas, non-existent dharmas, and existent dharmas; in summary, the diverse dharmas such as the five categories and one hundred dharmas, and the one hundred realms and one thousand suchnesses. Regarding 'from the beginning have been neither form nor mind,' and so forth: this is because each and every dharma is originally identical with tathatā, not waiting until one attains Buddhahood to only then fuse into tathatā. For example, since form is identical with tathatā, it is originally neither form nor mind, neither wisdom nor consciousness, neither non-existent nor existent, and ultimately a mark beyond predication. Since mind is identical with tathatā, it is originally neither form nor mind, neither wisdom nor consciousness, neither non-existent nor existent, and ultimately a mark beyond predication. Up to: since existence is identical with tathatā, it is originally neither form nor mind, neither wisdom nor consciousness, neither non-existent nor existent, and ultimately a mark beyond predication. In summary, picking up any single dust-mote among defiled and pure dharmas, it is originally neither form nor mind, neither wisdom nor consciousness, neither non-existent nor existent, and ultimately a mark beyond predication. Only because all are negated can all be affirmed; this reveals the tathatā that is free from identity and free from difference, which is both identical and not identical.