大乘起信論裂網疏 6.29

6.29

'Stopping all spheres of conceptual proliferation' means stopping the conceptual proliferations of views and thoughts, the conceptual proliferations of dust-and-sand [defilements], and the conceptual proliferations of fundamental ignorance. When the conceptual proliferations of views and thoughts cease, all spheres of existence are extinguished; when the conceptual proliferations of dust-and-sand cease, all spheres of emptiness are extinguished; when the conceptual proliferations of fundamental ignorance cease, all spheres of 'both existence and emptiness' and 'neither existence nor emptiness' are extinguished, according with the aspect of tathatā of the one mind. 'Clearly seeing the marks of the arising and ceasing of causes and effects' means clearly seeing that when the cause of fundamental ignorance arises, the effects of the ten realms arise, and when the cause of fundamental ignorance ceases, the effects of the ten realms cease; when the cause of dust-and-sand defilement arises, the effects of the two vehicles arise, and when the cause of dust-and-sand defilement ceases, the effects of the two vehicles cease; when the cause of views and thoughts arises, the effects of the six mundane realms arise, and when the cause of views and thoughts ceases, the effects of the six mundane realms cease, according with the aspect of arising and ceasing of the one mind. The two aspects of the one mind are originally inseparable, and calming and contemplation of the one mind also have no before and after. However, with respect to people of initial capacities who have long followed arising and ceasing and have not yet penetrated tathatā, one must first cultivate calming that is identical to contemplation, named śamatha contemplation, causing them to contemplate that arising and ceasing is itself tathatā, countering clinging to saṃsāra and nirvāṇa. Next, one cultivates contemplation that is identical to calming, named vipaśyanā, causing them to contemplate that tathatā in its entirety constitutes arising and ceasing, increasing good roots and great compassion. Cultivating them mutually and alternately in this way, gradually causing them to grow, when one reaches the true calming and contemplation perfected in the stage of the arousal of the mind, they will naturally operate together spontaneously.