大乘義章 3.44

3.44

次明三性。三種自性，亦出《楞伽》。言自性者，諸法自體，故為自性。此猶是其法之異名。然性得不同，離分為三：一者妄想；二者緣起，後翻經中名為因緣；三者為成，後翻經中名第一義。三中前二是生死法，後一涅槃。言妄想者，所謂凡夫迷實之心，起諸法相，辨相施名，依名取相，所取不實，故曰妄想。故經說言「虛妄分別名字及相，名妄想也。」心法非一，以何義故但云妄想，不說妄受及餘心法？然心法中想者，正是取相之義，執取中強，故偏說之。理實一切心心數法皆是妄也。言因緣者，前妄想中，能取之心及所取法，窮其體實皆非自性，因緣之有，故曰因緣。法從緣起，故復經中說為緣起。所言成者，諸佛如來離妄真智，及智所證諸法如理，體非虛敗，自性成實，故名為成。對前二種，此法勝出。故後經中名第一義（此二門竟）。

Next, the three natures are explained. The three kinds of self-nature also come from the *Laṅkāvatāra-sūtra*. 'Self-nature' means the own-substance of dharmas, hence it is self-nature. This is simply a different name for dharma. However, since the acquisition of natures differs, they are divided into three: first, false conception; second, dependent arising, which in later translated sūtras is called causes and conditions; third, consummation, which in later translated sūtras is called the ultimate truth. Among the three, the first two are dharmas of saṃsāra, and the latter one is nirvāṇa. As for 'false conception': this refers to the ordinary person's mind that is deluded about reality, giving rise to characteristics of dharmas, distinguishing characteristics to bestow names, and grasping characteristics based on names; because what is grasped is not real, it is called false conception. Therefore the sūtra says: 'Falsely discriminating names and characteristics is called false conception.' Mental dharmas are not single; for what reason is only false conception mentioned, without mentioning false feeling and the remaining mental dharmas? Within mental dharmas, conception specifically has the meaning of grasping characteristics; because it is predominant in clinging and grasping, it is spoken of exclusively. In truth, all minds and caittas are false. As for 'causes and conditions': within the preceding false conception, the grasping mind and the grasped dharmas, when their substantial reality is pursued, are none of them self-nature, but existence through causes and conditions; hence they are called causes and conditions. Because dharmas arise dependently on conditions, they are also spoken of in sūtras as dependent arising. As for 'consummation': this is the true cognition of the Buddhas and Tathāgatas, which is free from falsehood, and the principle of suchness of dharmas that is realized by that cognition; their substance is not vain or ruined, and their self-nature is consummated and real, hence it is called consummation. In contrast to the preceding two kinds, this dharma is superior and transcendent. Therefore in later sūtras it is called the ultimate truth (this concludes the second section).