宗鏡錄 85.27

85.27

答。本覺者。因始得名。始覺者。從本而立。如起信鈔云。未審始覺從何而生。為本所對。故此云也。元其始覺。是本所生。斬新而有。故名為始。反照其體。元來有之。敵對於始。故名為本。苟無其始。何所待耶。如母生子。對子稱母。

Answer: Original awareness gets its name because of the initial; initial awareness is established from the original. As the Commentary on the Awakening of Faith says: “I wonder from where initial awareness arises? It is spoken of thus because it is opposed to the original. Originally, this initial awareness is born of the original; being brand new, it is therefore called initial. When reflecting back upon its substance, it has been present from the beginning; standing directly opposite to the initial, it is therefore called original. If there were no initial, what would it depend on? Just as a mother gives birth to a child, and in contrast to the child is called a mother.”