大乘起信論略述 1.134

1.134

論。三者名至常在前故　述曰。此文有三。謂法喻合。所謂能現一切境者。此舉法也。依前轉識能見之相起此現識能現之功現一切境。謂此心體與無明合熏習力故現於種種無邊境界。能云故現一切境也。猶如明鏡現色像者。是舉喻也。如鏡因質現種種像。心因無明不平等熏現種種境。已下法合。隨其五塵對至則現無前後者。此正合前喻對。謂業惑心為惑業所熏對故便現五塵。非待作意前後起也。理實此識現一切境。而此唯言現五塵者。且舉麁顯以合鏡中現色喻。故以一切時任運起者。簡異六識。六識間斷多不現起。非一切時任運起故。常在前者簡異末那。末那非是諸識之本。不常在諸識前起故。

Treatise: Third is named [the manifesting consciousness (khyāti-vijñāna), because it can manifest all sense-realms... always being in the forefront].
Commentary: This text has three parts: the principle, the simile, and the application. "What is termed 'being able to manifest all sense-realms'"—this presents the principle. Relying on the prior transforming consciousness's mark of being able to see, it gives rise to this manifesting consciousness's function of being able to manifest, thereby manifesting all sense-realms. This means that because this essence of mind merges with avidyā through the power of perfuming, it manifests various boundless realms. Being able [to do this], it is said that it "manifests all sense-realms." "Just as a bright mirror manifests visual forms and images"—this presents the simile. Just as a mirror manifests various images by depending on physical objects, so the mind manifests various sense-realms by depending on the non-equanimous perfuming of avidyā. From here below is the application of the principle. "Following its five dust-realms, as they confront it, it manifests them without priority or posteriority"—this directly applies the prior simile of confrontation. It means that the karmic-afflictive mind, being perfumed by confronting afflictions and karma, immediately manifests the five dust-realms; it does not wait upon deliberate mental application to arise earlier or later. In principle and fact, this consciousness manifests all sense-realms, yet it only speaks of manifesting the five dust-realms here merely to present the coarse and prominent [aspects] to match the simile of visual forms appearing in a mirror. "Because it arises spontaneously at all times" distinguishes it from the six consciousnesses: the six consciousnesses have interruptions and mostly do not actively arise, not arising spontaneously at all times. "Always being in the forefront" distinguishes it from manas: manas is not the root of all consciousnesses and does not always arise in the forefront of all consciousnesses.