[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [大乘起信論略述](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2813) › 1.151 # 大乘起信論略述 1.151 大乘起信論略述 1.151 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [1.151](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2813.1.151) 論。何以故至唯佛能知　述曰。此釋甚深所以也。文中徵釋。徵之意者。緣起妙理貫通凡聖。而今說見唯果人者何以故也。答中三節。是心從本已來等者。此明即淨而常染。雖有染心常不變者。此顯即染而常淨。是故此義唯佛能知者。結成難測。初中三句。言是心者。即是本覺緣起心也。從本已來自性淨者。自體本來無有染故。此句總顯緣起之因體也。而有無明者。即依心體有此無明。此句顯其緣起之緣由也。為無明所染有染心者。心體為此無明所染。而淨心體有其染心。此句自顯緣起相也。雖有染心而常不變者。此性淨心雖復所染。常有染心而常不失本淨心性。由此染淨緣起之理唯佛能知。 > The treatise says: "Why is this? \[…\] only a Buddha can know it." Dankuang explains: This explains the reason why it is extremely profound. In the text there is an inquiry and an explanation. The intent of the inquiry is: the profound principle of conditioned arising runs through both ordinary beings and nobles; why then is it now said that only one who has attained the fruition can see it? The answer has three parts: "This mind has from the beginning…" and so on clarifies that while identical with purity, it is constantly defiled; "although there is defiled mind, it is constantly unchanging" shows that while identical with defilement, it is constantly pure; "Therefore, this meaning can only be known by a Buddha" concludes by showing that it is difficult to fathom. In the first part there are three phrases: "This mind" refers to the mind of conditioned arising in original awakening. "From the beginning its intrinsic nature is pure" because its own essence is originally without defilement; this phrase generally indicates the causal essence of conditioned arising. "Yet there is avidyā" means that relying on the mental essence there is this avidyā; this phrase indicates the conditions and origin of conditioned arising. "Defiled by avidyā, there is defiled mind" means that the mental essence is defiled by this avidyā, so that in the pure mental essence there is this defiled mind; this phrase naturally reveals the characteristics of conditioned arising. "Although there is defiled mind, it is constantly unchanging" means that although this intrinsically pure mind is defiled, and constantly possesses defiled mind, it never loses its originally pure mental nature. For this reason, the principle of the conditioned arising of defilement and purity can only be known by a Buddha. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 1.150](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2813.1.150) - [Next: 1.152](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2813.1.152) - [Up: 1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2813.1) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2813~en-mt.1.151) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (2) - [起信論註](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2815) — Classical Chinese - [大乘起信論廣釋卷第三．四．五](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2814.3.75) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2813.1.151](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2813.1.151) · Pramāṇa