大乘起信論略述 1.169

1.169

論。此二種生滅至境界義故　述曰。次辨相所依。於中有二。初順辨生緣。後逆顯滅義。此初也。文中二義。先明通緣。後顯別因。通而言之。麁細二識皆依無明住地而起。以本無明熏於真如起二細相。無明復熏此三細相轉起三麁。故二生滅皆依無明熏習有也。別而言之。依無明因故生三細相。依境界緣起六麁相故。云依因者不覺義故等。此中文闕各舉一因具義而說。麁細二識各具二因。即是二種生滅因緣。如前已明。此無煩舉。是釋經言不思議熏及不思議變。是現識因無始妄想。及六塵境界是事識因。以義釋經准可知也。

Treatise: "These two kinds of arising and ceasing [arise depending on the perfuming of ignorance: that is, depending on the cause is the meaning of non-awakening, and depending on the condition is the meaning of deluded objects.]"
Exposition: Next is distinguishing what the characteristics rely upon. In this there are two parts: first, tracing the direct conditions of arising; later, reversing to reveal the meaning of ceasing. This is the first part. There are two points in the text: first, clarifying the shared condition; later, revealing the distinct causes. Speaking generally, both the coarse and fine consciousnesses arise depending on the ground of ignorance. Because fundamental ignorance perfumes suchness, it produces the two fine characteristics; ignorance further perfumes these three fine characteristics, turning to produce the three coarse ones. Therefore, both arisings and ceasings exist depending on the perfuming of ignorance. Speaking distinctly, depending on the cause of ignorance, the three fine characteristics arise; depending on the condition of objects, the six coarse characteristics arise. Hence it says, "depending on the cause is the meaning of non-awakening," and so forth. In this text there are omissions: each presents one cause, yet is spoken with complete meaning. Both coarse and fine consciousnesses each possess two causes, which are precisely the two kinds of causes and conditions of arising and ceasing. As this has already been clarified above, there is no need to repeat it here. This explains what the sūtra states: "the inconceivable perfuming and the inconceivable transformation are the causes of the manifesting consciousness; beginningless deluded conceptualization and the objects of the six sense-data are the causes of the consciousness of phenomena." Interpreting the sūtra through this principle, it can be understood accordingly.