大乘起信論略述 1.7

1.7

解論文者。修有二種。先釋題目。後述論文。釋題有三。一釋大乘。二明起信。三釋論字。言大乘者。謂即一心。而言大者。當體立名。以廣包故。所言乘者。寄喻立稱。由能運故。謂此一心能含二門三大等義。凡聖染淨無所不包故謂之大。由此乃能運生萬法。運凡至聖運因成果故名為乘。由此依心能所詮證教理行果。皆名大乘。依大乘心之所起故言起信者。起為發起。謂大乘教是能發起信。謂忍樂心淨為相。是所發起由大乘教。於勝理果發信心行故名起信。所言論者。決判為義。決斷分判理行果義令物生解。故名為論。總而言之。能令眾生於此大乘起信之論。名大乘起信論。馬鳴菩薩造者如廣釋明門。

Regarding explaining the treatise's text: there are two kinds in practice: first, explaining the title; second, expounding the text of the treatise. Explaining the title has three [parts]: first, explaining Mahāyāna; second, clarifying the awakening of faith; third, explaining the word 'treatise' (śāstra). As for 'Mahāyāna', it refers to the one mind. As for 'great', the name is established according to its essence, because it encompasses broadly. As for 'vehicle' (yāna), the appellation is established by resort to metaphor, because it can convey. That is, this one mind can contain the meanings of the two aspects, the three greatnesses, and so forth. Ordinary beings and noble ones, defiled and pure—there is nothing it does not encompass; therefore it is called 'great'. Through this, it can bring forth the ten thousand dharmas, convey ordinary beings to noble status, and convey cause to fruition; hence it is called 'vehicle'. Consequently, relying on the mind, all that which expresses and is expressed, and all that which realizes and is realized—teaching, principle, practice, and fruition—are all called Mahāyāna. Because [faith] is aroused relying on the Mahāyāna mind, it says 'awakening of faith'. 'Awakening' means to give rise to, meaning that the Mahāyāna teaching is that which can give rise to [faith]. 'Faith' has the characteristic of endurance, delight, and mental purity; it is that which is aroused. Because through the Mahāyāna teaching one arouses faithful mind and practice with respect to the supreme principle and fruition, it is called 'awakening of faith'. As for 'treatise', its meaning is definitive judgment: definitively judging and analyzing the meanings of principle, practice, and fruition to cause living beings to generate understanding; therefore it is called a 'treatise'. In summary, a treatise that can cause sentient beings to awaken faith in this Mahāyāna is called the Mahāyānśraddhotpādaśāstra. 'Composed by Bodhisattva Aśvaghoṣa' is as clarified in the gateway of the comprehensive commentary.