大乘起信論略述 2.7

2.7

Treatise: "It means that depending on the dharma of suchness, [there is ignorance; because there is the cause of defiled dharmas which is ignorance, it then perfumes suchness; because of this perfuming, there is the deluded mind; because there is the deluded mind, it then perfumes ignorance, not awakening to the principle of dharmatā, so that deluded thoughts arise, manifesting deluded objects; because there are the conditions of defiled dharmas which are deluded objects, they then perfume the deluded mind, causing it to念着 and create various karma,] undergoing the sufferings of physical and mental existence and so forth."
Exposition: The answer below has two parts: first, brief; later, extensive. This is the brief part. Here it briefly clarifies the meaning of the three perfumings. "It means that depending on the dharma of suchness there is ignorance" presents the essence of ignorance that covers and perfumes. Deluded dharmas of ignorance cannot stand on their own; therefore it is said that depending on the true there is ignorance. "Because there is the cause of defiled dharmas which is ignorance, it then perfumes suchness" is the meaning of fundamental ignorance covering and perfuming. "Because of this perfuming there is the deluded mind" means that depending on ignorance perfuming and stirring suchness, there is the activity consciousness. This then briefly distinguishes the meaning of the perfuming by ignorance. "Because there is the deluded mind... manifesting deluded objects" reveals that the deluded mind habitually perfumes ignorance, increasing its lack of comprehension and causing the turning consciousness to arise; hence it says "unawakened thoughts arise and the manifesting consciousness," and thus it says "manifesting deluded objects." This then briefly clarifies the meaning of the perfuming by the deluded mind. "Because there are the conditions of defiled dharmas which are deluded objects, they then perfume the deluded mind, etc." reveals that objects sustain and perfume the manifesting consciousness, causing it to dwell upon and become attached to them and create various karma; stirring the ocean of the fundamental consciousness [...] the waves of the six coarse consciousnesses of phenomena: "causing it to dwell upon" refers to the characteristic of cognition and the characteristic of continuity among the six coarse ones, for both of these are conceptual thoughts of grasping at dharmas; "causing it to become attached" refers to the characteristic of grasping and attachment and the characteristic of calculating names and words, for both of these become attached to self and what belongs to self; "creating various karma" refers to generating karma in reliance upon afflictions, raising the characteristic of producing karma; "undergoing the sufferings of physical and mental existence and so forth" refers to receiving fruition in reliance upon karma, which is the characteristic of suffering bound by karma. This then briefly clarifies the meaning of the perfuming by objects.