[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) › [大乘起信論廣釋卷第三．四．五](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2814) › 3.25 # 大乘起信論廣釋卷第三．四．五 3.25 大乘起信論廣釋卷第三．四．五 3.25 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [3.25](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2814.3.25) 論。云何為四至覺照義故　釋曰。次下別釋。別釋四義。即分為四。此初也。文中標釋。下准此知。如實空鏡者。標其名也。覺體不虛故言如實。於中無妄故名為空。無妄明淨故喻之鏡。此中略無虛空義喻。新論即具。故彼文云。真實空大義清淨如虛空明鏡。下辨相中總有四句。其上二句總標離到心境界相。其下二句釋其所以。謂妄心境本無所有猶如龜毛。不現鏡中故。望本覺非所覺照。覺望心境非能覺照。所照既無能照無故。故云無法可現。非覺照義故。故新論云。謂一切心境界相及覺相皆不可得故。若爾何故下文乃言世間境界悉於中現。答。彼約依他從真似現。不異真如故云即真實性。此約無別遍計所執實法可現故言無法可現。所顯義別亦不相違。若爾所現依他似法應不由彼遍計執實。答。雖由執實體唯恒似。如因質現影。鏡中不現質。不現質故無法可現。能現影故悉於中現。 > Treatise: "What are the four?… because of the meaning of awakening and illuminating." / Commentary: Next below is the distinct explanation. Distinctly explaining the four meanings, it is divided into four. This is the first. The text contains the heading and the explanation; what follows should be understood according to this. "The mirror of true emptiness" designates its name. Because the substance of awakening is not false, it is called "truly"; because there is no delusion within it, it is called "empty"; being free from delusion and clearly pure, it is compared to a mirror. Here the metaphor and meaning of empty space are omitted; the new translation fully possesses them, as that text says: "The great meaning of true emptiness, pure like empty space and a clear mirror." In the analysis of characteristics below, there are four phrases in total. The upper two phrases generally designate the characteristic of being free from the sense-objects of the mind. The lower two phrases explain the reason. That is, the deluded mind and its objects originally do not exist, like the hair of a tortoise; because they do not appear in the mirror, in reference to original awakening they are not that which is awakened and illuminated, and awakening in reference to the mind and its objects is not that which can awaken and illuminate. Since that which is illuminated does not exist, that which can illuminate does not exist; hence it says "there is no dharma that can be manifested, because of the meaning of \[not\] awakening and illuminating." Therefore the new translation says: "That is, the characteristics of all mental objects and the characteristics of awakening are both unobtainable." / If so, why does the text below say that the sense-objects of the world all appear within it? / Answer: That is spoken with reference to dependent origination (paratantra) appearing like \[them\] from the true; not being different from tathatā, it says "it is the true nature." This is spoken with reference to there being no separate real dharma of imagined nature (parikalpita) that can be manifested; hence it says "there is no dharma that can be manifested." The meanings revealed are different, so they do not contradict each other. / If so, should the manifested dependent-origination-like dharmas not arise from that imagined grasping to reality? / Answer: Although they arise from grasping to reality, their substance is only ever a resemblance, like a shadow appearing because of a form. In the mirror, the form does not appear; because the form does not appear, there is no dharma that can be manifested. Because it can manifest shadows, all appear within it. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 3.24](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2814.3.24) - [Next: 3.26](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2814.3.26) - [Up: 3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2814.3) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2814~en-mt.3.25) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (3) - [大乘起信論裂網疏](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1850.2.82) — Classical Chinese - [大乘起信論略述](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2813.1.101) — Classical Chinese - [起信論註](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2815.1.35) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2814.3.25](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2814.3.25) · Pramāṇa