大乘起信論廣釋卷第三．四．五 3.61

3.61

論。住持過去至不覺妄慮　釋曰。此即第三顯功能也。有義。此顯五意功能。前但別明五意自相。此總熏顯五功能故。非謂別顯相續之義。前九相中無此文故。住持過去無量等者。顯前三細本識功能。由業轉現黎耶識故攝藏諸法善惡業種。故能住持過去多生善惡之業令其不失。此明本識能持種子。攝業種令不失故。隨善惡種生善果故。能成就現在未來果等報無差違也。此明本識能起現行能令現在已逕事。下顯其後二事識功能。由彼事識法執分別故。能念慮三世之事故。言不覺妄慮等也。有義。但顯事識功能。由此能令三世因果不斷絕故名相續識。前九相中且約自體。此更就能釋相續義。非謂通顯五功能也。不爾現識現五塵等。所有義相應通前二。意識起惑。於業有三。一起見惑。發未起業令起。二起修惑。潤生未熟業令熟。三雙起見修。引未生業令生。由此能令生死相續。今此文中但舉後二以能起此潤業煩惱。引持過去所發業種不失功能。令成堪生來果之有。故云住持乃至不失。又為能起引業煩惱能使已熟善惡業種隨其所應滅彼異熟業果相應。故云成熟無差違也。此則引熟令生如是三世因果流轉連持不絕功由意顯識用麁。有是功能故依功能名相續識。次舉念慮三世之事顯別智識微細分別。故言能令乃至妄慮。

The treatise says: "Retaining and maintaining past [good and bad karma without letting it be lost] ... unconsciously [and falsely thinking of the things of the present and future]."

Exposition: This is the third part, revealing function. Some maintain: this reveals the functions of the five [aspects of] manas. Previously it merely explained the individual characteristics of the five aspects of manas; this collectively and illustratively reveals the five functions, not meaning to separately reveal the meaning of continuity, because in the preceding nine marks this text was absent. "Retaining and maintaining past immeasurable..." reveals the functions of the fundamental consciousness of the preceding three subtle [marks]. Because of the ālayavijñāna of karma, manifestation, and appearance, it gathers and stores the seeds of good and bad karma of all dharmas; hence it can retain and maintain the good and bad karma of many past lives without letting it be lost. This explains that the fundamental consciousness can hold seeds: because it gathers karmic seeds without letting them be lost, and produces good fruits in accordance with good and bad seeds, it can bring to fruition the fruits and retributions of the present and future without discrepancy. This explains that the fundamental consciousness can give rise to active manifestations. "Being able to cause things already experienced in the present..." and below reveals the functions of the subsequent two [marks of] phenomenal consciousness. Because of that phenomenal consciousness's discrimination through attachment to dharmas, it can be mindful of and deliberate upon things of the three times; hence it says "unconsciously and falsely thinking," etc.

Some maintain: it merely reveals the functions of phenomenal consciousness. Because this can keep the causes and effects of the three times from being severed, it is called the continuing consciousness. Among the preceding nine marks, it was treated provisionally according to its own substance; here, it further explains the meaning of continuity according to function, not meaning to collectively reveal the five functions. Otherwise, the manifesting consciousness manifests the five sense fields, etc., and all such marks should extend to the first two.

When mental consciousness gives rise to delusions, it has three aspects regarding karma: first, giving rise to delusions of view, it initiates unarisen karma, causing it to arise; second, giving rise to delusions of cultivation, it moistens unripened karma, causing it to ripen; third, giving rise to both view and cultivation, it leads unproduced karma, causing it to be produced. By this it can cause birth-and-death to continue. Now in this passage it merely cites the latter two: because it can give rise to these afflictions that moisten karma, it leads and maintains the seeds of karma initiated in the past without losing their function, causing them to form an existence capable of producing future fruit; hence it says "retaining and maintaining... without letting it be lost." Furthermore, because it can give rise to afflictions that lead karma, it can cause ripened seeds of good and bad karma to correspond to the cessation of that vipāka karmic fruit in accordance with what is appropriate; hence it says "maturing without discrepancy." This leading and ripening causes birth in this way: the continuity and uninterrupted circulation of cause and effect across the three times has its function manifested by the manas, and its consciousness-function is coarse. Possessing this function, it is named the continuing consciousness based on its function. Next, citing the mindfulness and deliberation of things across the three times reveals the subtle discrimination of the distinct cognitive consciousness; hence it says "being able to cause... falsely thinking."