大乘起信論廣釋卷第三．四．五 4.1

4.1

顯無明緣起之由。後顯緣起染心之相。此初也。是□上言雖有染心而常恒不變之言雖染而有染心常不變作能所念染。故以念染釋其不變。一以自性常明潔故而不變。作能念之染。二以自性非可取故而不變。作所念之染。故新論云。雖有染心而常明潔。無有改變。復以本性無分明故。雖復遍一切境界。而無變異。此雖文略而義即具。故言無念名為不變。

First, it reveals the reason for the conditioned arising of avidyā; later, it reveals the marks of the defiled mind in conditioned arising. This is the first. This […] the prior statement that although there is a defiled mind, it is ever constant and unchanging. The words "although defiled, there is a defiled mind that is constantly unchanging" constitute the defilement of active and objective thought; therefore, thought-defilement is used to explain its unchanging nature. First, because its own nature is constantly luminous and pure, it does not change, constituting the defilement of active thought. Second, because its own nature cannot be grasped, it does not change, constituting the defilement of objective thought. Thus the new translation states: "Although there is a defiled mind, it is constantly luminous and pure, without alteration. Furthermore, because its original nature has no differentiated clarity, even though it pervades all cognitive objects, it has no variation." Although this text is brief, its meaning is complete; therefore, having no thought is called unchanging.