大乘起信論廣釋卷第三．四．五 4.9

4.9

論。六者根本至能離也　釋曰。即五意中名為業識。三細之中無明業相。依本無明而心起動為餘染。本名根本業。能污淨心故名為染。依第十地發金剛定。斷細念習而入佛地。得見心性心即常住。故云依菩薩地盡入如來地能離。問。於第十地尚有業相。寧入八地離現染耶。說離業識即無見相。豈於九地離見相乎。答。實八九地未離現見十地尚未離業相故。而言離者非究竟離。如信相應地雖說離初染但暫伏離。此亦應爾。以此二染礙彼地故。且伏名離。非謂永斷故。後三染安佛方斷。離此即起圓鏡智故。下細中麁菩薩知者。亦依現起麁相而說。若爾三細應皆生相。答。初起名生故唯業識轉現。不爾於理無違。

Treatise: "Sixth, the fundamental […] can leave it behind." / Commentary: That is, among the five intents, it is called the karmic consciousness; among the three subtle marks, it is the karmic characteristic of avidyā. Relying on fundamental avidyā, the mind is stirred; serving as the root of the other defilements, it is called fundamental karma. Defiling the pure mind, it is called a defilement. Relying on the tenth bhūmi, one generates the vajra-samādhi, severs the habituation of subtle thoughts, and enters the buddha-ground; attaining the vision of the mind's nature, the mind is constantly abiding. Therefore it is said: "Relying on the culmination of the bodhisattva grounds, upon entering the Tathāgata ground, one can leave it behind." Question: At the tenth bhūmi there is still the characteristic of karma; how could entering the eighth bhūmi leave behind the defilement of appearance? If it is said that leaving behind karmic consciousness means having no characteristic of seeing, how could the characteristic of seeing be left behind in the ninth bhūmi? Answer: In truth, the eighth and ninth bhūmis have not yet left behind appearance and seeing, just as the tenth bhūmi has not yet left behind the characteristic of karma. Speaking of leaving them behind does not mean leaving them behind ultimately. Just as at the stage associated with faith, although one is said to leave behind the first defilement, it is only temporarily suppressed and abandoned; here it should be understood similarly. Because these two defilements obstruct those bhūmis, their mere suppression is called leaving behind; it does not mean permanent severing. Therefore, the latter three defilements are severed only upon reaching buddhahood, for upon leaving these behind, the great mirror cognition arises. What is said below about the bodhisattvas knowing the coarse within the subtle is also spoken in terms of the coarse marks that manifest. If so, should all three subtle marks be the characteristic of arising? Answer: Initial stirring is called arising, hence only karmic consciousness is so; evolving and manifesting are not, so there is no contradiction in principle.