大乘起信論廣釋卷第三．四．五 5.10

5.10

論。或有供養至墮二乘地　釋曰。此明外緣力劣。即其信位中品人也。供養諸佛未萬劫者。顯中品人。行時未滿。於中遇緣亦有等者。顯此中品遇緣不勝。見佛色相等者。緣假相故。或因供養等者。取儀形故。或因二乘等者。劣勸發故。或學他發心者。不見體故。如是等發心等者。結成退失。皆非菩薩悲智之心。不見本性體不定故。雖皆發心。遇緣便退。捨大乘行入二乘地。故瓔珞經攝大乘論皆說菩薩在十信位。雖修大乘心未堅。因而多起心厭怖生死。悲眾生心當猶劣薄。喜捨大行樂修小乘故。起二乘種退墮二乘地。即第四因所為人也。

Treatise: Or there may be those who make offerings [...] fall into the ground of the two vehicles.
Commentary: This clarifies that the power of external conditions is weak; this refers to the middling persons in the stage of faith. Regarding "making offerings to the Buddhas without having reached ten thousand kalpas": This shows that for middling persons, the time of practice is not yet fulfilled. In "therein, in encountering conditions, there are also," etc.: This shows that these middling persons encounter conditions that are not superior. Regarding "seeing the Buddha's physical marks," etc.: Because they take conditions to be conventional marks. Regarding "or because of making offerings," etc.: Because they grasp at external deportment. Regarding "or because of the two vehicles," etc.: Because they are exhorted and inspired by the inferior. Regarding "or learning from others to resolve the mind": Because they do not see the essence. Regarding "such resolutions of the mind," etc.: This concludes their regression and loss. None of these are the bodhisattva's mind of compassion and wisdom; because they do not see the fundamental nature, their essence is not determined. Although they all resolve their minds, when encountering conditions they regress, abandoning the Mahāyāna practice and entering the ground of the two vehicles. Therefore, both the Yingluo jing and the Mahāyānasaṃgraha state that when bodhisattvas are in the stage of the ten faiths, although they cultivate the Mahāyāna, their minds are not yet firm. Consequently, they often give rise to a mind of loathing and dreading birth and death, while their compassionate mind toward sentient beings remains weak and thin; they take pleasure in abandoning the great practice and delight in cultivating the small vehicle, and therefore arouse the seeds of the two vehicles and fall into the ground of the two vehicles. This corresponds to the person addressed by the fourth cause.