大乘起信論廣釋卷第三．四．五 5.104

5.104

論。應觀過去至忽爾而起　釋曰。此觀無我除我倒也。過去已滅唯有其念難追尋故。如夢所見。以現在法剎那即滅不久住故。猶如電光。未來未至非本積聚。當來忽起故。喻於雲。由觀三世無有自性能離我相皆除我倒。故般若論說。夢電雲以喻隨順出離離相也。所謂隨順人法無我以攀緣故得出離等。若爾新論於此前文可更言苦故無我。若彼於此初略舉無我。於此三世廣觀察故。

[Treatise:] They should contemplate past [dharmas as like a dream; they should contemplate present dharmas as like a flash of lightning; they should contemplate future dharmas as like clouds] suddenly rising.
[Commentary:] This contemplates non-self to eliminate the inversion of self. The past has already ceased; there is only its memory, which is hard to pursue; hence it is like what is seen in a dream. Present dharmas cease in an instant and do not abide long; hence they are like a flash of lightning. The future has not yet arrived and is not an accumulation fundamentally present, but will suddenly arise in the future; hence it is compared to clouds. Through contemplating that the three times lack intrinsic nature, one can depart from the mark of self and entirely eliminate the inversion of self. Thus the Prajñā-śāstra states: "Dreams, lightning, and clouds are used as metaphors to accord with renunciation and freedom from marks." That is to say, according to the non-self of persons and dharmas, by grasping conditions one attains renunciation, and so forth. If so, the new treatise, prior to this passage, could additionally say: "Because it is suffering, it is non-self." If it briefly introduces non-self first, it is because it contemplates these three times extensively here.