大乘起信論廣釋卷第三．四．五 5.58

5.58

論。云何修行至菩提故　釋曰。次下依門別釋。於中有二。初略明前四。後廣釋止觀。前中又二。初別明行。後總明除障。別中顯其四種修行。即分為四。此初也。文中初明三種施相。為修正因離不行過。不應貪求名利恭敬勤如實行離倒行過。唯念自利利他等者。後示正道離懈行過。故新論言。亦不貪著世間果等。初財施中隨力施者。量分而常行。非頓修便止。以自捨慳貪令彼歡喜者。此明財施之所謂也。若爾何故瑜伽論說。唯有安樂而無利益。或二俱無皆不應施故。發菩提心說不施五種益。彼約近益。此據遠益。此但勤行彼令觀察故。此彼論亦不相違。論無畏施中。隨己堪任施無畏者。過分行之即生惱故。此及法施亦有應施木應施義。廣如瑜伽。

The treatise says: "How does one cultivate practice? … bodhi." The commentary says: Next, below, it explains them separately according to the gates. In this there are two parts: first, briefly explaining the first four; second, broadly explaining calming and insight. The former also has two: first, explaining the practices separately; second, explaining the removal of hindrances generally. In the separate part, it reveals the four kinds of cultivation of practice, dividing into four. This is the first. In the text it first explains the marks of the three kinds of giving, which is cultivating the correct cause to be free from the fault of non-practice. One should not greedily seek fame, gain, or respect, but diligently practice in accordance with reality, being free from the fault of inverted practice. "Mindful only of benefiting oneself and others…" and so on thereafter indicates the correct path, being free from the fault of lax practice. Therefore the new translation says: "nor being greedy for or attached to worldly fruits," and so on. In the first, giving of wealth: "giving according to one's ability" means measuring one's share and practicing constantly, not cultivating it all at once and then stopping. "By relinquishing parsimony oneself, causing them to rejoice": this explains what is meant by giving wealth. If so, why does the Yogācārabhūmi say that if there is only pleasure without benefit, or if both are absent, one should not give? Hence, in generating the bodhimind, it explains five kinds of benefit in not giving. That is said with respect to immediate benefit; this is based on long-term benefit. This only encourages diligent practice, while that enjoins contemplation; therefore this treatise and that one do not contradict each other. In the treatise's giving of fearlessness: "giving fearlessness according to what one is capable of" is because doing it to excess gives rise to distress. For this and the giving of Dharma, there are also meanings of what should be given and what should not be given, extensively as in the Yogācārabhūmi.