大乘起信論廣釋卷第三．四．五 5.63

5.63

論。是故應當至增長故　釋曰。此明除障之法也。文中總別顯離諸障。是故應當等者。此即總明除障方便。如人負債依附於王則於債主無如之何。如是行人禮拜諸佛。諸佛所護能脫諸障。誠心懺悔等者。即是別除四障之法。四障者何。一諸惡業障懺悔除滅。二謗正法障勸請除滅。三嫉妬他勝隨喜對治。四樂著三有迴向對治。依金光明說除五障。一者為除破戒罪故。須行行懺悔。二者為除謗法罪故。故須勸請。三者為除嫉妬罪故。須行隨喜。四者為除輕劣心罪。須行迴向。五者為除懈怠罪故。須行發願。此無第五發願方便。新論即有。故彼文云。發大誓願無有休息。若爾前障亦應有五答。前雖三障廣通因果。此中五謂略唯惑業。由惑業因感彼報障。因妄果妄。但惑業耳。得免諸障善根增長者。此結方便。免障生善。由前總別除障方便。非直能除一切障礙。而亦能生諸善根也。

The treatise says: "Therefore, one should..." up to "increase."
The commentary says: This explains the method of eradicating obstacles. In the text, escaping all obstacles is shown both generally and specifically. "Therefore, one should..." summarily explains the expedient of eradicating obstacles. Just as a debtor who relies on a king leaves the creditor with no recourse, so when practitioners bow in homage to the buddhas, being protected by the buddhas they are able to escape all obstacles. "With a sincere mind confess and repent..." is the method of specifically eradicating four obstacles. What are the four obstacles? First, the obstacle of all bad karma, eradicated through repentance. Second, the obstacle of slandering the true Dharma, eradicated through entreating [the buddhas]. Third, [the obstacle of] envying the superiority of others, remedied by sympathetic joy. Fourth, [the obstacle of] delighting in attachment to the three realms of existence, remedied through dedication of merit. According to the Suvarṇaprabhāsa, five obstacles are eradicated: first, to eradicate the offense of breaking the precepts, one must practice repentance; second, to eradicate the offense of slandering the Dharma, one must make entreaty; third, to eradicate the offense of envy, one must practice sympathetic joy; fourth, to eradicate the offense of a base and inferior mind, one must practice dedication of merit; fifth, to eradicate the offense of indolence, one must make vows. In this text, the fifth expedient of making vows is absent, but the new treatise contains it, as its text says: "giving rise to great vows without rest." If so, should the preceding obstacles also be five? Answer: Although the preceding three obstacles broadly encompass both cause and effect, here the five refer briefly to affliction and karma alone. Because affliction and karma as causes bring about that obstacle of retribution, both cause and effect are false, and it is merely affliction and karma. "Being able to avoid all obstacles and have wholesome roots increase": this concludes the expedients of avoiding obstacles and generating the wholesome. Through the aforementioned general and specific expedients for eradicating obstacles, one not only can eliminate all obstacles, but can also generate all wholesome roots.