大乘起信論廣釋卷第三．四．五 5.7

5.7

論。經一萬劫至能自發心　釋曰。此明信成答第三問。逕一萬劫信成等者。此約時滿顯行成也。即是信位。亦云滿人。謂十千劫修十信心。而其信心方得成就。即前八因所為人中。當其第三所為人也。此一萬劫。且約鈍根下劣。精進疑遲處說。不必一切皆十千劫。謂極勇猛不越一劫。中間勝劣二三等劫亦得成就。如彼二乘極遲鈍者六十百劫疾三四生。隨應證得二無學果。故本業經云。是信相菩薩。具一切煩惱。舉一切善根。亦退亦出。若依善知識。修業佛法一劫二劫。即入住位。若不爾者。常沒不出。仁王經說。極疾不越一劫。極遲不過萬劫。中間隨根劫數增減。若有放逸無精進者。雖已發心而為常沒。即於此人劫數無限。諸佛菩薩教令等者。此約勝緣明發心也。謂依勝緣發三心故。即入十住初發心住。故仁王云。習忍已前十善菩薩有進有退。猶如輕毛隨風東西。雖以十千劫行十正道。要發菩提心乃入習忍位。謂發三種菩提心故。乃入十住習忍位中。而此住位名習忍位。名習忍者。習種姓位所得忍故。如六忍中初之信忍。正定信位所得忍。故本業經云。是信相菩薩。於十千劫行十戒法。當入十信心入初位。此經所言入初住者。即入十住初發心住。至此方得十不退信。是故亦名入十信心。非謂住前之十信也。以諸位地有通別名。通謂諸位皆名十信。無不皆有十信心故。猶如十地亦名十住。別謂十信住行向等。隨位所修解行別故。從別十信入十住信故。亦得名入十信心。故仁王云。習種姓有十心。已超二乘一切善地。所謂信進念定惠等。十心名字與前不殊。唯退不退有差別耳。故依此義復說偈云。伏忍聖胎三十人。十信十止十堅心等。言伏忍者。約五忍說。謂伏信順無生寂滅。即依三賢十地及佛。上中下等。隨應而立。以三賢位得有漏道。能伏二障故名伏忍。發三種心成不退者。然准十住毘婆沙論。發菩提心有其七緣。前三是此決定發心。後四是下不定發心。此文三種。即是下說三發心相故成不退。諸佛菩薩教發心者。教念真如發直心也。以大悲故自發心者。愍眾生疾發悲心也。以護法故自發心者。便樂眾生善發深心也。故彼論云。見法欲滅便發心云我種善根當成佛道。令法久住。勤精進修諸善行。故護法心是深心也。

Treatise: Passing through ten thousand kalpas [...] capable of resolving their own mind.
Commentary: This clarifies the perfection of faith, answering the third question. Regarding "passing through ten thousand kalpas, faith being perfected," etc.: This clarifies the completion of practice in terms of the completion of time. That is, it refers to the person who has completed the stage of faith. That is, having cultivated the ten faithful minds for ten thousand kalpas, their faithful mind is only then perfected. This corresponds to the third group among the persons addressed by the eight causes mentioned earlier. These "ten thousand kalpas" are spoken provisionally with respect to those of dull faculties and inferior nature whose vigor is hesitant; it is not necessary that all take ten thousand kalpas. That is, for the exceedingly energetic, it does not exceed one kalpa; in the middle, those of superior or inferior capacity achieve it in two, three, or more kalpas. Just as among those of the two vehicles, the extremely dull take sixty or a hundred kalpas, while the swift take three or four lifetimes, each according to their capacity realizing the two fruits of the non-learner (aśaikṣa). Thus, the Benye jing says: "This bodhisattva of the marks of faith is endowed with all afflictions, yet brings forth all wholesome roots; they both regress and advance. If, relying on a spiritual friend, they cultivate the Buddha-dharma through their deeds for one or two kalpas, they immediately enter the stage of abiding. If not, they remain constantly submerged and do not emerge." The Renwang jing says: "The swiftest does not exceed one kalpa, and the slowest does not exceed ten thousand kalpas; in between, the number of kalpas increases or decreases according to the faculty. If there are those who are negligent and lack vigor, although they have resolved their minds, they remain constantly submerged; for such persons, the number of kalpas is limitless." Regarding "Buddhas and bodhisattvas teaching and bidding them," etc.: This explains the resolution of the mind in terms of superior conditions. That is, relying on superior conditions, they arouse the three minds, and thereby enter the first abode of the ten abodes—the abode of the initial resolution of the mind. Thus, the Renwang jing says: "Prior to the practice-patience, the bodhisattvas of the ten wholesome actions have advancement and regression, like light feathers blown east and west by the wind. Although they practice the ten right paths for ten thousand kalpas, they must arouse the bodhi-mind in order to enter the stage of practice-patience." That is, because they arouse the three kinds of bodhi-minds, they then enter the stage of practice-patience within the ten abodes. And this stage of abiding is called the stage of practice-patience. It is called "practice-patience" because it is the patience attained in the stage of the lineage of practice. Just as among the six patiences, the first, faith-patience, is the patience attained in the stage of right determination of faith. Thus, the Benye jing says: "This bodhisattva of the marks of faith, having practiced the ten precepts for ten thousand kalpas, should enter the ten faithful minds and enter the first stage." What this sūtra calls "entering the first abode" means entering the abode of the initial resolution of the mind among the ten abodes. Only upon reaching this point do they attain the ten non-retrogressing faiths; therefore it is also called "entering the ten faithful minds," which does not mean the ten faiths prior to the abodes. Because all the stages have general and specific names: Generally, all stages are named the ten faiths, because there are none that do not possess the ten faithful minds, just as the ten bhūmis are also called the ten abodes. Specifically, they are designated the ten faiths, abodes, practices, dedications, and so forth, because the understanding and practice cultivated differ according to the stage. Entering the faith of the ten abodes from the specific ten faiths, it can therefore also be called "entering the ten faithful minds." Thus, the Renwang jing says: "The lineage of practice possesses ten minds, already surpassing all wholesome grounds of the two vehicles—namely, faith, vigor, mindfulness, concentration, wisdom, and so forth." The names of the ten minds are not different from those before; the only distinction lies in whether there is regression or non-regression. Therefore, relying on this meaning, it further states in a verse: "Thirty persons in the holy embryo of subduing-patience: the ten faiths, ten cessations, ten firm minds," and so forth. Speaking of "subduing-patience," it is explained in terms of the five patiences: subduing-, faith-, compliance-, non-arising-, and extinction-[patiences]. They are established respectively according to the three types of worthies, the ten bhūmis, and the Buddha, in their higher, middle, and lower [grades]. Because the stage of the three types of worthies attains the contaminated path and can subdue the two hindrances, it is called subduing-patience. Regarding the arousing of the three minds to achieve non-retrogression: According to the Daśabhūmika-vibhāṣā, there are seven conditions for resolving the mind upon bodhi. The first three are the definite resolution of the mind here, while the latter four are the indefinite resolution of the mind below. The three kinds in this text are precisely the characteristics of the three resolutions of the mind explained below; hence they achieve non-retrogression. "Buddhas and bodhisattvas teaching them to resolve their minds" means teaching them to be mindful of tathatā and arouse the straight mind. "Resolving one's own mind out of great compassion" means pitying the afflictions of sentient beings and arousing the compassionate mind. "Resolving one's own mind in order to protect the Dharma" means delighting in the wholesome roots of sentient beings and arousing the deep mind. Thus that treatise says: "Seeing that the Dharma is about to be extinguished, one then resolves the mind, saying: 'Planting wholesome roots, I shall accomplish the Buddha path, cause the Dharma to endure long, and diligently cultivate all wholesome practices.' Therefore, the mind to protect the Dharma is the deep mind."