大乘起信論廣釋卷第三．四．五 5.80

5.80

論。或現天像至是真涅槃　釋曰。次下廣辨。於中有二。先辨魔事。後顯對治。初中顯其十事五對。此即第一所現形聲對也。以天魔等能作如是佛等形相惑亂行人。信惠微者妄有求美現□本心便向邪道。是故佛誡依法不依人。若說已下顯者言聲。以六法門或亂行者。法門萬差同歸一如。正念趣真法門盛明。若失其本馳散法門。動念現生而魔得便。故魔以此惑亂行人。故誡依義不依語也。

Treatise: "Or they may manifest the forms of devas... [down to] ...is true nirvāṇa." Commentary: Next below is the extensive explanation, in which there are two parts: first, explaining the demonic occurrences; second, revealing the counteractions. In the first part, ten occurrences in five pairs are revealed. This is the first pair: the manifested forms and sounds. Because heavenly māras and the like can produce such bodily forms of Buddhas and so forth to confuse and disorder practitioners, those whose faith and wisdom are slight wrongly seek beauty, manifest [...] their fundamental mind, and thereupon head toward heterodox paths. Therefore, the Buddha admonished to rely on the Dharma and not on the person. The text from "If they speak..." downward reveals their speech and sounds: using the six teachings to confuse and disorder practitioners. The ten thousand variations of teachings equally return to the one suchness; when correct mindfulness advances toward truth, the teachings are radiantly clear. But if one loses their source and gallops off into dispersed teachings, active thoughts manifest and arise, and the māras find their opportunity. Therefore, māras use this to confuse and disorder practitioners. Hence [the Buddha] admonished to rely on the meaning and not on the words.