大乘起信論廣釋卷第三．四．五 3.20

3.20

Treatise: As the water of the great ocean [is stirred by the wind into waves, and the characteristics of water and the characteristics of wind are not separate from each other, yet water is not of a moving nature; if the wind ceases, the moving characteristics are destroyed, but] the wet nature is not destroyed.

Commentary: This presents the metaphor. The text reveals four metaphorical characteristics. "As the great ocean" and so forth is the metaphor of the true turning in accordance with the delusional. "Characteristics of water" and so forth is the metaphor of the mutual reliance of the true and the delusional. "Yet water is not of a moving nature" is the metaphor of the true substance being unchanging; this reveals that what moves does not move by its own nature, for otherwise, when movement ceased, wetness would also cease. "If the wind ceases" and so forth is the metaphor of pacifying the delusional to reveal the true; it reveals that what moves does so following another, so that when the characteristics of movement cease, the wet nature is not destroyed.