大乘起信論廣釋卷第三．四．五 3.34

3.34

Treatise: "What are the three? ... because it is not separated from its cause." Commentary: Next is the distinctive explanation. Within it, the three subtle characteristics are divided into three. This is the first. "The karmic characteristic of ignorance" is the indication of its name. That is, due to ignorance the mind is stirred to arise; to say that ignorance itself is named the karmic characteristic is only a determinative compound (tatpuruṣa), not an appositional compound (karmadhāraya). "Based on non-awakening" explains the "ignorance" in the heading. "The agitation of the mind is called karma" explains the word "karma" in the heading. Karma has two meanings: First, the meaning of movement and action; hence it says: 'Based on non-awakening, the agitation of the mind is called karma.' 'When awakened, it does not move' is an inverse statement to explain and establish it: since at the time of initial awakening there is no stirring thought, one knows that the present agitation is solely due to non-awakening. Second, the meaning of cause; hence it says: 'When it moves, there is suffering.' Just as when stillness is attained, it is the wondrous fruit of nirvāṇa, so one knows that present agitation entails the affliction of suffering in saṃsāra. 'The fruit is not separated from its cause' reveals that moving is itself suffering, because the cause of moving and the fruit of suffering occur at no different time. Although this is a stirred thought, it is extremely subtle; conditioned arising is a single mark where subject and object are not divided. Hence the Lakṣaṇābhāva Treatise says: 'Question: What mark and what realm does this consciousness have? Answer: Its mark and objective realm cannot be distinguished; they are of one substance without difference.' This is spoken based on the karmic characteristic of the ālayavijñāna.