大乘起信論廣釋卷第三．四．五 4.32

4.32

[Treatise:] As for perfuming by avidyā [...] meaning of phenomenal consciousness. / [Commentary:] This expands upon the prior meaning of reverse perfuming, extensively explaining the meaning of avidyā perfuming tathatā. Because this avidyā has coarse and subtle distinctions, the meaning of perfuming by avidyā is of two kinds. The subtle is the entrenchment (bhūmi) of fundamental avidyā; this is precisely the fundamental perfuming herein, because it is the root of the other four entrenchments. This can reversely perfume the unmoved tathatā, causing it to stir erroneously and form the karmic consciousness. This can also produce the evolving consciousness and manifesting consciousness; here only the first is mentioned, hence it is called "mental karma". The coarse refers to the branch four-entrenchment avidyā; this is precisely the views and attachments produced herein. Since views and attachments are afflictions of the four entrenchments, they are produced by the entrenchment of avidyā. This can reversely perfume the already arisen tathatā, turning it into a coarser stirring to form its phenomenal consciousness. Therefore the text above says: "Because this consciousness grows based on the afflictions of views and attachments." These two kinds of avidyā also have two meanings: fundamental avidyā can perfume tathatā to form karma, manifestation, etc., and abiding based on karma and the rest, bewilderment can form delusion, existing based on delusion. Its branch avidyā perfumes and produces the phenomenal consciousness, and abides based on the phenomenal consciousness; the primary mind and mental factors grasp objects and mutually establish one another. Here, merely speaking to establish the other meaning, it is said that the perfuming of avidyā forms the karmic consciousness and the rest.