大乘起信論廣釋卷第三．四．五 4.52

4.52

[Treatise:] "Such external conditions [...] equal conditions." [Commentary:] Next, specifically revealing it in terms of conditions. In this there are three parts: the presentation, the enumeration, and the explanation. These are the two texts [of presentation and enumeration]. If explained specifically, in accord [with the text] there are six meanings: First, differentiated faculties: the Treatise states this person has the distinction between ordinary beings and the small [vehicle]. Second, differentiated persons: from the initial resolve up to the Buddha, there are distinctions. Third, differentiated marks: whether seeing or remembering, the marks are differentiated. Fourth, differentiated conditions: acting as parents and the like, the conditions are differentiated. Fifth, differentiated practices: individually gathering them in through the practices of the four means of embracing. Sixth, differentiated benefits: whether seeing or hearing, the benefits are differentiated. As for the equal conditions, there are also six meanings: First, equal persons: all dharmakāya Buddhas and bodhisattvas. Second, equal vows: all vow to liberate [...] equal sentient beings. Third, equal mind: spontaneously perfuming, constantly never abandoning. Fourth, equal practice: taking the power of cognition of identical substance as the essence of practice. Fifth, equal benefit: manifesting actions according to what should be seen or heard. Sixth, equal capacity: based on samādhi, seeing equally. Although there are six meanings, their essentials are two: first, in terms of capacity; second, in terms of conditions. Speaking in terms of conditions, the many gates of the nirmāṇakāya are called differentiated; the faculties and physical body matching the nature are called equal. Speaking in terms of capacity, what is seen with a distracted mind is called differentiated; what is seen with a concentrated mind is called equal. Within the two meanings there are further two meanings: equal differentiatedness, and differentiated equality. Equal differentiatedness means that the Buddhas and bodhisattvas universally embrace and benefit, without marks of enmity or affection, manifesting differentially according to differentiated faculties. Differentiated equality means that although the Buddhas and bodhisattvas manifest differentiated marks for differentiated faculties, they make no discrimination and are entirely pervasive.