大乘起信論廣釋卷第三．四．五 5.49

5.49

The treatise says: "Herein, relying on those who have not yet… cultivate practice and faith." The commentary says: Next it directly demonstrates it. In this there are three parts: first, indicating the intent with respect to the persons; second, broadly discerning it in terms of the dharmas; third, the expedient means to prevent regress. This is the first. This refers to sentient beings who have not yet entered the determinately right stage, who are also people of the indeterminate stage of the Mahāyāna. However, there are two kinds of people in the indeterminate stage: first, those whose faith is fulfilled, who are superior persons who cannot regress; second, those whose faith is not yet fulfilled, who are inferior persons who can regress. As for sentient beings of the indeterminate stage who resolve their minds with faith accomplished: they are the superior persons whose faith is fulfilled; for them, it differentiates the marks of resolving the mind, causing them to generate the three minds and enter the determinately right stage. Now, this section on cultivating practice and faith is spoken for those inferior persons who can regress, causing them to cultivate the four types of faith and the five practices, resolving their minds of faith so that it is accomplished. Having fulfilled the cultivation of faith, they still proceed successively to enter the three types of resolving the mind based on faith-accomplishment. Although the persons addressed differ, their destination is the same.