大乘起信論廣釋卷第三．四．五 5.63

5.63

The treatise says: "Therefore, one should..." up to "increase."
The commentary says: This explains the method of eradicating obstacles. In the text, escaping all obstacles is shown both generally and specifically. "Therefore, one should..." summarily explains the expedient of eradicating obstacles. Just as a debtor who relies on a king leaves the creditor with no recourse, so when practitioners bow in homage to the buddhas, being protected by the buddhas they are able to escape all obstacles. "With a sincere mind confess and repent..." is the method of specifically eradicating four obstacles. What are the four obstacles? First, the obstacle of all bad karma, eradicated through repentance. Second, the obstacle of slandering the true Dharma, eradicated through entreating [the buddhas]. Third, [the obstacle of] envying the superiority of others, remedied by sympathetic joy. Fourth, [the obstacle of] delighting in attachment to the three realms of existence, remedied through dedication of merit. According to the Suvarṇaprabhāsa, five obstacles are eradicated: first, to eradicate the offense of breaking the precepts, one must practice repentance; second, to eradicate the offense of slandering the Dharma, one must make entreaty; third, to eradicate the offense of envy, one must practice sympathetic joy; fourth, to eradicate the offense of a base and inferior mind, one must practice dedication of merit; fifth, to eradicate the offense of indolence, one must make vows. In this text, the fifth expedient of making vows is absent, but the new treatise contains it, as its text says: "giving rise to great vows without rest." If so, should the preceding obstacles also be five? Answer: Although the preceding three obstacles broadly encompass both cause and effect, here the five refer briefly to affliction and karma alone. Because affliction and karma as causes bring about that obstacle of retribution, both cause and effect are false, and it is merely affliction and karma. "Being able to avoid all obstacles and have wholesome roots increase": this concludes the expedients of avoiding obstacles and generating the wholesome. Through the aforementioned general and specific expedients for eradicating obstacles, one not only can eliminate all obstacles, but can also generate all wholesome roots.