大乘起信論廣釋卷第三．四．五 5.7

5.7

Treatise: Passing through ten thousand kalpas [...] capable of resolving their own mind.
Commentary: This clarifies the perfection of faith, answering the third question. Regarding "passing through ten thousand kalpas, faith being perfected," etc.: This clarifies the completion of practice in terms of the completion of time. That is, it refers to the person who has completed the stage of faith. That is, having cultivated the ten faithful minds for ten thousand kalpas, their faithful mind is only then perfected. This corresponds to the third group among the persons addressed by the eight causes mentioned earlier. These "ten thousand kalpas" are spoken provisionally with respect to those of dull faculties and inferior nature whose vigor is hesitant; it is not necessary that all take ten thousand kalpas. That is, for the exceedingly energetic, it does not exceed one kalpa; in the middle, those of superior or inferior capacity achieve it in two, three, or more kalpas. Just as among those of the two vehicles, the extremely dull take sixty or a hundred kalpas, while the swift take three or four lifetimes, each according to their capacity realizing the two fruits of the non-learner (aśaikṣa). Thus, the Benye jing says: "This bodhisattva of the marks of faith is endowed with all afflictions, yet brings forth all wholesome roots; they both regress and advance. If, relying on a spiritual friend, they cultivate the Buddha-dharma through their deeds for one or two kalpas, they immediately enter the stage of abiding. If not, they remain constantly submerged and do not emerge." The Renwang jing says: "The swiftest does not exceed one kalpa, and the slowest does not exceed ten thousand kalpas; in between, the number of kalpas increases or decreases according to the faculty. If there are those who are negligent and lack vigor, although they have resolved their minds, they remain constantly submerged; for such persons, the number of kalpas is limitless." Regarding "Buddhas and bodhisattvas teaching and bidding them," etc.: This explains the resolution of the mind in terms of superior conditions. That is, relying on superior conditions, they arouse the three minds, and thereby enter the first abode of the ten abodes—the abode of the initial resolution of the mind. Thus, the Renwang jing says: "Prior to the practice-patience, the bodhisattvas of the ten wholesome actions have advancement and regression, like light feathers blown east and west by the wind. Although they practice the ten right paths for ten thousand kalpas, they must arouse the bodhi-mind in order to enter the stage of practice-patience." That is, because they arouse the three kinds of bodhi-minds, they then enter the stage of practice-patience within the ten abodes. And this stage of abiding is called the stage of practice-patience. It is called "practice-patience" because it is the patience attained in the stage of the lineage of practice. Just as among the six patiences, the first, faith-patience, is the patience attained in the stage of right determination of faith. Thus, the Benye jing says: "This bodhisattva of the marks of faith, having practiced the ten precepts for ten thousand kalpas, should enter the ten faithful minds and enter the first stage." What this sūtra calls "entering the first abode" means entering the abode of the initial resolution of the mind among the ten abodes. Only upon reaching this point do they attain the ten non-retrogressing faiths; therefore it is also called "entering the ten faithful minds," which does not mean the ten faiths prior to the abodes. Because all the stages have general and specific names: Generally, all stages are named the ten faiths, because there are none that do not possess the ten faithful minds, just as the ten bhūmis are also called the ten abodes. Specifically, they are designated the ten faiths, abodes, practices, dedications, and so forth, because the understanding and practice cultivated differ according to the stage. Entering the faith of the ten abodes from the specific ten faiths, it can therefore also be called "entering the ten faithful minds." Thus, the Renwang jing says: "The lineage of practice possesses ten minds, already surpassing all wholesome grounds of the two vehicles—namely, faith, vigor, mindfulness, concentration, wisdom, and so forth." The names of the ten minds are not different from those before; the only distinction lies in whether there is regression or non-regression. Therefore, relying on this meaning, it further states in a verse: "Thirty persons in the holy embryo of subduing-patience: the ten faiths, ten cessations, ten firm minds," and so forth. Speaking of "subduing-patience," it is explained in terms of the five patiences: subduing-, faith-, compliance-, non-arising-, and extinction-[patiences]. They are established respectively according to the three types of worthies, the ten bhūmis, and the Buddha, in their higher, middle, and lower [grades]. Because the stage of the three types of worthies attains the contaminated path and can subdue the two hindrances, it is called subduing-patience. Regarding the arousing of the three minds to achieve non-retrogression: According to the Daśabhūmika-vibhāṣā, there are seven conditions for resolving the mind upon bodhi. The first three are the definite resolution of the mind here, while the latter four are the indefinite resolution of the mind below. The three kinds in this text are precisely the characteristics of the three resolutions of the mind explained below; hence they achieve non-retrogression. "Buddhas and bodhisattvas teaching them to resolve their minds" means teaching them to be mindful of tathatā and arouse the straight mind. "Resolving one's own mind out of great compassion" means pitying the afflictions of sentient beings and arousing the compassionate mind. "Resolving one's own mind in order to protect the Dharma" means delighting in the wholesome roots of sentient beings and arousing the deep mind. Thus that treatise says: "Seeing that the Dharma is about to be extinguished, one then resolves the mind, saying: 'Planting wholesome roots, I shall accomplish the Buddha path, cause the Dharma to endure long, and diligently cultivate all wholesome practices.' Therefore, the mind to protect the Dharma is the deep mind."