起信論註 1.35

1.35

[Delusory dharmas] do not appear, just like a hare's horns [or] turtle's hair. Delusory dharmas in the mirror also indicate the essence of tathatā. There is originally no delusion upon it, hence it says 'there is no dharma that can appear'. Because nothing can appear, the delusory dharmas of mind and its objects, looking toward original enlightenment, are not that which is enlightened and illuminated; enlightenment, looking toward mind and its objects, is not that which enlightens and illuminates. Since that which is illuminated does not exist, that which illuminates does not exist; hence it is said, 'it does not have the meaning of enlightening illumination'. This reveals that there is no real substance of the imagined nature that can appear; it is not enlightening illumination. (Answer: 'Imagined nature' means all sentient beings clinging to all spheres of cognition with various discriminations; that is tathatā [in essence, yet] that is avidyā; hence it is called 'imagined nature'. Within the dharma of tathatā, enlightenment and what is enlightened are also unobtainable; they are all entirely delusory, hence it is said 'it does not have the meaning of enlightening illumination'. Therefore, as for 'a real substance can appear': just as within the real dharma there is no single real substance that appears, like delusory dharmas not appearing in a mirror. Delusory dharmas are entirely illusory; as for a 'real substance', if there were really a single delusory dharma, then it would be said that 'a real substance appears'. Just as delusory dharmas do not appear in a mirror, hence it is said 'it does not have the meaning of enlightening illumination'.)