大乘入道次第開決 1.67

1.67

As for "'perfected' (cheng) means accomplished, not meaning arising and ceasing": the meaning of accomplishment is explained in terms of non-arising and non-ceasing. Because this mental mode is difficult to see, it should now be explained extensively. Now, this tathatā is called 'consummate and perfected' (pariniṣpanna) because it possesses three meanings that distinguish it from three kinds of phenomena. Therefore, the eighth fascicle of the Cheng weishi lun says: 'This reveals that it is omnipresent, eternal, and its substance is not erroneous, distinguishing it from individual marks, common marks, space, the self, and so forth.' First, 'omnipresent': this distinguishes it from individual marks. Phenomena such as matter each maintain their own individual marks; since they are not omnipresent, they are not consummate (pari-). Second, 'eternal': this distinguishes it from common marks. Although suffering, impermanence, and the like have the meaning of omnipresence, they do not constitute eternity; therefore they are not accomplished (-niṣpanna). Third, 'not erroneous': this distinguishes it from the falsely grasped space, self, and so forth; although spoken of as omnipresent and eternal, because they are falsely grasped, they are not real. Therein, regarding the second, the common marks of arising and ceasing, such as emptiness and non-self, do not constitute the meaning of eternity; since not arising and not ceasing accomplishes the meaning of eternity, non-arising and non-ceasing explains the meaning of eternity.