大乘莊嚴經論 明信品
信如手——先伸出這雙手，滿山的法寶才取得進來
講完高遠的菩提，這一品忽然回頭，鄭重說一個字：信。
為什麼信排第一？佛法是一座寶山，信就是那雙手。有手，走進便取走滿山珍寶；沒手，縱站在山中，也空手而回。法再好，無信便與你無干。
於是這一品把「信」看個透：它有種種面貌——真受的、似受的，靠人帶起的、自己立住的；也有高下，隨修行一層層加深，像天光由破曉轉到中天。它也會被擋住——多忘、懈怠、放逸、自滿，都是蓋住信苗的雜草，須一一拔除。論裡更以四種人點出高下，最上是大王之信：自在施令，全為利他。
最後一句最暖：莫把自己看小了。成佛這條路，古來已有無數人走通，你何必疑自己走不了？
且先伸出這雙手。
Faith is like a pair of hands — stretch them out first, and the whole mountain of Dharma-treasure can be taken in
Having spoken of the far heights of awakening, this chapter suddenly turns back and, in all earnestness, names a single word: faith.
Why does faith come first? The Dharma is a mountain of treasure, and faith is that pair of hands. With hands, you walk in and carry off the jewels that fill the mountain; without them, you may stand in the very midst of it and still come away empty-handed. However fine the Dharma, without faith it has nothing to do with you.
So this chapter looks faith through and through: it has many faces — the truly received and the seemingly received, the kind another draws forth in you and the kind you set upon your own feet; it has its high and its low, deepening layer by layer as practice deepens, like the daylight turning from first dawn toward high noon. It can also be blocked — much forgetting, indolence, heedlessness, self-satisfaction are all weeds that cover over the sprout of faith, and each must be pulled up. The treatise goes further and, by four kinds of person, marks out the high and the low: the highest is the king's faith — freely issuing his decrees, wholly for the benefit of others.
The last word is the warmest: do not think yourself small. This road to Buddhahood — countless people down the ages have already walked it through; why doubt that you cannot walk it too?
For now, just stretch out these two hands.
〔釋〕已說無上菩提隨順。菩提者，所謂信，此信相今當說。
【偈】
已生及未生， 正受及似受，
他力亦自力， 有迷亦不迷，
現前不現前， 聽法及求義，
觀察等十三， 分別於信相。
〔釋〕信相差別有十三種。一者已生信，謂過去現在信。二者未生信，謂未來信。三者正受信，謂內信。四者似受信，謂外信。五者他力信，謂麁信，由善友力生故。六者自力信，謂細信，由自力生故。七者有迷信，謂惡信，由顛倒故。八者不迷信，謂好信，由無倒故。九者現前信，謂近信，由無障故。十者不現前信，謂遠信，由有障故。十一者聽法信，謂聞信，由聞生故。十二者求義信，謂思信，由思生故。十三者觀察信，謂修信，由修生故。已說信相差別，次說信種差別。
【偈】
可奪間無間， 有多亦有少，
有覆及無覆， 相應不相應，
有聚亦無聚， 極入亦遠入，
復此十三義， 分別於信種。
〔釋〕信種差別亦有十三。一者可奪信，謂下品信。二者有間信，謂中品信。三者無間信，謂上品信。四者多信，謂大乘信。五者少信，謂小乘信。六者有覆信，謂有障信，由不能勝進故。七者無覆信，謂無障信，由能勝進故。八者相應信，謂熟修信，由恒行及恭敬行故。九者不相應信，謂不熟修信，由離前二行故。十者有聚信，謂有果信，由能得大菩提故。十一者無聚信，謂無果信，由不能得大菩提故。十二者極入信，謂功用信，從初地至七地故。十三者遠入信，謂極淨信，從八地至佛地故。已說信種，次說信障難。
【偈】
多忘亦懈怠， 行迷并惡友，
善羸及邪憶， 放逸復少聞，
聞喜及思喜， 因定增上慢，
應知此等過， 障礙於信相。
〔釋〕障者，相違義。多忘者，於已生信為障。懈怠者，於未生信為障。行迷者，於正受、似受信為障，如先所受能受執著故。惡友者，於他力信為障，以倒法令受故。善羸者，於自力信為障。邪憶者，於不迷信為障。放逸者，於現前信為障。少聞者，於聽法信為障，不聽了義故。聞喜者，於求義信為障，少思惟故。思喜及定慢者，於觀察信為障，少修及不細觀察故。問：何障障信種？
【偈】
不厭及不習， 有厭亦有覆，
無應及無聚， 應知障信種。
〔釋〕不習者，於可奪信、有聞信為障。不厭者，於小信為障，不厭生死故。有厭者，於大信為障，厭生死故。有覆者，於無覆信為障。無應者，於相應信為障。無聚者，於有聚信為障。已顯示信障難，次讚歎信功德。
【偈】
信有大福德， 不悔及大喜，
不壞將堅固， 進位并得法，
自利與他利， 亦復速諸通，
以此諸功德， 讚歎信利益。
〔釋〕大福德者，讚現在信。不悔者，讚過去信，不追變故。大喜者，讚正受信及似受信，定相應故。不壞者，讚友力信，正道不壞故。堅固者，讚自力信，不退捨故。進位者，讚不迷信、現前信、聽法信、求義信、觀察信、有間信。得法者，讚無間信。自利者，讚少信。他利者，讚多信。速通者，讚諸自分信，謂無覆信、相應信、有聚信、極入信、遠入信。
【偈】
狗龜奴王譬， 次第譬四信，
習欲習諸定， 自利利他人。
〔釋〕譬如餓狗求食無厭，諸習欲人信亦復如是，於一切時種種信故。譬如盲龜水中藏六，諸習外定人信亦復如是，唯知修習世間定故。譬如賊奴畏主勤作，諸自利人信亦復如是，為怖生死勤方便故。譬如大王自在詔勅，諸利他人信亦復如是，增上教化無休息故。菩薩自解諸信，復廣分別令他得解，如是勸諸眾生生大乘信。已讚信功德，次遮下劣心。
【偈】
人身及方處， 時節皆無限，
三因菩提得， 勿起下劣心。
〔釋〕人身及方處時節皆無限者，得無上菩提有三因無限：一者人身無限，由人道眾生得無限故。二者方處無限，由十方世界得無限故。三者時節無限，由盡未來際剎那剎那得無限故。三因菩提得勿起下劣心者，由此三因無限，是故諸菩薩於無上菩提不應退屈起下劣心。已遮下劣心，次顯福德勝。
【偈】
得福由施彼， 非由自受用，
依他說大乘， 不依自義法。
〔釋〕得福由施彼非由自受用者，譬如以食施彼則得大福，由利他故。非自受用能得大福，由自利故。問：若爾，菩薩云何得福？答：依他說大乘不依自義法。諸菩薩如是依他說大乘經得大福德，不依自利說小乘經得大福德。已說勝福，次說得果。
【偈】
大法起大信， 大信果有三，
信增及福增， 得佛功德體。
〔釋〕大法起大信大信果有三者，謂有智人於大乘聖法而生大信，由此大信得三種果。問：得何等果？答：信增及福增得佛功德體。此明：一得大信果，信增長故。二得大福果，福增長故。三得大菩提果，功德無等及佛體大故。明信品究竟。
The canonical text stands in Chinese only. This edition renders the essence, the plain reading, the exposition and the apparatus into English — never the sūtra itself. Switch to 漢讀本 or 並行雙語 above to read it.
說完了『無上菩提的隨順』。菩提的隨順，首要就是「信」；如今來說這「信」的相狀。
已生及未生，正受及似受， 他力亦自力，有迷亦不迷， 現前不現前，聽法及求義， 觀察等十三，分別於信相。
信的相狀差別有十三種：
- 已生信——就是過去與現在的信。
- 未生信——就是未來的信。
- 正受信——就是內在的信。
- 似受信——就是外表的信。
- 他力信——就是粗顯的信，因為它是憑藉善友之力而生起的緣故。
- 自力信——就是細密的信，因為它是憑藉自己之力而生起的緣故。
- 有迷信——就是惡的信，因為它由顛倒而起的緣故。
- 不迷信——就是好的信，因為它沒有顛倒的緣故。
- 現前信——就是切近的信，因為它沒有障礙的緣故。
- 不現前信——就是疏遠的信，因為它有障礙的緣故。
- 聽法信——就是聞所成的信，因為它由聽聞而生的緣故。
- 求義信——就是思所成的信，因為它由思惟而生的緣故。
- 觀察信——就是修所成的信，因為它由修習而生的緣故。
說完了信的相狀差別，接著說信的種類差別。
可奪間無間，有多亦有少， 有覆及無覆，相應不相應， 有聚亦無聚，極入亦遠入， 復此十三義，分別於信種。
信的『種類』差別也有十三種：
- 可奪信——就是下品的信。
- 有間信——就是中品的信。
- 無間信——就是上品的信。
- 多信——就是大乘的信。
- 少信——就是小乘的信。
- 有覆信——就是有障的信，因為它不能勝進的緣故。
- 無覆信——就是無障的信，因為它能夠勝進的緣故。
- 相應信——就是熟修的信，因為它由恆常修行以及恭敬修行而成的緣故。
- 不相應信——就是不熟修的信，因為它離開了前面那二種修行的緣故。
- 有聚信——就是有果的信，因為它能夠得大菩提的緣故。
- 無聚信——就是無果的信，因為它不能夠得大菩提的緣故。
- 極入信——就是功用位的信，因為它是從初地到七地的緣故。
- 遠入信——就是極淨的信，因為它是從八地到佛地的緣故。
說完了信的種類，接著說信的障難。
多忘亦懈怠，行迷并惡友， 善羸及邪憶，放逸復少聞， 聞喜及思喜，因定增上慢， 應知此等過，障礙於信相。
「障」就是相違的意思。各種過失，各障一種信相：多忘對「已生信」成為障礙；懈怠對「未生信」成為障礙；行迷對『正受信、似受信』成為障礙，因為對於先前所領受的，又生起能受的執著的緣故；惡友對「他力信」成為障礙，因為他以顛倒之法令人領受的緣故；善羸（善根羸弱）對「自力信」成為障礙；邪憶對「不迷信」成為障礙；放逸對「現前信」成為障礙；少聞對「聽法信」成為障礙，因為他不聽了義之法的緣故；聞喜（滿足於聞）對「求義信」成為障礙，因為他少於思惟的緣故；思喜（滿足於思）與因定而生的增上慢對「觀察信」成為障礙，因為他少於修習、又不能細加觀察的緣故。 〔問〕又是什麼障礙「信種」呢？
不厭及不習，有厭亦有覆， 無應及無聚，應知障信種。
〔答〕不習對『可奪信、聞信』成為障礙；不厭對「小信」成為障礙，因為它不厭離生死的緣故；有厭對「大信」成為障礙，因為它厭離生死的緣故；有覆對「無覆信」成為障礙；無應（不相應）對「相應信」成為障礙；無聚對「有聚信」成為障礙。
說完了信的障難，接著讚歎信的功德。
信有大福德，不悔及大喜， 不壞將堅固，進位并得法， 自利與他利，亦復速諸通， 以此諸功德，讚歎信利益。
以種種功德讚歎信的利益，一一對應：大福德，是讚歎現在的信；不悔，是讚歎過去的信，因為它不追悔、不變改的緣故；大喜，是讚歎正受信與似受信，因為它與定相應的緣故；不壞，是讚歎友力的信，因為它的正道不壞的緣故；堅固，是讚歎自力的信，因為它不退、不捨的緣故；進位，是讚歎不迷信、現前信、聽法信、求義信、觀察信、有間信；得法，是讚歎無間的信；自利，是讚歎少信；他利，是讚歎多信；速通，是讚歎種種「自分信」，也就是無覆信、相應信、有聚信、極入信、遠入信。
狗龜奴王譬，次第譬四信， 習欲習諸定，自利利他人。
以『狗、龜、奴、王』四譬，依次譬四種人的信：
- 譬如餓狗求食、永不知足——種種習欲之人的信也是這樣，因為他在一切時中都生種種信的緣故。
- 譬如盲龜在水中藏起六（指四肢與頭尾）——種種習外定之人的信也是這樣，因為他只知修習世間禪定的緣故。
- 譬如賊奴畏懼主人而勤作——種種自利之人的信也是這樣，因為他為怖畏生死而勤修方便的緣故。
- 譬如大王自在地頒發詔令——種種利他之人的信也是這樣，因為他增上教化、無有休息的緣故。
菩薩自己通解這種種信，又廣為他人分別、令他人也得理解，像這樣勸一切眾生生起大乘的信。
說完了讚歎信的功德，接著遮止下劣心。
人身及方處，時節皆無限， 三因菩提得，勿起下劣心。
『人身、方處、時節都無限』是說：得無上菩提有三種因是無限的——一、人身無限，因為人道眾生得菩提者無限的緣故；二、方處無限，因為十方世界得菩提者無限的緣故；三、時節無限，因為盡未來際、剎那剎那得菩提者無限的緣故。「三因菩提得，勿起下劣心」是說：正因這三種因無限，所以諸菩薩對於無上菩提，不應退屈、不應起下劣之心。
說完了遮止下劣心，接著顯示福德殊勝。
得福由施彼，非由自受用， 依他說大乘，不依自義法。
「得福由施彼，非由自受用」是說：譬如把食物布施給他人，便能得大福，因為這是利他的緣故；不是自己受用能得大福，因為那只是自利的緣故。〔問〕若是這樣，菩薩要怎樣得福呢？〔答〕「依他說大乘，不依自義法」——諸菩薩像這樣依著為他人宣說大乘經，便得大福德；不是依著為自利而說小乘經，能得大福德。
說完了殊勝的福德，接著說所得的果。
大法起大信，大信果有三， 信增及福增，得佛功德體。
「大法起大信，大信果有三」是說：有智慧的人，於大乘聖法而生起大信；由這大信，得到三種果。〔問〕得到哪些果呢？〔答〕「信增及福增，得佛功德體」——一、得大信果，因為信增長的緣故；二、得大福果，因為福增長的緣故；三、得大菩提果，因為功德無等、佛體廣大的緣故。
明信品到此究竟。
We have finished speaking of "the accord with supreme awakening." The first thing in the accord with awakening is faith (信, śraddhā); now we come to speak of the character of this faith.
Arisen and not yet arisen, truly received and seemingly received, by another's power and by one's own power, deluded and undeluded, present and not present, hearing the Dharma and seeking the meaning, examining — these thirteen distinguish the characters of faith.
The characters of faith are of thirteen kinds:
- Arisen faith — that is, faith of the past and the present.
- Not-yet-arisen faith — that is, faith of the future.
- Truly received faith — that is, inward faith.
- Seemingly received faith — that is, outward faith.
- By-another's-power faith — that is, coarse faith, because it arises on the strength of a good friend.
- By-one's-own-power faith — that is, subtle faith, because it arises on one's own strength.
- Deluded faith — that is, bad faith, because it arises from what is upside-down.
- Undeluded faith — that is, good faith, because it is free of what is upside-down.
- Present faith — that is, near faith, because it is unhindered.
- Not-present faith — that is, distant faith, because it is hindered.
- Hearing-the-Dharma faith — that is, faith made of hearing, because it arises through hearing.
- Seeking-the-meaning faith — that is, faith made of reflection, because it arises through reflecting.
- Examining faith — that is, faith made of cultivation, because it arises through cultivation.
Having stated the distinctions in the characters of faith, the text next states the distinctions in the kinds of faith.
Removable, intermittent, unbroken, greater and lesser too, obstructed and unobstructed, corresponding and not corresponding, having a gathering and having none, deep-entering and far-entering: by these further thirteen principles the kinds of faith are distinguished.
The kinds of faith are likewise of thirteen:
- Removable faith — that is, faith of the lower grade.
- Intermittent faith — that is, faith of the middle grade.
- Unbroken faith — that is, faith of the upper grade.
- Greater faith — that is, faith of the great vehicle (大乘, mahāyāna).
- Lesser faith — that is, faith of the lesser vehicle.
- Obstructed faith — that is, hindered faith, because it cannot advance and prevail.
- Unobstructed faith — that is, unhindered faith, because it can advance and prevail.
- Corresponding faith — that is, well-practiced faith, because it is formed through constant practice and reverent practice.
- Not-corresponding faith — that is, not-well-practiced faith, because it is apart from those two [kinds of] practice above.
- Having-a-gathering faith — that is, fruitful faith, because it is able to attain the great awakening (大菩提, mahābodhi).
- Having-no-gathering faith — that is, fruitless faith, because it is not able to attain the great awakening.
- Deep-entering faith — that is, faith of the stage of [deliberate] exertion (功用位), because it runs from the first ground to the seventh ground (初地至七地).
- Far-entering faith — that is, faith of the utterly purified [stage], because it runs from the eighth ground to the ground of Buddhahood (八地至佛地).
Having stated the kinds of faith, the text next states the hindrances to faith.
Much forgetting and indolence, deluded practice and the bad friend, feeble goodness and wrong recollection, heedlessness and again little hearing, delight in hearing and delight in reflection, and the arrogance born of concentration: know that faults such as these are the hindrances to the characters of faith.
"Hindrance" means what runs counter [to faith]. Each fault hinders one character of faith: much forgetting becomes a hindrance to "arisen faith"; indolence becomes a hindrance to "not-yet-arisen faith"; deluded practice becomes a hindrance to "truly received faith" and "seemingly received faith," because toward what was received before one again gives rise to a grasping at the receiver; the bad friend becomes a hindrance to "by-another's-power faith," because he causes one to receive by an upside-down teaching; feeble goodness (weak wholesome roots) becomes a hindrance to "by-one's-own-power faith"; wrong recollection becomes a hindrance to "undeluded faith"; heedlessness becomes a hindrance to "present faith"; little hearing becomes a hindrance to "hearing-the-Dharma faith," because one does not listen to the Dharma of definitive meaning (了義, nītārtha); delight in hearing (contentment with mere hearing) becomes a hindrance to "seeking-the-meaning faith," because one reflects but little; delight in reflection (contentment with mere reflection) together with the arrogance born of concentration become a hindrance to "examining faith," because one cultivates but little and cannot examine in fine detail. 〔Question〕 And what hinders the "kinds of faith"?
Not wearying and not practicing, wearying and being obstructed, not corresponding and having no gathering: know these to hinder the kinds of faith.
〔Answer〕 Not practicing becomes a hindrance to "removable faith" and "hearing faith"; not wearying becomes a hindrance to "lesser faith," because one does not weary of birth-and-death; wearying becomes a hindrance to "greater faith," because one wearies of birth-and-death; being obstructed becomes a hindrance to "unobstructed faith"; not corresponding becomes a hindrance to "corresponding faith"; having no gathering becomes a hindrance to "having-a-gathering faith."
Having stated the hindrances to faith, the text next praises the merits of faith.
Faith has great merit — no regret and great gladness, the unbreakable and the firm, advancing in stage and gaining the Dharma, benefit to oneself and benefit to others, and swiftness in the powers: by these several merits the benefit of faith is praised.
The benefit of faith is praised by its several merits, each matched to its own: great merit praises present faith; no regret praises past faith, because one neither regrets it nor alters it; great gladness praises truly received faith and seemingly received faith, because they correspond with concentration; the unbreakable praises faith by the friend's power, because its right path is unbreakable; the firm praises faith by one's own power, because one does not fall back and does not cast it off; advancing in stage praises undeluded faith, present faith, hearing-the-Dharma faith, seeking-the-meaning faith, examining faith, and intermittent faith; gaining the Dharma praises unbroken faith; benefit to oneself praises lesser faith; benefit to others praises greater faith; swiftness in the powers praises the several "own-portion faiths," namely unobstructed faith, corresponding faith, having-a-gathering faith, deep-entering faith, and far-entering faith.
The similes of dog, turtle, slave, and king — in order they figure four faiths: practicing desire, practicing the concentrations, benefiting oneself, benefiting others.
By the four similes of "dog, turtle, slave, and king," in order, four persons' faiths are figured:
- As a starving dog seeks food and is never satisfied — so too is the faith of those who practice desire, because at all times they give rise to all kinds of faith.
- As a blind turtle hides its six [limbs and head] within the water — so too is the faith of those who practice the outer concentrations, because they know only the cultivation of worldly meditative absorption (世間定, laukika-samādhi).
- As a thieving slave, in dread of his master, works diligently — so too is the faith of those who benefit themselves, because, in fear of birth-and-death, they diligently cultivate skillful means.
- As a great king freely issues his decrees — so too is the faith of those who benefit others, because they instruct and transform ever more, without rest.
The bodhisattva himself comprehends these several faiths, and further distinguishes them at large so that others too may understand; in this way he urges all sentient beings to give rise to the faith of the great vehicle.
Having praised the merits of faith, the text next blocks the inferior, faint-hearted mind.
Human birth, and place, and time — all are without limit; awakening is attained by three causes: do not give rise to an inferior mind.
"Human birth, and place, and time — all are without limit" means: the attainment of supreme awakening has three causes that are without limit — first, human birth is without limit, because beings of the human destiny who attain awakening are without limit; second, place is without limit, because those who attain awakening in the worlds of the ten directions are without limit; third, time is without limit, because, throughout the whole future span, moment after moment, those who attain awakening are without limit. "Awakening is attained by three causes: do not give rise to an inferior mind" means: precisely because these three causes are without limit, the bodhisattvas should not shrink back from supreme awakening nor give rise to an inferior, faint-hearted mind.
Having blocked the inferior, faint-hearted mind, the text next shows the excellence of merit.
Merit is gained by giving to others, not by enjoying [things] oneself; relying on others, one teaches the great vehicle, not relying on the doctrine of one's own gain.
"Merit is gained by giving to others, not by enjoying [things] oneself" means: just as giving food to others brings great merit, because this is for the benefit of others, so enjoying it oneself cannot bring great merit, because that is only for one's own benefit. 〔Question〕 If so, how does a bodhisattva gain merit? 〔Answer〕 "Relying on others, one teaches the great vehicle, not relying on the doctrine of one's own gain" — the bodhisattvas, in this way, by teaching the scriptures of the great vehicle for the sake of others, gain great merit; it is not by teaching the scriptures of the lesser vehicle for their own benefit that they can gain great merit.
Having stated the excellent merit, the text next states the fruit attained.
From the great Dharma the great faith arises; the fruit of great faith is threefold — faith increased and merit increased, and gaining the very substance of the Buddha's qualities.
"From the great Dharma the great faith arises; the fruit of great faith is threefold" means: the person of wisdom, toward the holy Dharma of the great vehicle, gives rise to great faith; and by this great faith he attains three kinds of fruit. 〔Question〕 What fruits are attained? 〔Answer〕 "Faith increased and merit increased, and gaining the very substance of the Buddha's qualities" — first, one attains the fruit of great faith, because faith is increased; second, one attains the fruit of great merit, because merit is increased; third, one attains the fruit of great awakening, because [its] qualities are unequalled and the Buddha's substance is vast.
Here the Chapter on Elucidating Faith reaches its end.
前面說了『無上菩提的隨順』——菩提（覺悟）不是憑空到來，它有近處的因由。這因由的頭一個，就是「信」。本品便把這個「信」字，翻來覆去看個透：它有多少種面貌、多少等級、會被什麼擋住、該怎麼讚歎，又用四個比方點出四種人的信，最後勸人莫自卑、說明宣講大乘的大福與大信的三種果。
一、信為什麼是第一步：信如手
本論開宗就點明：菩提的隨順「所謂信」。為什麼「信」排在第一？可借一個古老的比方來體會——信如手。一個人有手，走進寶山，便能自在地取走滿山的珍寶；若沒有手，縱然站在寶山當中，也只能空手而回。佛法是一座寶山，信就是那雙手：有信，深廣的法義才取得進來、用得起來；無信，再好的法擺在眼前，也與你無干。所以一部講菩薩道的大論，講完了高遠的菩提、神通、成熟，回過頭來，要鄭重地講一個「信」字——它是入這一切的門。《瑜伽師地論·菩薩地》論菩薩之信，亦同此意：信為趣入大乘之首。
二、信的種種面貌與等級
已生及未生，正受及似受……觀察等十三，分別於信相。 可奪間無間，有多亦有少……復此十三義，分別於信種。
本論一口氣列了兩組、各十三種的信。乍看繁密，其實是把「信」這一件事，從兩個角度看清楚。不過在數它的面貌之前，先得認得這「信」到底是個什麼。〔疏借喻〕《成唯識論》辨「信」這個善心所，說它「心淨為性」，並打了一個極好的比方：信，就像一顆「水清珠」放進濁水裡，能把混濁的水澄清——心裡本來是渾的（被瞋、貪、疑攪得一片混濁，連法義的影子都照不出來），信一生起，這一池渾水便沉澱、變清；反過來，「不信」自身渾濁，還會把旁邊的心、心所一起攪渾。所以下文要數的這許多種信，數的其實都是這同一顆『澄心之珠』在不同處、不同深淺地起作用。認得這一點，再看那兩組各十三，就不只是名目，而是同一件事的種種模樣了。
一是看它的面貌（信相）：信有過去已生的、未來未生的；有內裡真受的、外表似受的；有靠善友帶起來的（他力）、靠自己生起來的（自力）；有顛倒的壞信、無倒的好信；有當前無障的、被障隔遠的；還有從『聞、思、修』三處生的——聽法信、求義信、觀察信。信不是一個籠統的字，它有這麼多副面孔，學人正好拿來對照：我這一分信，是真受還是似受？是靠人撐著還是自己立得住？
二是看它的等級（信種）：信有可奪的下品、時斷時續的中品、不間斷的上品；有大乘的「多信」、小乘的「少信」；有被障蓋住而不能上進的「有覆」、無障而能上進的「無覆」；有恆行恭敬而「相應」的、疏懶而「不相應」的；有能結大菩提之果的「有聚」、不能的「無聚」；最後還有隨地位而深的兩種——「極入信」在初地到七地、「遠入信」在八地到佛地。 其中靠善友帶起來的他力之信，更有一種堅固之德，叫『不壞淨』——不可破壞的清淨信：一旦由友力深入，便不再被疑、邪所動搖。而把上來幾種好相聚在一身的——無覆、相應、有聚、極入、遠入——這一種屬於自地分位、能順次直上的信，本論特別讚它，叫「自分信」，許為「速通」：因它無遮無雜、相續相應，故能在道上快速通達，不繞遠路。 這末了兩種最堪玩味：信不是一次立定就完了，它會隨著修證一層層加深——像天光由破曉的微明，一路轉到中天的大亮。今日的一分淺信，正是來日深信的起點。
三、什麼擋住了信
多忘亦懈怠，行迷并惡友……應知此等過，障礙於信相。 不厭及不習，有厭亦有覆……應知障信種。
有信，就有障信的東西。本論把種種過失一一點名，且指出它各擋住哪一種信：多忘擋住已生的信、懈怠擋住未生的信、放逸擋住現前的信、少聞擋住聽法的信、滿足於聞（聞喜）擋住求義的信、滿足於思與起增上慢（自以為證）擋住觀察的信……還有惡友以顛倒之法相誤、善根羸弱撐不起自力之信。 這一段是面照妖鏡：信之所以不長，往往不是沒種子，是被這些雜草蓋住了。要養信，先得認得這些擋路的過，一一拔除。
說過了「障」，本論緊接著翻轉過來「讚」：拔了雜草，還要識得好苗。前面數的那許多種信，各有其德，便各以其德受讚——這一段是把各種信的可貴處，逐一標出來歎美。其中最受推重的，正是上文說的那一種「自分信」：因它無覆、相應、有聚、又能極入遠入，諸德聚於一身，故本論讚它為「速通」——是諸信裡走得最快、最直的一種。先用「障」照出該拔的過，再用「讚」標出該慕的德：一拔一立，學人才知道自己的信該往哪裡養。
四、四種人的信：狗、龜、奴、王
狗龜奴王譬，次第譬四信， 習欲習諸定，自利利他人。
接著，本論用四個極鮮明的比方（這是本論自具的四譬），把四種人的信並排對照，高下立判：
- 餓狗求食，永不知足——這譬『習欲之人』的信：一切時中種種地求，雜而貪，不擇精粗。
- 盲龜在水中藏起六（四肢與頭尾）——這譬『習外定之人』的信：只知縮在世間禪定裡，閉而狹，不肯出來向更高處走。
- 賊奴畏主而勤作——這譬『自利之人』的信：只因怖畏生死，才勤修方便，迫而為己。
- 大王自在地頒發詔令——這譬『利他之人』的信：增上教化、無有休息，大而為他。
四譬一字排開，從『貪雜』、到『閉狹』、到『為己』、到『為他』，信的氣象一層比一層大。最高的信，是『大王』那樣的信——自在、無休、全為利他。 菩薩自己通解了這種種信，還要廣為眾生分別解說，勸他們生起這最高的大乘之信。
五、別把自己看小了：三因無限
人身及方處，時節皆無限， 三因菩提得，勿起下劣心。
講到信，難免有人犯嘀咕：『成佛那麼高遠，我這樣的人，行嗎？』本論正是要破這「下劣心」（自卑退屈），並指出得無上菩提有「三因無限」：人身無限（人道中得菩提的，無量無數）、方處無限（十方世界得菩提的，無量無數）、時節無限（盡未來際、剎那剎那得菩提的，無量無數）。 換句話說：可借一條大路來體會——這條成佛的路，古往今來已有無數人走過、此刻十方正有無數人在走、未來還有無數人要走。路既被這麼多人走通了，你又何必懷疑自己的腳走不了？ 既有這三因無限墊底，菩薩對無上菩提，就不該畏縮、不該把自己看小了。
六、說大乘的福，與大信的三果
得福由施彼，非由自受用， 依他說大乘，不依自義法。
本論順帶點出一個關於「福」的道理：把食物施給別人，能得大福——因為是利他；自己受用，得不了這樣的大福——因為只是自利。同理，菩薩之所以得大福德，在於『為他人宣說大乘』，不在於『為自己之義而說（小乘）法』。這仍是前面『二利』『成熟』一路講下來的同一條心：福，是在『給出去、為別人』裡長出來的，正如一盞燈，是在照亮別人時最顯它的光。
大法起大信，大信果有三， 信增及福增，得佛功德體。
最後說「大信」的果。有智慧的人，於大乘聖法生起大信，這大信會結三種果：信增（信自己會不斷增長）、福增（福隨之不斷增長）、佛功德體（終於成就無等的佛功德、廣大的佛體，即大菩提）。 回到『信如手』那個比方：這雙手一旦伸進法寶山，取得的寶又會生出新的寶——信生信、福生福，輾轉增上，直到取盡佛地的全部家當。大信不是一潭死水的『我信了』，而是一顆會自己長大、最終長成佛果的活種子。
結：一切始於信
通看全品，明信品講的就是一個「信」字：它是入道的手（菩提的近因）、有萬般面貌（信相十三）與等級（信種十三、隨地而深）、會被種種過失障住（須拔雜草）、有四種人的高下（狗·龜·奴·王四譬）；學人莫因高遠而自卑（三因無限，路已被無數人走通），而宣說大乘能得大福，大信終結成佛德三果。
一句話收束：一切都從『信』開始。信如手——先伸出這雙手，滿山的法寶才取得進來；而這雙手會越用越巧、越握越深，從今日的一分淺信，一路握到佛地。
The preceding chapter spoke of "what accords with supreme awakening" — awakening (菩提, bodhi) does not arrive out of the blue; it has near-lying causes. The very first of these causes is faith (信). This chapter turns that single word "faith" over and over until it can be seen through: how many faces it wears, how many grades it has, what can block it, how it should be praised; then it uses four vivid similes to point out the faith of four kinds of people; and finally it urges one not to belittle oneself, and sets out the great merit of proclaiming the Great Vehicle together with the three fruits of great faith.
I. Why faith is the first step: faith is like a hand
The treatise opens by marking it: what accords with awakening is "so-called faith." Why does "faith" stand first? It can be felt through an old comparison — faith is like a hand. A person who has hands, walking into a mountain of treasure, can freely carry off the jewels that fill the mountain; one who has no hands, though he stand in the very midst of the treasure-mountain, can only come away empty-handed. The Buddha's teaching is a mountain of treasure, and faith is that pair of hands: with faith, the deep and vast meaning of the Dharma can be taken in and put to use; without faith, the finest teaching set right before you has nothing to do with you. And so a great treatise on the bodhisattva path, having finished with the lofty matters of awakening, the supernormal powers, and maturation, turns back to speak in all earnestness of this one word "faith" — for it is the gate into all of these. The Yogācārabhūmi, in its Bodhisattva Ground, speaks of the bodhisattva's faith to the same effect: faith is what stands first in entering the Great Vehicle.
II. The many faces and grades of faith
Already arisen and not yet arisen, truly received and seemingly received … contemplation and the rest, thirteen — the aspects of faith laid out. Ravishable, intermittent and unbroken, much and also little … again these thirteen meanings — the kinds of faith laid out.
In one breath the treatise lists two sets of thirteen kinds of faith each. At first glance the density is daunting, but it is really just seeing the single matter of "faith" clearly from two angles. Before counting its faces, though, we must first recognize what this "faith" actually is. 〔exposition-borrowed simile〕 The Cheng Weishi Lun, discerning "faith" as a wholesome mental factor, says its nature is "the purifying of the mind," and gives an excellent comparison: faith is like a water-clearing gem dropped into muddy water — it can settle the turbid water clear. The mind is by itself turbid (stirred into a muddy blur by anger, greed, and doubt, so that not even the shadow of the Dharma's meaning can be reflected in it); the moment faith arises, this pool of muddy water settles and turns clear. Conversely, "lack of faith" is itself turbid, and further stirs up the neighboring mind and mental factors along with it. So the many kinds of faith to be counted below are all really this one same "mind-clearing gem" at work in different places and at different depths. Recognize this, and the two sets of thirteen are no longer mere names but the various guises of one same thing.
The first angle is faith's faces (the aspects of faith, 信相): there is faith already arisen in the past, and faith not yet arisen in the future; faith truly received within, and faith seemingly received on the surface; faith raised up through another's strength (drawn up by the power of a good friend), and faith arisen through one's own strength; distorted, faulty faith and undistorted, good faith; faith present with nothing blocking it, and faith held far off because obstructed; and faith arising from the three sources of "hearing, reflecting, and cultivating" — the faith of hearing the Dharma, the faith of seeking the meaning, the faith of contemplation. Faith is no vague single word; it wears this many faces — which the practitioner may hold up as a mirror: this measure of faith of mine, is it truly received or only seemingly so? Does it stand by another's propping, or can it stand on its own?
The second angle is faith's grades (the kinds of faith, 信種): there is the lower-grade faith that can be ravished away, the middling faith that comes and goes by fits, and the upper-grade faith that is unbroken; there is the "much faith" of the Great Vehicle and the "little faith" of the Lesser Vehicle; there is "covered" faith that is obstructed and cannot advance, and "uncovered" faith that is unobstructed and can advance; there is the "corresponding" faith practiced with constant reverence, and the "non-corresponding" faith that is slack; there is the "gathering" faith able to bind up the fruit of great awakening, and the "non-gathering" faith unable to do so; and finally two that deepen with one's station — the "faith of deep entry" from the first ground to the seventh, and the "faith of far entry" from the eighth ground to the buddha-ground. Among these, the faith raised up through another's strength has a certain firm virtue called "the pure faith that cannot be broken" — the indestructible clear faith: once it has gone deep through a friend's power, it is no longer shaken by doubt or by the false. And the faith that gathers several of these good marks into one body — uncovered, corresponding, gathering, deep-entering, and far-entering — this faith, which belongs to one's own station and can rise straight upward in due order, the treatise specially praises, calling it "the faith of one's own portion" (自分信), and grants it the name of "swift penetration" (速通): because it is unobstructed and unmixed, continuous and corresponding, it can penetrate swiftly along the path without going the long way round. These last two are the most worth savoring: faith is not a thing settled once and then done with; it deepens layer by layer as realization proceeds — like the light of heaven turning from the first faint glimmer of daybreak all the way to the great brightness of high noon. This day's measure of shallow faith is precisely the starting point of the deep faith to come.
III. What blocks faith
Much forgetting and also sloth, deluded conduct together with bad friends … know that these faults obstruct the aspects of faith. Not wearied and not practiced, wearied and also covered … know that these obstruct the kinds of faith.
Where there is faith, there are things that obstruct faith. The treatise names the various faults one by one, and points out which kind of faith each blocks: much forgetting blocks the faith already arisen; sloth blocks the faith not yet arisen; heedlessness blocks the faith present now; scant hearing blocks the faith of hearing the Dharma; contentment with hearing (delight in hearing) blocks the faith of seeking the meaning; contentment with reflecting and the arising of overweening pride (taking oneself to have realized) block the faith of contemplation … and there are bad friends who mislead with distorted teachings, and feeble wholesome roots that cannot prop up the faith of one's own strength. This passage is a mirror that shows up the demons: faith fails to grow, more often than not, not because there is no seed, but because it is smothered under these weeds. To nourish faith, one must first recognize these faults that block the road, and pull them out one by one.
Having spoken of the "obstruction," the treatise at once turns it over into "praise": having pulled the weeds, one must still know the good shoots. Each of the many kinds of faith counted above has its own virtue, and so each is praised for its own virtue — this passage picks out, one by one, the precious point of each kind of faith and extols it. The one most highly esteemed is precisely that "faith of one's own portion" spoken of above: because it is uncovered, corresponding, gathering, and can enter deep and far, its several virtues gathered into one body, the treatise praises it as "swift penetration" — the fastest and most direct of all the kinds of faith. First the "obstruction" shows up the faults to be pulled out, then the "praise" marks out the virtues to be longed for: pulling out and setting up, so that the practitioner knows which way to nourish his faith.
IV. The faith of four kinds of people: dog, turtle, slave, king
The dog, turtle, slave, and king similes — in order they figure four faiths: practicing desire, practicing the various concentrations, benefiting oneself, benefiting others.
The treatise next uses four exceedingly vivid comparisons (these are the treatise's own four similes) to set the faith of four kinds of people side by side, so that high and low are plain at a glance:
- A starving dog seeking food, never satisfied — this figures the faith of "the person who practices desire": at all times seeking in every sort of way, mixed and greedy, choosing neither the fine nor the coarse.
- A blind turtle in the water drawing in its six (its four limbs, head, and tail) — this figures the faith of "the person who practices outer concentrations": knowing only to shrink back into worldly meditative absorption, closed and narrow, unwilling to come out and press toward what is higher.
- A thieving slave who works hard for fear of his master — this figures the faith of "the person who benefits himself": only because he dreads birth-and-death does he diligently cultivate the means, pressed to it, and for his own sake.
- A great king freely issuing decrees — this figures the faith of "the person who benefits others": furthering the transformative teaching without ever resting, vast, and for others' sake.
Laid out in a row, the four similes rise in stature one over the next — from "greedy and mixed," to "closed and narrow," to "for oneself," to "for others." The highest faith is the faith of the "great king" — free, unresting, wholly for the benefit of others. The bodhisattva, having himself thoroughly understood these various kinds of faith, further sets them out at large for sentient beings, urging them to give rise to this highest faith of the Great Vehicle.
V. Do not belittle yourself: the three causes are without limit
The human body and the place, the time — all are without limit; awakening is attained through three causes — give rise to no lowly mind.
Speaking of faith, some are bound to grumble: "Buddhahood is so lofty and far off; a person like me — can I really do it?" It is just this "lowly mind" (the self-belittling that shrinks back) that the treatise means to break. It points out that the attainment of supreme awakening has "three causes without limit": the human body is without limit (those who attain awakening among human beings are beyond measure and beyond number), the place is without limit (those who attain it throughout the worlds of the ten directions are beyond measure and beyond number), and the time is without limit (those who attain it to the very end of the future, moment after moment, are beyond measure and beyond number). In other words: it can be felt through a great highway — this road to buddhahood has been walked by countless people from of old, is being walked at this very moment by countless people throughout the ten directions, and will be walked in the future by countless more. The road has been walked clear by so many; why then doubt that your own feet cannot walk it? With these three limitless causes as a foundation beneath him, the bodhisattva should not flinch from supreme awakening, and should not belittle himself.
VI. The merit of proclaiming the Great Vehicle, and the three fruits of great faith
Merit is gained by giving to others, not by consuming for oneself; relying on others one proclaims the Great Vehicle, not relying on the teaching of one's own meaning.
The treatise points out, along the way, a principle about "merit": to give food to another can gain great merit — because it benefits others; to consume it oneself cannot gain such great merit — because it benefits only oneself. In the same way, the reason the bodhisattva gains great merit lies in "proclaiming the Great Vehicle for the sake of others," not in "expounding the teaching for the sake of one's own meaning (the Lesser Vehicle)." This is still the same single heart carried right through the earlier chapters on "the twofold benefit" and "maturation": merit is what grows within "giving out, for the sake of others," just as a lamp shows its light most when it is lighting others.
From the great teaching arises great faith; the fruits of great faith are three: the increase of faith and the increase of merit, and gaining the very body of buddha-qualities.
Finally it speaks of the fruit of "great faith." A person of wisdom, giving rise to great faith in the noble teaching of the Great Vehicle, will find that this great faith binds up three fruits: the increase of faith (faith itself grows without ceasing), the increase of merit (merit grows without ceasing along with it), and the very body of buddha-qualities (finally accomplishing the peerless buddha-qualities and the vast buddha-body — that is, great awakening). Return to that comparison of "faith is like a hand": once this pair of hands reaches into the treasure-mountain of the Dharma, the jewels taken up generate yet more jewels — faith gives rise to faith, merit to merit, mounting up in turn, until one has carried off the entire holdings of the buddha-ground. Great faith is no stagnant pool of "I believe already," but a living seed that will grow of itself and, in the end, grow into the fruit of buddhahood.
Conclusion: all begins with faith
Taking the whole chapter together, the Chapter on Elucidating Faith speaks of just one word, "faith": it is the hand by which one enters the path (the near cause of awakening); it wears its myriad faces (the thirteen aspects) and has its grades (the thirteen kinds, deepening with the grounds); it can be blocked by every sort of fault (the weeds must be pulled); it distinguishes the high and low of four kinds of people (the four similes of dog · turtle · slave · king); the practitioner is not to belittle himself because the goal is lofty (the three causes are without limit, the road already walked clear by countless others); and to proclaim the Great Vehicle gains great merit, while great faith finally binds up the three fruits of buddha-qualities.
To close in a phrase: all begins with "faith." Faith is like a hand — first put out this pair of hands, and the treasures that fill the mountain can be taken in; and this pair of hands grows more deft the more it is used, gripping ever deeper, from this day's measure of shallow faith all the way to the buddha-ground.
考據Apparatus
一 科判定位
明信品居脊樑第十一，承前（「已說無上菩提隨順。菩提者，所謂信，此信相今當說」）。品內：信相十三 → 信種十三 → 信相障 → 信種障 → 讚信功德 → 四譬（狗·龜·奴·王配四類人之信）→ 遮下劣心（三因無限）→ 福德勝（依他說大乘得大福）→ 得果（大信三果）。
二 譯名對校（本論無別譯·與玄奘系同義對列）
| 本品（波羅頗譯） | 玄奘系同義 | 說 |
|---|---|---|
| 信 | 信（śraddhā） | 十一善之首 |
| 正受／似受信 | 內信／外信 | 內證·外相 |
| 他力／自力信 | 麁信／細信 | 善友力·自力 |
| 可奪／有間／無間信 | 下品／中品／上品信 | 三品 |
| 極入／遠入信 | 功用／極淨信 | 初地至七地·八地至佛地 |
| 不壞（淨） | 不壞淨·證淨 | 友力信之德 |
三 義之所立（眼）
本品立「信」為無上菩提之隨順（近因），廣辨其相與種：信相十三（已生/未生·正受/似受·他力/自力·有迷/不迷·現前/不現前·聽法/求義/觀察）、信種十三（可奪/有間/無間·多/少·有覆/無覆·相應/不相應·有聚/無聚·極入/遠入）；繼以障（各過障各信）、讚（各德讚各信）、四譬（四類人之信）、遮下劣心（三因無限故不應退屈）、福勝（依他說大乘得大福，非自利說小乘）、大信三果（信增·福增·佛功德體）收。要旨：信為入道之首·信種配地而升（極入初地至七地·遠入八地至佛地）。系內承用：瑜伽·菩薩地（信）· 成唯識論（信心所）。
四 徵引（系內）
本品所辨信相·信種，與成唯識論「信」心所（十一善法之首）、瑜伽·菩薩地論信之文相發。
- 義疏所引《成唯識論》T31n1585 0029b22–b23：定義信為「心淨為性」。
- 同論 T31n1585 0029c03–c08：以「水清珠」能清濁水為喻，並以「不信」自相渾濁作反顯。
五 名相（首見·義）
- 信：於三寶·四諦·業果等深忍樂欲、心淨之善法；本品判為菩提之近因。
- 信相十三 / 信種十三：本品二組各十三之信目（詳〈白話〉）。
- 正受／似受：內證之信／外相之信。他力／自力：藉善友力／藉自力之信。
- 極入／遠入：功用位（初地至七地）之信／極淨位（八地至佛地）之信。
- 不壞淨：不可破壞之清淨信。增上慢：未證謂證之慢，障觀察信。
- 自分信：屬自地分位之信（無覆·相應·有聚·極入·遠入），讚為「速通」。
六 譬喻
本品「狗·龜·奴·王」四譬為論自具，如實傳之（述而不作），各配一類人之信：
- 餓狗求食（無厭）——習欲人之信（一切時種種而求）。
- 盲龜藏六（藏四肢頭尾）——習外定人之信（唯修世間定）。
- 賊奴畏主（畏主勤作）——自利人之信（怖生死勤方便）。
- 大王自在（詔勅無休）——利他人之信（增上教化無休息）。 四譬皆論本所立，無傷害之象；上三劣、後一勝，次第顯信之高下。
七 互讀
- 前品（菩提隨順）：本品所承（菩提者所謂信）。
- 瑜伽·菩薩地（信）· 成唯識論（信心所·十一善首）。
八 校本定位
本品 T31n1604 0608b11–0609b26（明信品究竟）。
I. Doctrinal-structural placement (科判定位)
The Chapter on Elucidating Faith stands eleventh along the spine; it carries on from the preceding chapter (「已說無上菩提隨順。菩提者，所謂信，此信相今當說」["Having spoken of the accord with unsurpassed awakening — awakening being, that is to say, faith — the characteristics of this faith shall now be spoken of"]). Within the chapter: the thirteen characteristics of faith (信相十三) → the thirteen kinds of faith (信種十三) → the obstacles to the characteristics of faith (信相障) → the obstacles to the kinds of faith (信種障) → the praise of faith's qualities (讚信功德) → the four similes (四譬) (dog · turtle · slave · king, matched to the faith of four classes of person) → the removing of a low and mean mind (遮下劣心) (the three causes being without limit) → the superiority of merit (福德勝) (great merit gained by expounding the great vehicle for others' sake) → the gaining of the fruit (得果) (the three fruits of great faith).
II. Cross-translation collation (譯名對校 · this treatise has no separate rendering; set out alongside the synonymous Xuanzang-lineage terms)
| This chapter (Prabhākaramitra's rendering) | Xuanzang-lineage synonym | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 信 [faith] | 信（śraddhā）[faith] | the first of the eleven wholesome mental factors |
| 正受／似受信 [true-receiving / semblance-receiving faith] | 內信／外信 [inner faith / outer faith] | inner realization · outer characteristic |
| 他力／自力信 [other-power / self-power faith] | 麁信／細信 [coarse faith / fine faith] | by the good friend's power · by one's own power |
| 可奪／有間／無間信 [snatchable / intermittent / uninterrupted faith] | 下品／中品／上品信 [lower-grade / middle-grade / higher-grade faith] | the three grades |
| 極入／遠入信 [deep-entering / far-entering faith] | 功用／極淨信 [effortful faith / utterly-pure faith] | first ground to the seventh · eighth ground to the buddha-ground |
| 不壞（淨） [the unbreakable (pure faith)] | 不壞淨·證淨 [unbreakable purity · the purity of realization] | the excellence of faith by the friend's power |
III. What the chapter establishes (義之所立 · the eye)
This chapter establishes "faith" as the accord with (the near cause of) unsurpassed awakening, and broadly distinguishes its characteristics and its kinds: the thirteen characteristics of faith (信相十三) (already-arisen / not-yet-arisen · true-receiving / semblance-receiving · other-power / self-power · deluded / undeluded · present / not-present · hearing the dharma / seeking the meaning / examining), and the thirteen kinds of faith (信種十三) (snatchable / intermittent / uninterrupted · much / little · veiled / unveiled · corresponding / non-corresponding · with-yield / without-yield · deep-entering / far-entering). It follows with the obstacles (障) (each fault obstructing its faith), the praise (讚) (each quality praising its faith), the four similes (四譬) (the faith of four classes of person), the removing of a low and mean mind (遮下劣心) (because the three causes are without limit, one should not shrink back), the superiority of merit (福勝) (great merit is gained by expounding the great vehicle for others' sake, not by expounding the small vehicle for one's own sake), and closes with the three fruits of great faith (大信三果) (the increase of faith · the increase of merit · the very substance of the buddha's qualities). The gist: faith is the first thing in entering the path, and the kinds of faith are matched to the grounds as they ascend (deep-entering, first ground to the seventh; far-entering, eighth ground to the buddha-ground). Intra-canonical inheritance: the Yogācārabhūmi, Bodhisattva-stage (faith) · the Cheng Weishi Lun (the mental factor of faith).
IV. Citations (徵引 · intra-canonical)
The characteristics of faith and the kinds of faith that this chapter distinguishes issue mutually with the mental factor of faith in the Cheng Weishi Lun (「信」心所, the first of the eleven wholesome dharmas) and with the treatment of faith in the Yogācārabhūmi, Bodhisattva-stage.
- The Exposition cites the Cheng Weishi Lun T31n1585 0029b22–b23, which defines faith as 「心淨為性」 ["having purity of mind as its nature"].
- The same treatise, T31n1585 0029c03–c08, uses the 「水清珠」 ["water-clearing pearl"] that clears turbid water as a simile and contrasts it with 「不信」 ["lack of faith"], whose own characteristic is turbid.
V. Terms (名相 · first-occurrence · meaning)
- 信 [faith]: the wholesome dharma of deep forbearance, delight, and longing toward the Three Jewels, the Four Truths, action and its fruit, and the like — the mind's purity; this chapter judges it to be the near cause of awakening.
- 信相十三 / 信種十三 [the thirteen characteristics of faith / the thirteen kinds of faith]: this chapter's two sets, each of thirteen items of faith (detailed in the 〈Vernacular〉).
- 正受／似受 [true-receiving / semblance-receiving]: the faith of inner realization / the faith of the outer characteristic. 他力／自力 [other-power / self-power]: faith by way of the good friend's power / by way of one's own power.
- 極入／遠入 [deep-entering / far-entering]: the faith of the position of effort (first ground to the seventh) / the faith of the position of utter purity (eighth ground to the buddha-ground).
- 不壞淨 [unbreakable purity]: the pure faith that cannot be broken. 增上慢 [overweening conceit]: the conceit of claiming realization not yet realized, which obstructs the faith of examining.
- 自分信 [faith of one's own portion]: the faith belonging to the position of one's own ground (unveiled · corresponding · with-yield · deep-entering · far-entering), praised as "swift penetration."
VI. Similes (譬喻)
This chapter's four similes of 狗·龜·奴·王 [dog · turtle · slave · king] are the treatise's own (論自具); they are transmitted as they stand (transmitting, not composing), each matched to one class of person's faith:
- 餓狗求食 [a starving dog seeking food] (無厭 [insatiable]) — the faith of one habituated to desire (習欲人) (faith at all times and of every sort).
- 盲龜藏六 [a blind turtle drawing in its six] (藏四肢頭尾 [drawing in its four limbs, head, and tail]) — the faith of one habituated to outer concentration (習外定人) (knowing only the cultivation of worldly concentration).
- 賊奴畏主 [a thieving slave in dread of his master] (畏主勤作 [in dread of the master, diligent at his tasks]) — the faith of one bent on self-benefit (自利人) (fearing birth-and-death, diligent in expedient means).
- 大王自在 [a great king sovereign at his ease] (詔勅無休 [issuing decrees without rest]) — the faith of one bent on benefiting others (利他人) (unceasing in the ascendant work of teaching and transforming).
All four similes are established by the treatise itself; none carries an image of harm. The first three are inferior and the last superior; in sequence they display the higher and lower degrees of faith.
VII. Cross-readings (互讀)
- The preceding chapter (the accord with awakening) (菩提隨順): what this chapter carries on from (awakening being, that is to say, faith).
- The Yogācārabhūmi, Bodhisattva-stage (faith) · the Cheng Weishi Lun (the mental factor of faith · the first of the eleven wholesome dharmas).
VIII. Witness collation (校本定位)
This chapter is T31n1604 0608b11–0609b26 (the Chapter on Elucidating Faith complete).