本覺

Original (sa) bodhi, i. e. 'enlightenment', awareness, knowledge, or wisdom, as contrasted with 始覺 initial knowledge, that is 'enlightenment a priori is contrasted with enlightenment a posteriori'. Suzuki, <Awakening of Faith>, P. 62. The reference is to universal mind 衆生之心體, which is conceived as pure and intelligent, with 始覺 as active intelligence. It is considered as the (sa) Buddha-dharmakāya, or as it might perhaps be termed, the fundamental mind. Nevertheless in action from the first it was influenced by its antithesis 無明 ignorance, the opposite of awareness, or true knowledge. See 起信論 and 仁王經,中. There are two kinds of 本覺, one which is unconditioned, and never sullied by ignorance and delusion, the other which is conditioned and subject to ignorance. In original enlightenment is implied potential enlightenment in each being.