釋摩訶衍論 3.32

3.32

The treatise says: The characteristic of abiding has four [aspects]. What are the four? The first is the characteristic of evolving; the second is the characteristic of manifesting; the third is the characteristic of cognition; the fourth is the characteristic of continuation. These are called the four. By what meaning are such four characteristics spoken of as 'abiding'? Here the meaning of abiding differs according to what is appropriate. That is to say: If one explains its characteristic of abiding in terms of the characteristic of evolving, because it can maintain the perfuming of the mind and consciousness, it is named the characteristic of abiding. If one explains its characteristic of abiding in terms of the characteristic of manifesting, because it can maintain the perfuming of physical forms, it is named the characteristic of abiding. If one explains its characteristic of abiding in terms of the characteristic of cognition, because it can maintain the six kinds of gradual defilements associated with discriminating cognition, it is named the characteristic of abiding. If one explains its characteristic of abiding in terms of the characteristic of continuation, because it can maintain the continuous defilement of the discriminating consciousness of objects, it is named the characteristic of abiding. These are subtle parts, not coarse parts. What is the literal meaning of the characteristic of alteration, and what are its characteristics? The verse says: