法華玄義釋籤 7.4

7.4

Next, regarding the five methods of stilling [the mind] and the four applications of mindfulness: first the five methods of stilling, and next the four applications of mindfulness. In the first part on the five methods of stilling, there are three: first, explaining the names; second, from 'The contemplating [faculty] can' down, explaining the function of stilling the mind; third, from 'Counting breaths' down, directly explaining their application as remedies. It merely lists the names corresponding to the afflictions; this is extensively as recorded in the tenth [fascicle] of the Zhiguan. Next, in the four applications of mindfulness, it also briefly omits the names, merely raising the numbers corresponding to the stages; coming below to the illuminating contemplation, the textual characteristics are somewhat more extensive. Within this there are also two: first, explaining the function; second, from 'First overturning' down, determining the stages. Namely, it takes the functions as their characteristics. As for 'The four wholesome roots above the stage of Heat', all are based on the *Vibhāṣā*, though the textual characteristics are somewhat condensed. Now I briefly bring forth the text of the treatise. Regarding the initial 'Heat', there are five: first, directly explaining the meaning of Heat; second, from 'The Venerable' down, explaining that Heat is at the beginning; third, from 'Toward the true Dharma' down, explaining the truths that are its objective support; fourth, from 'All' down, analyzing and resolving doubts; fifth, from 'Heat has' down, explaining its functions. In the first text, it is due to the contemplation of wisdom that Heat arises. The next text is clear. In the third text, there are three: first, an explanation; second, analysis; third, from 'As the Buddha [said]' down, citing proof that it must take the four truths as its objective support. In the fourth, the analysis, there are two: first, analyzing the dharmas; second, analyzing the grades. The initial phrase, 'all giving is entirely dedicated to liberation', and so forth: the *Vibhāṣā* states, 'People of the Western Region made this treatise'; the present text briefly relies on their questions, which ask: What is the purport of the wholesome root of Heat? What does it rely upon? What cause and condition? What dharma? What fruit? What retribution? What wholesome benefit? How many practices does it practice? Is it conditioned arising? Is it conditioned origination? Is it wisdom arisen from hearing? Is it wisdom arisen from thinking? Is it wisdom arisen from cultivation? Does it belong to the desire, form, or formless realm? Is it accompanied by vitarka and vicāra, or up to free of vitarka and vicāra? With what faculties is it associated? Is it of one mind or multiple minds? Is it retrogression or non-retrogression? Down to the mundane supreme dharma, it questions in the same manner. The present text lacks the characters for question and answer, and directly presents the text of the answers. The answers of the treatise are completely as in the present text, down to the wholesome root of Patience being entirely dedicated to liberation as its purport, and so forth, merely lacking the text answering 'what dharma'. It should say that it is an outflow-associated dharma, Summit is the fruit of effort of Heat, and the cause that determines nirvāṇa is its benefit; there are also those who say that not severing the wholesome roots is its benefit. It also asks: How many kinds of the dharma of Heat are there? The answer is as in the text. It also asks: How many persons are there from the desire realm to the stage of nothingness? The answer is that each has nine grades, and together with one fully bound person, there are seventy-three persons in total. Next, analyzing the grades of wholesome roots: it makes an analysis in contrast to the lower three wholesome roots. The text of the second master resembles four grades, but the intention lies only in three. Yet regarding leaping in order to take, this is because by analogy with the previous nine grades it also leaps. As for 'lies only in three', the lowest of the low and the middle of the low are just the low; the high of the middle is just the middle; the high of the high is just the high. Heat and Summit, among the lower three grades, are the lowest of the low and the middle of the low; although there are two grades, they lie only in the low. Patience takes the highest of the middle three grades; the mundane supreme takes the highest of the highest three grades. Ghoṣaka stated that the higher of the nine grades can encompass the lower, so Summit has six and Patience has eight. Because the mundane supreme is close to the real, it cannot encompass many, hence it is only the highest of the high. Since the nine grades use the higher to encompass the lower, the three grades do likewise. Thus Heat has one, down to Patience having three, and the mundane supreme likewise having only one kind; the meaning is also as before. In the fifth, on functions, where it speaks of 'two relinquishments': 'parting from realms and grounds' refers to ascending from below to above; at the time of retrogression, it refers to 'losing the higher and retrogressing to the lower'; at the time of losing or obtaining dhyāna, it is thus called 'the time of loss'.