法華文句記 6.36

6.36

As for 'body, feelings' and so forth: these are what inversions rely upon. From 'from this' downward are the marks of inversion. They are briefly explained as in the seventh fascicle of the *Great Calming and Contemplation* and its commentary. According to the sequential arrangement of the sūtras and treatises, before this one must establish the station of the five mind-stoppers. The *Kośa* says: 'To enter cultivation, there are essentially two gateways: the contemplation of impurity and the counting of breaths. Those with predominant greed and discursive thought should cultivate them in sequential order. To generally remedy the four types of greed, one first contemplates the skeleton, expanding it to the ocean and contracting it again; this is called the station of initial practice. Eliminating from the feet up to half the head is called well-matured cultivation; fixing the mind between the eyebrows is called the station of transcending deliberate attention.' What is called greed refers to prominent colour, bodily shape, fine adornment, and delicate touch; compared to the six in the *Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa*, it lacks human appearance, voice, and seductive mannerisms. As for counting breaths and so forth: *ānā* is translated here as 'sending in', and *apāna* is translated here as 'sending out'; it is simply the inhalation and exhalation of breath. As for 'eight sufferings': these are the fruits of inversion. Chapter Twelve of the *Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra* says: 'What is called suffering has the meaning of oppression.' What is called oppression refers to the three sufferings and the eight sufferings. As for the three sufferings: they arise based on the three feelings. Painful feeling gives rise to the suffering of suffering; being born in the desire realm, the suffering is equal to that of the three wretched destinies, hence it is called the suffering of suffering. The three realms are already suffering, and the desire realm is suffering yet again, hence it is called the suffering of suffering. Pleasant feeling gives rise to the suffering of decay; when pleasure decays, the suffering is equal to that of the three wretched destinies, hence it is called the suffering of decay. Suffering that is intermediate is called the suffering of conditioned existence, extending throughout up to the formless realm. The *Kośa* says: 'Just as placing a single eyelash on the palm is not noticed by a person, yet if placed upon the eyeball, it causes damage and extreme discomfort.' Ordinary beings are like the palm of a hand, unaware of the eyelash of the suffering of conditioned existence; thus the *Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra* says: 'Within underlying suffering, they falsely generate the notion of pleasure.' Although this is so when discussed separately, speaking generally it pervades the three realms, each fully possessing the three sufferings. As for the eight sufferings: they are birth and the rest. The suffering of birth has five: first, the suffering of birth, which is when first receiving the embryo; second, reaching completion; third, growth; fourth, emerging from the womb; fifth, categories of existence. Old age has two kinds: moment-to-moment, and lifelong. It also has another two kinds: growth, and decay. As for the suffering of illness: first is the disharmony of the four great elements, which has two kinds: physical illness and mental illness. The suffering of death has three kinds: first, karmic retribution; second, evil retribution; third, the transition of seasonal periods. It also has another two kinds: death by illness, and external conditions, and so forth. Separation from what is loved is due to abandoning what is loved, which is precisely the suffering of decay. Association with what is hated is the painful mind, because the painful mind encounters a painful object. Failing to obtain what is sought is also explained in terms of separation from the loved and association with the hated. The five grasping aggregates: the sūtra explains that the previous seven are the five grasping aggregates. Kāśyapa objected, saying: 'This meaning is not so. Just as the Buddha previously taught that all sentient beings seek form, if form were suffering, they should not seek form.' The Buddha said: 'Suffering has three kinds, which are precisely the three feelings; although sought, failing to obtain is suffering as previously stated.'