大般涅槃經集解 36.61

36.61

案僧亮曰：總答上難也。生梵天者有淺有深，上二界皆名大梵，初禪初得其名，明四無量行有淺深。經云「脩慈極遠生第三禪，脩悲生空處，脩喜生識處，脩捨生不用處。」性有深淺，不應離也。

Sengliang states: This is a general reply to the objections above. As for being born in the Brahmā heaven, there is shallow and deep; the upper two realms are both called Mahābrahmā, and the first dhyāna first obtains this name, showing that the practice of the four immeasurables has shallow and deep degrees. The sūtra says: 'Cultivating loving-kindness to the utmost reaches rebirth in the third dhyāna; cultivating compassion brings rebirth in the sphere of empty space; cultivating sympathetic joy brings rebirth in the sphere of consciousness; cultivating equanimity brings rebirth in the sphere of nothingness.' Since their natures have shallow and deep, they should not be separated.