大般涅槃經疏 30.12

30.12

Next is the explanation of the second, attaining nirvāṇa upon receiving a body, which also has two parts: first, the direct explanation; next, the debate. Here first is the direct explanation: that is, the person who attains extinction upon rebirth attains extinction upon being reborn in the first dhyāna. Next is the debate, first asking and then answering, which can be seen. Next is the explanation of the third, attaining extinction through practice. One who constantly practices is of dull faculties. Saying "samādhi" is because the mind of wisdom is tranquil, hence it is named samādhi. Next is the explanation of the fourth, attaining extinction without practice. Not waiting for one's own exertion before attaining extinction, it is therefore sharp. Next is the explanation of the fifth, the upward-flowing person, which also has two parts: first, solely with respect to the form realm; next, universally with respect to the upper two realms. This is the first text. As for saying that having attained the fourth dhyāna one regresses and is born in the first dhyāna, the explanation is: In reality no noble one attains the absorption of an upper realm, is born in an upper realm, and then regresses to be born below. There is this statement because having previously attained the upper absorption in anticipatory cultivation and then regressed, they are born below; it is not that their person is in an upper realm and then regresses. Furthermore, saying that they are born upward due to the stream of the path means it is a skillful means, not taking rebirth through actual afflictions. In "these four dhyānas" below, the second part universally covers the upper two realms; branching out from here, they are born into the two realms: those who delight in debate are born in Akaniṣṭha, and those who delight in samādhi are born in the plane of nothingness. Question: There are those who from the first dhyāna are immediately born in Akaniṣṭha and then attain extinction. There are also those who are born in the plane of nothingness and only then attain extinction. There are those who attain extinction before reaching Akaniṣṭha, and those who attain extinction before reaching the plane of nothingness. To which persons do these belong? Answer: These belong to the two persons of attained through vision and released by faith; they are not called upward-flowing. Altogether four meanings are contrasted: first, based on delighting in absorption versus delighting in wisdom; second, clarifying cultivating the five gradations versus not cultivating the five gradations; third, delighting in tranquility versus delighting in debate; fourth, cultivating perfumed dhyāna versus not cultivating perfumed dhyāna. These four meanings resolve back into two points: the third establishes the first—delighting in wisdom versus delighting in samādhi; the fourth resolves back into the previous distinction between having the five gradations and not having gradations. The first three are as in the text. Regarding "perfuming" in the fourth, there are two explanations: First, the Abhidharma masters say that two uncontaminated minds sandwich and perfume one contaminated mind; second, treatise masters say that one perfumes this absorption with the mind of friendliness and compassion. The reason why the latter two topic headings are not explained is that the former six persons originally added the person who attains extinction in the present life, and the preceding topic heading had already finished explaining the person who attains extinction in the present life, so now they are not explained. The former seven persons originally added the upward-faring person who goes up to the formless realm to attain extinction, and above this was already explained along with the fifth person, so there is no need to explain it.