注維摩詰經 7.68

7.68

[Kumāra]jīva says: In the first dhyāna, excluding the Brahmā King at the beginning of the kalpa and the minor Brahmās at the beginning of the kalpa, thereafter they unite as the first station of consciousness. At the beginning of a kalpa, there is only the Brahmā King and no other Brahmās; the Brahmā King thinks of wanting other Brahmās to exist, and at that time other Brahmās happen to be born there by chance. The Brahmā King then gives rise to the false view that they were created by himself, and the other Brahmās also consider themselves to have been born from the Brahmā King. Although there are differences of subtle and coarse, their false conception is not different; this is called 'different bodies and unified perception', the second station of consciousness. In the second dhyāna, their forms have neither superiority nor inferiority, but their minds have various differences; excluding those entering liberation, they have diverse thoughts; this is called 'unified form and different perceptions', the third station of consciousness. In the third dhyāna, forms have neither coarse nor subtle, and minds have no disparate thoughts—what is called the 'single perception of bliss'; this is the fourth station of consciousness. Together with the first three stages of the formless realm, these are called the seven stations of consciousness. 'Station of consciousness' means that consciousness attains a peaceful dwelling. When consciousness and mindfulness are clear and distinct, free from affliction and destruction, it is called a 'station'. The miserable destinies are destroyed by pain and suffering; the fourth dhyāna is destroyed by non-conception; the stage of neither-perception-nor-non-perception is destroyed by the samādhi of cessation. Also, in those stages the mental conceptions are dim and faint, and mindfulness is not distinct, so consciousness does not abide peacefully. Question: The desire realm is also destroyed by the miserable destinies; why is a station of consciousness established there? Answer: It takes destruction by stage, not destruction by realm. In the desire realm, the miserable destinies and wholesome destinies represent conflicting destinies and distinct stages; their suffering and joy are completely different and do not mutually intrude, so they do not destroy each other. Furthermore, an alternate interpretation says this should refer to the seven latent proclivities.