維摩經略疏 3.92

3.92

「是身不淨」下，二、說不淨觀破欲界思惟。若接前說，即是修道共念處得解觀行行助道。故此不定，更向前明即是見道方便。今既見道後說，故約修道。菩薩若入見道，欲進修不淨破愛，對治諸禪，先用此四破欲界結，若斷六品即斯陀含，若智若斷是菩薩無生；若九品盡即阿那含，智斷是菩薩無生。今不淨觀約對四想者，一往經文有此意也。言四想者，一身不淨想、二食不淨想、三世間不可樂想、四死想。初「是身不淨」，即身不淨想。次「雖假以衣食」，即食不淨想。次「是身為災」，即世間不可樂想。次「是身無定」，即死想。次「毒蛇」等譬，總譬四想想。次約此作四苦者，是身不淨乃至假以衣食，即是生苦。次云「百一病惱」即是病苦。次云「丘井」即是老苦。次云「為要當死」即是死苦。次毒蛇等亦是總譬四苦。但四苦有二，若言即生即老即病即死，是為約理，此屬慧行，具如前解；約事四苦即是行行。今是事四苦。「是身不淨穢惡充滿」者，即五種不淨，若因隨息見此不淨即是特勝，因觀息見即是通明，因假想見即九想背捨等。言生苦者，五種不淨除於究竟，餘皆生苦。是身至磨滅，是食不淨想，以食入腹便成糞穢，及諸毛孔恒流不淨，雖復澡浴垢穢續生，雖好食嚴飾須臾臭弊，身及衣服必歸磨滅。食體不淨唾合如吐，乃至三十六物皆從食起，此想破貪食也。言生苦者，生則有之。「是身至所逼」即老病二苦。是眾生五陰世間有此苦法，故屬世間不可樂想。只以正報不可樂故，依報國土皆不可樂。種種病苦從身而起，當知身是災禍處。百一病惱者，一大不調百一病動，四大不調四百四病因身而發。是諸病苦皆惱於身，即是災患。四苦分文即事病苦。「是身如丘井為老所逼」，四想猶屬眾生五陰，為老所逼故不可樂。若依四苦，正是老苦也。什師云：「丘井者朽井也，不任受用。」「是身無定為要當死」，即是死想，四苦即死苦也。三事成身業力所持，因緣假合緣散身滅，或他害死，山海空市無得免者，故言為要當死。如佛問比丘：「汝云何修於死想？」有比丘言：「不保七日。」有云六日乃至一日半日。佛言：「皆是懈怠修死想者。」有言：「出息不保入息。」佛言：「善哉善哉，是真修死想者。若能如是，不久當得解脫涅槃。」

From "This body is impure" onward is, second, explaining the contemplation of impurity to refute the thinking-defilements of the desire realm. If connected with the preceding explanation, this refers to the auxiliary path of practice that obtains understanding through the common stations of mindfulness on the path of cultivation. Therefore this is not fixed; if explained further beforehand, it would be the expedient means of the path of seeing. Since it is now spoken after the path of seeing, it is explained in terms of the path of cultivation. If a bodhisattva enters the path of seeing and wishes to advance in practicing impurity to shatter craving and counteract the various dhyānas, they first use these four to shatter the bonds of the desire realm: if they sever six grades, they are a sakṛdāgāmin, where their wisdom and severance are the bodhisattva's non-arising; if the nine grades are exhausted, they are an anāgāmin, where wisdom and severance are the bodhisattva's non-arising. Now, explaining the contemplation of impurity in terms of the four contemplations follows the general sense of the sūtra text. As for the four contemplations: first, the contemplation of the body's impurity; second, the contemplation of the impurity of food; third, the contemplation of the world as joyless; fourth, the contemplation of death. First, 'This body is impure' is the contemplation of the body's impurity. Next, 'though temporarily sustained by clothing and food' is the contemplation of the impurity of food. Next, 'This body is a disaster' is the contemplation of the world as joyless. Next, 'This body is indefinite' is the contemplation of death. Next, the similes of 'poisonous snakes' and so forth generally illustrate the four contemplations. Next, making the four sufferings in terms of this: from 'This body is impure' up to 'temporarily sustained by clothing and food' is the suffering of birth. Next, 'vexed by the hundred and one diseases' is the suffering of illness. Next, 'hillside well' is the suffering of old age. Next, 'inevitably bound to die' is the suffering of death. Next, the poisonous snakes and so forth also generally illustrate the four sufferings. However, there are two kinds of four sufferings: if one says that birth itself, old age itself, illness itself, and death itself [are identical with reality], this is in terms of principle and belongs to the practice of wisdom, fully explained as before; the four sufferings in terms of phenomena belong to the practice of conduct. Here it is the four sufferings in terms of phenomena. 'This body is impure, filled with filth and evil' refers to the five kinds of impurity: if seen through following the breath, it is the superior method; if seen through contemplating the breath, it is through-illumination; if seen through conceptual visualization, it is the nine contemplations, eight liberations, and so forth. As for the suffering of birth: among the five kinds of impurity, except for the ultimate, the rest are all the suffering of birth. From 'This body' up to 'worn away' is the contemplation of the impurity of food: because once food enters the stomach it turns into feces and filth, and the pores constantly discharge impurities; though one bathes, defilement continually arises; though good food adorns it, in an instant it becomes foul and ruined, and the body along with its clothing must inevitably turn to wear and tear. The substance of food is impure, mixed with saliva like vomit, and even the thirty-six substances all arise from food; this contemplation shatters greed for food. As for the suffering of birth, having birth entails having them. From 'This body' up to 'oppressed by' is the two sufferings of old age and illness. These suffering dharmas exist in the world of the five aggregates of sentient beings, and therefore belong to the contemplation of the world as joyless. Precisely because the primary retribution is joyless, the dependent retribution of the land is entirely joyless. Various sufferings of illness arise from the body; one should know that the body is a locus of calamity. As for 'vexed by the hundred and one diseases': when one great element is out of harmony, a hundred and one diseases are stirred up; when the four great elements are out of harmony, four hundred and four diseases break out on account of the body. These various sufferings of illness all vex the body; that is calamity. Dividing the text by the four sufferings, this is the phenomenal suffering of illness. 'This body is like a hillside well, oppressed by old age': the four contemplations still pertain to the five aggregates of sentient beings, which are oppressed by old age and thus joyless. If relying on the four sufferings, it is precisely the suffering of old age. Master Kumārajīva said: 'A hillside well is a dilapidated well, unfit for use.' 'This body is indefinite, inevitably bound to die' is the contemplation of death, and among the four sufferings it is the suffering of death. The three things constitute the body, sustained by the force of karma; provisionally united through causes and conditions, when conditions disperse the body perishes, or it dies by another's harm; whether in mountains, oceans, open air, or marketplaces, none can escape it; therefore it says it is 'inevitably bound to die.' As when the Buddha asked the monks: 'How do you practice the contemplation of death?' One monk said: 'I cannot guarantee seven days.' Some said six days, down to one day or half a day. The Buddha said: 'These are all lazy practitioners of the contemplation of death.' One said: 'With an exhalation, I cannot guarantee an inhalation.' The Buddha said: 'Excellent, excellent! This is one who truly practices the contemplation of death. If one can be like this, one will before long attain liberation and nirvāṇa.'