四分律行事鈔資持記 2.5

2.5

Categories and classes are the grand divisions that encompass offenses, the guidelines on which judgments are based; they distinguish the weight of karma and determine the depth of retribution. "Category" (piān) is the designation for a chapter or section, meaning that offenses are categorized into distinct sections; "class" (jù) is the title for an aggregation, meaning that offenses have specific branches. "Category" comes from the Mahāsāṃghika, while "class" comes from our own Vinaya; the names differ but the meaning is one, which is why both are headlined here. The Commentary quotes an ancient explanation: that which possesses the three uniformities is called a "category": first, uniformity of name (within their respective categories, they share one name; uniformity means equality); second, uniformity of nature (because the offense and repentance are the same); third, uniformity of culmination (not serving as the preparatory stages for other categories). Those that do not possess them are called "classes", such as the thullaccaya and duṣkṛta; they only have uniformity of name, while their nature is not uniform (thullaccaya is divided into three kinds of repentance, duṣkṛta is divided into two kinds of deśanā), and their culmination is not uniform (thullaccaya is restricted to arising from the first two, while duṣkṛta extends to the preparatory stages of all categories). Our master does not take this view; the names "category" and "class" are general and do not necessarily correspond exclusively; they are distinguished as uniform or mixed solely based on the five and seven [classes]. Hence the Commentary says: "Even though a class follows the five positions, its meaning possesses the three uniformities; while the name 'category' resides in the seven, because it originally gathers the mixed." Question: If based on the Prātimokṣa, there are naturally eight categories; now that they are divided into five and seven, how do they correspond? Answer: What is now called categories and classes is not confined to the Prātimokṣa; it is merely an established designation that collectively gathers all offenses. If the number five is used to correspond to the Prātimokṣa, the thirty and the ninety are combined into one, and the indefinite and the settling of disputes are subsumed under duṣkṛta. However, the original establishment of names does not follow textual forms; as long as what is prohibited by the vinaya rules pervades environments numerous as dust and sand, their causes, effects, gravity, and lightness are collectively subsumed under the five or the seven. The only difference is that the five gather the fundamental offenses, while the seven mix the fundamental causes. Question: Since the single class of duṣkṛta lacks the meaning of the three uniformities, how can it enter into the five? Answer: It is truly as your objection states; therefore in the text below, the distinction between uniform and mixed is based only on the first four. Now, in accordance with the Precept Commentary, we provisionally speak in terms of the one hundred precepts of the Prātimokṣa. In the title, the terms "categories and classes" are general, running through the "names and retributions" below; "names and retributions" are specific terms, which are the subsequent two headings. "Name" refers to the penalty instituted by the teaching; "retribution" refers to the fruit brought about by the cause. By examining the name, one understands the teaching; by observing the fruit, one knows the cause. The origin of this chapter can be seen from this. (Some editions have "future retribution", which is an error in transmission.)