俱舍論記 8.173

8.173

「又無色界至皆是虛妄」者，又破。若言壽量中間般涅槃故名為中般，無色亦有壽量中間般涅槃，故應名中般。然不說彼無色界中有中般者，如嗢陀南伽陀中說。嗢陀南，此云集施。伽陀，此云頌。佛集要義為頌，施諸有情，故名集施頌。聖謂聖人，賢謂凡夫。謂如有一離欲惡不善法得初靜慮，而於初定生愛樂心不求出世，或造上品因生大梵處，或造中品因生梵輔處，或造下品因生梵眾處，即為三人。或有一人得初定已不以為足，而於初定諸有漏法生心厭離，欣樂涅槃所有善根迴求菩提，便能種殖解脫分善，足前為四。復有一人得彼定已證不還果，於欲界身能斷諸漏，名為現般，足前為五。復有五人得初定已，或至中般、或至生般、或有行般、或無行般、或上流般，即五不還，足前為十。如是十種皆依初定，如依初定有十，依二、三、四定準此皆十。問：第四定中天數既多，如何乃言同下唯十？解云：五淨居天唯是聖者，應知即是生般等收。無想必是外道所生。此明賢、聖唯佛弟子，是故不說。大梵由是無尋定果，必應得故、佛弟子故，所以別說，故言四靜慮各十。前三無色，於前十中各除中般，得彼定者無中有故。又除二生，彼處一故。各有七種，故言三無色各七。非想地中於前七內又除上流，得彼定已無上生故。若橫望而言，非想地中亦有上流般。今據無上地可生，言無上流，故言唯六謂非想。又解：初定業為一人，得初定已種解脫分善為第二人，得彼定已現般為第三。及七善士趣，即中般分三并生般等四，足前為十。二、三、四定及無色，準除可知。以此證知，於無色界無有中般，故彼所執皆是虛妄。

"Furthermore, the formless realm [...] are all completely unfounded" is a further refutation. If it is called "attaining parinirvāṇa in the intermediate state" because one attains parinirvāṇa midway through the lifespan, the formless realm also has attaining parinirvāṇa midway through the lifespan, and so it should also be called "attaining parinirvāṇa in the intermediate state." Yet intermediate parinirvāṇa is not spoken of in that formless realm, as stated in the Udāna-gāthā. Udāna is translated here as "collected donation" (ji shi). Gāthā is translated here as verse. The Buddha collected essential meanings into verses and bestowed them upon sentient beings; hence they are called "collected donation verses." "Noble" refers to noble persons (ārya); "worthy" refers to ordinary persons (pṛthagjana). That is, suppose there is someone who, detached from sensual desires and unwholesome phenomena, attains the first dhyāna, but develops attachment to the first absorption and does not seek transcendence; either they create superior karma and are born in the realm of Mahābrahmā, or create middling karma and are born in the realm of Brahmapurohita, or create inferior karma and are born in the realm of Brahmapāriṣadya—these constitute three persons. Or there is a person who, having attained the first absorption, is not content with it, but generates a mind of revulsion toward all conditioned, contaminated phenomena of the first absorption, and with joy aspiring to nirvāṇa, turns all their roots of goodness toward the pursuit of bodhi, and is thus able to plant roots of goodness conducive to liberation; adding this to the previous makes four. Again, there is a person who, having attained that absorption, realizes the fruit of non-returning and, within the body of the desire realm, can sever all contaminations; this is called "attaining parinirvāṇa in the present life," which brings the total to five. Again, there are five persons who, having attained the first absorption, either attain parinirvāṇa in the intermediate state, or parinirvāṇa upon rebirth, or parinirvāṇa with exertion, or parinirvāṇa without exertion, or parinirvāṇa by flowing upstream—these are the five non-returners, which brings the total to ten. These ten kinds are all based on the first absorption. Just as based on the first absorption there are ten, based on the second, third, and fourth absorptions there are likewise ten each. Question: Since the number of heavens in the fourth absorption is many, why is it said that like the lower ones there are only ten? Explanation: The five Śuddhāvāsa heavens are exclusively for noble ones, and should be understood as subsumed under parinirvāṇa upon rebirth and the like. The Heaven of Non-conception is necessarily where non-Buddhists are born. Since this explains only the worthy and noble disciples of the Buddha, it is not mentioned. Because Mahābrahmā is the result of non-discursive absorption and must definitely be attained, and because they are disciples of the Buddha, they are spoken of separately; hence it is said that the four dhyānas have ten each. For the first three formless realms, from the previous ten, parinirvāṇa in the intermediate state is excluded in each, because those who attain those absorptions have no intermediate existence. Furthermore, two rebirths are excluded, because that place is single. Each has seven kinds; hence it says "the three formless realms each have seven." In the stage of Neither-Perception-Nor-Non-Perception, from the previous seven, flowing upstream is further excluded, because having attained that absorption there is no higher rebirth. If viewed horizontally, in Neither-Perception-Nor-Non-Perception there is also parinirvāṇa by flowing upstream. Here, based on there being no higher stage in which to be born, it is said there is no flowing upstream; thus it says "there are only six in Neither-Perception-Nor-Non-Perception." Another explanation: karma of the first absorption constitutes one person; having attained the first absorption and planted the roots of goodness conducive to liberation is the second person; having attained that absorption and attained parinirvāṇa in the present life is the third; and the seven paths of virtuous persons—namely, parinirvāṇa in the intermediate state divided into three, plus parinirvāṇa upon rebirth and the other three—brings the total to ten. The second, third, and fourth absorptions, as well as the formless realms, can be understood by proportionate deduction. By this it is proven that in the formless realm there is no intermediate parinirvāṇa; hence what they maintain is all completely unfounded.