俱舍論記 8.75

8.75

「有色有情至故名身異」者，釋第二句。梵眾天言，舉初顯後。總攝三天，唯取劫初不取後時。以劫初起，梵眾起想：我等皆是大梵所生。大梵起想：是諸梵眾皆我所生。梵王、梵眾同執一因而生想故，名想一。故《正理》二十云「豈不梵眾言：我從彼生。而大梵王言：我能生彼。想即有異，如何言一？此責非理。梵眾、梵王同執一因而生想故。或緣所化想是一故。」解云：同執一因、同緣所化，想無別故。與此論意同。又《正理》云「何緣梵眾同生此想？由見梵王處所、形色及神通等皆殊勝故。又觀大梵先時已有，己及餘天後方生故。彼不能見從上地沒，依初靜慮發宿住通，不能了知上地境故。何緣大梵亦生此想？彼纔發心，眾便生故。謂己所化，非速沒故。或愚業果感起理故。或見己身形狀、勢力、壽、威德等過餘眾故。梵眾、梵王身雖有殊而生一想。言身異者，梵王、梵眾其身各異，故名身異。」此文且以大梵對梵眾明身異。梵輔、梵眾當處相望身亦有異，故《顯宗》十二云「言身異者，初靜慮中有表、無表、尋、伺多識為因，感身有差別故。」

"Sentient beings possessed of form ... therefore called diverse in body" explains the second line. The phrase 'Brahmapāriṣadya gods' mentions the first to indicate those that follow. It encompasses all three heavens, but takes only the initial beginning of the aeon and does not take the times that follow. Because at the initial beginning of the aeon, the Brahmapāriṣadyas generate the perception: 'We were all produced by Mahābrahmā.' Mahābrahmā generates the perception: 'All these Brahmapāriṣadyas were produced by me.' Because the Brahma king and the Brahmapāriṣadyas both adhere to a single cause and generate this perception, it is called 'uniform in perception'. Thus the Nyāyānusāra (fascicle 20) says: 'Would not the Brahmapāriṣadyas say: "I was born from him", while the Great Brahma King says: "I was able to give birth to them"? Their perceptions being diverse, how can it be called uniform? This objection is unjustified. It is because the Brahmapāriṣadyas and the Brahma king both adhere to a single cause and generate their perception; or because their perception taking what is emanated as an object is single.' The explanation is: they both adhere to a single cause and both take what is emanated as an object, so their perceptions are without difference. This accords with the intent of this treatise. Furthermore, the Nyāyānusāra says: 'For what reason do the Brahmapāriṣadyas uniformly generate this perception? It is because they see that the Brahma king's dwelling place, bodily form and color, supernormal powers, and so forth are all superior. Furthermore, they observe that Mahābrahmā existed previously, while they themselves and other gods were born only afterwards. They are incapable of seeing that they fell from higher stages; and their supernormal power of recollecting past abodes, being based on the first dhyāna, is incapable of knowing the spheres of higher stages. For what reason does Mahābrahmā also generate this perception? Because as soon as he gave rise to the thought, the assembly was born. He considers them his own emanations and that they will not swiftly perish. Or it is because he is deluded about the principle governing the karmic fruition of their emergence. Or it is because he sees that his own bodily form, power, lifespan, majestic virtue, and so forth surpass the rest of the assembly. Although the bodies of the Brahmapāriṣadyas and the Brahma king are distinct, they generate a uniform perception. As for "diverse in body", the Brahma king and the Brahmapāriṣadyas have bodies that are distinct from one another, and are therefore called "diverse in body".' This text primarily contrasts Mahābrahmā with the Brahmapāriṣadyas to clarify diversity in body. Between the Brahmapurohitas and the Brahmapāriṣadyas in that place, their bodies are also mutually distinct. Thus the Samayapradīpikā (fascicle 12) says: 'As for "diverse in body", it is because in the first dhyāna there are vijñapti, avijñapti, vitarka, vicāra, and multiple consciousnesses as causes, which induce differences in their bodies.'