俱舍論記 3.32

3.32

Regarding "In the state of reversal... the sūtra establishes the sequence": in the state of reversal, the last eight faculties are established precisely in terms of four meanings. The purport of the Nyāyānusāra explains them in terms of the attainment of nirvāṇa; hence Nyāyānusāra fascicle 9 says: "The cessation of birth-and-death is the meaning of reversal, which is the ultimate annihilation of the six bases. The basis of this attainment refers to the five beginning with faith, because they are the most supreme causes for the growth of all wholesome roots. The initial uncontaminated faculty can produce this attainment, because it arises first within the assembly of the determined-in-the-right. The intermediate uncontaminated faculty causes this attainment to endure, because it arises continuously for a long period. The final uncontaminated faculty causes one to attain the enjoyment of dwelling happily in the present phenomena, because it is made manifest by it" (end of text of the treatise). That is, the basis of the attainment of reversal refers to the five faculties beginning with faith. Due to the initial uncontaminated [faculty], the attainment of nirvāṇa arises; due to the intermediate uncontaminated [faculty], the attainment of nirvāṇa endures; due to the final uncontaminated [faculty], the attainment of nirvāṇa is enjoyed as dwelling happily in the present phenomena. The quantity of the faculties is established according to these four meanings, without deficiency and without excess. It is precisely due to the causes and conditions of these four meanings of transmigration and reversal that the sūtras establish the order of the twenty-two faculties from first to last.