俱舍論疏 28.99

28.99

On the treatise passage: "In the fourth dhyāna [...] four samādhis": this explains the factors of the fourth dhyāna. Regarding "equanimity and mindfulness are called pure": the sense in the Nyāyānusāra is that because one further abandons pleasure in the fourth dhyāna, its equanimity and mindfulness obtain the name "pure." It also states: "What meaning do the names of the factors signify here? They signify making manifest and bringing to completion. What do they make manifest and bring to completion? Namely, making manifest and bringing to completion that 'this is the first dhyāna,' up to 'this is the fourth dhyāna.' Or, these factor names signify conformity, meaning that the eighteen factors each conform to their own level. Or, they are called factors in the sense of requisites, just as the factors of a sacrificial ritual are cattle, horses, and the like; meaning that vitarka, vicāra, and the rest mutually assist one another." It also states: "For what reason do the first and third [dhyānas] each have five factors, while the second and fourth have only four factors each? It may be because the desire realm contains many bad phenomena and exquisite fivefold desires that are difficult to sever and difficult to abandon, [while] the second dhyāna possesses the joy of a profound level whose characteristic is turbulent leaping, the culmination of joy, which induces the five categories of craving and is difficult to abandon and difficult to sever. To counteract these, the first and third each have five factors; since the first and third [states to be abandoned] are not like this, the remaining [two dhyānas] have four each. Another explanation is: it conforms to skipping over attainments." It also states: "Pliancy and equanimity pervade all four dhyānas; for what reason is pliancy alone established in the first two, while equanimity alone is established in the latter two levels? Because they uniquely conform to those levels: namely, in the desire realm there are bad phenomena, and in the level of the first dhyāna there are notions of vitarka and vicāra that afflict the mind like poisoned arrows; because the first and second are free from these, pliancy is predominant. In the second dhyāna, joy is exceedingly turbulent and leaping, and in the third dhyāna, pleasurable feeling is exceedingly heightened; both can serve as superior points of origin for craving; because the third and fourth abandon them, equanimity is predominant." It also states: "Equanimity and pliancy mutually obscure one another; where one is present, the second is absent. Pliancy counteracts sluggishness, its characteristic being uplifted; equanimity counteracts restlessness, its characteristic being stillness; thus pliancy and equanimity mutually obscure one another." It also states: "For what reason are mindfulness and discernment present in all levels, yet mindfulness is established as a factor only in the upper two dhyānas, and discernment only in the third dhyāna? Because they uniquely conform [to them] as appropriate. Namely, joy and pleasure within the three existences are what sentient beings most intensely relish. The relishing in the third dhyāna is the culmination, because it has the most supreme pleasure within saṃsāra. Properly, discernment should be established to contemplate, become revulsed, and abandon it; without discernment, one would not even be able to accomplish the roots of good of one's own level, much less advance to seek what is superior. To counteract such faults of its own level, discernment is established as a factor in the third dhyāna; the other levels are not like this, hence discernment is not established [as a factor in them]. The second dhyāna possesses the most supreme joy, fickle and disruptive like a rākṣasī; the third dhyāna possesses the most supreme pleasure, extremely difficult to abandon like exquisite divine desires. In the third and fourth dhyānas, although one has already abandoned them as appropriate by means of the factor of equanimity, fearing that they might regress and arise [again], mindfulness is established to block and prevent them; the other levels are not like this, hence mindfulness is not established [as a factor in them]. However, the power and function of mindfulness in the third [dhyāna] are firm and strong: it not only assists equanimity but can also assist discernment, universally able to guard against the faults of its own and other levels. The fourth is not like this, because it has no faults of its own; therefore, the factor of discernment is not established in the fourth." Question: For what reason is internal serenity established as a factor only in the second [dhyāna]? The Nyāyānusāra explains: "Therefore, internal serenity is inherently the faculty of faith. Namely, if one attains the second dhyāna, profound faith arises that one can also become separated from [attachments] in the levels of meditative absorption; this is called internal serenity. Thus, although the faculty of faith exists in all levels, it can be established as a factor only in the second dhyāna, because one has newly gained faith that the phenomena of all levels of meditative absorption and the phenomena of levels of distraction can alike be separated from" (end of treatise citation).