俱舍論疏 4.11

4.11

The treatise says: 'In the preceding aggregates... arisen due to the cause of the great elements', which explains that which has sound. The Vibhāṣā, fascicle ninety, states: 'Regarding the body, visible, sound, and tangible dhātus being definitely possessed in the desire and form realms, but not possessed in the formless realm: Question: The body, visible, and tangible dhātus may be so, but how can the sound dhātu be constantly possessed? Some make this explanation: The separation and joining of the great elements inevitably produce the sound dhātu. If a sentient being is in the desire or form realm, because the great elements are constantly present, they always generate sound. Evaluation: One should not make this statement. If the four great elements inevitably and constantly produced sound, by which great elements would this produced sound be created? If it were created by these very [elements], then multiple visible forms with resistance would arise from a single [set of] four great elements. If it is said to be created by other [great elements], those other four great elements would again inevitably produce sound, and so on in succession, entailing the fault of infinite regress. One should make this statement: In the bodies of sentient beings born in the desire and form realms, many sets of four great elements exist within a single body; when they strike against one another, they then produce sound, but when they do not strike, no sound arises. Although within a single body sound inevitably arises, it is not that all parts of the body produce sound. Furthermore, this treatise and others speak of eight [elements] without sound, and so forth.' Based on such passages: That [a being] definitely possesses sound is stated on the basis of a single sentient being definitely possessing sound within a single body, not that it is definitely omnipresent. Nine [elements] with sound and so forth are stated on the basis of proximity. The intentions of the two texts are distinct, and they do not contradict each other. Examining the intent of the various treatises: where there are the eye and other faculties, there is definitely the body faculty and the remaining eight [entities]; where there is the body faculty, there are also definitely eight. Although the faculty and the four sense-objects are definitely not separated and definitely arise together, among the four internal sense-objects there are also those that definitely arise together and those that are indefinite. The definite ones are such that, for example, if one has karmic retribution of the eye, one definitely has retribution of the body, and so on; some merely are not separated from the faculty without arising and ceasing together, such as unmanifest form and sound, as well as the great elements that create manifest and unmanifest [forms], transformed forms, and the like. Although the presence or absence of these relative to the faculty is indefinite, speaking in terms of the general locus, they are said to be definitely not separated. Although sound is indefinite, when sound arises, it must strike the great elements of visible form and the like before it is produced; visible form and fragrance and the like definitely arise together; hence, where there is sound, there are definitely eight entities. Where the other eight entities exist, sound does not definitely exist. Where the sense-objects of fragrance and taste exist, visible form and tangibility definitely exist; where visible form and tangibility of the desire realm exist, fragrance and taste do not definitely exist. One master says: 'When one whose body is in the form realm creates emanations of the desire realm, they do not emanate fragrance and taste.' This is not the correct view; [external objects] are rather the external sense-objects that definitely have eight. Although the four great elements creating the path and dhyāna saṃvara depend on the body and the like, they do not indefinitely arise together. If one takes them to necessarily exist in mutual dependence, then there are no four great elements arising without visible form and the like, allowing for the absence of sound. The old Vibhāṣā has the explanations of two masters. The first master says: 'All four great elements are definitely not separated from visible form and sound; all visible form of the desire realm is definitely not separated from fragrance and taste.' The second master says: 'All four great elements do not necessarily have visible form and sound; all desire-realm visible form does not necessarily have fragrance and taste.' Dharma Master Nian says: 'Neither master holds the correct view; only by taking a part from each can it be correct. One should say that all four great elements are definitely not separated from visible form, but do not necessarily have sound; all desire-realm visible form is definitely not separated from fragrance and taste. Hence the Saṃyuktābhidharmahṛdaya says: "The subtle atom in the four faculties / should be understood as ten kinds; / in the body faculty there are nine, in the others eight: / this refers to the realm that has fragrance."' Dharma Master Tai says: 'Dharma Master Nian's intention, because the Saṃyuktābhidharmahṛdaya does not mention the presence of sound, is to understand clearly that this sound is not constantly possessed.' Dharma Master Tai says: 'If Dharma Master Nian makes this interpretation, it is a great error. The Jñānaprasthāna says: "Who possesses the dhātu of sound? The answer is: the desire and form realms." Furthermore, the Saṃyuktābhidharmahṛdaya says: "Sentient beings without ideation enter into the nature of the ten āyatanas." Since sound is constantly possessed, we know that the first master of the Vibhāṣā—stating that all four great elements are definitely not separated from visible form and sound, and all desire-realm visible form is definitely not separated from fragrance and taste—is the correct view. However, that the verses of the Saṃyuktābhidharmahṛdaya and Kośa do not mention sound is because sound is produced due to the striking together of the great elements, and unlike fragrance and the like it is not constantly present. Its sound is separately added in this treatise, while the Saṃyuktābhidharmahṛdaya abridged it and did not mention it.' Dharma Master Tai's intent was to say that since sound is constantly possessed, one clearly knows that all four great elements are not separated from sound.