俱舍論頌疏論本 23.88

23.88

釋曰：失謂退失，即所斷煩惱也。德謂功德，即能斷道也。於九地中，地地修惑各有九品，九九總有八十一品惑。其能斷道地地亦九，總有八十一品無間道、八十一品解脫道。問：「失、德如何各分九品？」答：「謂根本品有下中上，此三各三，故成九品。且下品三者，謂下下、下中、下上；中品分三者，謂中下、中中、中上；上品三者。謂上下、上中、上上。應知此中下下品道能斷上上品障，乃至上上品道能斷下下品障。如洗衣位，麁垢先除，後除細垢。又如麁闇小明能滅，要以大明方滅小闇，失德相對，理必應然。白法力強，黑法力劣，故剎那頃下下品道能斷無始上上品惑。猶如長時所集大闇，一剎那頃小燈能滅。」

The explanation states: 'Faults' refers to regression and loss, namely the afflictions to be abandoned. 'Virtues' refers to qualities, namely the paths capable of abandoning them. In the nine grounds, the defilements of cultivation of each ground have nine categories each; nine times nine, there are eighty-one categories of defilement in all. The paths capable of abandoning them are also nine in each ground, making eighty-one uninterrupted paths and eighty-one paths of liberation in all. Question: "How are faults and virtues divided into nine categories each?" Answer: "The fundamental categories consist of low, middling, and high, and these three are each divided into three, thus making nine categories. The three of the low category are low-low, low-middling, and low-high; the middling category is divided into three: middling-low, middling-middling, and middling-high; the three of the high category are high-low, high-middling, and high-high. It should be understood that here a path of the low-low category can abandon an obstacle of the high-high category, up to a path of the high-high category can abandon an obstacle of the low-low category. Just as when washing clothes, coarse dirt is removed first, and fine dirt is removed later; and just as small light can dispel thick darkness, but it takes a great light to dispel faint darkness; this is necessarily the principle in the opposition of faults and virtues. Wholesome dharmas have strong power and unwholesome dharmas have weak power; therefore, in an instant, a path of the low-low category can abandon beginningless defilements of the high-high category. It is like thick darkness accumulated over a long time being extinguished in an instant by a small lamp."