俱舍論頌疏論本 17
English (machine translation) 17
- Language
- English
17.1
Next is the second major section, explaining the meaning of the name karmapatha. The treatise says: "Having thus analyzed the characteristics of the ten karmapathas, on the basis of what meaning are they called karmapathas?" The verse says:
17.2
"Among these, three are paths only, because the seven are karma and also paths."
17.3
The explanation says: Regarding "among these, three are paths only," among these ten karmapathas, the three such as covetousness are paths only. Because they are the paths of karma, they are given the name karmapatha. That is, volition associated with covetousness and the rest is called karma; because those such as covetousness operate, volition operates, and because those such as covetousness act, volition acts, and because volition performs actions through the power of those such as covetousness, the three such as covetousness are therefore paths for volition.
17.4
Regarding "because the seven are karma and also paths," the preceding seven are karma, because they are bodily and vocal karma. They are also paths of karma because they are trodden by volition, since originating volition operates by relying on body and speech. Body and speech are the seven [items] trodden by volition, and are also paths of karma; therefore, because the preceding seven are karma and are also paths of karma, they are given the name karmapatha. The former "karma" refers to bodily and vocal karma, and the latter "karma" refers to originating volition; therefore they are called "karma-karma." Hence karmapatha fully expresses the meaning of both "path of karma" and "karma as a path of karma." Although they are not of the same category, they share the name karmapatha, just as one is karma for the remaining karma, and one is path for the remaining paths. It is just as in the world carts and oxen share the designation [of draft-vehicle], yet one "cart and ox" is designated for another cart and ox. In the texts, as in the expression "stations of consciousness," although the four stations of consciousness differ in nature and category, they share the name station of consciousness, and one station of consciousness is designated for another station of consciousness. Abstaining from killing and the rest of the seven, and non-covetousness and the rest of the three, are established as karmapathas, and should be explained analogously to the above.
17.5
Next is the third part, taking the occasion to explain the severing of the roots of good. The treatise says: "All of the ten unwholesome karmapathas described above are contrary to the arising of wholesome dharmas. By which karmapatha are the roots of good severed? What are the differences between severing the roots of good and reconnecting the roots of good?" The verse says:
17.6
"Only wrong view severs the roots of good; what is severed is innately acquired in the desire [realm], / repudiating causes and fruits entirely; they are severed gradually, and both are abandoned together. / [It occurs among] humans of three continents, male and female; those prone to views sever them, [their essence being] non-possession. / Reconnecting the roots of good is through doubt or view of existence; [reconnection is] sudden and in the present [life], except for those who committed heinous crimes."
17.7
The explanation says: Regarding "only wrong view severs the roots of good," only supreme, fully developed wrong view can sever the roots of good. However, where the root treatise says that the three unwholesome roots of greed, hatred, and delusion can sever the roots of good, this is because unwholesome roots can induce wrong view, so the severing by wrong view is attributed to those roots. It is like a fire burning a village: because the fire was set by thieves, the world says the village was burned by thieves.
17.8
Regarding "what is severed is innately acquired in the desire [realm]," the roots of good that are severed are exclusively the innately acquired good of the desire realm. That is, at the time of severing the roots of good, the good of the form and formless realms was not previously accomplished, so it cannot be said to be severed. Question: "For what reason are only the innately acquired roots of good severed?" Answer: "Because the acquired-through-effort roots of good have already been lost earlier. That is, when severing the roots of good, one first abandons the good acquired through effort in the stage of preparation; when one reaches the point of severing the roots of good, one severs only the innately acquired [good]."
17.9
Regarding "repudiating causes and fruits entirely," this clarifies the characteristics of wrong view. Wrong view repudiating causes [denies] good and evil conduct. Wrong view repudiating fruits [denies] good and evil results. "Entirely" means that all wrong views are able to sever the roots of good—whether taking their own realm as object or another realm as object, whether taking the contaminated as object or the uncontaminated as object, such wrong views are all able to sever the roots of good. Other masters say: "Only those taking their own realm as object and taking the contaminated as object can sever the roots of good; the rest cannot sever them." It is said to counter their view that it says "entirely."
17.10
Regarding "they are severed gradually," this clarifies that the severing of the roots of good occurs gradually and not all at once: that is, the nine grades of wrong view sever the nine grades of roots of good, matching in reverse and direct order. The initial lowest-of-the-low grade of wrong view can sever the highest-of-the-high grade of roots of good, up to the highest-of-the-high grade of wrong view being able to sever the lowest-of-the-low grade of roots of good. For the roots of good to go from highest to lowest grade is called "reverse," and for wrong view to go from lowest to highest is called "direct." Regarding "both are abandoned together," "both" refers to the roots of good and the moral codes. When the roots of good are severed, both are abandoned at the same time. The treatise says: "If that moral code is the fruit originated by a mind of this grade, when the mind of this grade is severed, that moral code is abandoned, because the fruit is of the same grade and category as the cause (Explanation: The nine grades of wholesome minds can each originate morality, and morality is their fruit. If one severs the lowest grade of good, one abandons only the lowest grade of morality, up to severing the highest grade of good, when one abandons only the highest grade of morality)." The fruits of the moral codes are in some cases produced from a wholesome mind acquired through effort, and in other cases produced from an innately acquired wholesome mind; if produced from a wholesome mind acquired through effort, the moral code is abandoned first, and later the roots of good are severed (Explanation: In the preparation for severing the roots of good, one abandons the good acquired through effort; when abandoning the acquired through effort, the moral codes produced by the roots of good acquired through effort are abandoned at the very same time. The statement that it is 'abandoned first' is made with respect to its being abandoned earlier in the stage of preparation).
17.11
Regarding "[it occurs among] humans of three continents, male and female," this clarifies the realms and persons capable of severing the roots of good. In the human destiny, [only in] three continents, not in the miserable destinies, because their defiled and undefiled wisdom is not firm. Nor does it occur in the heavenly destinies, because they visibly see the fruits of various good and evil karmas. Uttarakuru is excluded, because they have no extremely evil āśaya (translated as 'intention'). Only male and female bodies [sever them], because their resolve is firm.
17.12
Regarding "those prone to views sever them, [their essence being] non-possession," this word "sever" applies both above and below: only those prone to views can sever the roots of good, not those prone to craving. For those prone to craving have an evil āśaya that is extremely restless, whereas those prone to views have an evil āśaya that is extremely firm and deep. By this reasoning, ṣaṇḍhas and the like cannot sever the roots of good, because they belong to the category of those prone to craving; furthermore, this kind of person is like those in the miserable destinies (meaning: "those prone to views" acts by seeing principle through their own discernment, while "those prone to craving" merely believes the words of others and acts out of attachment). Regarding "[their essence being] non-possession," one should know that the severing of good has non-possession as its intrinsic nature; that is, at the stage of severing good, the possession of good does not arise, and non-possession arises in succession. The stage where non-possession arises is called severing the roots of good; therefore, the severing of the roots of good has non-possession as its intrinsic nature.
17.13
Regarding "reconnecting the roots of good is through doubt or view of existence," "doubt" means doubting whether it exists, and "view" means right view. That is, generating in oneself a mind that doubts existence with respect to cause and effect: "Perhaps this exists." From the mind that doubts existence, one may generate right view, definitively asserting that it exists and is not non-existent. At that time, the roots of good are able to arise again in succession, and hence it is called reconnecting the roots of good. Doubting existence reconnects the roots of good, whereas doubting non-existence severs the roots of good; to distinguish it from doubting non-existence, it says "doubt of existence."
17.14
Regarding "[reconnection is] sudden and in the present [life], except for those who committed heinous crimes," "sudden" means that the nine grades of roots of good are reconnected all at once, and then afterwards gradually become manifest, just as an illness is suddenly cured while strength increases gradually. "Present" means the present life: reconnecting the roots of good in the present body, with the exception of those who committed heinous crimes. The sūtra says that for a person who committed heinous crimes and also severed the roots of good, they definitely cannot reconnect the roots of good in their present body; they can reconnect the roots of good only when they are about to perish from or about to be born into hell. Having finished experiencing the fruit of hell is called "about to perish." Being currently situated in intermediate existence, not yet born into hell, is called "about to be born." If they severed the roots of good through the causal power of wrong views habitually cultivated in the past, they reconnect them when about to die. If they severed the roots of good through the conditioning power of false teachings in the present, they reconnect them when about to be born. It should be known that it is the same through self-power and other-power (self means one's own deduction; other means encountering bad friends). Furthermore, if one's affection is ruined but one's effort is not ruined, this person can reconnect the roots of good in the present life. If both are ruined, one must die before reconnecting them. If one's views are ruined but one's moral codes are not ruined, one also reconnects the roots of good in the present life. If both moral codes and views are ruined, one reconnects the roots of good only after death (protecting oneself in deportment and conduct is called having moral codes unruined). For those who sever the roots of good and do not fall into wrong views, four alternatives should be made: the first alternative is Pūraṇa and others (translated as 'Full'; generating wrong views is called severing good; not having committed heinous crimes, they are not of wrong destiny); the second alternative is Ajātaśatru and others (King Ajātaśatru committed heinous crimes and fell into wrong destiny, but having faith in the Buddha, he did not sever the roots of good); the third alternative is Devadatta and others (the name of Devadatta; generating wrong views, it is called severing good; having committed the three heinous crimes, he fell into wrong destiny); the fourth alternative excludes the preceding characteristics.
17.15
Next is the fourth part, explaining operating together with volition. The treatise says: "Having taken the occasion to analyze the severing of the roots of good, we should now again clarify the original meaning of karmapatha: among the two kinds of karmapathas spoken of, good and evil, how many arise together and operate alongside volition?" The verse says:
17.16
"Karmapathas operating together with volition:
Of the unwholesome, from one up to eight;
Wholesome, taken comprehensively, open up to ten;
Specifically excluding one, eight, and five."
17.17
Explanation: 'Karmapathas operating together with volition' is the proposition. 'Volition' refers to the volition that is the instantaneous producer. This explains that the karmapathas and the volition capable of producing them operate together at the same single moment.
17.18
'Of the unwholesome, from one up to eight' explains that unwholesome karmapathas operate together with volition from one up to eight. As for operating together with one, there are two kinds of 'one': First, the former 'one' means that, apart from the remaining seven evil physical and vocal [actions], when any one among the three—greed and so forth—manifests, greed, hostility, and wrong views definitely do not arise simultaneously; therefore, when whichever one arises, it operates together with volition. The second 'one' means that when one has previously undertaken preliminary activity, dispatched an agent to kill and so forth, committing the six evil karmas, and at the time of an unpolluted mind, whichever one among the preceding six reaches culmination. A wholesome or indeterminate mind is termed 'unpolluted'. Reaching culmination with a polluted mind constitutes operating together with two; therefore, it says 'unpolluted' to exclude a polluted mind which constitutes operating together with two. As for operating together with two: this refers to culminating the karma of killing with a mind of hostility; or when greed arises, completing taking what is not given; or again, greed arises, completing sexual misconduct; or at times greed arises, completing frivolous talk. The above four types are named two karmapathas operating together with volition. As for operating together with three: this refers to using a mind of hostility to steal and remove from its original place what belongs to another living being and sever its life-faculty; killing and stealing simultaneously, these three—hostility, killing, and stealing—operate together with volition. Furthermore, having previously undertaken preliminary activity, dispatched an agent to kill and so forth, committing evil physical and vocal karma, at the very moment when one among greed, hostility, or wrong view arises, whichever two among the preceding—killing and so forth—reach culmination. Since there is one [mental path] of greed and so forth, and any two of killing and so forth, three operate together. As for operating together with four: there are three types of this. The first four means: desiring to cause division among others, one speaks false words; there is one mental karmapatha and three vocal karmapathas. Because of desiring to cause division among others, it is divisive speech; because of speaking falsehood, it further becomes false speech; and as this is polluted speech, it necessarily also involves frivolous talk. Hence there are three vocal karmas. The second four: again, desiring to cause division among others, one speaks harsh words; there is one mental karmapatha and three vocal karmapathas. Because of desiring to cause division among others, it is divisive speech; because of speaking harsh words, it further becomes harsh speech; and as this is polluted speech, it necessarily also involves frivolous talk. Hence there are three vocal karmas. The third four: if one previously undertook preliminary activity, dispatched an agent to kill and so forth, committing evil physical and vocal karma, and when greed and so forth manifests, any three among the preceding—killing and so forth—reach culmination; since there is one [mental path] of greed and so forth and any three of killing and so forth, four operate together. Operating together with five means: having previously undertaken preliminary activity committing evil physical and vocal karma, when greed and so forth manifests, any four reach culmination. Operating together with six means: greed and so forth manifests, and any five reach culmination. Operating together with seven means: greed and so forth manifests, and any six reach culmination; this should be understood by analogy with the above. Operating together with eight means: in the stage of preliminary activity, one dispatches an agent to kill and so forth, committing six evil karmas, and personally engages in sexual misconduct; when these seven karmapathas culminate at the same time, because one engages in sexual misconduct, there is necessarily a mind of greed, thus constituting eight operating together. Greed, hostility, and wrong view, when manifesting by their own force, definitely do not operate together; therefore, there are not nine or ten operating together with volition ('by their own force' means each arising as the primary leader).
17.19
'Wholesome, taken comprehensively, open up to ten' means that the ten wholesome karmapathas, covering both the latent and manifest, are called 'comprehensively opened'. 'Latent' refers to intermediate wholesome [action], and 'manifest' refers to restraint (saṃvara). Taken comprehensively across latent and manifest, there are ten operating together. Considered specifically according to the manifest signs, there are no instances of one, eight, or five operating together; taking restraint alone, without treating the intermediate, is called 'manifest'. First, regarding the manifest, as for two operating together, there are two kinds: The first two means: when the wholesome five consciousnesses are present, there are not the seven [forms of] dispersed wholesome [matter]; because of the wholesome five consciousnesses, there are non-greed and non-hostility. Because they lack conceptual differentiation, right view—which is one—is absent. The second two means: based on the formless realm, when the knowledge of destruction or the knowledge of non-arising is present, there are not the seven [forms of] dispersed wholesome [matter]. Because they are based on the formless realm, there are not the seven [disciplines of] meditative restraint. Because of [the knowledge of] destruction and non-arising, there are non-greed and non-hostility. Because seeking has ceased, there is no right view (having no dispersed wholesome [matter] means not receiving the dispersed restraint of the desire realm). As for three operating together: when the mental consciousness associated with right view is present, there are not the seven physical and vocal wholesome [factors]; because it is right view, there must be the three karmapathas of non-greed, non-hostility, and right view. Having no seven physical and vocal [factors] means that without having undertaken restraint and without entering meditative absorption, there is no physical and vocal matter of the seven wholesome [actions]. As for four operating together: when an unwholesome or indeterminate mind is present, one obtains the restraint of a lay devotee (upāsaka), of fasting (upoṣadha), or of a novice (śrāmaṇera). Because of being unwholesome or indeterminate, the three such as non-greed are absent. Having received the precepts of fasting and so forth, there are four wholesome restraints, namely three bodily and one vocal, which are the four factors of restraint. As for six operating together: when the wholesome five consciousnesses are present, one obtains the upper three restraints, namely of a lay devotee and so forth. Because of the wholesome five consciousnesses, there are non-greed and non-hostility. Adding non-greed and non-hostility to the preceding four, it thus constitutes six. As for seven operating together: there are two kinds of this. First, the former seven: when the wholesome mental consciousness without attendant physical matter, associated with right view, is present, one obtains the upper three restraints, namely of a lay devotee and so forth. Because it is associated with right view, it necessarily has the three: non-greed, non-hostility, and right view. Because of obtaining the precepts of a lay devotee and so forth, there are also the four factors, thus constituting seven. Second, the latter seven: or when an unwholesome or indeterminate mind is present, one obtains the bhikṣu precepts, constituting seven wholesome unmanifest [forms of matter]. As for nine operating together: there are three kinds of this. The first nine: when the wholesome five consciousnesses are present, one obtains the bhikṣu precepts. Because of the wholesome five consciousnesses, there are non-greed and non-hostility. Because of obtaining the bhikṣu precepts, there are seven physical and vocal wholesome [factors]. Thus it constitutes nine. The second nine: or based on the formless realm, when the knowledge of destruction or the knowledge of non-arising is present, one obtains the bhikṣu precepts. Because of the knowledge of destruction or of non-arising, right view, being one, is absent, while the two—non-greed and non-hostility—are present. Because of obtaining the bhikṣu precepts, there are seven physical and vocal wholesome [factors]. Thus it constitutes nine. The third nine: subsumed under meditative concentration (dhyāna), when the knowledge of destruction or the knowledge of non-arising is present, because of meditative concentration, there are the seven [disciplines of] meditative restraint. Because of [the knowledge of] destruction and non-arising, there are non-greed and non-hostility. Thus it constitutes nine. As for ten operating together: there are two kinds of this. The first ten: when the wholesome mental consciousness without attendant physical matter, associated with right view, is present, one obtains the bhikṣu precepts. Because of right view, there are the three—non-greed and so forth. Because of obtaining the bhikṣu precepts, there are the seven physical and vocal wholesome [factors]. Thus it constitutes ten. The second ten: at the time when any other mind with attendant physical matter, associated with right view, arises. Because of attendant physical matter, there are the seven [disciplines of] meditative restraint. Because of being associated with right view, there are the three—right view and so forth. This is called ten operating together.
17.20
The treatise says: 'Considered specifically according to the manifest signs, what is excluded is as stated. Taken comprehensively across latent and manifest, there is nothing excluded, meaning that apart from restraint, there are one, eight, and five (Explanation: intermediate wholesome [action] is called 'apart from restraint', meaning it is not restraint).' Operating together with one means: when an unwholesome or indeterminate mind is present, one obtains abstention from a single factor (undertaking a precept of one factor). Operating together with five means: when the wholesome mental consciousness without attendant physical matter is associated with right view, one obtains [abstention from] two factors, and so forth (Explanation: associated with right view, there are the three: right view and so forth. Furthermore, obtaining abstention from two factors, it then constitutes five. 'And so forth' includes obtaining abstention from five factors within an unwholesome or indeterminate mind). Operating together with eight means: when this mental consciousness is present, one obtains [abstention from] five factors, and so forth (Explanation: this preceding mental consciousness has the three: right view and so forth; further obtaining five factors, it then constitutes eight. 'And so forth' means including the wholesome five consciousnesses being present and obtaining abstention from six factors).
17.21
From here, fifth, is the establishment of wholesome and unwholesome according to plane. The treatise says: 'Of the wholesome and unwholesome karmapathas, in which realms, destinies, and places are how many only possessed, and how many also encompass present manifestation?' The verse says:
17.22
"Unwholesome in the hells:
Harsh [speech], frivolous [talk], and hostility encompass both;
Greed and wrong view are [only] possessed;
In the Northern Continent the last three are possessed,
Frivolous talk encompasses both manifestation and possession;
In the rest of the desire [realm], ten encompass both.
Wholesome in all places:
The last three encompass both manifestation and possession;
In the formless and the heaven of non-conception,
The first seven are only possessed;
In other places they encompass both possession and manifestation,
Excepting the hells and the Northern Continent."
17.23
Explanation: 'Unwholesome in the hells: / Harsh [speech], frivolous [talk], and hostility encompass both' means that of the ten unwholesome karmas in the hells, only harsh speech, frivolous talk, and hostility—these three—encompass both, namely both possession (prāpti) and present manifestation. Due to reviling one another, there is harsh speech. Due to lamentation and crying out, there is frivolous talk. Due to mutual resentment, there is hostility.
17.24
'Greed and wrong view are possessed' means that in these hells, these two are possessed but do not manifest. Lacking attractive objects, greed does not manifest. Directly seeing the fruit of karma, wrong view does not arise. Furthermore, because in the hells one dies only when one's karma is exhausted, there is no karmapatha of killing. Since they do not gather wealth, there is no karmapatha of stealing. Since they do not take wives, there is no fault of sexual misconduct. With the mirror of karma right before them, they cannot deny or conceal [their deeds]; because it serves no purpose, there is no false speech. For this very reason of serving no purpose, and because they are constantly isolated, there is no divisive speech.
17.25
'In the Northern Continent the last three are possessed' means that in Uttarakuru, the last three—greed, hostility, and wrong view—are possessed but do not manifest. Because they do not appropriate wealth as 'mine', greed does not manifest. Their bodies and minds being gentle, and furthermore lacking vexation and harm, hostility does not manifest. Because they lack an evil intention, wrong view does not manifest.
17.26
'Frivolous talk encompasses both manifestation and possession' means that in Uttarakuru, frivolous talk encompasses both present manifestation and possession, because they at times sing with a polluted mind. Because they lack an evil intention, they lack the six—killing and so forth. Furthermore, because their lifespan is fixed, there is no killing. Because they do not appropriate wealth, there is no stealing. Because they do not possess women [as wives], there is no sexual misconduct. Because their bodies and minds are gentle, there is no harsh speech. And because it serves no purpose, there is neither divisive speech nor false speech. As for the conduct of non-celibacy there: men and women there hold hands and lead each other beneath a tree; if the tree branches bend down and cover them, they know it is appropriate to engage [in union]; if the tree does not bend its branches, both feel ashamed and part.
17.27
'In the rest of the desire [realm], ten encompass both' means that in the remainder of the desire realm—devas, ghosts, animals, and the humans of the three continents—the ten unwholesome karmapathas all encompass both possession and present manifestation. However, there is a distinction: among devas, ghosts, and animals, the first seven karmapathas exist only as intermediate, and they lack non-restraint; among humans in the three continents, both kinds exist.
17.28
'Wholesome in all places: / The last three encompass both manifestation and possession' explains that for the ten wholesome karmapathas, in all these places—the three realms and the five destinies—the three such as non-greed all encompass both possession and present manifestation.
17.29
'In the formless and the heaven of non-conception, / The first seven are only possessed' means that when a noble one is born in the formless realm, they possess the past and future untainted seven factors of restraint; because that [realm] is formless, they definitely do not manifest. In the heaven of non-conception, because of being without mind, they also do not manifest; they only possess the past and future restraint of meditative concentration. However, when a formless non-returner (anāgāmin), in past bodily existences of the five stages of the desire and form realms, depending on whichever stage—whether two, three, four, or five stages—had previously aroused and previously ceased untainted restraint, is born into the formless realm, they possess the past precepts of one stage previously aroused, up to possessing the past precepts of five stages previously aroused. As for the future, the untainted restraints based on the bodily existences of the five stages are all definitely possessed (the five stages: the desire realm and the four dhyānas).
17.30
Regarding "In other places both are open to possession and manifest activity, except in hell and the Northern Continent": the remaining four destinies of humans and devas of the desire and form realms, excluding hell and the Northern Continent, are called "other places"; the seven bodily and vocal factors are each open to both manifest activity and possession. However, there are distinctions: pretas and animals have intermediate good. In the form realm, there is only discipline. The three continents and the desire-realm devas possess both intermediate [good] and discipline.
17.31
Next is the sixth [section], explaining the three fruits of the karmapathas. The treatise says: "What are the fruits obtained from unwholesome and wholesome karmapathas?" A verse says:
17.32
"All are capable of ripening, outflow, and sovereign fruits,
Because they cause others to suffer, cut off life, and destroy majesty."
17.33
Explanation: The first two lines explain the three fruits in general; the lower two lines specifically explain the reason. That the ten unwholesome karmapathas all bring about the three fruits of ripening, outflow, and sovereignty [means]: passing away from this life and being born in naraka is the fruit of ripening. Coming to be born among humans and experiencing the outflow fruit means: for one who kills, the life-span is short; for one who takes what is not given, material resources are deficient; for one who commits sexual misconduct, their spouse is not faithful or virtuous; because of false speech, one often encounters slander; for one who speaks divisively, relatives and friends become estranged; for one who speaks harshly, one constantly hears harsh voices; because of frivolous speech, one's words lack authority and dignity; for the greedy, greed is rampant; for the angry, anger increases; for one with wrong views, delusion increases. Regarding the sovereign fruit: all material resources, due to killing, have little lustre; due to taking what is not given, they frequently suffer frost and hail; due to sexual misconduct, there is abundant dust and dirt; due to false speech, there are many foul odors; due to divisive speech, the dwelling place is precipitous and crooked; due to harsh speech, fields are full of thorns, crags, and saline soil; due to frivolous speech, the seasons alter abnormally; due to greed, crops are scarce; due to anger, crops are bitter; due to wrong views, crops are few or absent. Question: "For what reason does each of these ten bring about three fruits?" Answer: "Because they cause others to suffer, cut off life, and destroy majesty. First, killing causes others to suffer, yielding the fruit of ripening; cutting off another's life yields the outflow fruit; causing another to lose majesty yields the sovereign fruit. The remaining unwholesome karmapathas should be considered in accordance with the principle. By this, one can likewise know the three fruits of wholesome karma: refraining from killing and the rest leads to birth among devas, experiencing the fruit of ripening. Coming to be born among humans, one experiences the outflow fruit, meaning that one who refrains from killing obtains a long life; the rest are the opposites of the above and should be stated according to reason."
17.34
From here is the eleventh major section, specifically explaining wrong livelihood. The treatise says: "Furthermore, a sūtra says: 'Among the eight wrong factors, physical karma is divided into three, namely wrong speech, [wrong] action, and [wrong] livelihood.' Apart from wrong speech and action, what is wrong livelihood? Although it does not exist apart from them, why is it stated separately?" A verse says:
17.35
"Bodily and vocal karma arising from greed are wrong livelihood because they are hard to eliminate;
To hold that it arises only from greed for the requisites of life contradicts the sūtra and is therefore unreasonable."
17.36
Explanation: Vocal karma arising from anger or delusion is called wrong speech; bodily karma arising from anger or delusion is called wrong action. Bodily and vocal karmas arising from greed, because they are hard to eliminate, are separately established as wrong livelihood. That is to say, greed can captivate the minds of sentient beings, and the karma produced by it is difficult to remediate. In order that one may diligently cultivate right livelihood, the Buddha separated it from the former and stated it as a distinct [factor]. As a verse says: 'Wrong views of laypeople are hard to remove (laypeople), because they constantly hold deviant views. Wrong livelihood of the path is hard to protect against (monastic renunciants of the path), because the requisites of life depend on others.'"
17.37
Regarding "To hold that it arises only from greed for the requisites of life": other masters hold that bodily and vocal [karmas] produced by greed conditioned by the requisites of life are called wrong livelihood; not all greed is called wrong livelihood. Play, entertainment, and singing, although produced from greed, do not sustain life, and are therefore not wrong livelihood.
17.38
Regarding "contradicts the sūtra and is therefore unreasonable": this refutes the explanation of the other masters, explaining that it contradicts the sūtra. In the *Śīlaskandha-sūtra*, watching elephant fights and the like are also established by the World-Honoured One as wrong livelihood. Improperly receiving external objects to vainly sustain life—therefore, based on the text of this sūtra, whatever arises from greed is termed wrong livelihood.
17.39
From here is the third major section, miscellaneous explanations of various karmas, divided into ten parts: first, explaining how karma obtains fruits; second, explaining karma according to the fundamental treatises; third, explaining projecting and fulfilling causes; fourth, explaining the three grave obstacles; fifth, explaining the obstacles of the three periods; sixth, explaining the marks of a bodhisattva; seventh, explaining giving, morality, and cultivation; eighth, explaining the three parts of conducive karma; ninth, explaining the nature of writing and so forth; tenth, explaining the different names of phenomena.
17.40
Under the first, explaining how karma obtains fruits, there are six parts: first, a general explanation of the fruits of various karmas; second, fruits relative to the three natures; third, fruits relative to the three times; fourth, fruits relative to the various planes; fifth, fruits relative to the three trainings; sixth, fruits relative to the three abandonments.
17.41
First, as for the general explanation of the fruits of various karmas: the treatise says, "As stated previously, fruits are of five kinds; herein, which karma has how many fruits?" A verse says:
17.42
"Defiled karma of the path of abandoning has all five fruits completely.
Uncontaminated karma has four, namely, ripening alone being excluded.
Other wholesome and unwholesome contaminated [karmas] also have four, excluding disconnection.
Other uncontaminated and indeterminate [karmas] have three, excluding what was excluded before."
17.43
Explanation: The path of abandoning refers to the uninterrupted paths, because the uninterrupted path is able to realize unconditioned cessation and able to cut off defilements; thus it receives the name 'path of abandoning'. This path is of two kinds: it includes both contaminated and uncontaminated.
17.44
Regarding "Defiled karma has all five fruits completely": in the aforementioned path of abandoning, if it is contaminated karma, it has all five fruits completely. Being contaminated, it can bring about an agreeable ripening of its own plane. Outflow fruit refers to all similar phenomena, whether equal or superior, that follow within its own plane. Disconnection fruit refers to the analytical cessation, which is unconditioned, realized by abandoning defilements. Fruit of personal endeavor refers to: co-arising endeavor drawn by the path, namely drawn by the path; uninterrupted endeavor of the subsequent path of liberation; remote endeavor of future merits cultivated by the path; unarisen endeavor of the various unconditioned abandonments realized by the path. Sovereign fruit refers to: all conditioned phenomena apart from its own nature, excluding only those that arose previously.
17.45
Regarding "Uncontaminated karma has four, namely, ripening alone being excluded": in the aforementioned path of abandoning, if it is uncontaminated karma, it has four fruits completely. Because the uncontaminated does not bring about [karmic] ripening, ripening alone is excluded.
17.46
Regarding "Other wholesome and unwholesome contaminated [karmas] also have four, excluding disconnection": because they differ from the aforementioned path of abandoning, they are called 'other'. The remaining contaminated [karmas], whether wholesome or unwholesome, also have four fruits; not being the path of abandoning, the fruit of disconnection is excluded.
17.47
Regarding "Other uncontaminated and indeterminate [karmas] have three, excluding what was excluded before": excluding the aforementioned path of abandoning, the remaining uncontaminated and indeterminate phenomena have only three fruits, excluding those excluded before—ripening and disconnection. Because uncontaminated and indeterminate [phenomena] do not bring about ripening, the fruit of ripening is excluded; because they are not the path of abandoning, the fruit of disconnection is excluded.
17.48
Next is the second [part], fruits relative to the three natures. The treatise says: "Having already analyzed in general that various karmas have fruits, next we differentiate the characteristics of karma having fruits across different categories. Among these, we first differentiate the fruits of the three karmas, wholesome and so forth." A verse says:
17.49
"Wholesome and the others toward wholesome and the others: the first has four, two, three;
The middle has two, three, four; the last has two, three, three fruits."
17.50
Explanation: Regarding "Wholesome and the others toward wholesome and the others": the upper "wholesome and the others" refers to karma, and the lower "wholesome and the others" refers to phenomena; "and the others" includes unwholesome and indeterminate. Taking wholesome and the other karmas in relation to wholesome and the other phenomena, it clarifies the number of fruits. The three karmas, wholesome and so forth, have as their essence a small portion of the aggregates of form and formations. The three phenomena, wholesome and so forth, have the five aggregates as their essence.
17.51
Regarding "the first has four, two, three": "the first" means that wholesome karma takes wholesome phenomena as four fruits, excluding the fruit of ripening. Wholesome karma takes unwholesome phenomena as two fruits, namely personal endeavor and sovereignty. Being induced and produced by the wholesome is the fruit of personal endeavor. Wholesome phenomena not obstructing is the sovereign fruit. Wholesome karma takes indeterminate phenomena as three fruits, excluding outflow and disconnection. Because their nature is not the same, the outflow fruit is excluded. Because it is not analytical cessation, the fruit of disconnection is excluded.
17.52
Regarding "the middle has two, three, four": "the middle" refers to unwholesome, because it stands between the wholesome and indeterminate; thus it is called "middle". Unwholesome karma takes wholesome phenomena as two fruits, unwholesome phenomena as three fruits, and indeterminate phenomena as four fruits. The words "two fruits" refer to personal endeavor and sovereignty. The words "three fruits" exclude ripening and disconnection. The words "four fruits" exclude only disconnection. Question: "How can the indeterminate be an outflow of the unwholesome?" Answer: "Universal unwholesome [defilements] and the remaining unwholesome karmas abandoned by seeing the noble truth of suffering act as similar cause, taking the defiled indeterminate view of self and extreme views as outflow fruit."
17.53
Regarding "the last has two, three, three fruits": "the last" refers to the indeterminate, because it comes after the wholesome and unwholesome. This indeterminate karma takes wholesome phenomena as two fruits, unwholesome phenomena as three fruits, and indeterminate phenomena also as three fruits. Taking wholesome phenomena as two fruits refers to personal endeavor and sovereignty. Taking unwholesome phenomena as three fruits excludes ripening and disconnection. Question: "How can the unwholesome be an outflow of the indeterminate?" Answer: "The indeterminate view of self and extreme views act as similar cause, taking the various unwholesome [defilements] as outflow fruit." Taking indeterminate phenomena as three fruits excludes ripening and disconnection.
17.54
Next is the third [part], explaining the fruits across the three times. The treatise says: "Having analyzed the three natures, we should now analyze the three times." A verse says:
17.55
"The past has four in each of the three; the present has likewise toward the future;
The present has two toward the present; the future has three fruits toward the future."
17.56
Explanation: This differentiates the fruits of karma across the three times in relation to phenomena across the three times. Karmas of the three times have as their essence a small portion of the aggregates of form and formations. Phenomena of the three times have the five aggregates as their essence. Regarding "The past has four in each of the three": past karma takes phenomena of each of the three times as four fruits, excluding only disconnection.
17.57
Regarding "the present has likewise toward the future": present karma takes future phenomena also as only four fruits; because the number is the same as the aforementioned past, it says "likewise".
17.58
Regarding "The present has two toward the present": present karma takes present phenomena as two fruits, namely the sovereign fruit and the fruit of personal endeavor.
17.59
Regarding "the future has three fruits toward the future": future karma takes future phenomena as having only three fruits, excluding outflow and disconnection. It does not speak of subsequent karma having prior fruits, because prior phenomena can never be the fruit of subsequent karma.
17.60
Next is the fourth [part], explaining the fruits across the various planes. The treatise says: "Having analyzed the three times, we should now analyze the various planes." A verse says:
17.61
"Of the same plane, there are four fruits; of a different plane, two or three."
17.62
Explanation: This differentiates the fruits of karma of the various planes in relation to phenomena of the various planes. It should be known that karmas of the various planes consist only of a small portion of the form and formation aggregates, whereas phenomena of the various planes encompass all five aggregates.
17.63
Regarding "Of the same plane, there are four fruits": among the nine planes, karma of whichever plane takes phenomena of the same plane as four fruits, excluding disconnection.
17.64
Regarding "of a different plane, two or three": if it is contaminated karma, it takes phenomena of a different plane as two fruits, namely personal endeavor and sovereignty. If it is uncontaminated karma, it takes phenomena of a different plane as three fruits: to the previous two fruits, outflow is added; because it does not fall within the realms, it has the outflow fruit.
17.65
Next is the fifth [part], explaining the fruits of the three [states] of learner and so forth. The treatise says: "Having analyzed the various planes, we should now analyze the learner and so forth." A verse says:
17.66
"The learner has three in each of the three; the non-learner has one, three, two;
Neither learner nor non-learner has two, three, five fruits."
17.67
Explanation: This differentiates the fruits of the three karmas of the learner and so forth in relation to the three phenomena of the learner and so forth. The three karmas of the learner and so forth consist only of a small portion of the form and formation aggregates. The form aggregate of the learner and non-learner is uncontaminated discipline. The formation aggregate is volition concurrent with the path. The form aggregate of neither learner nor non-learner is a small portion of contaminated form. The three phenomena of the learner and so forth encompass all five aggregates. The phenomena of neither learner nor non-learner additionally include the three unconditioned phenomena.
17.68
"For a śaikṣa, three for each of the three": this means that karma of a śaikṣa has three fruits for each of the three kinds of phenomena—śaikṣa and so forth. Now, where karma of a śaikṣa has three fruits in śaikṣa phenomena, fruition and disconnection are excluded. Where it has three fruits in aśaikṣa phenomena, fruition and disconnection are likewise excluded. Where it has three fruits in phenomena that are neither śaikṣa nor aśaikṣa, fruition and outflow are excluded.
17.69
"For an aśaikṣa: one, three, two": this means that karma of an aśaikṣa has one fruit in śaikṣa phenomena, which is solely the virile [fruit]. Where karma of an aśaikṣa has three fruits in aśaikṣa phenomena, fruition and disconnection are excluded. Karma of an aśaikṣa has two fruits in phenomena that are neither śaikṣa nor aśaikṣa, namely virile and dominant [fruits].
17.70
"For neither śaikṣa nor aśaikṣa, there are two, two, five fruits": this means that karma that is neither śaikṣa nor aśaikṣa has two fruits in śaikṣa phenomena, namely virile and dominant [fruits]; two fruits in aśaikṣa phenomena, namely virile and dominant [fruits]; and five fruits in phenomena that are neither śaikṣa nor aśaikṣa.
17.71
From here, the sixth [section] explains the fruits of the three [types of karma], to be abandoned by seeing and so forth. The Śāstra states: "Having explained śaikṣa and so forth, we should now explain [karma] to be abandoned by seeing." The verse states:
17.72
"Karma to be abandoned by seeing, and so forth,
Each individually has in relation to the three:
The first has three, four, and one; the middle has two, four, and three fruits;
The last has one, two, and four—all should be known in order."
17.73
Explanation: This concerns the differences in fruits when karma of the three abandonments is viewed in relation to phenomena of the three abandonments. "Karma to be abandoned by seeing, and so forth" includes karma to be abandoned by cultivation and karma not to be abandoned. Karma to be abandoned by seeing has only a small portion of the saṃskāra-skandha as its nature. Karma [to be abandoned by] cultivation and [karma] not to be abandoned both have a small portion of the rūpa- and saṃskāra-skandhas as their nature. Phenomena to be abandoned by seeing have four skandhas as their nature; phenomena to be abandoned by cultivation have five skandhas as their nature; and phenomena not to be abandoned have the undefiled five skandhas and the unconditioned as their nature.
17.74
"Each individually has in relation to the three" means that karma of each of the three abandonments individually has fruits in the phenomena of the three abandonments; this line states the overall topic.
17.75
"The first has three, four, and one": 'the first' means that karma to be abandoned by seeing has three fruits in phenomena to be abandoned by seeing, four fruits in phenomena to be abandoned by cultivation, and one fruit in phenomena not to be abandoned. The phrase 'three fruits' excludes fruition and disconnection. Phenomena to be abandoned by seeing are solely defiled, not fruition. The phrase 'four fruits' excludes disconnection. The phrase 'one fruit' is solely the dominant [fruit].
17.76
"The middle has two, four, and three fruits": 'the middle' means karma to be abandoned by cultivation; being situated between the other two abandonments, it is called 'the middle'. For karma to be abandoned by cultivation, it has two fruits in phenomena to be abandoned by seeing, four fruits in phenomena to be abandoned by cultivation, and three fruits in phenomena not to be abandoned. The phrase 'two fruits' means virile and dominant [fruits]. The phrase 'four fruits' excludes disconnection. The phrase 'three fruits' excludes fruition and outflow.
17.77
"The last has one, two, and four": 'the last' means karma not to be abandoned, which has one fruit in phenomena to be abandoned by seeing, two fruits in phenomena to be abandoned by cultivation, and four fruits in phenomena not to be abandoned. The phrase 'one fruit' means the dominant [fruit]. The phrase 'two fruits' means virile and dominant [fruits]. The phrase 'four fruits' excludes fruition.
17.78
"All should be known in order" means that, as applicable across all six topics above, the causes and fruits that are assigned are all in proper order; that the explanation is placed only at the end is in accordance with the proper method of conciseness.
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- 俱舍論頌疏論本 — Classical Chinese