俱舍論頌疏論本 19.98

19.98

Explanation: The upper two lines present [the categories], and the lower two lines explain them by indicating instances. The questions and answers are fourfold: 1. That which should be answered unequivocally; 2. That which should be answered by distinguishing; 3. That which should be answered by counter-question; 4. That which should be answered by setting aside ('answering' means replying). As when asking about death: 'Will all sentient beings die?' One should answer unequivocally: all sentient beings will definitely die. As when asking about birth: 'Will all sentient beings be born?' One should answer by distinguishing: those with defilements take rebirth; those without defilements are not reborn. As when asking about superiority, one should answer by counter-question. Someone asks: 'Is a human superior or inferior?' One should ask in return: Compared to what? If compared to gods, one should answer that humans are inferior; if compared to lower realms (evil destinies), one should answer that humans are superior. As when asking about 'the identity or difference of the self and the aggregates', one should answer by setting it aside. If one asks: 'Is the self identical to or different from the five aggregates?' One should answer by setting it aside; this should not be asked. If there were an entity of self, one could ask about identity or difference; since there is fundamentally no entity of self, identity or difference cannot be established. As when asking: 'Is the barren woman's child white or black?' One should answer by setting it aside; since a barren woman fundamentally has no child, how could one discuss its blackness or whiteness? The above follows the exposition of the masters of the Vibhāṣā. The word 'and so forth' in the verse includes the explanations of the Jñānaprasthāna, the root treatise, and the sūtras. As for the Jñānaprasthāna and the treatise's exposition: 'Now we shall first recount the sūtra. What question should be answered unequivocally? Such as asking: "Are all conditioned formations impermanent?" This question is called one that should be answered unequivocally. What question should be answered by distinguishing? Such as if one asks: "When someone intentionally performs karma, what fruit does he experience?" This question is called one that should be answered by distinguishing: performing good, he experiences rebirth among humans and gods; performing evil, he experiences the evil destinies. What question should be answered by counter-question? Such as if one asks: "Is the perception of a person identical to or different from the self (this asks about the nominal self)?" One should ask in return: "Relying on what self do you ask this? If you say relying on the coarse self (the self identified with the form aggregate), one should answer that it is different from perception (since perception and form are not the same, therefore one says different)." This question is called one that should be answered by counter-question. What question should only be answered by setting aside? Such as if one asks: "Is the world eternal (first question)? Impermanent (second question)? Both eternal and impermanent (third question)? Neither eternal nor impermanent (fourth question)? Is the world finite (fifth question)? Infinite (sixth question)? Both finite and infinite (seventh question)? Neither finite nor infinite (eighth question)? Does the Tathāgata exist after death (ninth question)? Not exist (tenth question)? Both exist and not exist (eleventh question)? Neither exist nor not exist (twelfth question)? Is the vital principle identical to the body (thirteenth question)? Is the vital principle different from the body (fourteenth question)?" This question is called one that should only be answered by setting aside (the above is the text of the treatise).' Interpretation: In this sūtra, asking about the world, asking about the Tathāgata, as well as the vital principle, are all alternate names for the self; here there are fourteen questions which are all unanswerable, termed the fourteen unanswerable points; since the entity of a self does not exist, they should all be answered by setting them aside.