俱舍論頌疏論本 4.48

4.48

Regarding "The higher further exclude scrutiny and the rest": "the higher" means from the second dhyāna upward, up to [the sphere of] neither-perception-nor-non-perception. These, from the second dhyāna upward, in addition to what was excluded previously, also exclude scrutiny and the rest. "And the rest" includes deceit and dissimulation; all the rest are possessed. The sūtra states that deceit and dissimulation extend at most to the realm of Brahmā; therefore only the first dhyāna can have deceit and dissimulation, because in the first dhyāna stage subjects and lords depend on one another, and deceit and dissimulation inevitably occur. As it is said in the sūtra: "The Great Brahmā King was residing among his own Brahmā host when suddenly the bhikṣu Aśvajit asked him, 'Where do these four great elements cease without remainder?' The Brahmā King, not knowing the stage where they cease without remainder, gave a deceptive and evasive answer: 'Among this Brahmā host, I am the Sovereign, the Maker, the Transformer, the Creator, the Nourisher, the Father of all beings.' Having spoken these words, he led him outside the assembly and, speaking deceptively in apology, bade him go back and ask the Buddha." The explanation says: The Great Brahmā King did not know that the cessation of the four great elements without remainder is when one relies on the six stages—the threshold [of the first dhyāna], the intermediate, and the four dhyānas—to produce the uncontaminated path and abandon the defilements of the fourth dhyāna, or relies on the preliminary stage of the sphere of boundless space to produce the contaminated path and abandon the defilements of the fourth dhyāna; hence he answered evasively. The evasive words are included under deceitful speech. His deceitful apology demonstrates the presence of dissimulation. "Maker" means 'I can make the world'. "Transformer" means 'I can transform the world'. "Creator" means 'I can generate all beings'. "Nourisher" means 'I can sustain all beings'.