俱舍論頌疏論本 5.35

5.35

"The natures of arising, staying, change, and destruction" discloses the essential nature. Here, in regard to dharmas, that which can cause to arise is called "arising"; that which can stabilize is called "staying"; that which can decay is called "change"; that which can disintegrate is called "destruction." "Nature" means essential nature, because according to the Sarvāstivāda school the four characteristics are real entities. The Śāstra states: "Does the sūtra not speak of 'three conditioned characteristics of the conditioned'?" Explanation: this cites a sūtra to raise an objection. The sūtra speaks of three characteristics, whereas this treatise now speaks of four; are they not contradictory? "There are three" refers to the characterizing factors. "The conditioned" refers to the characterized dharmas. The word "of" indicates a genitive tatpuruṣa compound. Repeating the word "conditioned" is to make known that these characteristics designate the substantial entity of the dharma, establishing it as conditioned. [The Śāstra continues:] "These three characteristics are characteristics of the conditioned; in this sūtra, four should have been taught." Explanation: logically, four should have been taught in this sūtra. Why were [four] not taught (this is an inquiry)? Namely, the characteristic of staying. However, the sūtra speaks of "the change of staying," which is another name for this change, just as arising is called origination and destruction is called cessation; thus one should know that change is called "the change of staying." Explanation: three masters explain the sūtra; this is the explanation of the first master. The sūtra does not speak of staying, but speaks of three characteristics: first, origination; second, the change of staying; third, cessation. However, the sūtra's statement of the characteristic of "the change of staying" is an alternative name for the characteristic of change discussed in this treatise, meaning that change is discerned with reference to staying, and therefore change is named "the change of staying." Just as origination is an alternative name for arising, and the characteristic of cessation is an alternative name for destruction, one thus knows that the characteristic of change is an alternative name for "the change of staying." If a dharma causes conditioned factors to migrate and flow through the three times, this sūtra speaks of it as a characteristic of the conditioned in order to induce disgust and fear in sentient beings. That is, those conditioned factors are impelled by the power of arising, causing them to flow from the future into the present. They are impelled and driven by the power of the characteristics of change and destruction, causing them to flow from the present into the past, causing them to decay and change, and to disintegrate and perish. Staying brings about peace and happiness for those conditioned factors, constantly delighting in being unseparated from them, and therefore it is not established among the characteristics of the conditioned. Explanation: this is the intention of the first master in explaining the sūtra. The three characteristics cause conditioned factors to migrate, and therefore the sūtra speaks of them. Staying establishes them in happiness, and therefore the sūtra does not speak of it. Furthermore, unconditioned dharmas have staying as their own intrinsic mark; because the characteristic of staying could be confused with them, the sūtra does not speak of it. Note: this is the second master's explanation of the sūtra. The unconditioned is serene and still; this is staying as its own intrinsic mark. Some say this sūtra speaks by combining staying and change together as one, naming it the characteristic of "the change of staying." Note: this is the explanation of the third master. The sūtra speaks of "the change of staying," combining the two characteristics together in speech, unlike the first master for whom it is solely the characteristic of change. Why should they be spoken of in combination like this (this is an inquiry)? Staying is an object of attachment for sentient beings; in order to cause them to feel disgust and abandon it, it is spoken of in combination with change, just as showing Kālakarṇī accompanied by Lakṣmī; therefore, there are definitely four characteristics of the conditioned (this is the reply). Lakṣmī and Kālakarṇī are two sisters who constantly accompany each other. The elder sister is named Lakṣmī; wherever she goes, she brings auspicious matters. The younger sister is named Kālakarṇī; because her ears are black, she is named after that; wherever she goes, she can cause decline and loss. Foolish people crave Lakṣmī; the wise, in order to make them feel disgust and abandon her, first show them Kālakarṇī. Staying is analogized to Lakṣmī, and change is analogized to Kālakarṇī; wishing to cause disgust toward staying, it is spoken of in combination with change.