俱舍論頌疏論本 8.12

8.12

"By rebirth there are four kinds": this explains that although the formless has no location, according to ripening-birth there are four differences: First, the Ākāśānantyāyatana heaven. Prior to cultivating this absorption, in the preparatory stage one tires of the material body, thinks upon boundless space, and forms the understanding of boundless space; it is named the Sphere of Boundless Space. Second, the Vijñānānantyāyatana: one tires of the previous external space, further contemplates internal consciousness, and forms the understanding of boundless consciousness; it is named the Sphere of Boundless Consciousness. Third, the Ākiñcanyāyatana: next, one tires of boundless consciousness, contemplates nothingness, and forms the understanding of nothingness; it is named the Sphere of Nothingness. Fourth, the Naivasaṃjñānāsaṃjñāyatana heaven: the essence of this absorption is not the coarse ideation of the previous seven planes, so it is named "neither ideation"; yet if ideation were entirely absent, it would be identical to dullness and ignorance, but subtle ideation exists, so it is named "nor non-ideation." The first three formless realms are named from their preparation. The fourth formless realm receives its designation from its own nature. Furthermore, the treatise states: "Again, how is it known that it has no spatial location? (A question.) Because where one attains that absorption, upon passing away one is reborn right in that place; and when passing away from there to be reborn in the desire or form realms, the intermediate existence arises right in that place." The explanation states (answering the preceding question): "where one attains that absorption" means whichever continent it was where one cultivated and attained the formless absorption. Reborn into the formless realm right where one cultivated the concentration upon passing away, later, when passing away from the formless to be reborn in the desire or form realms, the intermediate existence arises right in that place where one cultivated and attained the concentration in the past; hence one clearly knows that the formless has no spatial location.