成唯識論掌中樞要 2.223

2.223

Regarding the subsumption of the four kinds of birth-and-death, the *Anuttara-sūtra* states: "Ānanda! All arhats, pratyekabuddhas, and bodhisattvas of the ten grounds, because of four kinds of hindrances, do not attain the four virtuous pāramitās of the Tathāgata's dharma-kāya. What are the four? The first is the condition of birth; the second is the cause of birth; the third is having existence; the fourth is non-existence. What is the affliction that is the condition of birth? It is the ground of dwelling ignorance, which can generate all formations, just as ignorance generates karma. What is the affliction that is the cause of birth? It is the formations produced by the ground of dwelling ignorance, just as the karma produced by ignorance. What is having existence? Conditioned by the ground of dwelling ignorance, caused by the anāsrava formations arisen from the ground of dwelling ignorance, the three kinds of mind-made bodies are born, just as the four grasping acts serve as conditions and the three sāsrava karmas serve as causes to produce the three realms of existence. What is non-existence? Conditioned by the three kinds of mind-made bodies, there is imperceptible, subtle falling away and cessation, just as conditioned by birth within the three existences there is the moment-to-moment aging and death." A later passage also states: "Ānanda! Within the three realms there are four kinds of difficulties: first, affliction; second, the difficulty of karma; third, the difficulty of retribution of birth; fourth, the difficulty of fault. The birth-and-death of expedient means arisen from the ground of dwelling ignorance is like the difficulty of affliction within the three realms. The birth-and-death of causes and conditions arisen from the ground of dwelling ignorance is like the difficulty of karma within the three realms. The birth-and-death of having existence arisen from the ground of dwelling ignorance is like the difficulty of the faculties of birth within the three realms. The birth-and-death of non-existence arisen from the ground of dwelling ignorance is like the difficulty of fault within the three realms." "Having existence" means having the three realms and having the essence of vipāka. "Non-existence" means having no suffering of suffering and the like, having only the characteristics of the suffering of conditioned existence; since anāsrava sustains birth-and-death, it is also called a difficulty.