成唯識論了義燈 2.12

2.12

As for stating that 'because it is subtle, it is difficult to abandon', 'subtle' has four meanings: First, contrasted with grades: subsumed under the ninth grade among the nine grades, relative to the other [afflictions] deluded about phenomena, this is the same as the ninth; if spoken of in terms of its own category, it also has nine grades. Second, contrasted with discriminative and innate: this arises spontaneously. Third, contrasted with seeing and cultivation: this is abandoned solely by cultivation. Fourth, contrasted with higher and lower paths: it is abandoned only by the higher path; hence it is called subtle. In repeated cultivation and abandonment, the two vehicles of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas have distinctions. Among śrāvakas, there are further two distinctions: sequential and leaping. The former was spoken in terms of persons who attain the fruits sequentially. As for persons who leap, there are three types: 1. leaping only over the first fruit; 2. leaping over the first two fruits; 3. leaping over the middle two fruits. First, as for leaping over the first fruit: it refers to a śrāvaka whose faculty is sharp, who formerly while an ordinary person aspired to higher rebirth, and using the worldly path of the six practices of duḥkha, audārika, and so forth, suppressed the first six grades of the coarse afflictions deluded about phenomena that are innate to the six consciousnesses in the desire realm. Later, meeting conditions, they redirected their course to seek the fruit of a śrāvaka. Practicing the seven preparatory practices as the application, upon entering the path of seeing, in a single moment seeing and cultivation are abandoned together, attaining the second fruit. Because those six grades were already suppressed previously, the path of seeing is able to abandon them; although afflictions deluded about principle were not previously suppressed, because their counterparts were suppressed, upon entering the path of seeing, they are also abandoned simultaneously. The repetition of path and abandonment can be understood by applying this. Second, leaping over the first two fruits and attaining the third: it refers to a śrāvaka whose faculty is sharp, who formerly while an ordinary person used the six practices to suppress the nine grades of afflictions deluded about phenomena of the desire realm, up to the nine grades of phenomenal afflictions of [the stage of] nothingness. Later, entering the path of seeing, those previously suppressed and those not suppressed are abandoned simultaneously together with the afflictions of seeing. Repeated cultivation and abandonment can be understood by applying this. Question: Why do the former two types of persons not suppress afflictions deluded about principle? Answer: Because they do not understand how to cultivate contemplation of principle. Afflictions deluded about principle do not conflict with contemplation of phenomena, and thus cannot be suppressed. Question: Why can they not suppress afflictions of the summit of existence? Answer: Because that [stage] is subtle, there is nothing higher to aspire to; they do not undertake the six practices, and thus cannot suppress them. Furthermore, that affliction is subtle and does not obstruct the stage of training; hence they only abandon those. Leaping over the first two fruits: the foregoing is based on the correct doctrine; collateral explanations are incorrect and too tedious to recount. Those who say it is abandoned in the path of simulated seeing are not in accord with correct principle. The Yogācārabhūmi only says that worldly and supramundane paths abandon afflictions deluded about phenomena without eliminating [afflictions] deluded about principle; nor can one say that true seeing of principle eliminates them while the path of simulated seeing abandons afflictions deluded about phenomena. Nor can one say that after the path of simulated seeing, a distinct path is aroused to abandon them. The Abhidharmasamuccaya-bhāṣya says that both those who leap over the first two fruits and sequential persons establish the noble fruit at the sixteenth mind, not arousing a distinct path. Furthermore, fascicle 57 of the Yogācārabhūmi states: 'Question: What is the faculty of wanting to know the unknown the basis for? Answer: It is the basis for realizing the first, second, and third fruits of asceticism. Question: What is the faculty of having known the basis for? Answer: Up to the vajropamasamādhi, it is the basis for realizing the fruit of asceticism of non-training.' Therefore, at the sixteenth mind one attains the first three fruits. Furthermore, fascicle 57 states: 'Question: By how many faculties does one attain the fruit of srotāpanna? Answer: Either one or eight. By how many does one attain the second? By either two or nine one attains the fruit of sakṛdāgāmin. Question: By how many faculties does one attain the fruit of anāgāmin? Answer: Either eleven or two.' For the first fruit, 'either one' refers to the faculty of wanting to know the unknown; 'or eight' adds the five faculties of faith and so forth, as well as the mind and equanimity faculties; this is spoken according to the definitively sequential person. For the sakṛdāgāmin, 'either two or nine' is explained as with the first fruit in terms of one who leaps; for the sequential person, it is the faculty of having known; one attains it through either one of the two, not definitely attaining it through both. Therefore it says 'either two or nine': the seven including faith and so forth are definite, while of the two including the unknown, etc., either one is indeterminate; it allows attainment by nine faculties, not definitely having nine conjoined. Because it remains indeterminate, this word 'or' is placed. Since it is already based on the first sāmantaka, it has only the equanimity faculty.