成唯識論了義燈 4.23

4.23

Question: In the first transformation, the contaminated and uncontaminated stages are comparatively distinguished. Among the ten meanings above, why are only four meanings selected for distinguishing? Explanation: There are three reasons: first, the contrast of existence and non-existence; second, the contrast of identity and difference; third, the contrast of certainty and doubt. Among the previous ten meanings, the maturation [consciousness] and the ālaya[vijñāna] have already been clarified: the stages of abandonment are two, existing only in the cause and absent in the fruit. This was clarified immediately before and does not require comparative distinguishing, because existence and non-existence are completely distinct. This is the contrast of existence and non-existence. The four meanings of mental aspect, all seeds, association with equanimity feeling, and like a torrent are common to both cause and fruit, and therefore are also not distinguished. The indeterminate nature, association with mental factors, and cognizing three kinds of objects differ from the fruit, and therefore they are now comparatively distinguished. The rest are all matters of certainty, and only equanimity feeling was doubted; therefore it is now further distinguished. Question: If the causal stage cognizes three [objects] while the fruit [cognizes] all, differing in breadth and narrowness and thus being distinguished, then since the mental aspect of the fruit stage is different from that of the cause, its pervasiveness and non-pervasiveness should also be differentiated. Answer: There are two explanations: One says that it really ought to be differentiated; since the mental aspect is spoken of in terms of the function of cognizing objects, when it is said that the fruit stage universally cognizes, that is already distinguishing the mental aspect. The second says it is an ellipses. Question: In the causal stage it generally maintains contaminated and uncontaminated seeds, while in the fruit it maintains only uncontaminated ones; why are they not comparatively distinguished? Explanation: Although the maintenance of seeds by cause and fruit differs in being pure or mixed, the meaning of maintaining seeds is identical, and therefore they are not comparatively distinguished. Question: The two stages of cause and fruit maintain seeds differently, but because their name is identical they are not distinguished; the fruit and causal stages differ in association, yet because their meaning is identical they are not comparatively distinguished. Answer: Although the name of maintaining seeds extends to the fruit stage, it does not increase, so it is not distinguished. Although the meaning of association is equal, because it increases in the fruit stage they are comparatively distinguished. The above is the contrast of identity and difference. Question: In maintaining seeds, the fruit does not increase and the meaning is equal, so it is not distinguished; in equanimity feeling, the fruit does not differ and the meaning is identical, so why is it distinguished? Answer: The fruit stage is exclusively of a wholesome nature, so one might suspect that it is associated with other feelings; now it is clarified that although the nature is different, both fruit and cause are associated with equanimity feeling. This is the contrast of certainty and doubt.