成唯識論了義燈 7.71

7.71

However, the four roots of goodness, as well as retention, application, and so forth, are cultivated only at the completion of the first asaṃkhyeya kalpa. The seventh chapter of the Mahāyānasūtrālaṃkāra says: "Having completed the practices of one asaṃkhyeya kalpa, one enhances faith, making it supreme," and so forth, after which it states that one gives rise to the four roots of goodness; all teachings are unanimous on this. Since ancient times, various masters have differed in their understanding and have selected different textual passages, failing to grasp the intent of the teaching. The intent of the teaching is that regarding the bodhisattva's cultivation of the four roots of goodness, there is the stage of proper cultivation and completion, and there is the stage of preparatory cultivation through emulation. Preparatory cultivation of contemplation extends through the thirty mental states; like the contemplation of vijñapti-mātra, its accomplishment lies in seeing, but learning it extends to what precedes. This should also be so: although learning extends to what precedes, proper cultivation and completion occur later; in the stage of provision and so forth, one may practice through emulation. Contemplating that the grasped object is nonexistent suppresses grasping at self and grasping at dharmas; contemplating that the grasping subject is nonexistent can suppress grasping at dharmas. Were it not so, how could one suppress the two graspings? The Abhidharmasamuccayavyākhyā, the Mahāyānasūtrālaṃkāra, this Cheng weishi lun, and others are based on the stage of proper cultivation and do not apply to [the stage of] provisions. When the Yingluo benye jing states that "dwelling in the ten abodes, one cultivates and learns the four roots of goodness," this refers to learning and cultivating through emulation. However, when the Liang translation of the Mahāyānasaṃgraha states that "just as before the path of the srotāpanna there are four expedients, the bodhisattva likewise has four expedients, namely the forty mental states," it may be like the Hīnayāna's contemplation of the fivefold resting of the mind, the contemplation of specific characteristics of mindfulness, and the contemplation of general characteristics of mindfulness, which, combined with the four roots of goodness, make four expedients, corresponding to the forty mental states; it does not mean that the four roots of goodness are termed the four expedients.