大乘百法明門論解 1.64

1.64

Faith (śraddhā) has as its nature deep conviction, joy, and aspiration toward the real, the virtuous, and the capable, and purity of mind; its function is counteracting lack of faith and delighting in the good. That is, having deep conviction and endurance toward the true facts and principles of all dharmas; having deep faith and joy toward the true and pure virtues of the Three Jewels; and having deep faith that there is power in all mundane and supramundane good, that one can obtain and achieve them, and giving rise to aspiration. These are the three kinds of faith. 'Having purity of mind as its nature' means that this nature is clear and can purify the mind and so forth, just as a water-clearing pearl can clear muddy water; hence it is called 'having purity of mind as its nature'. Diligence (vīrya) has as its nature courage and persistence in the tasks of cultivating the wholesome and abandoning the unwholesome; its function is counteracting indolence and fulfilling the good. That is, cultivating the wholesome category and abandoning the unwholesome category; 'courage' signifies superior progress, setting aside all defiled dharmas; 'persistence' signifies pure refinement, setting aside the pure indeterminate. It is also said: 'courageous without cowardice, persistent without fear.' 'Fulfilling the good' means that bringing wholesome deeds to complete perfection is called fulfilling the good. Therefore, while the three roots perform the good, this is called fulfilling the good, because it can fulfill them. Someone might ask: 'The Vijñaptimātratāsiddhi states that the single dharma of diligence comes after the three roots; why does the Hundred Dharmas state it immediately after faith?' The answer is: 'The Vijñaptimātratāsiddhi follows the sequence of what is based upon what, while this [text] follows the sequence of cause and dependence. For faith is the basis of desire, and desire is the basis of diligence; therefore here, right after faith, diligence is mentioned; diligence is indeed vīrya, but diligence (勤) runs through the three natures, whereas progress (進) is subsumed only under the wholesome nature.' As for 'the sequence of what is based upon what': the roots depend on diligence to establish the three [dharmas] such as equanimity; the four dharmas that serve as the basis must rationally be stated together; therefore diligence is only stated after the three roots. Shame (hrī) has as its nature revering and respecting the worthy and good based on the power of oneself and the Dharma; its function is counteracting shamelessness and bringing evil conduct to rest. Regarding 'the power of oneself and the Dharma': 'oneself' refers to one's own person; 'the Dharma' refers to the teaching of Dharma; it means, 'Given such a person as myself and my understanding of such a Dharma, would I dare commit various evils?' Guilt (apatrāpya) has as its nature slighting and rejecting violence and evil based on the power of the world; its function is counteracting absence of guilt and bringing evil conduct to rest. The censure and rebuke of worldly people is called the power of the world; it disdains evil-doers without associating with them, and rejects evil actions and deeds without committing them. Non-greed (alobha) has as its nature non-attachment to existence and the requisites of existence; its function is counteracting greedy attachment and performing good. Regarding 'existence and the requisites of existence': the former word 'existence' is the fruit of the three realms of existence; 'requisites of existence' are the causes of the three realms of existence. Non-anger (adveṣa) has as its nature absence of malice toward suffering and the requisites of suffering; its function is counteracting malice and performing good. Regarding 'suffering and the requisites of suffering': 'suffering' refers to the three sufferings; 'requisites of suffering' are the causes of suffering. Non-delusion (amoha) has as its nature clear understanding of various facts and principles; its function is counteracting foolish delusion and performing good. Pliancy (prasrabdhi) has as its nature freedom from heaviness, harmonizing and easing the body and mind, and fitness; its function is counteracting torpor and bringing about the transformation of the basis (āśraya-parāvṛtti). Leaving behind heaviness is called 'light' (輕); harmonizing and easing the body and mind is called 'peace' (安); that is, this suppresses and removes dharmas that obstruct concentration, causing the foundation to become increasingly comfortable. 'Fitness' means being capable and competent to endure. 'Transformation of the basis' means causing the body and mind that serve as the basis to cast off heaviness and attain security. Vigilance (apramāda) has as its nature guarding and cultivating through diligence and the three roots regarding what is to be cultivated and abandoned; its function is counteracting laxity and bringing to fulfillment all mundane and supramundane wholesome deeds. 'Guarding and cultivating': guarding against the evil to be severed so that it does not arise, and cultivating the wholesome dharmas to be cultivated so that they increase. 'Diligence and the three roots': this vigilance is precisely the guarding and cultivating function of these four dharmas; it does not have a separate substantial entity. Or someone might say: 'Faith and so on also possess the function of guarding and cultivating; why are they not relied upon to establish it?' The answer is: 'The remaining six are weaker in power and function compared to the four; hence they are not relied upon for its establishment. Why are they particularly weak? Because they are not wholesome roots, and because they do not universally urge [the mind] on.' Equanimity (upekṣā) has as its nature causing the mind to remain in impartiality, uprightness, and effortless abiding through diligence and the three roots; its function is counteracting restlessness and abiding in stillness. 'Formational equanimity' (行捨) is equanimity within the aggregate of formations (saṃskāra-skandha), distinguished from the equanimity of the aggregate of feeling (vedanā-skandha). Regarding 'causing the mind to be impartial, etc.': because equanimity causes the mind to depart from torpor and restlessness, the initial mind is impartial, the next mind is upright, and the final mind is effortless; these are the different stages of beginning, middle, and end. This too consists of the four dharmas; apart from those four dharmas, there are no distinct characteristics or functions. How is it known that there are none distinct? The answer is: 'What can cause stillness is precisely the four dharmas; what is caused to be still is precisely the mind and so on.' Or someone might say: 'Since it is identical with the four dharmas, why establish it separately?' The answer is: 'If it were not established separately, this capability would be concealed.' Non-harming (ahiṃsā) has as its nature not injuring or harassing sentient beings, which is non-anger; its function is being able to counteract harming, and compassion. That is, it is simply non-anger that does not injure or harass sentient beings, nominally designated as non-harming. Non-anger directly opposes anger that terminates the lives of beings; non-harming only opposes harm that injures and harasses beings. Non-anger gives happiness; non-harming uproots suffering. These two are crude distinctions in appearance; in truth, non-anger has a real self-entity, whereas non-harming is a nominal designation established based on a portion of it, in order to display the distinct aspects of benevolence (maitrī) and compassion (karuṇā), because those two are supreme in benefiting and gladdening sentient beings.