大乘義章 17.41

17.41

次辨其相開合不定。總之唯一。或分為二：一慧解脫、二俱解脫，不得滅定名慧解脫，得滅定者名俱解脫。又分二種：一時解脫、二不時解脫。其鈍智根者，假時託處方得解脫，名時解脫。其利根者，不假時處而得解脫，名不時解脫。或分六種，如《毘曇》說：一退、二思、三護、四住、五必昇進、六名不動。言退法者，本在學地，無常方便、無頓方便，所得可退，名退法人。言思法者，亦無常頓二種方便，堪能思願令行不退，名思法人。言護法者，有常方便、無頓方便，常自防護令行不退，名護法人。言住法者，有頓方便、無常方便，所得善根不進不退，故名為住。必昇進者，有常方便及頓方便，而是頓根，以二方便堪得不動，名必昇進。不動法者，有常方便、有頓方便，而是利根，所得堅固，故名不動。於中有二：一本來不動、二至果中進為不動。此六種中若說退者必定退轉，乃至必進必定上進。欲界羅漢，非上二界，彼上二界唯有住法及不動法，若說退者，可退名退，不必定退，乃至進者，可進名進。設令退者，此人進作思、護、住等，後遠退失，住本種性不令退失。如上說者，三界羅漢悉具六種，六中前五是時解脫，後一不時。或分為九，如《成實》說：一是退相、二是守相、三者死相、四可進相、五者住相、六不壞相、七不退相、八慧解脫、九俱解脫。論自釋言「以信等根故有差別。」最鈍根者名為退相，此當《毘曇》退法人也。但毘曇中退失聖道，成實法中退失三昧，故無漏智慧不能現前。問曰：若退聖慧不現，云何得成阿羅漢果？釋言：雖退，時復還得，得已發慧，故成羅漢。言守相者，根少勝前。云何勝前？前退法人雖自防護，而必退失。此守相人，不護則退，護則不退。不退三昧，此當《毘曇》護法人也。言死相者，根轉勝前，深厭諸有不能得定，不得定故無漏智慧難得現前，設得恐失，故求欲自害，故名死相，如瞿坻等。此當《毘曇》思法人也。此三住於退分三昧。言住相者，所得三昧不進不退。此當《毘曇》住法人也，此人住於住分三昧。可進相者，所得三昧轉深增益，名可進相。此當《毘曇》必昇進也，此人住於增分三昧。不壞相者，所得三昧種種因緣不能敗壞，名不壞相。此人慧利，善取三昧入住起相，故不可壞。不退相者，此人最勝，所得功德盡無退失，名不退相。此後二人住達分定，當毘曇中不動人也。於前人中，不得滅定名慧解脫，得滅定者名俱解脫。九種如是，細分無量。辨相如是（此二門竟）。

Next is distinguishing the characteristics, which are flexible in expanding and condensing. In summary there is only one. Or they may be divided into two: first, liberation through prajñā (prajñāvimukta); second, liberation in both parts (ubhayatobhāgavimukta). Not attaining the samādhi of cessation is called liberation through prajñā; attaining the samādhi of cessation is called liberation in both parts. They are also divided into two types: first, temporary liberation (samaya-vimukta); second, non-temporary liberation (asamaya-vimukta). Those of dull intellectual faculties, relying on time and depending on place, only then attain liberation; this is called temporary liberation. Those of sharp faculties do not rely on time or place to attain liberation; this is called non-temporary liberation. Or they may be divided into six types, as explained in the Abhidharma: first, retrogression; second, deliberation; third, protection; fourth, abiding; fifth, bound to advance; sixth, immovable. A person of the dharma of retrogression originally, in the stage of training, lacked regular expedient means and lacked sudden expedient means; what was attained could retrogress, so they are called a person of the dharma of retrogression. A person of the dharma of deliberation also lacks both regular and sudden expedient means, but is able through deliberation and resolve to keep practice from retrogressing, so they are called a person of the dharma of deliberation. A person of the dharma of protection has regular expedient means but lacks sudden expedient means, and constantly protects oneself to keep practice from retrogressing, so they are called a person of the dharma of protection. A person of the dharma of abiding has sudden expedient means but lacks regular expedient means; the roots of goodness attained neither advance nor retrogress, hence called abiding. One who is bound to advance has regular expedient means and sudden expedient means, but has blunt faculties; using the two expedient means, they are capable of attaining immovability, so they are called bound to advance. A person of the immovable dharma has regular expedient means and sudden expedient means, and has sharp faculties; what was attained is firm, hence called immovable. Among them there are two: first, originally immovable; second, advancing to become immovable upon reaching the fruit. Among these six types, if it is said that one who retrogresses definitely retrogresses, up to one bound to advance definitely advances upward, this applies to arhats of the desire realm, not the upper two realms. In those upper two realms there are only the dharma of abiding and the immovable dharma. If retrogression is spoken of, what can retrogress is termed retrogression, not that one definitely retrogresses, up to one who advances being termed advancing because one can advance. Even if one were to retrogress, this person would advance to become deliberation, protection, abiding, etc., and later keep retrogression far away, abiding in their original lineage and not letting it be lost to retrogression. As stated above, arhats of the three realms all possess the six types; among the six, the first five are temporary liberation, and the last one is non-temporary. Or they may be divided into nine, as explained in the Tattvasiddhi: first, characteristic of retrogression; second, characteristic of guarding; third, characteristic of death; fourth, characteristic of capability to advance; fifth, characteristic of abiding; sixth, characteristic of indestructibility; seventh, characteristic of non-retrogression; eighth, liberation through prajñā; ninth, liberation in both parts. The treatise itself explains: 'Distinctions exist because of faculties such as faith.' The one of most dull faculties is called the characteristic of retrogression; this corresponds to the person of the dharma of retrogression in the Abhidharma. However, in the Abhidharma one retrogresses and loses the noble path, while in the doctrine of the Tattvasiddhi one retrogresses and loses samādhi, so untainted prajñā cannot manifest. Question: If one retrogresses and noble prajñā does not manifest, how can one attain the fruit of an arhat? Answer: Although one retrogresses, from time to time one recovers it, and having recovered it, generates prajñā; therefore one achieves arhatship. The characteristic of guarding has faculties slightly superior to the previous. How are they superior to the previous? Although the previous person of the dharma of retrogression protected oneself, they definitely retrogressed. As for this person of the characteristic of guarding, if they do not guard, they retrogress; if they guard, they do not retrogress. Not retrogressing from samādhi, this corresponds to the person of the dharma of protection in the Abhidharma. The characteristic of death has faculties progressively superior to the previous; deeply repulsed by all realms of existence, they are unable to attain samādhi; because they cannot attain samādhi, untainted prajñā is difficult to manifest; even if attained, fearing its loss, they seek and desire to kill themselves, hence called the characteristic of death, like Godhika and others. This corresponds to the person of the dharma of deliberation in the Abhidharma. These three abide in samādhi partaking of retrogression (hānabhāgīya). The characteristic of abiding is where the attained samādhi neither advances nor retrogresses. This corresponds to the person of the dharma of abiding in the Abhidharma; this person abides in samādhi partaking of maintenance (sthitibhāgīya). The characteristic of capability to advance is where the attained samādhi becomes progressively deeper and increases, called the characteristic of capability to advance. This corresponds to bound to advance in the Abhidharma; this person abides in samādhi partaking of distinction (viśeṣabhāgīya). The characteristic of indestructibility is where the attained samādhi cannot be ruined by various conditions, called the characteristic of indestructibility. This person's prajñā is sharp, and they are skilled in grasping the characteristics of entering, abiding in, and emerging from samādhi, hence it cannot be destroyed. The characteristic of non-retrogression is the most superior person; none of the virtues attained are lost to retrogression, called the characteristic of non-retrogression. These latter two abide in samādhi partaking of penetration (nirvedhabhāgīya), corresponding to the immovable person in the Abhidharma. Among the aforementioned persons, not attaining the samādhi of cessation is called liberation through prajñā; attaining the samādhi of cessation is called liberation in both parts. The nine types are thus; divided finely, they are immeasurable. Distinguishing characteristics is thus (this completes the second section).