大乘義章 6.47

6.47

十六神我，出《大品經》。神謂神主，我謂我人，神我不同，略說十六。名字是何？一名為我、二名眾生、三名壽者、四名命者、五名生者、六名養育、七名眾數、八名為人、九名作者、十使作者、十一起者、十二使起者、十三受者、十四使受者、十五知者、十六見者，此等皆是我之別名。初言我者，論自釋言「於五陰中起我我所，故名為我。」何者是我？何者我所？是義不定。若異五陰別計有我，則名五陰以為我所。若取五陰以為我人，於五陰中隨取何陰以之為我，即名為我，餘陰為所。言眾生者，計有我人依於五陰和合而生，故名眾生。問曰：佛法亦說五陰集成眾生。與彼何異？釋言：佛法說生假名，無其體實；彼說有體，是故不同。所言壽者，計有我人命根成就，住有分限，故名壽者。所言命者，即如向說，我眾生壽等命根成就，故名命者。所言生者，計有我人，能起眾事，如父母生子，故名生者。言養育者，計有我人，假藉衣食而得增長，故名養育。言眾數者，從彼我人，有陰界等眾法之數，故名眾數。又取我人為陰界等諸法之數，如說諸陰以為我所。所言人者，諸有神主，能行人法，故名為人。所言作者，計有我人，用手足等能作眾事，故名作者。言使作者，計有我人，能使役他，名使作者。所言起者，計有我人，能起罪福，故名起者。言使起者，計有我人，能使役他起罪福業，名使起者。所言受者，計有我人，後身受報，故名受者。言使受者，計有我人，能令他人受苦樂果，名使受者。所言見者，計有我人，用眼見色，故名見者。所言知者，計有我人，用餘五情知餘五塵，故名知者。問曰：神我局唯十六？為更有乎？論自釋言「略說十六，廣則無量。」十六神我，略之云爾。

The sixteen [notions of] soul and self are derived from the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra. 'Soul' refers to the spiritual master; 'self' refers to the self-person. The soul and the self differ, and in brief sixteen are expounded. What are their names? First, self (ātman); second, sentient being (sattva); third, living soul (jīva); fourth, life-possessor (poṣa); fifth, born one (jantu); sixth, nourished one (poṣaka); seventh, aggregate of entities (pudgala / saṃkhyāvat); eighth, person (puruṣa); ninth, agent (kāraka); tenth, instigator of action (kārāpaka); eleventh, originator (utthāpaka); twelfth, instigator of origination (utthāpayitṛ); thirteenth, experiencer (vedaka); fourteenth, instigator of experience (vedayaku); fifteenth, knower (jānaka); sixteenth, seer (paśyaka). These are all alternative designations for the self. First, regarding 'self': the treatise itself explains, 'Because one conceives of self and what belongs to the self in relation to the five aggregates, it is therefore called the self.' What is the self? What is that which belongs to the self? This meaning is not fixed. If one posits a self as distinct from the five aggregates, then the five aggregates are called what belongs to the self. If one takes the five aggregates to be the self-person, whichever aggregate among the five aggregates one takes to be the self is designated as the self, and the remaining aggregates are what belongs to it. Regarding 'sentient being': it is the conception that there is a self-person produced through the harmonious coming together in dependence on the five aggregates; hence it is called a sentient being. Question: Does not the Buddha-Dharma also state that the five aggregates assemble to form a sentient being? How does that differ from this? Explanation: The Buddha-Dharma speaks of being as a nominal designation without substantial reality; they assert that it possesses an actual substance; therefore they are not the same. Regarding 'living soul': it is the conception that there is a self-person endowed with a life-faculty that abides for a determinate span; hence it is called a living soul. Regarding 'life-possessor': just as stated above, it is called a life-possessor because the self, sentient being, living soul, and so on are endowed with a life-faculty. Regarding 'born one': it is the conception that there is a self-person capable of giving rise to various matters, just as parents give birth to a child; hence it is called a born one. Regarding 'nourished one': it is the conception that there is a self-person who grows in reliance on food and clothing; hence it is called a nourished one. Regarding 'aggregate of entities': it is called aggregate of entities because from that self-person there is an enumeration of various dharmas such as aggregates and realms; or, it takes the self-person to be an enumeration of various dharmas such as aggregates and realms, just as one speaks of the aggregates as what belongs to the self. Regarding 'person': because whatever has a spiritual master is capable of conducting human affairs, it is called a person. Regarding 'agent': it is the conception that there is a self-person who, using hands and feet, is capable of performing various actions; hence it is called an agent. Regarding 'instigator of action': it is the conception that there is a self-person capable of directing others; hence it is called an instigator of action. Regarding 'originator': it is the conception that there is a self-person capable of initiating demérit and merit; hence it is called an originator. Regarding 'instigator of origination': it is the conception that there is a self-person capable of directing others to initiate karma of demerit and merit; hence it is called an instigator of origination. Regarding 'experiencer': it is the conception that there is a self-person who receives retribution in a future life; hence it is called an experiencer. Regarding 'instigator of experience': it is the conception that there is a self-person capable of causing others to experience the fruits of suffering and pleasure; hence it is called an instigator of experience. Regarding 'seer': it is the conception that there is a self-person who sees forms with the eyes; hence it is called a seer. Regarding 'knower': it is the conception that there is a self-person who knows the other five sense objects with the other five sense faculties; hence it is called a knower. Question: Are the soul and self confined to only sixteen, or are there yet more? The treatise itself explains, 'In brief sixteen are expounded; in full they are immeasurable.' The sixteen [notions of] soul and self are briefly summarized as such.