大乘義章 9.26

9.26

第六明其品數多少上下之義。先辨多少。毘曇法中，斷見諦惑有八無礙，謂四法忍及四比忍，各別一念。若通解脫，有十六心。斷修道惑，有其八十一品無礙，品別一念。斷欲界惑有九無礙，乃至非想皆有九品，故有八十一品無礙。若通解脫，便有一百六十二心。見修合說，有其一百七十八品。成實法中，斷見諦惑，總相一品，別則無量，不止八忍八解脫等。斷修道惑，地地之中總相麁分，有九無礙、九解脫道，細分無量。故彼《成實．斷過品》云「以無量心斷諸煩惱，非八非九。」言非八者，不同《毘曇》唯用八忍斷見諦惑。言非九者，不同《毘曇》地地之中用九無礙斷修道惑。大乘法中，亦無量心斷諸煩惱，不止八九。始從種性終至金剛，念念之中比皆斷結故。品數如是。次論上下。惑雖眾多，要為三品，謂下中上。義釋不定。就過以分，麁惑為上，以過重故；細惑為下，以過微故；兩楹之間，說以為中。就力以分，麁惑力微，浮麁易遣，說以為下；細惑力強，難可制斷，說以為上。故《勝鬘》云「無明住地其力最上。」中同前釋。解亦有三，謂下中上。麁解名下，細解稱上，兩楹之間說以為中。以解對惑，上下不定。對向初門三品之惑，得言下解對治上惑，中對治中惑，上品之解對治下惑。此之一義，如《地持》說。故彼文云「解行菩薩行下忍時諸過相增，中忍時中，上忍時下。」若對後門三品之惑，得言下解還治下惑，中品治中，上解治上。諸佛勝解，能治無明最大惑故。品數如是。

Sixth, the number of grades and the higher and lower grades are clarified. First, their quantity is analyzed. In the Abhidharma system, abandoning the afflictions of seeing the truths has eight unobstructed [moments]—namely, the four dharma-patiences and the four subsequent patiences—each in a distinct, single moment. If liberation is included, there are sixteen mental moments. Abandoning the afflictions of the path of cultivation has eighty-one unobstructed grades, each grade in a distinct, single moment. Abandoning the afflictions of the desire realm has nine unobstructed [moments], and up to [the stage of] neither-conceptualization-nor-non-conceptualization there are nine grades each, hence there are eighty-one unobstructed grades. If liberation is included, there are one hundred sixty-two mental moments. Stated together, seeing and cultivation have one hundred seventy-eight grades. In the Tattvasiddhi system, abandoning the afflictions of seeing the truths is generally one grade, but specifically it is immeasurable, not limited to eight patiences and eight liberations, etc. Abandoning the afflictions of the path of cultivation, roughly divided across the grounds, has nine unobstructed paths and nine paths of liberation, but finely divided it is immeasurable. Thus its “Chapter on Abandoning Faults” states: “Afflictions are abandoned with immeasurable thoughts, not eight and not nine.” Saying “not eight” differs from the Abhidharma's using only eight patiences to abandon the afflictions of seeing the truths. Saying “not nine” differs from the Abhidharma's using nine unobstructed [paths] on each ground to abandon the afflictions of the path of cultivation. In the Mahāyāna system, afflictions are likewise abandoned with immeasurable thoughts, not limited to eight or nine, because from the gotra-bhūmi to the vajropama[-samādhi], defilements are abandoned in every moment. The number of grades is thus. Next, higher and lower are discussed. Although afflictions are numerous, their essentials are three grades: lower, intermediate, and higher. Their semantic interpretation is not fixed. Divided by fault, coarse afflictions are higher, because their fault is heavy; subtle afflictions are lower, because their fault is slight; between the two posts is called intermediate. Divided by strength, coarse afflictions have weak power, being superficial, coarse, and easily eliminated, so they are called lower; subtle afflictions have strong power, being difficult to suppress and abandon, so they are called higher. Thus the Śrīmālādevī Sūtra states: “The entrenchment of ignorance has the highest strength.” The intermediate is explained as before. Understanding also has three grades: lower, intermediate, and higher. Coarse understanding is called lower, subtle understanding is called higher, and between the two posts is called intermediate. Correlating understanding with afflictions, higher and lower are not fixed. Correlated with the first paradigm of the three grades of afflictions, it can be said that lower understanding counteracts higher afflictions, intermediate counteracts intermediate afflictions, and higher understanding counteracts lower afflictions. This meaning is as stated in the Bodhisattvabhūmi. Thus its text states: “When a bodhisattva of resolute conduct practices lower patience, the marks of faults are many; during intermediate patience, they are intermediate; during higher patience, they are fewer.” If correlated with the latter paradigm of the three grades of afflictions, it can be said that lower understanding counteracts lower afflictions, intermediate counteracts intermediate, and higher understanding counteracts higher [afflictions], because the supreme understanding of the Buddhas can counteract the greatest affliction of ignorance. The grades are thus.