大乘義章 9.34

9.34

次就界論。界謂三界。於中別以三門分別：一明得處、二明入處、三明成處。言得處者，修得之所，名為得處。小乘法中，最初修得要在欲地，非上二界，藉說起故。欲界地中有佛宣說滅心之法，故得修起；上二界中無佛宣說，故不修起。問曰：上界無佛說法得修諸禪，何為不得修起滅定？釋言：凡夫過去已來曾得諸禪，以是凡夫常所得法，故上修起。凡夫本來不得滅定，以非凡夫常得法故，上不修起。若退重修，上界亦得。問曰：上界修得之時，為得已得？為得未得？釋言：斯乃得於未得，非得已得。何故如是？彼非心法，不得冥通三世成故。如人得戒，念念之中皆得未得，彼亦如是。大乘法中，始同聲聞，欲界修得。終則不爾，三界皆得，於一切處滅心法門常現前故。言入處者，隨身所在堪能入中，名為入處。小乘法中，欲色兩界堪能現入，非無色界。何故如是？入滅定者斷絕心慮，欲色界中滅心色在，命根猶存，故得現入。四空無色，復絕心慮，命根不立，故不入矣。大乘法中，諸佛菩薩隨身何處皆能現入。問曰：無色滅心即死，云何大乘一切處入？釋言：大乘說無色界猶有形，故雖滅心，命根猶存。又大乘中，說有真心常而不滅，無色界中入滅定時雖息心用，心體猶存，故不命終。言成處者，隨身所在成就不失，名為成處。修得已後，於三界中隨身何處皆得成就。依如《毘曇》，滅定是其非想法故，三界皆成。《成實》、大乘宣說滅定不繫法故，三界皆成。處別如是（此四門竟）。

Next, discussion in terms of the realms. "Realms" refers to the three realms. There are three separate sections within this: first, explaining the locus of attainment; second, explaining the locus of entry; third, explaining the locus of possession. As for the locus of attainment: the place where it is cultivated and attained is called the locus of attainment. In the Hīnayāna Dharma, its initial cultivation and attainment must be in the desire realm, not in the upper two realms, because it arises relying on verbal exposition. In the desire realm, there is a Buddha who preaches the Dharma of extinguishing the mind, and so it can be cultivated and generated; in the upper two realms, there is no Buddha preaching the Dharma, and so it is not cultivated and generated. Question: In the upper realms there is no Buddha preaching the Dharma, yet one can cultivate the dhyānas; why can one not cultivate and generate the cessation attainment? Explanation: Ordinary persons have previously attained the dhyānas in the past, and since these are dharmas constantly attained by ordinary persons, they can cultivate and generate them in the upper [realms]. Ordinary persons have never originally attained the cessation attainment, and since it is not a dharma constantly attained by ordinary persons, they do not cultivate and generate it in the upper [realms]. If one has fallen back and cultivates it again, it can also be attained in the upper realms. Question: When one cultivates and attains it in the upper realms, does one attain what was already attained, or does one attain what was not yet attained? Explanation: This is indeed attaining what was not yet attained, not attaining what was already attained. Why is this? It is not a mental dharma, and it cannot be established by obscurely connecting through the three periods of time. Just as when a person receives the precepts, in thought-moment after thought-moment they attain what was not yet attained; it is likewise here. In the Mahāyāna Dharma, the beginning is identical with the śrāvaka in being cultivated and attained in the desire realm. The ultimate [stage], however, is not so: it is attained in all three realms, because the dharma-gate of extinguishing the mind is constantly present before [the bodhisattva] in all places. As for the locus of entry: where one is capable of entering it depending on where the body resides is called the locus of entry. In the Hīnayāna Dharma, one is capable of entering it in the present in the desire and form realms, but not in the formless realm. Why is this? One who enters the cessation attainment cuts off mind and mental deliberation; in the desire and form realms, mind is extinguished yet form remains and the life-faculty still exists, so one can enter it in the present. In the four formless [levels] of emptiness, there is no form, and if one also cuts off mind and mental deliberation, the life-faculty cannot be sustained; therefore one does not enter it. In the Mahāyāna Dharma, the Buddhas and bodhisattvas can enter it in the present wherever their bodies reside. Question: If extinguishing the mind in the formless realm results in immediate death, how can one enter it in all places in the Mahāyāna? Explanation: The Mahāyāna teaches that the formless realm still has form, and therefore although the mind is extinguished, the life-faculty still remains. Furthermore, in the Mahāyāna it is taught that there is a true consciousness that is permanent and unextinguished; when entering the cessation attainment in the formless realm, although mental functions cease, the essence of the mind still remains, and therefore life does not come to an end. As for the locus of possession: that it is accomplished and not lost depending on where the body resides is called the locus of possession. Once it has been cultivated and attained, it is accomplished wherever the body resides within the three realms. According to the Abhidharma, since the cessation attainment is a dharma of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, it is accomplished in all three realms. The Tattvasiddhi and Mahāyāna declare that because the cessation attainment is an unbound dharma, it is accomplished in all three realms. Such are the distinctions of loci (this concludes the fourth section).