大乘法苑義林章 2.34

2.34

Fourth, differentiating according to the paths: that is, the preparatory path, the uninterrupted path, the path of liberation, and the path of special advancement. 'Preparatory' means applying effort and practice, aspiring to and seeking the path of severing. 'Uninterrupted' means there is no further interval, being directly capable of severing afflictions. 'Liberation' means realizing unconditioned liberation. 'Special advancement' means further cultivating other superior paths. These four all extend to both sāsrava and anāsrava. Which path is capable of severing afflictions? The tenth fascicle of the Cheng weishi lun states: "Because the faculties of the two vehicles are dull, when gradually severing the hindrances they must separately give rise to the uninterrupted [path] and [the path of] liberation, while the preparatory and special advancement are either separate or combined." The intent of this text is to say: The preparatory [path] proceeds toward severing, and special advancement progresses in cultivation; they do not sever kleśas. Because their faculties are dull, the uninterrupted and liberation [paths] are unable to arise as such; that is, because the mental activities of the three paths are distinct, they arise separately. The ninth fascicle states: "Because of the difference in mental intention between severing afflictions and realizing cessation, the two paths become distinct. In the path of liberation, in order to abandon the heavy-burdensomeness of that category, both the uninterrupted [path] and [the path of] liberation are paths capable of severing: the uninterrupted severs anuśayas, and liberation abandons heavy-burdensomeness." That is, at two times two kinds of path arise. When the six sāsrava aspects serve as the four paths, any one of the three—suffering, grossness, or impediment—serves as the uninterrupted path, and any one of the three—calm, excellence, or escape—serves as the path of liberation. Preparatory and special advancement are combined or separate as before. If in the anāsrava path of the two vehicles, uninterrupted and liberation are still separate, how could uninterrupted and liberation not be separate in the six sāsrava aspects? However, the ninth fascicle of the Abhidharmasamuccaya states: "All preparatory, uninterrupted, and liberation of a subsequent category are the special advancement of the preceding category." Why does the Cheng weishi lun say that special advancement is either separate [or combined]? The Cheng weishi lun speaks based on distinct aspects of practice, whereas the Abhidharmasamuccaya speaks regarding progress forward in principle; they do not contradict each other. According to this meaning, the distinct practice-aspects of the preparatory path and so forth are either combined or separate, as in the Cheng weishi lun. If discussed in terms of principle, that which can lead to the subsequent is called preparatory, so the liberation of a preceding category is also the preparatory of a subsequent [category]. The Cheng weishi lun also states: "When a bodhisattva of sharp faculties gradually severs the hindrances, it is not necessary to separately give rise to the uninterrupted and liberation [paths], because moment by moment they can sever and realize. The four, including preparatory, are all capable of being possessed mutually before and after moment by moment." This is based on the bodhisattva, because of sharp faculties, being capable of possessing them in thought-moment after thought-moment of practice, unlike the three vehicles. If it were not so, what difference in principle would there be from the two vehicles? According to what is said here, the sāsrava and anāsrava paths of all two vehicles and other ordinary beings solely directly sever and subdue afflictions in the uninterrupted [path], and sever and subdue heavy-burdensomeness in the path of liberation; preparatory and special advancement are neither said to be able [to do so]. For a bodhisattva of sharp faculties, the sāsrava and anāsrava four paths are all able to either subdue or sever. Subduing applies only to the essence of the hindrances, while severing also extends to karma and fruit, or both apply to both. Severing necessarily realizes reality; subduing is not necessarily so. When a bodhisattva subdues hindrances, in realizing reality they also subdue them; the two vehicles, ordinary beings, and the like are not necessarily able to do so, so there is a distinction. When the sāsrava four paths first arise, one opinion holds that the three wisdoms all serve as preparatory, cultivating wisdom being proximal. Thus the Abhidharmasamuccaya states: "The preparatory path also subdues afflictions; discerning signs and resolute conviction have not yet severed afflictions, which are severed only upon reaching separation." Another opinion holds: Initially, one takes hearing and thinking as the preparatory path, and later, when entering cultivation, it is the uninterrupted path, because it can subdue afflictions. The statement in the Abhidharmasamuccaya and elsewhere that the two mental orientations of discerning signs and resolute conviction do not subdue afflictions is based on not yet having exhausted the severing of the first three grades, and therefore it says that separation severs them; according to fact, they are initially subdued. If, for the sake of contemplating the truths, one enters the path of seeing, the preceding wisdom of the six aspects does not subdue, because it does not feel aversion and aspiration. That preparatory can subdue is because it is uninterrupted anāsrava. Because within the sāsrava path there is no crushing subdual, it is not yet the correct stage. Later, it also extends to the preparatory [path] of cultivating wisdom. When the anāsrava path first arises, it must begin only when sāsrava cultivating wisdom serves as the preparatory path, because the anāsrava directly severs afflictions. Later on, one also attains anāsrava preparation. However, preparatory wisdom itself possesses four paths, and within the four paths the three wisdoms naturally apply; therefore, above the eighth ground, although there is no preparatory wisdom, there are the four paths, as is customarily distinguished.