大乘法苑義林章 3.30

3.30

Sixth, regarding whether they exist according to the planes [of existence]: Wholesome physical and vocal unmanifested [actions] of moral discipline exist only in the desire and form realms. Because the desire realm and the first dhyāna have investigation and reflection (vitarka and vicāra), they can initiate physical and vocal manifestations; mental manifestations apply to all three realms. Another opinion states: Physical manifestation extends through the upper three dhyānas, because investigation and reflection are not the cause of the physical body. Inhalation and exhalation are the causes of the physical body, and actions apply through the four dhyānas, so why not allow it? As for unmanifested physical and vocal [actions] that are uncontaminated, they perhaps apply through the four dhyānas. Otherwise, bodhisattvas and Buddhas from the eighth ground onward who have achieved sudden enlightenment, dwelling only in the fourth dhyāna, would lack physical and vocal goodness. Just as nose and tongue consciousnesses, though absent in the upper planes when contaminated, are said to exist when uncontaminated, physical and vocal actions should be likewise. The two unwholesome manifestations exist only in the desire realm. Neutral-intermediate wholesome manifestations: physical and vocal apply to the two realms, while manifestations of the mental plane apply to all nine grounds. Among unmanifested actions of moral discipline, the unmanifested action of prātimokṣa can be obtained dependent upon the physical body of the desire and form realms. Since it is accepted that beings in the form realm can turn their aspiration toward the Mahāyāna, how could that World-Honoured One lack the prātimokṣa precepts? As for these prātimokṣa precepts, although when a bodhisattva they are based on that [realm], they are definitely uncontaminated, based on a form-realm body. Following this, there are no contaminated prātimokṣa precepts [in the form realm]. Rocana Buddha manifested transformations to teach eighteen Brahmā heavens and the like; all could understand speech, all received and upheld the bodhisattva precept Dharma, and they also obtained prātimokṣa, though they did not separately receive the prātimokṣa precepts. As for receiving the prātimokṣa precepts separately, except for the noble ones, bodies and minds based in the upper realms lack extreme revulsion, and for this reason they cannot obtain them. Since it is accepted that ghosts and animals can obtain prātimokṣa precepts, what contradiction in principle is there in accepting that form-realm gods can obtain them? Since it is accepted that desire-realm gods may abide in pure conduct (brahmacarya), there are also desire-realm gods who obtain the prātimokṣa precepts. Beings in the animal and ghost destinies can receive the five and eight precepts, but this is not their innate nature. Like the ṣaṇḍha and paṇḍaka, there are therefore prātimokṣa precepts that are not bodhisattva precepts. In the hells there is no means to obtain prātimokṣa precepts, yet the superiority of the bodhisattva precepts can encompass them. Alternatively, they might also obtain the five, eight, and other precepts, with Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva and others administering the precepts to them. The Yogācārabhūmi merely bars those with impaired intent and those with both forms from receiving the upāsaka precepts, not barring animals and the like. This also shows that desire-realm and form-realm gods obtaining the five and eight precepts does not contradict principle. However, these are not contaminated renunciant precepts, so there is no contradiction in principle. Dhyāna moral discipline extends to the nine grounds of the form realm and the eight grounds of the formless realm. Only the preliminary access to the first dhyāna, which separates from the desires of the desire realm, is partly or fully an abandonment antidote, because it damages and subdues the seeds of afflictions that initiate violations of precepts. Entering the fundamental first dhyāna via the ninth path of liberation can be a retention antidote. Above this, all are distant antidotes. The ninth fascicle of the Yogācārabhūmi says: 'Action subsumed under moral discipline, or the fruits of meditative attainments of dhyāna, are subsumed under the moral discipline of abandonment.' 'Meditative attainments' refers precisely to the four formless concentrations; otherwise, since dhyāna already encompasses the concentrations of the form realm, why would meditative attainments be needed? 'Fruit abandonment' is precisely these two moral disciplines abandoning the faults of violating precepts, because concentrations produce this fruit. The eighth and fifty-third fascicles of the Abhidharmasamuccaya speak only of the four dhyānas, not even mentioning the four meditative attainments, let alone the formless realm. The eighth fascicle of the Abhidharmasamuccaya resolves this: 'Because coarse form is absent in the formless realm, moral discipline of material precepts is omitted from being established.' From this we know that the formless realm also has dhyāna moral discipline. This merely designates 'form' nominally with respect to what is guarded against; why must it depend on having a supporting material body? Therefore, through the fundamental, the preliminary, and the intermediate states, there is always the capacity to subdue the faults and errors of violating precepts in the desire realm. Dhyāna by its very nature can subdue faults; it is not that only the form realm has this moral discipline. Due to this, differing from the Sarvāstivāda view, uncontaminated moral discipline extends across ten grounds—six of the form realm and four of the formless realm—because uncontaminated paths exist [in them]. If it is an abandonment antidote of the path of seeing, it exists in five grounds of the form realm, because the intermediate dhyāna lacks a path of seeing; the rest are all retention or distant antidotes. If it is an abandonment antidote of the path of cultivation, there is an opinion that only the six grounds of the form realm have an abandonment antidote with respect to the desire realm, not the formless grounds. The formless grounds are distant and do not abandon the faults of the desire realm, so their nature is solely that of a distant antidote. Another opinion states: The antidotes of the path of cultivation also extend to the lower three formless grounds; since jumping from the first fruit directly to the fourth fruit is permitted, how could relying on them be precluded? Although we know that the text quotes an analysis down to the fingertip, in principle, obtaining the fourth fruit based on the preliminary access of the first dhyāna merely relies on what is predominantly and definitely capable. It does not speak of what is permissible, so there is no discrepancy. As for the ground of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, it is only a distant antidote and not an abandonment antidote; it can occur in any body born in the three realms. Unmanifested actions of non-moral discipline are tied solely to bodies and grounds of the desire realm, because they are exclusively unwholesome. They exist among humans of the three continents, but not in the Northern Continent. Among the six desire heavens, ghosts, and animals, they are completely absent, because they do not have the evil intention to sustain their livelihood [through non-moral discipline]. Gods and those in evil destinies can have the wholesome intention to maintain the prohibitive precepts, because evil thoughts are not superior, whereas wholesome thoughts are superior. Neutral-intermediate [unmanifested actions] extend to the supporting bodies of all three realms. As for those that give rise to physical and vocal form, they exist in the two grounds of the desire and form realms, and there are mental manifestations and the like. As for uncontaminated ones, they extend to the supporting bodies of all three realms. They exist in all upper grounds, because apart from the wholesome [actions] of moral discipline, all are neutral-intermediate.