大乘法苑義林章 5.4

5.4

Regarding the explanation of names and meanings, there are two parts: 1. Listing the names; 2. Explaining the names. Regarding listing the names, there are two general categories: 1. The causal stage; 2. The resultant stage. Within the causal stage, there are eighteen; within the resultant stage, there are nine. The eighteen of the causal stage are: the four directions of approach and the three fruits, making seven; eighth, resolved through faith; ninth, attained through view; tenth, bodily witness; eleventh, seven returns at most; twelfth, family to family; thirteenth, one interruption; fourteenth, intermediate parinirvāṇa; fifteenth, born parinirvāṇa; sixteenth, unprompted parinirvāṇa; seventeenth, prompted parinirvāṇa; eighteenth, upstream parinirvāṇa. These are the eighteen names among those in training (śaikṣa). Regarding the nine among those beyond training (aśaikṣa): 1. Arhat; 2. Liberated through wisdom; 3. Liberated both ways; 4. Liable to regress; 5. Volition; 6. Guarding; 7. Abiding; 8. Capable of progress; 9. Immovable. This is the listing of names according to the Mahāyāna; according to the Hīnayāna, the names are slightly different. In the Hīnayāna, there are no 'resolved through faith' and 'attained through view'; instead, they establish 'follower through faith' and 'follower of the Dharma' in place of the former two names. In the stage beyond training, they do not have 'arhat', but separately establish 'non-regressing'. The above concludes the listing of names. Regarding explaining the names: The first fruit is called 'stream-enterer'. 'Stream' (yü) means to enter; 'flow' (liu) means category: that is, entering the category of the noble ones, hence it is called 'stream-enterer'. The second fruit is called 'once-returner': that is, having severed six grades of delusion, going from humans to be born in heaven is called 'going', and returning from heaven to humans is called 'coming'. The third fruit is called 'non-returner': all nine grades of the desire realm are completely exhausted; there is only one life remaining, and one will never again return to be born in the desire realm, hence it is called 'non-returner'. 'Four directions of approach' refers to the meaning of advancing toward, which is called 'approach'; the dharma of the four approaches has no other meaning. 'Resolved through faith' refers to giving rise to faith and understanding following another's spoken words; hence it is called 'resolved through faith'. 'Attained through view' refers to dharmas previously seen being capable of reaching the fruit; hence it is called 'attained through view'. 'Bodily witness' refers to the two kinds of noble persons—those resolved through faith and those attained through view—who, upon reaching the fruit of non-returner, directly realize the absorption of cessation within the body, and thus are renamed 'bodily witness'. This is merely a change of name without a change of essence. In principle, one should say 'bodily witnessing the absorption of cessation'. By attaining the absorption of cessation, one who attains the absorption of cessation must possess the preceding seven [liberations]. Therefore the Yogācārabhūmi states: 'He attains the eight liberations. Why? Because the preceding seven liberations are shared with ordinary beings. Ordinary beings only attain the preceding seven liberations and are not called bodily witnesses. The absorption of cessation is without mind, and it is only through the body that one directly realizes a dharma resembling nirvāṇa. Because it is directly realized through the body, it obtains the name bodily witness.' 'Body' means accumulation, or reliance. 'Witness' means accomplishing and manifesting. As for 'body' and 'witness', both genitive and dvandva compound explanations are admissible. 'Seven returns to existence' refers to returning seven times among humans and devas, hence called 'seven returns to existence'. 'Family to family' refers to going from family to family, hence called 'family to family'. Herein there are four: 1. From human to human; 2. From deva to deva; 3. From human to deva; 4. From deva to human. All are called 'family to family', and the meaning is not fixed. Alternatively, it is said that a person of the first fruit is not reborn twice in the same family, but dying from the Zhang family, transmigrates to be born in the Wang family; hence one says 'family to family'. 'One interruption' refers to one life or half a life remaining, hence called 'one interruption'. That is, with the meaning of an interval or obstruction, it is also called 'one interval'. 'Interruption' means separation. That is, by virtue of this single life being capable of obstructing the path to the noble fruit, it is called 'interruption'. If three grades are severed, three lives remain; if four grades are severed, two lives remain; when five grades are severed, six grades are necessarily severed, as the power of the noble path should naturally be thus. If seven or eight grades are severed, half a life remains. Question: How is this known? Answer: The first grade moistens two lives; the intermediate and lower two grades each moisten one life; the upper-intermediate grade moistens one life; the lower-intermediate two grades together moisten one life; the upper-lower grade moistens half a life; and the intermediate-lower and lower-lower two grades together moisten half a life. Question: For what reason are there only seven lives, not reaching eight nor decreasing to six? Answer: It is due to the power of the noble path. The reason it does not increase to eight is that the power of karma is strong. Just as when snake venom harms a person, one does not walk beyond seven steps, due to the force of the venom's power; that it does not decrease to six or [below] seven steps is due to the power of the four great elements. 'Intermediate parinirvāṇa' means attaining parinirvāṇa while situated in intermediate existence. 'Born parinirvāṇa' means attaining parinirvāṇa while situated in rebirth existence or fundamental existence. 'Prompted parinirvāṇa' means attaining parinirvāṇa through strenuous application. 'Unprompted parinirvāṇa' means the swift path, attaining parinirvāṇa without relying on strenuous application. 'Upstream' means departing from below toward above to take rebirth, hence called 'upstream'. Question: What is meant by 'parinirvāṇa'? Answer: 'Parinirvāṇa' refers to the meaning of attaining the fruit. Attaining the arhat state upon the end of life is therefore called 'parinirvāṇa'. The above concludes the learners. 'Arhat' means worthy (arhat), of which there are three types, as explained in detail in the treatises. 'Liberated through wisdom' refers to being able to sever the hindrance to wisdom without having yet severed the hindrance to meditation; hence it is called 'liberated through wisdom'. 'Liberated both ways' refers to being able to completely exhaust both hindrances, of meditation and of wisdom; hence it is called 'liberated both ways'. Regarding 'liable to regress', regression has two meanings: in the Hīnayāna, regressing and losing the fruit is called 'regression'; in the Mahāyāna, regressing and losing the pleasant abiding in the present life of dhyāna is called 'regression'. Whether wandering or not wandering, whether reflecting or not reflecting, in all cases one regresses and loses it, hence it is called 'liable to regress'. 'Volition' refers to: if one does not reflect, one regresses, but having reflected, one does not regress and lose it; hence it is called 'volition'. 'Guarding' refers to not regressing because of mindfully guarding; hence it is called 'guarding'. 'Abiding' refers to remaining in an equal state, neither refining the faculties nor regressing, but abiding in an equal state; hence it is called 'abiding'. 'Capable of progress' refers to refining the faculties and being capable of progressing and attaining; hence it is called 'capable of progress'. 'Immovable' means that one's nature is of sharp faculties, neither progressing nor regressing; hence it is called 'immovable'. The above concludes the Mahāyāna explanation. Regarding the Hīnayāna: 'follower through faith' and 'follower of the Dharma'—generating faith and understanding following another's spoken words is called 'follower through faith'. 'Follower of the Dharma' refers to one of sharp faculties who can independently generate understanding based on the teaching; hence called 'follower of the Dharma'.