止觀輔行傳弘決 6.6

6.6

Part three, explaining the stages of refuting provisionality, begins by explaining the stages of the Tripiṭaka [teaching]. First, setting forth the different schools: other than the Chengshi lun, they all belong to different schools; the various Abhidharma works all explain that the path of vision lies in the fifteen minds. Next, in the direct explanation, he first explains the śrāvaka. Regarding "taking the path of cultivation until exhausted," etc.: if explaining the "clan-to-clan" (kulaṃkula), one must first differentiate how the nine grades of desire[-realm] defilements can moisten seven births, and how much is severed corresponding to the height of the fruits. That is, the highest-highest can moisten two births; the highest-middle, highest-lowest, and middle-highest each moisten one birth; the middle-middle and middle-lowest together moisten one birth; and the lowest three grades together moisten one birth. Regarding how much is severed, the Kośa says: "Severing three or four grades of desire, one is a three-birth or two-birth kulaṃkula; severing up to five, one is an aspirant to the second [fruit]; severing six, one attains the once-returner fruit." Explanation: If one severs the upper three grades, one eliminates four births; with three births remaining moistened by the [other] six grades, one is called a three-birth kulaṃkula. Advancing to sever the middle-highest, one eliminates another birth, making five eliminated in total; with two births remaining, one is called a two-birth kulaṃkula. Severing further the middle-middle, one has not yet eliminated an entire birth, so one is merely called an aspirant to the second [fruit]. Severing further the middle-lowest, together with the preceding middle-middle, this makes six births eliminated; the remaining lower three grades moisten only one birth, so one is called a once-returner. Question: For what reason is there no one who severs one grade, two grades, or five grades called a kulaṃkula? Answer: It is impossible that someone who has severed two grades passes away without reaching the third, nor does someone who has severed five grades pass away without reaching the severance of the sixth. This is because when a noble one generates great application, it is impossible that they pass away without exhausting the severance of a major grade of defilement. A "major grade" means three grades. Dividing three yields nine; hence three is called "major." If one severs up to two, one must reach three, which is the severance of the first major grade. If one severs up to five, one must reach six, which is the second major grade. Furthermore, no single grade can obstruct the fruit; therefore, severing five must reach six. This doctrine of sequential severance is the same as the present text. Question: If no one passes away without severing a major grade, why does someone who severs eight pass away without reaching nine? Answer: Severing the ninth has two meanings, and therefore differs from [the other] three grades: first, attaining the fruit; second, transcending the realm. Because the ninth single grade has the power to obstruct the fruit and to transcend the realm, one who severs up to eight may pass away. The sixth only attains the fruit and lacks the meaning of transcending the realm; therefore, severing five must reach six. Between the second and third grades, neither of the two meanings exists at all; severing two must reach three, without doubt in principle. In the present text, the words "transcending severance" refer to the person of "minor transcendence" below. Originally in the stage of an ordinary person, having not yet attained the form[-realm] dhyāna, or practicing desire-realm dhyāna without having severed desire[-realm] defilements, this person reaches the sixteenth mind and leaps over to sever five grades, being called a kulaṃkula, because these five grades are treated the same as four grades. In accordance with the quantity of grades originally severed, one receives names such as kulaṃkula, "one seed" (ekabīcika), and aspirant or fruit of the non-learner. However, what the Great Master uses is entirely based on the old Vibhāṣā; if one wishes to know it, inspect that text further. Furthermore, with kulaṃkulas, there are two distinct types: human and deva. "Deva" refers to the desire devas; being born in two or three clans, one realizes perfect extinction. "Human" refers to the human realm; being born in three or two clans or three or two continents, one realizes perfect extinction. If a deva [kulaṃkula] has three [births], they are born as a deva three times and as a human twice; if a deva has two [births], they are born as a deva twice and as a human once. For human [kulaṃkulas] born three or two [times], it may be understood in reverse. Therefore, a deva kulaṃkula first attains the path of vision among humans, and whether leaping or sequentially, advances to sever three or four [grades], and subsequently is born in three or two places among the devas. Among humans, it is the reverse of this. A deva kulaṃkula, in their final birth among the devas, severs the remaining fetters, which is called attaining perfect extinction. Human kulaṃkulas are explained corresponding to this. Regarding "the six kinds of anāgāmin stages are included therein": the Dazhidulun, scroll thirty-three, states: "The five anāgāmins are: the intermediate, birth, with practice, without practice, and upstream. There are also six kinds: the five as above, plus the present [life]. There are also seven kinds: the six as above, plus the formless." The Kośa does not establish parinirvāṇa in the present [life], but only takes parinirvāṇa in the formless together with the five to make six. The verse says: / "Here, attaining parinirvāṇa in the intermediate, upon birth, with practice, / without practice, and the upstream: if mixed in cultivation, / one is able to go to the ultimate of form. / Transcending fully, transcending half, or dying in all [realms], / the rest can go to the peak of existence. / Those who traverse the formless are four; / abiding here, they enter parinirvāṇa." / Explanation: The non-returners are five. First, the intermediate: dying in the desire realm, one enters parinirvāṇa in the intermediate existence (antarābhava) of the form realm. Second, parinirvāṇa upon birth: having been born into the form realm, one enters parinirvāṇa. Third, with practice: having been born into the form realm, one enters parinirvāṇa only after long practice; there is only diligent cultivation and no path of rapid advance. Fourth, without practice: having been born into the form realm, without undergoing long practice, one enters parinirvāṇa through effortless practice; both the paths of diligent cultivation and rapid advance are absent. Fifth, the upstream: within the form realm, one must sequentially pass through the places of the four dhyāna heavens before entering parinirvāṇa. The upstream is again twofold: first, mixed cultivation, namely those who delight in wisdom; second, unmixed cultivation, namely those who delight in concentration. Those with mixed cultivation go to the ultimate of form (Akaniṣṭha); those without mixed cultivation go to the peak of existence (bhavāgra). In the verse, the word "rest" refers to unmixed cultivation. Furthermore, there are three kinds: first, the full transcender: in the desire realm, having completely mixed cultivation in the four dhyānas, encountering conditions causes him to regress; dying from the Retinue of Brahmā, he is born in the ultimate of form, leaping over all the intermediate heavens, and is therefore called a full transcender. Second, the half transcender: having died from the Retinue of Brahmā, he sequentially receives birth in the fourteen intermediate heavenly places, or leaps over one, two, or up to thirteen, and only then is born into the heaven of the ultimate of form; all these are called half transcenders. Because they are not full transcenders, they all receive the name "half." Those who are completely unable to transcend are said to "die in all [realms]." Those without mixed cultivation are born into the formless realm, and are only unable to be born into the five pure abodes. Dying from Great Fruit (Bṛhatphala), they are born into the three formless [heavens], and subsequently born into the peak of existence, whereupon they enter parinirvāṇa. Therefore, even if this anāgāmin is born into the formless, he still belongs to what is subsumed under form. If, dying in the desire realm, one is born into a formless heaven, one is subsumed under the formless. Furthermore, there are nine kinds, because the intermediate, birth, and upstream each have three kinds, as quoted in the Shiqian. Among these six or nine, before entering parinirvāṇa, they may also be subsumed under aspirants to arhatship, because when in the form realm, they may possess diligent cultivation or rapid advance. Regarding "the ninth unhindered," etc.: from severing the nine defilements, there is each one unhindered [path] and one liberation [path]; severing is called "unhindered," and realizing is called "liberation." In the Abhidharma, two are added as before. From "three realms" down, it concludes with realizing non-arising. Regarding "exhaustion and non-arising": the Abhidharma states: "The knowledge of exhaustion means: I know suffering, up to knowing the path. The knowledge of non-arising means saying: Having known suffering, I will not know it again, up to: having cultivated the path, I will not cultivate it again. It also says: My outflows have been exhausted and will not arise again. It also says: Severance through worldly knowledge and uncontaminated knowledge. It also says: Liberated by wisdom and doubly liberated." The names of the two knowledges are derived from these. Their differentiated characteristics, etc., are extensive as in the various treatises.