止觀輔行傳弘決 9.16

9.16

Next, explaining meditation that is both contaminated and uncontaminated. First, in explaining the purpose [of its introduction]: according to the *Chanmen*, capacities are of three kinds; therefore, for those with much wisdom and little concentration, the six subtle [gates] were expounded. Because these six subtle gates mostly bring forth the uncontaminated in the desire realm, one does not necessarily need the higher stages. Furthermore, they traverse all causal conditions and the six perfections; hence they are determined as belonging to [the capacity of] much wisdom and little concentration. If concentration is abundant and wisdom deficient, the extraordinary excel [meditations] (viśeṣa) were taught for them, because within the extraordinary excel meditation the nature of wisdom is slight, so that only upon reaching the higher stages does it bring forth the uncontaminated. If concentration and wisdom are equal, the penetrative luminosity [meditation] was taught for them; within penetrative luminosity meditation, the natures of concentration and wisdom are equal, the contemplative wisdom is deep and subtle, fully bringing forth the fundamental [dhyānas], bringing forth the uncontaminated from below all the way to the top. This is an exposition tailored to capacity and following habituation. If in terms of countermeasures (pratipakṣa): those with much sinking should cultivate much wisdom and little concentration; those with much distraction should cultivate much concentration and little wisdom; and those whose sinking and distraction are equal should cultivate equal contemplation. In that text, clarifying the characteristics of phenomena sets forth the exposition according to capacity and countermeasures, whereas here, in clarifying manifestation, it is judged merely according to what manifests.

Question: Why does the present text not explain the six subtle gates?
Answer: The initial counting and following are explained in the preceding fundamental [dhyānas], while the latter four's entry into principle is not the topic here. Moreover, they are both aspects of cultivation; hence they are not discussed here.

Regarding the purpose: Question: Why is it called "extraordinary excel"?
Answer: Cultivating the nine contemplations of decay gave rise to faults; therefore the Buddha instructed them to cultivate the extraordinary excel. This contemplation is extraordinary and surpasses the nine contemplations of decay; hence it is called "extraordinary excel."

Regarding "as the Vinaya states": the *Daśabhāṇavāra-vinaya* states, "The Buddha was in the Vṛji country by the Vaggumudā River"; the *Dharmaguptaka-vinaya* states, "The Vaggumudā garden, because the garden was on the river." He instructed the monks to cultivate the contemplation of impurity. The monks cultivated and practiced as instructed, conceiving disgust for the body, as if a person had a snake tied around their neck. Some monks aroused the desire to die and praised death, seeking knives to commit suicide; or they took poison, hung themselves, threw themselves [from cliffs], or killed each other. There was a monk who went to a deer-staff brahmacārin and praised him, saying: "Virtuous man! If you can kill me, I will give you my robes and bowl." Then that brahmacārin severed his life-faculty with a sharp knife. With the knife smeared with blood, he went to the river to wash it. At that time, a heavenly Māra emerged from the water, stood above the water, and praised the brahmacārin, saying: "Virtuous man! You have gained great merit! These Śākyan śramaṇas who were not yet crossed over, you have crossed over; those not yet liberated, you have liberated; and you also gain their robes and bowls." In this way, he killed sixty monks. On the occasion of the fortnightly recitation of the precepts, the Buddha asked Ānanda: "I do not see the monks." Ānanda answered in full, and because of this, precepts were laid down, and so forth. Thereafter, [the Buddha] changed the contemplation, instructing them to cultivate the extraordinary excel.

Question: If that is so, why is it not listed after the contemplation of impurity?
Answer: If according to countermeasures, it should be as you ask; but now it is listed prior based on depth and shallowness. Hence in the "Chapter on the Great Vehicle" of the *Dapin*, the meditations such as the nine contemplations of decay are all listed after the extraordinary excel; thus the sūtra also relies on shallowness and depth.

From "rhubarb" onward, it clarifies love and urging. In the first simile: uncontaminated contemplation is like the body; greedy desire is like a fever; the nine contemplations of decay are like a purgative medicine; self-harm is like "excess"; not yet knowing the exhaustion of contaminations is called "the body being weak"; and exclusively detesting the body is like "debilitating it." The medicine was originally to treat the sickness and make the body recover, but now, although the sickness is gone, it leaves the body exhausted and debilitated; hence it says "debilitated it." Further cultivating the extraordinary excel is like "tonifying simultaneously"; still retaining impurity is like "purging simultaneously." Advancing to bring forth the uncontaminated is like the body recovering.

From "urging excellence" onward, it determines [its rank].

From "there is contemplation" onward, it clarifies provisional and real, first the doctrine, then the simile. Saying "like a person who eats sparingly" refers to the person treating greedy desire. Preserving the body to cultivate contemplation is like "eating pig tripe." Contemplating the body with the stations of mindfulness is like touching excrement. Not immediately committing suicide is like "still eating by force." When the contemplation of the nine stages of decay is accomplished, it is like "stinking pig [flesh]." Hiring someone to kill oneself is like "no longer eating." The character 廉 is not the [correct] word; it should be written as 䭑, which means eating sparingly. The application is as in the text.

From "when the extraordinary excel manifests" onward, it directly clarifies the characteristics of manifestation. These sixteen dharmas correspond to the four stations of mindfulness and the four fundamental [dhyānas]. Where it says in each station of mindfulness, "if contrasted with the aids to the path," the stations of mindfulness belong to the aids to the path; this is stated generally, so it points to the aids to the path. From initially knowing the breath going out to eliminating bodily activities, there are five extraordinary excels, called the station of mindfulness on the body. First, regarding the in-and-out breaths: inhaling down to the navel, exhaling out to the nose, illuminating them without confusion, up to knowing the inhalation is light and exhalation is heavy, inhalation is coarse and exhalation is fine, inhalation is smooth and exhalation is rough, inhalation is cold and exhalation is warm, and so forth. "Knowing whether the breath is long or short": the *Dazhidulun*, fascicle fifty-three, states: "Like a wood-turner or a wood-turner's apprentice knowing whether the rope is long or short."

From "whereas the fundamental is dark realization" onward, it brings up the preceding fundamental [dhyānas] to distinguish them from this. The three similes, such as "like ashes covering fire," all illustrate that the preceding fundamental [dhyānas] lack contemplative wisdom. Fire, food, and a woman are like having a body; ashes, night, and blindness are like the fundamental [dhyāna]. Now having contemplative wisdom is like removing the ashes, daylight, and opening the eyes; hence we know that the extraordinary excels are all distinct from the fundamental [dhyānas].

From "the preceding eight touches touch the body" onward, it also criticizes the fundamental [dhyānas]. "Granary" is a storage place for grain. Grains are the five grains; grain is the common name for the five. Grain means fruition; the five kinds maturing into fruit are named grains, the five being broomcorn millet, foxtail millet, wheat, rice, and hemp.

Next, from "the mind experiencing joy" onward, three extraordinary excels correspond to the station of mindfulness on feelings.

Next, from "making the mind joyful" onward, three extraordinary excels correspond to the station of mindfulness on the mind. Regarding "the *Daji*" and so forth: this cites the *Daji* to prove the absence of internal purity. Here it only says making the mind joyful, which resembles the absence of internal purity; hence it agrees with the *Daji*.

From "contemplating impermanence" onward, five extraordinary excels are called the station of mindfulness on phenomena. Regarding "contemplating elsewhere as well, yet not serving as a specific countermeasure" and so on: from knowing the in-and-out breath onward, all contemplate impermanence, but this is merely knowing impermanence generally. Reaching the fourth dhyāna, the breath ceases in this dhyāna, so non-Buddhists grasp it as permanent. Therefore, contemplating impermanence specifically counteracts this stage. Furthermore, reaching the four formless realms, it is even more necessary to distinguish differences. Hence the text on the realm of boundless space is still brief. It should say: spatial dispersal is desire; recognizing its desire and dispersal is therefore called detachment from desire. Moreover, using contemplative wisdom to contemplate this detachment from desire, it should say: detachment from this detachment from desire is called contemplating detachment from desire. In the realm of nothingness, regarding "whether much or little": the realm of consciousness is "much," and the realm of nothingness is "little." Now having contemplative wisdom, one is detached from whether it is much or little; hence it says "both are absent." "Little" is cessation; hence it says "contemplating cessation."

From "these sixteen" onward, it concludes in summary. Horizontally corresponding to the stations of mindfulness, its principle is different from the fundamental [dhyānas]. Vertically corresponding to the fundamental [dhyānas], it also relies on the stations of mindfulness; because it relies on the stations of mindfulness, it differs from the mere fundamental [dhyānas]. Hence it gives the simile, "like food without salt," and so forth. Manifesting only the fundamental [dhyānas] is like bland food; the extraordinary excel having contemplation is like adding salt. The shallowness and depth of the fundamental [dhyānas] are why it says "vertical"; the equality of the dharmas of the stations of mindfulness is why it says "horizontal." Although the numbers are not listed at the beginning of the text, the terms and meanings are already complete, and need no separate explanation. Only the first five dharmas of mindfulness of the body are somewhat obscure in their terminology: first, knowing the breath entering; second, knowing the breath exiting; third, knowing whether the breath is long or short; fourth, knowing the breath permeating the body; fifth, eliminating bodily activities; the rest of the text is clear.

In the *Chanmen*: "Question: On what stage does the extraordinary excel rely? Answer: Interpreters differ. One master says: It is only in the desire realm, the threshold [concentration], and up to the first dhyāna; the higher stages do not fail to attain it, but because the contemplative method is incomplete—for example, the fourth dhyāna lacks in-and-out breathing as well as joy and bliss—it is inconvenient for explaining the stations of mindfulness." There is also another master who fully accords with the present text and the expositions in the *Fajie cidi* and *Chanmen*, both making this interpretation relying on the sūtras. There is yet another master who says: Corresponding to the four stations of mindfulness is acceptable, but the division is not harmonized. It should be like the sixteen aspects of the uncontaminated, four per noble truth, with four extraordinary excels in each station of mindfulness. Why must bodily activity specifically point to the in-and-out breath? Mind and feeling must be present to produce activity; therefore the fifth belongs to the station of mindfulness on feelings. This master's correspondence to the stages is also identical to the present one, only the correspondence to the stations of mindfulness is slightly indeterminate.