止觀輔行傳弘決 9.20

9.20

Next, the [eight] liberations through detachment (vimoṣa / eight renunciations, 背捨) are explained. First, the shallow and deep are classified again. The first three are root [dhyānas] and contaminated, termed "root savour." Special excellence (ānāpāna) and penetrating brightness are termed "root purity." From the nine contemplations of impurity onwards are contemplating, refining, perfuming, and cultivating, termed the four mundane absorptions. Now, among the mundane absorptions, only contemplation dhyāna is spoken of. In contemplation dhyāna the text is not yet exhaustive; after the nine contemplations of impurity, it explains the liberations through detachment. One should also distinguish that the three—refining, perfuming, and cultivating—are not what is explained here; the text distinguishes this later, because the Great and Small [Vehicles] differ. The phrase "general and specific" means: generally, it is shared with non-ruined individuals; specifically, it resides in bodhisattva practice. From "Furthermore, liberation through detachment..." onward, cause and effect are classified to explain the name. As for "speaking of the effect within the cause": someone says that liberation through detachment is merely an alternative name for liberation (mokṣa). Testing this now through the Mahāyāna portal, the meaning is not so. The Pañcaviṃśati states, "The bodhisattva relies on the liberations through detachment to enter the nine successive absorptions," and even a non-returner who attains bodily realization, though having obtained the nine absorptions, has not yet received the designation of the eight liberations; thus we know that in the causal stage, detesting, turning one's back on, and abandoning defilements is termed liberation through detachment. Later, when fully equipped with contemplating, refining, perfuming, and cultivating, true uncontaminated [wisdom] arises, and the fetters of the three realms are exhausted; at that time, liberation through detachment changes its name to liberation. Therefore, we know that liberation through detachment pertains to the cause, while liberation pertains to the effect. If liberation through detachment is named liberation, this is the sense of speaking of the effect within the cause; extending this, speaking of the cause within the effect is also tenable. If one were to call them merely different names, it would cause great obstruction. Hence the *Vibhāṣā* states: "Question: What is the meaning of liberation through detachment (renunciation)? Answer: Liberation through detachment has the meaning of discarding. The first two discard the mind of attachment to form; the third discards the mind of impurity; from the fourth up to the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, one discards the phenomena of lower stages; the cessation of perception and feeling discards all conditioned objects. Venerable Vasumitra says: The meaning of obtaining liberation is the meaning of liberation (vimokṣa), because one obtains liberation from defilements. Furthermore, when false perceptions are resolved, it is called liberation." Thus we know that the treatise also takes liberation through detachment from the cause and liberation from the effect. Therefore, in the present text, from "Turning one's back on..." onward, it restates from the aspect of the cause to explain liberation through detachment. Regarding "pure five desires": the *Chanmen* states, "Deluded ordinary beings of the desire realm greedily attach to impure phenomena, taking them to be pure and wonderful, which are called impure five desires. From the desire realm concentration up to neither perception nor non-perception, although there is an attached mind, they are still called pure five desires." Now, through the uncontaminated remedy of liberation through detachment, detesting them without attachment, it is named liberation through detachment from the pure five desires. From "If broken..." onward, it next clarifies the remedy. Externally it relies on the nine contemplations of impurity; internally it relies on liberation through detachment; because persons differ, the contemplations established differ respectively. From "1. Internally having..." onward, it briefly lists the first and last names; in the explanation, each name is individually presented and explained, so there is no need to list them all in advance. From "What is spoken of..." onward is the main explanation. In the manifestation of the first liberation through detachment, it first explains briefly, and then from "If cultivated..." onward explains extensively. Therein, it first differentiates it from the *Chanmen*; next, from "The practitioner..." onward, it directly explains the manifestation. First, in [the first liberation,] "internally having the perception of form," it first explains directly. The phrase "suddenly seeing one's own body..." means: because initial cultivation always begins from the feet, its manifestation now is also like this. Furthermore, starting from the feet is easy to accomplish, just as when the eight contacts arise, the feet arising leads to more progress, and so on. *Hu* is also written *hu*; it is a deep mountain gorge; this impure corpse is like an empty mountain gorge, hence the expression. As for "Sattva..." and so on, it clarifies that this contemplation can assist the practices of the Mahāyāna bodhisattva; thus it caused Prince Sattva to detest his own body. Prince Sattva in the *Suvarṇaprabhāsa* throwing his body to the hungry tigress was entirely due to having attained this contemplation of liberation through detachment. From "The Great Sūtra..." onward, it cites the scriptural proof. The "Holy Actions" chapter states: "Depending on the toe-bones to support the foot-bones; depending on the foot-bones to support the ankle-bones; depending on the ankle-bones to support the shin-bones; depending on the shin-bones to support the knee-bones; depending on the knee-bones to support the thigh-bones; depending on the thigh-bones to support the hip-bones; depending on the hip-bones to support the lower-back bones; depending on the lower-back bones to support the spine-bones; depending on the spine-bones to support the neck-bones; depending on the neck-bones to support the jaw-bones; depending on the jaw-bones to support the teeth; above is the skull. Furthermore, depending on the neck-bones to support the shoulder-bones; depending on the shoulder-bones to support the arm-bones; depending on the arm-bones to support the wrist-bones; depending on the wrist-bones to support the palm-bones; depending on the palm-bones to support the finger-bones. In this way, three hundred and thirty-six bones mutually depend on one another; contemplating each attentively, one fully knows them all." Now, this text says, "The toe-joints are like bubbles, up to the crown of the head": first, one imagines the rotting of the skin and flesh from bottom to top, one toe, two toes, up to the crown of the head; and then conversely tracing from top to bottom until the visualization of the bones is accomplished. Next, in clarifying the external contemplation of forms, first is the desire-realm concentration, and next is the threshold [concentration]. Regarding "this phenomenon increases and progresses...": sūtras and treatises differ; some say blue, yellow, red, and white. "The light follows upward...": this is the mark of the light not yet complete; when gradually brought to completion, it pervades the ten directions. "Like Mount Sumeru...": just as the land, sentient beings, and seawater on the four sides of Mount Sumeru all take on a single colour according to that side of the mountain, so too are these four colours now: all pervade the ten directions, each conforming to its colour, and in each place of colour they do not obstruct one another. From "Thus..." onward, the first dhyāna manifests. First, it directly clarifies the characteristics of the absorption. "After a long time...": it turns back to refer to the preceding. When the light first manifests, one merely contemplates the bones for a long time and the light will naturally arise. Next, from "One colour..." onward, it clarifies the factors, limbs, and virtues. First, it lists them generally; from "The first colour..." onward, it explains the five limbs. Regarding the "eight colours": seeing the colour of earth as yellow and white, pure and clean earth; seeing the colour of water as a deep, limpid pool; seeing the colour of fire as clear, smokeless fire; seeing the colour of wind as dustless, circulating pure wind; seeing the colour of blue as a mountain of lapis lazuli; seeing the colour of yellow as the campaka flower; seeing the colour of red as the morning clouds in spring; seeing the colour of white as mother-of-pearl, conch, or snow; seeing the colours distinctly without material obstruction. Furthermore, one refines the skeletal person from head to feet, repeatedly focusing backward and forward to make it quickly accomplished. In the *Xuanwen*, explaining the liberations through detachment, it says "seeing Buddhas within the light"; this is because it clarifies the holy actions of the Mahāyāna portal. Here it temporarily explains mundane phenomena, so it is briefly omitted. If past habits suddenly manifest, one should understand it according to that. *Dandan* (sounded *ta-gan*) should be written *an* (sounded *wu-gan*), meaning oblivion. From "Only this..." onward, it distinguishes the differences. The phrase "that retains skin and flesh" means: that [meditation of] special excellence and penetrating brightness still retains the thirty-six bodily components, ninety-nine, and so forth. From "If discussing..." onward, it clarifies false marks. From "Dark realization..." onward, it distinguishes the differences.