觀心論疏 4.2

4.2

The treatise states: 'Asking: In contemplating the spontaneously arising mind, / What is the mind of the cause? / Ten kinds of objects arise, / Bringing about the single mind and the three wisdoms.' This is the sixth single verse, explaining that when correctly contemplating the true principle, various objects arise diversely and differently. The preceding four types of samādhi and twenty-five skillful means were all preparatory expedients for cultivating the correct contemplation; from here onward, it directly clarifies the method of the perfect contemplation. As for 'the mind of the cause': contemplating the arising of the ten objects is called the mind of the cause. The arising of the ten kinds of objects refers to: 1. the object of the skandhas and āyatanas, 2. the object of defilements, 3. the object of illness, 4. the object of demonic affairs, 5. the object of karmic marks, 6. the object of dhyāna meditation, 7. the object of views, 8. the object of excessive pride, 9. the object of the two vehicles, and 10. the object of the bodhisattva. First, regarding contemplating the object of the skandhas and dhātus: all sentient beings are constantly joined with the skandhas, dhātus, and āyatanas, and therefore these must be contemplated first. Next, contemplating defilements after the skandhas and dhātus: just as drawing a rake through water causes it to surge, by contemplating the object of the skandhas one stirs up defilements, setting the three poisons in motion to run wild beyond the ordinary. If this is not explained and the practitioner does not recognize it, they will inevitably be drowned by them; therefore defilements surging up and being treated with contemplation are explained second. Next, contemplating the object of illness: all sentient beings take the four poisonous snakes [of the great elements] together to form a single body, which is constantly diseased of itself. Yet illnesses are of many kinds: illness from karma, illness from discord of the four great elements, illness from demons and ghosts, or illness contracted from improper adjustment in mental application during meditation. Now, when contemplating the object of the skandhas, dhātus, and āyatanas, instead of [meditative attainment] arising, various illnesses arise; if this is not clarified and the practitioner fails to recognize them when they arise, the mind of the three contemplations will be ruined, the floating lifebuoy will be punctured, and correct mindfulness will be lost; therefore the object of illness is explained third. Next, contemplating the object of karmic marks: all sentient beings have all manner of wholesome and unwholesome karma from the past, but the waves on the water of sentient beings' minds are not calm, so their karma cannot manifest. Now, by contemplating the skandhas, dhātus, and āyatanas, one clarifies the spirit and calms thought, and past karma arises due to the quieted mind. If this is not clarified and one fails to recognize it when it arises, one will be undone by it; therefore the manifestation of karmic marks is explained fourth. Next, contemplating the object of demonic affairs: the sūtra states, 'If the bodhisattva's path is accomplished, they will transform and guide sentient beings, emptying my palace; before their path is accomplished, I must destroy it'; thus it is said, 'When the path is high, demons flourish.' Now, contemplating the skandhas and āyatanas often stirs up demons; if this is not clarified beforehand and the practitioner fails to recognize it when it arises, they will be deluded by them; therefore contemplating the object of demonic affairs is explained fifth. Next, contemplating the object of dhyāna meditation: the sūtra states, 'All sentient beings have three kinds of meditation: superior, middling, and inferior. The inferior refers to meditation among the ten universal mental factors; the middling refers to all sentient beings having the attachment-dhyāna of the first stage; the superior meditation refers to all sentient beings having the Śūraṅgama Samādhi of the Buddha-nature.' Therefore, now contemplating the object of the skandhas and āyatanas, calming the mind often gives rise to various dhyānas; if this is not clarified and the practitioner fails to recognize it when they arise, they will be undone by them; therefore the object of dhyāna meditation is explained sixth. Next, contemplating the object of views: all sentient beings are constantly trapped in the net of views. Now, contemplating the object of the skandhas and āyatanas, through various speculations one often gives rise to views; if this is not clarified and one fails to recognize it when they arise, one will be overthrown by views; therefore the object of views is explained seventh. Next, contemplating the object of excessive pride: now, contemplating the object of the skandhas, dhātus, and āyatanas, whenever a slight [state] arises, one immediately claims oneself to be a sage, presuming realization without having attained it, falling into excessive pride; if this is not clarified and one fails to recognize it when it arises, one will sink into it; therefore the object of excessive pride is explained eighth. Next, contemplating the object of the two vehicles: the sūtra states, 'I see beings [as numerous as the sands of] the Ganges arouse bodhicitta, yet few achieve accomplishment, while many fall into the stage of the two vehicles.' Now, when practitioners initially contemplate the object of the skandhas and āyatanas, they arouse bodhicitta to study the bodhisattva path; but the bodhisattva path is difficult to accomplish, and they often regress and give rise to the mind of the two vehicles. If this is not clarified and one fails to recognize it when it arises, it ruins the bodhisattva path; therefore the object of the two vehicles is explained ninth. Next, contemplating the object of the bodhisattva: there are four kinds of bodhisattvas: 1. the bodhisattva of the Tripiṭaka teaching, 2. the bodhisattva of the shared teaching, 3. the bodhisattva of the distinct teaching, and 4. the bodhisattva of the perfect teaching. Now, contemplating the object of the skandhas and āyatanas is specifically meant to illuminate the fourth, the perfect bodhisattva. But the perfect teaching is subtle, and cultivating the practices and stages of the perfect bodhisattva is difficult to achieve, so one often falls into [the stages of] the bodhisattvas of the prior three teachings. If this is not clarified and one fails to recognize it when it arises, one will surely regress from the perfect stage; therefore contemplating the object of the bodhisattva is explained tenth. However, due to contemplating the object of the skandhas, dhātus, and āyatanas, the arising of the remaining objects occurs in various different ways. How so? Either they arise sequentially as analyzed above, or they arise non-sequentially; or they arise with all ten complete, or they arise incompletely; or various objects arise mingled together; or after one object arises and is completed, another object arises; or before one is completed, other objects arise; or after one object has arisen, it arises again, or it does not arise again; or one object arises and takes a very long time to fade, or it ceases shortly. Distinguishing the arising of the object of the skandhas, dhātus, and āyatanas through these ten meanings being so, the arising of the remaining nine objects is likewise evaluated through these ten meanings. Now, although the ten objects are numerous, when considered together they simply fulfill the single mind, the three wisdoms, and the three contemplations. How so? The eight objects—skandhas and āyatanas, defilements, illness, karmic marks, demonic affairs, dhyāna meditation, views, and pride—are subsumed under the provisional contemplation and the wisdom of the paths; the object of the two vehicles is subsumed under the contemplation of emptiness and the all-knowledge; and the object of the bodhisattva is subsumed under the contemplation of the Middle Way and the knowledge of all aspects. These three contemplations and three wisdoms are unified in a single mind; therefore the verse states, 'Asking: In contemplating the spontaneously arising mind, / Ten kinds of objects arise, / Bringing about the single mind and the three wisdoms,' and so forth.