四教義 8.8

8.8

Second, in explaining the stage of dry wisdom of the four applications of mindfulness considered separately: persons of the three vehicles abiding in quiet, concentrated minds cultivate the concrete practices of the three kinds of applications of mindfulness, roughly as distinguished previously in the Tripiṭaka teaching. However, regarding the mindfulness of dharmic nature explained here in this shared teaching, it is solely the wisdom that contemplates the five aggregates as identical to the emptiness of dharmic nature that is called mindfulness of dharmic nature. Thus, the Dàpǐn jīng states: "Form itself is empty; it is not that emptiness arises upon the annihilation of form. The nature of form is inherently empty; emptiness is itself form. Apart from emptiness there is no form; apart from form there is no emptiness. Sensation, perception, formations, and consciousness are likewise." If one contemplates the two views, four views, and fourteen views of the self and extremes belonging to craving and views, as well as all forms, as impure, false and unreal, and originally non-arising (refuting the arising of the four extreme views of form involves forty-eight up to ninety-six permutations; this can be known by analogy with the previous contemplation of entering emptiness through embodying dharmas), then non-arising is identical to emptiness, emptiness is identical to dharmic nature, and dharmic nature is neither defiled nor pure. This refutes the two inversions of defilement and purity; this is the true meaning of impurity, named the application of mindfulness to the body. If one contemplates all sensations belonging to craving and views as suffering, false and unreal, and originally non-arising (refuting the arising of the four extreme views of craving involves forty-eight up to ninety-six permutations; this can be known by analogy with the above), then non-arising is identical to emptiness, emptiness is identical to dharmic nature, and dharmic nature is neither suffering nor pleasure, refuting the inversion of suffering and pleasure; this is the true meaning of suffering, named the application of mindfulness to sensations. If one contemplates all minds belonging to craving and views as impermanent, false and unreal, and originally non-arising (refuting the arising of the four extreme views of mind involves forty-eight up to ninety-six permutations; this can be known by analogy with the above), then non-arising is identical to emptiness, emptiness is identical to dharmic nature, and dharmic nature is neither permanent nor impermanent, refuting the inversion of permanence and impermanence; this is the true meaning of impermanence, named the application of mindfulness to the mind. If one contemplates the two aggregates of perception and formations belonging to craving and views as nonself, false and unreal, and originally non-arising (refuting the arising of the four extreme views of perception and formations involves forty-eight up to ninety-six permutations; this can be known by analogy with the above), then because they are non-arising they are identical to emptiness, emptiness is identical to dharmic nature, and dharmic nature is neither self nor nonself, refuting the inversion of self and nonself; this is the true meaning of nonself, named the application of mindfulness to dharmas. When persons of the three vehicles contemplate the paramārtha-satya of the five aggregates and cultivate the four applications of mindfulness: the four kinds of diligence within the four applications of mindfulness are called right exertion; the four kinds of dhyāna-concentration are called bases of supernormal power; the arising of the five kinds of goodness such as faith is called faculties; the growth of wholesome roots and prevention of afflictions is called powers; distinguishing the functions of the Path is called the seven limbs of awakening; and moving within the tranquil Path is called the eightfold noble path. When this mindfulness of dharmic nature is applied (refuting the arising of the two views and four views of self and extremes, culminating in forty-eight up to ninety-six permutations; explaining the four applications of mindfulness of non-arising has a meaning very difficult to understand, which can never be known without penetrating thought), if one cultivates shared mindfulness, its concrete practices are as before, differing only in that the marks of distension, swelling, rotting, decay, the liberations, and the stations of mastery are all like dreams and illusions, ultimately unobtainable. If one cultivates object-oriented mindfulness, distinguishing names and meanings is as before, yet one merely understands that the nature of names is detachment, which is the mark of liberation, and that the absence of expressive phrases is the bodhisattva's expressive phrase; thus penetrating all names and meanings is object-oriented mindfulness. When persons of the three vehicles cultivate these three kinds of applications of mindfulness, they skillfully harmonize them through right exertion, the bases of supernormal power, faculties, powers, limbs of awakening, and the Path, contemplating all dharmas of the five aggregates without grasping or rejecting. They can subdue all eighty-eight entanglements belonging to craving and views, and all fetters accumulated within the twenty-five states of existence of the three realms; hence it is said, "skillfully extinguishing all conceptual proliferations." This briefly explains the three vehicles' stage of dry wisdom through their shared contemplation of the four applications of mindfulness considered separately. However, although a bodhisattva knows that the five aggregates are ultimately empty and tranquil, through great compassion and vows they do not abandon sentient beings, subduing the sense faculties and practicing the six perfections through non-apprehension; this is Mahāyāna. Therefore, the Dàpǐn jīng states: "The four applications of mindfulness are the Mahāyāna of the bodhisattva, because of non-apprehension." Question: Since the principle of mindfulness of dharmic nature in the shared teaching collectively refutes the eight inversions, why is it necessary to correlate them separately? Answer: Since the four applications of mindfulness considered separately in the Tripiṭaka teaching separately refuted the four inversions to explain the stage of dry wisdom, now the stage of dry wisdom is similarly matched. Its separate refutation was clumsy, refuting only four inversions. Now, to elucidate the skillfulness of separate refutation, separate correlation is still employed to refute the eight inversions.