天台四教儀 1.26

1.26

First, people of the śrāvaka [vehicle] rely on the teaching of the four truths of arising and ceasing. Regarding the four truths: first, the truth of suffering, which consists of the two retributions of circumstance and person in the twenty-five states of existence. As for the twenty-five states of existence: the four continents, the four evil destinies, the six [heavens of] desire, together with the Brahmā heaven, the four dhyānas, the four formless realms, non-conception, and the five anāgāmin [heavens] (the four continents and four destinies make eight; the six desire heavens together with the Brahmā King heaven make fifteen; the four dhyānas and four formless realms make twenty-three; the heaven of non-conception and the anāgāmin heavens make twenty-five). Specifically, there are the twenty-five states of existence; generally, there is the birth and death of the six destinies. First, the hell destiny, in Sanskrit naraka, also niraya, translated here as 'instruments of suffering.' As for calling it 'earth-prison' (hell), because this place is beneath the earth, it is called hell. This refers to the eight cold, eight hot, and other great hells, each having its retinues, their types being countless. Those who undergo suffering within them have lighter or heavier suffering according to their karma, lasting for a number of kalpas and so forth. In the heaviest place, within a single day there are eighty-four thousand births and deaths, lasting for immeasurable kalpas. Those who commit the upper grade of the five heinous crimes and ten unwholesome deeds incur bodies in this destiny. Second, the animal destiny, also called sideways-born. This destiny is ubiquitous in all places: bearing fur and carrying horns, scales, carapaces, feathers, and plumage; four-footed and many-footed, footed and footless; moving through water, land, and air; devouring one another and undergoing endless suffering. Those who, through ignorance and covetous desire, commit the middle grade of the five heinous crimes and ten unwholesome deeds incur bodies in this destiny. Third, the hungry ghost destiny, in Sanskrit preta. This destiny is also ubiquitous across all destinies: those with merit and virtue become spirits of mountains, forests, tombs, and temples; those without merit and virtue dwell in impure places, cannot obtain food and drink, are constantly flogged, fill rivers and block seas, and undergo immeasurable suffering. Those who with flattering and deceitful minds commit the lower grade of the five heinous crimes and ten unwholesome deeds incur bodies in this destiny. Fourth, the asura destiny, translated here as 'without wine,' also 'not handsome,' and 'non-god.' Some are on the seacoast or sea bottom, their palaces adorned, constantly fond of fighting, terrified without limit. When in the causal stage they harbored suspicion and jealousy; although they practiced the five constants, they wished to surpass others. Committing the lower grade of the ten wholesome deeds, they incur bodies in this destiny. Fifth, the human destiny: the four continents differ, namely Pūrvavideha (lifespan of two hundred and fifty years), Jambudvīpa (lifespan of one hundred years), Aparagodānīya (lifespan of five hundred years), and Uttarakuru (lifespan of one thousand years, where life is without premature death, and no sages appear among them, which is one of the eight difficulties). In all of them, suffering and pleasure are mingled. When in the causal stage they practiced the five constants and five precepts—the five constants being benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness; the five precepts being not killing, not stealing, not engaging in sexual misconduct, not lying, and not drinking alcohol—and practiced the middle grade of the ten wholesome deeds, they incur bodies in this destiny. Sixth, the heavenly destiny: the twenty-eight heavens differ (six heavens of the desire realm, eighteen heavens of the form realm, and four heavens of the formless realm). First, as for the six heavens of the desire realm: 1. the Heaven of the Four Heavenly Kings (dwelling on the slope of Mount Sumeru); 2. the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven (dwelling on the peak of Mount Sumeru, possessing thirty-three heavens itself; the above two heavens are attained by solely cultivating the upper grade of the ten wholesome deeds); 3. the Yāma Heaven; 4. the Tuṣita Heaven; 5. the Nirmāṇarati Heaven; 6. the Paranirmitavaśavartin Heaven (the above four heavens dwell in empty space; cultivating the upper grade of the ten wholesome deeds combined with seated practice of the threshold concentration, one attains rebirth among them). Next, the eighteen heavens of the form realm are divided into four dhyānas: the three heavens of the first dhyāna (Brahmapāriṣadya, Brahmapurohita, Mahābrahmā); the three heavens of the second dhyāna (Parīttābha, Apramāṇābha, Ābhāsvara); the three heavens of the third dhyāna (Parīttaśubha, Apramāṇaśubha, Śubhakṛtsna); the nine heavens of the fourth dhyāna (Anabhraka, Puṇyaprasava, Bṛhatphala—the above three heavens are dwelling places of ordinary beings; those who cultivate the upper grade of the ten wholesome deeds and sit in dhyāna attain rebirth among them; the Heaven of Non-conception is where non-Buddhists dwell; Avṛha, Atapa, Sudṛśa, Sudarśana, and Akaniṣṭha—the above five heavens are dwelling places of the third fruition. The upper nine heavens are free from the coarse scatteredness of desire, but have not escaped the cage of form, hence they are named the form realm; because they attain dhyāna-concentration by sitting, they receive the name dhyāna); third, the four heavens of the formless realm (the Sphere of Boundless Space, the Sphere of Boundless Consciousness, the Sphere of Nothingness, and the Sphere of Neither Conception nor Non-conception; the above four heavens have only the four [mental] aggregates and lack the form aggregate, hence they receive this name). As explained above, from hell to the Sphere of Neither Conception nor Non-conception, although suffering and pleasure differ, they cannot avoid being born and dying again, dying and then being born again; hence it is called birth and death. This is the real existence of the truth of suffering in the Tripitaka teaching.