宗鏡錄 55.17

55.17

答。識論云。無想天者。謂修彼定。厭麁想力。生彼天中。違不恒行心及心所。想滅為首。名無想天。及無心二定者。謂無想定。滅盡定。俱無六識。故名無心。無想定者。謂有異生伏遍淨貪。未伏上染。由出離想作意為先。令不恒行心心所滅。想滅為首。立無想名。令身安和。故亦名定。滅盡定者。謂有無學。或有學聖。已伏惑離無所有貪。上貪不定。由止息想作意為先。令不恒行恒行染污心心所滅。立滅盡名。令心安和。故亦名定。無心睡眠與悶絕者。謂有極重睡眠悶絕。令前六識皆不現行。至此五位中異生有四。除在滅定。聖。唯後三。於中如來自在菩薩。唯得有一。無睡悶故。釋云。無想天厭麁想力者。謂諸外道。以想為生死之因。即偏厭之。唯前六識想。非第七八。故言麁想。細想在故。滅於六識。七八微細。彼不能知。故不滅也。無想定伏遍淨貪者。謂第三禪無。第四禪已上。貪猶未伏。顯離欲也。出離想者。顯想即作涅槃想也。不恒行等滅者。顯所滅識多少也。作意伏染而入定者。觀想如病如癰如箭。於所生起種種想中。厭背而住。唯謂無想寂靜微妙。於無想中。持心而住。如是漸次離諸所緣。心便寂滅。滅盡定者。謂有無學等者。有學聖者。除初二果。唯身證不還。第三果人。有學中。除異生故。離無所有貪。上貪不障定者。以滅定唯依非想定起故。此依初修二乘者言離。菩薩伏不離貪。即此亦名滅受想定。此五位中異生有四等者。除滅盡定。聖唯有後三。佛及八地已去菩薩。唯得有一滅定。無睡眠悶絕二。以惡法故。現似有睡。實無有故。即二乘無學。亦有悶絕也。

Answer: The Vijñaptimātratāsiddhiśāstra states: "The heaven without conceptualisation refers to those who, having cultivated that meditative absorption, through the force of disgust toward coarse conceptualisation are born in that heaven; contrary to the non-constant mental states and their associates, with the cessation of conceptualisation as foremost, it is named the heaven without conceptualisation. As for the two absorptions without citta, they refer to the absorption without conceptualisation and the absorption of cessation; both lack the six consciousnesses, and are therefore named 'without citta'. The absorption without conceptualisation means that an ordinary worldling suppresses craving for the realm of universal purity (śubhakṛtsna), but has not yet suppressed the defilements above it; preceded by the mental orientation of conceptualising transcendence, he brings about the cessation of non-constant mental states and their associates. With the cessation of conceptualisation as foremost, the name 'without conceptualisation' is established; because it brings about physical tranquillity and harmony, it is also called an absorption (samāpatti). The absorption of cessation means that an arhat (aśaikṣa) or a noble trainee (śaikṣa) has already subdued afflictions and abandoned craving for the sphere of nothingness, while craving for what is higher is indeterminate; preceded by the mental orientation of conceptualising cessation, he brings about the cessation of the non-constant mental states and the constant defiled mental states and their associates. The name 'cessation' is established; because it brings about mental tranquillity and harmony, it is also called an absorption. Citta-less sleep and fainting refer to extremely deep sleep and fainting that prevent all of the first six consciousnesses from occurring as active manifestations." In these five states, ordinary worldlings have four, excluding being in the absorption of cessation. Noble ones have only the latter three. Among them, Tathāgatas and sovereign bodhisattvas have only one, because they are free from sleep and fainting. The commentary explains: "The 'force of disgust toward coarse conceptualisation' in the heaven without conceptualisation means that non-Buddhists consider conceptualisation to be the cause of saṃsāra, and so they have a particular aversion to it. It is solely conceptualisation of the first six consciousnesses, not the seventh and eighth; therefore it is called 'coarse conceptualisation', because subtle conceptualisation remains. They extinguish the six consciousnesses, but the seventh and eighth are subtle; they cannot know them, and thus do not extinguish them. 'The absorption without conceptualisation suppresses craving for the universal purity' means that craving up to the third dhyāna is absent, but craving for the fourth dhyāna and above is not yet suppressed; this illustrates freedom from desire. 'Conceptualising transcendence' shows that conceptualisation is taken to be the thought of nirvāṇa itself. 'The cessation of non-constant [mental states], etc.' shows the quantity of consciousnesses extinguished. Those who suppress defilement through mental orientation and enter the absorption view conceptualisation as like a disease, a boil, an arrow; amid the various conceptualisations that arise, they dwell in aversion and renunciation. Deeming only conceptual absence to be tranquil and sublime, they hold the citta and dwell within conceptual absence. Thus, gradually detaching from all cognitive objects, the citta becomes tranquil and ceases. 'The absorption of cessation means that an arhat, etc.': noble trainees exclude those of the first two fruits, referring only to the third-fruit practitioner who is a body-witness non-returner (anāgāmin). Among trainees, ordinary worldlings are excluded. 'Detached from craving for the sphere of nothingness, while higher craving does not obstruct the absorption' is because the absorption of cessation arises solely on the basis of [the sphere of] neither-conceptualisation-nor-non-conceptualisation. This is spoken of as detachment based on practitioners of the two vehicles who are newly cultivating it; bodhisattvas suppress craving without abandoning it. This is also called the absorption of the cessation of sensation and conceptualisation. In 'In these five states, ordinary worldlings have four, etc.', excluding the absorption of cessation, noble ones have only the latter three; buddhas and bodhisattvas from the eighth stage onwards have only the one absorption of cessation, and lack the two of sleep and fainting, because these are unwholesome phenomena. Although they appear to sleep, in reality they do not. The trainees of the two vehicles also have fainting."