佛祖統紀 31.33

31.33

述曰。論無色界身處。初言無處者。婆沙云。四空離形報無別處。但在欲色二界成就四空無色業者。言無身者。俱舍云。無色無身。纂云。無業果色非異熟身。楞嚴云。是四空天。身心滅盡定性現前。無業果色。孤山釋云。非業果色顯有定果色也。次言有處者。起世云。倍色究竟。有空處乃至非非想處。皆名諸天住處。華嚴云。菩薩鼻根聞無色界宮殿之香。言有身者。阿含云。舍利弗滅時。無色天淚下如春細雨。仁王經列無色天眾。中陰經云。如來至無色界中諸天禮拜。大眾部云。但無粗色非無細色。淨名疏云。若不了義教明無色界無色。若了義教明無色界有色。涅槃云。無色界色非聲聞緣覺所知。今此所明當從後義。

The author states: Regarding the discussion of the bodies and places of the formless realm: First, as for the position that there is no place, the *Vibhāṣā* states: "The four formless [realms] are free from physical retributions and have no separate locations; they merely consist of those who, in the desire and form realms, accomplish the karma of the four formless [attainments]." As for the position that there is no body, the *Abhidharmakośa* states: "In the formless [realm] there is no body." The *Zuàn* states: "There is no karma-resultant form, and it is not a maturation-body." The *Śūraṅgama-sūtra* states: "These four formless heavens are those in which body and mind are completely extinguished, and the nature of concentration becomes manifest; there is no karma-resultant form." Gūshān explained: "'Not a karma-resultant form' reveals that there is a concentration-produced form." Next, as for the position that there are places, the *Qishi jing* states: "Twice above Akaniṣṭha, there is the base of infinite space up to the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception; all are called the dwelling places of the devas." The *Avataṃsaka-sūtra* states: "The bodhisattva's nose faculty smells the fragrance of the palaces of the formless realm." As for the position that there are bodies, the *Āgama* states: "When Śāriputra attained extinction, the tears of the formless devas fell like fine spring rain." The *Humane King Sūtra* lists the assemblies of the formless devas. The *Zhongyin jing* states: "When the Tathāgata arrived in the formless realm, all the devas bowed in homage." The Mahāsāṃghika school states: "It is only that there is no coarse form, not that there is no subtle form." The *Vimalakīrti Commentary* states: "If it is the provisional teaching, it explains that the formless realm has no form; if it is the definitive teaching, it explains that the formless realm has form." The *Nirvāṇa-sūtra* states: "The form of the formless realm is not known by voice-hearers or solitary realizers." What is explained here should follow the latter position.