法苑珠林 70.58

70.58

問曰。依如毘曇說。彼梵王與彼梵輔天同無別住處。第四禪中無想天者。與彼廣果同階亦無別處。若如是者。何故得說以為二居止耶。答曰。有以謂彼梵王於初禪中。雖無別天。而於第二梵輔天中。別有層臺高廣嚴博。大梵天王於上而住。不與梵輔天同。以其君勝上臣下別故。無想天者。雖與廣果天同。其住處各有殊別。其猶此間州縣相似。以如斯別。是故說之為二居止焉。

Question: According to the Abhidharma, that Brahmā king and the Brahmapurohita devas share the same place without distinct abodes, and the Asamjñisattva heaven in the fourth dhyāna is on the same level as the Bṛhatphala heaven without a distinct place either. If so, how can they be spoken of as two dwellings? Answer: There is a reason: for that Brahmā king in the first dhyāna, although there is no separate heaven, yet within the second Brahmapurohita heaven there is a separate tiered terrace, lofty, broad, and majestic, upon which the Great Brahmā King abides, not identical with the Brahmapurohita devas. This is because sovereign superior and minister inferior are distinct. As for the Asamjñisattva heaven, although it is on the same level as the Bṛhatphala heaven, their dwelling places have their own distinctions, just like prefectures and counties here. Because of such distinctions, they are spoken of as two dwellings.