諸經要集 11.22

11.22

If we discuss the form and formless heavens: according to the Abhidharma, they have no unwholesomeness. Speaking according to principle, they also have slight unwholesome actions of the three karmas, meaning that their mental ground has false pride and the like, and faults of bodily and vocal karma. For example, in the first dhyāna, the king of the Brahmā gods said to the Brahmā assembly: 'You have attained dwelling here; I can cause you to exhaust the limits of old age and death; you do not need to go to Gautama.' The bhikṣu Heichi went there and asked him: 'On what samādhi does the first dhyāna samādhi arise? From what samādhi does it cease?' The Brahmā king replied: 'I am the venerable one among all Brahmās.' The bhikṣu Heichi said: 'I am not asking about the Brahmā king's honor or lowliness; I am only asking: on what samādhi does the first dhyāna samādhi arise, and from what samādhi does it cease?' He could not answer, so he seized the venerable one, pulled him outside the assembly, and said to him: 'I do not know on what samādhi the first dhyāna samādhi arises, and from what samādhi it ceases. Why could you bear to humiliate me before the Brahmā assembly?' This is the unwholesome affliction of deceit. Saying that the Buddha cannot liberate you is slandering the Buddha, frivolous talk, and harsh speech. In the higher realms there is only this deceit, which activates slight unwholesome karma of body and speech; however, they do not give rise to coarse harm toward others. Because those born above had previously cultivated and attained concentration, completely separating from the coarse covetousness and ill will of the desire realm, they obtained that retribution, and can still cultivate concentration. Although they have afflictions, these are only the mind of ignorance; because they are confused about the path, they give rise to attachment, pride, and the like, taking pleasure in cultivating wholesome practices in the hope of surpassing others. These afflictions are broken by concentration, so they do not harm things or conflict with one another. If based on the Abhidharma, afflictions of the higher realms are not unwholesome; they are stated to be indeterminate. These subtle attachments and the like can defile the pure mind; although indeterminate, their essence is defiled. They are unlike retribution-born matter, mind, pleasure, pain, comportment, and so forth, which are clear and pure indeterminate; therefore the treatises call them defiled indeterminate. Because they are defiled, they moisten karma to receive rebirth. If these afflictions did not moisten karma, the seeds of karma would be scorched and never bring about retribution, and sentient beings of the higher realms would not be reborn again. Because they can moisten karma, they are able to be reborn again. Question: Since the afflictions of the higher realms can moisten karma and moisten rebirth to obtain retribution, why are they non-determinate? Answer: Although the afflictions of the higher realms moisten karma, they only result in general retribution and receiving rebirth; one does not directly perceive pleasurable fruits through this delusion, nor does one incur suffering. Therefore they are indeterminate, unlike the unwholesome afflictions of the lower realms that induce general retribution and specific retributions of suffering.