翻譯名義集 4.89

4.89

[Viparyāsa] translates as the four foundations of mindfulness (smṛtyupasthāna). Mindfulness is contemplation, and foundation is the objective realm. The Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa explains: "When first cultivating wholesome dharmas, in order not to lose them, it is merely called mindfulness; because it can transform appearances and transform the mind, it is called ideation; when decisive wisdom is free from doubts, it is called wisdom." The Great [Parinirvāṇa] Sūtra says: "There is further a new physician who comes from a distant land, skilled in eight kinds of arts, namely the four withered and the four blooming. The four withered refers to humans giving rise to four inverted views regarding the five skandhas: assuming purity in form, assuming pleasure in sensation, assuming self in conception and volition, and giving rise to the view of permanence regarding the mind. Therefore they are made to cultivate the four foundations of mindfulness to destroy these four inversions." First, contemplating the body as impure. All material dharmas are called the body: one's own is called the internal body, relatives and others are called the external body, and both oneself and others are called the internal and external body. Regarding these three kinds of form, the Great Treatise explains five kinds of impurity: 1. Place of birth: this body is foul and impure; it is not born from a lotus flower, nor from a campaka, nor does it come forth from a jewel mountain. 2. Impurity of the seed: the seed of this body is impure, not any other wonderful jewel; it does not arise from what is pure and white, but comes to exist through the confused desires of father and mother. 3. Impurity of intrinsic nature: the substances of earth, water, fire, and wind are able to transform into impurity; even overturning the ocean to wash this body cannot make it fragrant and clean. 4. Impurity of intrinsic characteristics: diverse kinds of impure things fill the inside of the body and constantly flow out without stopping, like a leaking bag holding things. 5. Ultimate impurity: when scrutinizing and contemplating this body, it ultimately must return to the place of death, hard to control and without return, ungrateful like a small child. Second, contemplating sensations as suffering. Sensation of the mind-faculty is called internal sensation, sensation of the five faculties is called external sensation, and sensation of the six faculties is called internal-external sensation. In a single faculty there are agreeable sensations, disagreeable sensations, and sensations neither disagreeable nor agreeable. Towards what is agreeable, pleasant sensation arises; towards what is disagreeable, painful sensation arises; towards what is neither agreeable nor disagreeable, neither-painful-nor-pleasant sensation arises. Pleasant sensation is the suffering of change; painful sensation is the suffering of suffering; neither-painful-nor-pleasant sensation is the suffering of conditioning. All sensations, coarse or subtle, are nothing but suffering. Third, contemplating the mind as impermanent. The mind-king does not abide, its nature flowing; though it exists today, tomorrow can hardly be guaranteed. Like a mountain water torrent or the spark struck from flint: if one is not timely, later regret will be futile. Fourth, contemplating dharmas as without self. Dharmas mean rules and patterns, and there are wholesome dharmas, unwholesome dharmas, and indeterminate dharmas. Humans all conceive of a self in relation to dharmas: "I can practice wholesome deeds, practice unwholesome deeds, practice indeterminate deeds." Among these dharmas, searching for a self is definitively impossible to find. Like a turtle's hair or a rabbit's horns, they have only names, but are in reality unobtainable. Therefore the sūtra says: "When arising, it is only dharmas arising; when ceasing, it is only dharmas ceasing." There is only the arising and ceasing of the dharmas of the skandhas, without person, without self, without sentient being or lifespan; this is called non-self. This explains the particular-characteristic foundations of mindfulness. As for the general-characteristic foundations of mindfulness, one takes a single realm and performs all four contemplations. Here, four propositions should be distinguished: 1. realm distinct, contemplation distinct (as specifically explained above); 2. realm distinct, contemplation general; 3. realm general, contemplation distinct (these two are the expedient means for the general-characteristic foundations of mindfulness); 4. realm and contemplation both general. These are the general-characteristic foundations of mindfulness. If one performs a contemplation of the foundation of mindfulness on the body, either summarizing two skandhas, or even summarizing the five skandhas, this is called "realm general, contemplation distinct." Mindfulness of sensation, mind, and dharmas is also like this. In the Abhidharma, three kinds of foundations of mindfulness are explained: intrinsic nature, shared, and objective-support, which respectively refute three kinds of non-Buddhists. The Sijiao yi states: "First, the intrinsic nature foundation of mindfulness. The Great Treatise says: 'The intrinsic nature foundation of mindfulness has the nature of wisdom; the wisdom that contemplates the body is the foundation of mindfulness of the body; sensation, mind, and dharmas are also like this.' Commentators differ: some merely take the mental factor of wisdom as the nature of wisdom, which is the intrinsic nature foundation of mindfulness. Master Nanyue explained that contemplating the rational nature of the five skandhas is called the intrinsic nature foundation of mindfulness. Therefore the verse of the Samyuktābhidharmahṛdaya states: 'The impure characteristics of this body are eternally settled in their true nature; all sensations, minds, and dharmas are also spoken of in this way.' Second, the shared foundation of mindfulness. The Great Treatise says: 'With contemplating the body as foremost, the path arises through causes and conditions, whether defiled or undefiled; the foundations of mindfulness of sensation, mind, and dharmas are also like this.' Commentators differ: one master explains that the wholesome five skandhas and all wholesome mental factors combined constitute the explanation of the foundations of mindfulness. If according to Master Nanyue's explanation, these are the nine visualizations, the eight renunciations, and the stations of mastery, all the gates of antidotal contemplation, which assist the correct path in opening the three liberations, and are therefore called the shared foundations of mindfulness. Therefore the sūtra says: 'One should also be mindful of the dharma of emptiness, cultivating the mind to contemplate impurity; these are called the medicines of amṛta-abhiṣeka of all Tathāgatas.' Third, the objective-support foundation of mindfulness. One master explains that all contemplated objective realms across the board are called the contemplation of the objective-support foundation of mindfulness; some say it is the realm of the twelve links of dependent origination; some say it is the realm supported by loving-kindness and compassion. If according to Master Nanyue's explanation: taking the Buddha's teachings as object, all skandhas, āyatanas, and dhātus, the four truths, phenomena and principle, names and meanings, language, words and expressions, causes and effects, substance and function that are expressed, are contemplated and penetrated without obstruction, capable of producing the four analytical knowledges. Regarding all dharmas, the mind is unobstructed and attains unobstructed liberation; this is the contemplation of the objective-support foundation of mindfulness (explaining the Hīnayāna realm)." If one relies on the Mahāyāna to explain the four bloomings, as the Latter Portion states: "Ānanda! As you asked, 'Upon what should one abide after the Buddha's nirvāṇa?' Ānanda! Abide relying upon the four foundations of mindfulness to adorn the mind. Contemplating the nature and characteristics of the body as identical to empty space is called the foundation of mindfulness of the body; contemplating sensation as not internal, not external, and not abiding in between is called the foundation of mindfulness of sensation; contemplating the mind as merely having a name, while the nature of the name is detached, is called the foundation of mindfulness of the mind; contemplating dharmas as not obtaining wholesome dharmas and not obtaining unwholesome dharmas is called the foundation of mindfulness of dharmas." The Kuśalamūlasaṃparigraha Sūtra says: "All dharmas are called foundations of mindfulness. Why? Because all dharmas abide permanently in their own nature, for none can destroy them." This means that dharmas are the mind and the mind is dharmas, all sharing the same nature; how could that nature ever be destroyed?