維摩經疏卷第三．第六 6.13

6.13

第七問答分別者。問。八解脫中何故第三第八得名身作證。答。此二最勝所以得名。第三即於色解脫中障漸無餘。第八即於無色解脫中障漸無餘。是故偏立身作證名也。問。此八解脫學人得不。答。依小乘。初二果人未離欲界。未得根本四禪。不得八解脫也。若依大乘。前二果人以有漏道伏欲界惑。分得七脫。未得第八。第三果人八脫俱得。仍未圓漏。無學果人方得清淨也。問。前二解脫俱緣不淨色境。何故分為二脫。答。色有內外不同。是以分為兩脫。若如此者。空境亦有內外兩殊。亦應分為二脫。答。緣空之時不作內外解。所以但合一解脫也。問。第三身與第八身何異。答。第三約心身以證定。第八約色身以證定。滅盡無心。以身剋證也。

Seventh, catechism: Question: Among the eight liberations, why are the third and the eighth named 'realized through personal embodiment'? Answer: These two are supreme, which is why they receive this name: the third is where, within liberations of form, obstacles gradually become without remainder; the eighth is where, within liberations of formlessness, obstacles gradually become without remainder. Therefore, they are specifically designated with the name 'realized through personal embodiment'. Question: Do trainees (śaikṣa) attain these eight liberations or not? Answer: According to the Hīnayāna, persons of the first two fruits have not transcended the desire realm and have not attained the fundamental four dhyānas, so they do not attain the eight liberations. If according to the Mahāyāna, persons of the first two fruits, using the contaminated path to subdue the afflictions of the desire realm, partially attain the seven liberations, but have not yet attained the eighth; persons of the third fruit attain all eight liberations, but are still not completely free of outflows; only persons of the fruit of non-training (aśaikṣa) attain them completely purified. Question: The first two liberations both take the object of impure physical forms; why are they divided into two liberations? Answer: Physical forms are distinguished into internal and external, which is why they are divided into two liberations. [Question:] If that is so, the object of space also has the two distinctions of internal and external, so it should also be divided into two liberations? Answer: When taking space as an object, one does not make a conceptualization of internal or external; therefore, it is united into only one liberation. Question: What is the difference between the 'body' in the third and the 'body' in the eighth? Answer: The third realizes the concentration with reference to the mental body; the eighth realizes the concentration with reference to the physical body. In cessation there is no mind, so it is definitely realized through the physical body.