維摩經疏卷第三．第六 6.12

6.12

Sixth, clarifying contaminated and uncontaminated: there are two kinds: first according to the Hīnayāna, second according to the Mahāyāna. First, according to the Hīnayāna, the Sarvāstivāda school: these eight liberations are all contaminated. Second, in the Mahāyāna: the first seven liberations attained by the two vehicles—if they cognize empirical phenomena such as physical forms, their substance is contaminated; if they cognize the tathatā of physical forms and so on, their nature is uncontaminated. The eighth liberation is entirely uncontaminated. As for the bodhisattva stages: for suddenly awakening bodhisattvas before the bhūmis who have not yet attained the eighth, they attain the first seven partially; these are contaminated. When reaching from the first bhūmi up through the seventh bhūmi, the liberations attained are uncontaminated in nature, but after emerging from contemplation they are again interrupted. From the eighth bhūmi and above, the contemplative mind is continuous; the eight liberations attained are entirely uncontaminated and also uninterrupted. The fruit of buddhahood can be understood [accordingly]. If it is a gradually awakening bodhisattva before the bhūmis, cognizing empirical phenomena such as physical forms, the first seven liberations are entirely contaminated; if cognizing tathatā, their nature is uncontaminated; the eighth liberation is entirely uncontaminated. When reaching the bhūmis, it is the same as for the suddenly awakening. If spoken of in terms of the fruit of buddhahood, the eight liberations are all uncontaminated.