維摩經疏卷第三．第六 6.9

6.9

Second, identifying their intrinsic nature has two [parts]: first, according to the Hīnayāna; second, according to the Mahāyāna. As for the nature according to the Hīnayāna: in the Sarvāstivāda school, the Saṃyuktābhidharmahṛdaya, and so forth, the first three liberations take the wholesome root of non-greed within the wholesome mahābhūmika [factors] as their intrinsic nature. The four liberations from space onward take the wholesome four aggregates belonging to their respective planes as their intrinsic nature. The liberation of cessation takes non-associated conditioned phenomena that are neither form nor mind as its intrinsic nature. As for the nature according to the Mahāyāna: according to the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra and other treatises, there are five kinds: (1) the specific intrinsic nature: the first seven liberations take the mental factor of discernment (prajñā) among the five particular [mental factors] as their intrinsic nature; (2) the induced intrinsic nature: these seven kinds take concentration and wisdom as their intrinsic nature; (3) the supreme intrinsic nature: for bodhisattvas before the bhūmis, they take prayogika-jñāna as their intrinsic nature; for bodhisattvas on the bhūmis, if they take empirical phenomena such as physical forms as objects, they take pṛṣṭhalabdha-jñāna as their intrinsic nature; if they take the tathatā of physical forms and so on [as objects], they take mūla-jñāna as their nature—hence the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra says that these seven liberations take mundane and supramundane jñāna as their intrinsic nature; (4) the associated intrinsic nature: they take the four aggregates as their nature; (5) the retinue intrinsic nature: they take the five aggregates as their nature. The eighth liberation takes the capacity of the seeds of the weary mind in the plane of neither-perception to prevent mental activity as its intrinsic nature. Third, distinguishing the objects of cognition: the first two liberations take impure physical forms as their object. The third liberation takes pure physical forms as its object. If distinguishing the objects of cognition in terms of the twelve sense bases: among the twelve sense bases, they take the base of visible form (rūpāyatana) as their object. If in terms of the five aggregates, they take the aggregate of form as their object. If in terms of the eighteen dhatus, they take the realm of visible form (rūpadhātu) as their object. If in terms of the contemplation of ultimate principle, they take the tathatā of physical form as their object. The liberation of the base of space, when its preliminary expedients first arise, takes space as its object; when the meditative practice is accomplished, it comprehensively takes the four aggregates as its object; if distinguishing the contemplation of ultimate principle, it takes the tathatā of space [as its object]. The liberation of the base of consciousness initially arises taking consciousness as its object; when the contemplation of mind is accomplished, it comprehensively takes the four aggregates as its object; the contemplation of ultimate principle likewise takes the tathatā of consciousness as its object. The liberation of the base of nothingness, at the time of preliminary expedients, takes nothingness as its object; when the meditative practice is fully perfected, it comprehensively takes the four aggregates as its object; if distinguishing the contemplation of ultimate principle, it takes the tathatā of nothingness [as its object]. The liberation of neither-perception initially arises taking subtle perception as its object; when the meditative practice is accomplished, it comprehensively takes the four aggregates as its object; the contemplation of ultimate principle takes the tathatā of subtle characteristics [as its object]. The eighth, the liberation of cessation, has no mental cognitive conditioning, and therefore no object is discussed for it.