唯識三十論要釋 1.19

1.19

Commentary: The first line of the verse reveals the characteristics of the universal. The first among the six categories, the universal mental factors, are the five of contact, attention, feeling, discrimination, and volition. In the verse, contact is mentioned to include the other four. / "Contact" takes as its intrinsic nature the differentiation and transformation of the harmonious union of the three, causing mind and mental factors to make contact with the object; it takes being the basis for feeling, discrimination, volition, and so on as its activity. That is, because faculty, object, and consciousness accord with each other, they are called the harmonious union of the three. Contact arises relying on them and causes them to unite; therefore, it is said to rely [on them]. At the time of the harmonious union of the three, each has the function of according with and generating mental factors, which is called transformation. Because contact arises resembling them, it is called differentiation. Uniting all minds and mental factors to cause them to make contact with the object together is the intrinsic nature of contact. Since it resembles the function of according with and giving rise to mental factors, it takes being the basis for feeling, etc., as its activity. If this did not exist, they would not unite to make contact with a single object. / "Attention" takes being able to alert the mind as its intrinsic nature, and directing the mind toward the objective referent as its activity. That is, because this awakens the seed of the mind that ought to arise and directs it toward the object, it is called attention. If this did not exist, the mind would definitely not be able to cognize the object. Although this can also induce mental factors, because the mind is the principal, it is only spoken of as directing the mind. / "Feeling" takes experiencing the characteristics of agreeable, disagreeable, and neither objects as its intrinsic nature, and generating craving as its activity, because it can give rise to desires for union, separation, and neither. If this did not exist, the mind would not give rise to the characteristics of delight, sorrow, and equanimity. / "Discrimination" takes apprehending marks with respect to the object as its intrinsic nature, and positing various conventional designations as its activity. That is, only after establishing the delimited marks of an object can one subsequently give rise to various conventional designations. If the mind lacked this, how could it apprehend the delimited marks of an object? / "Volition" takes causing the mind to engage in activity as its intrinsic nature, and impelling the mind with respect to wholesome, unwholesome, and so on as its activity. That is, it can apprehend the marks of correct causes and so on in the object, driving its own mind to perform wholesome [acts] and so on. If this did not exist, the mind would definitely be unable to perform wholesome or unwholesome [acts]. From this, it is proven that the five phenomena of contact, etc., are definitely present whenever mind arises; therefore, they are called universal. / Next are the particular: that is, from aspiration to discernment, the objective referent matters are mostly not the same. They are spoken of next after the first among the six categories. / What is aspiration? It takes wishing with respect to a desired object as its intrinsic nature, and being the basis for exertion as its activity. "A desired object" means an object that one wishes to observe. One who wishes to observe any matter has wishing; only then does aspiration arise. If one does not wish to observe, but spontaneously cognizes it according to the power of causes, aspiration does not arise at all. Due to this, aspiration is said to not be universal. If it is aspiration for wholesome phenomena, it can initiate right exertion, and through that, it assists in accomplishing all wholesome matters; therefore, the treatise says that it takes being the basis for exertion as its activity. / What is resolve? It takes certifying and holding with respect to a determined object as its intrinsic nature, and not being diverted as its activity. That is, through the power of proof of erroneous or correct teachings and reasonings, it examines, determines, certifies, and holds with respect to the apprehended object. Due to this, it cannot be diverted by other conditions. Therefore, resolve does not exist at all with respect to dubious objects; nor does resolve exist in a mind that has not examined and determined. Because of this, resolve is also not universal. / What is mindfulness? It takes causing the mind to remember clearly without forgetting with respect to a previously experienced object as its intrinsic nature, and being the basis for concentration as its activity. That is, because repeatedly recollecting and holding an object previously experienced so that it is not forgotten can induce concentration. Mindfulness does not arise at all with respect to objects of an essence or type never previously experienced. Even with respect to an object previously experienced, if it cannot be clearly remembered, mindfulness also does not arise. Therefore, mindfulness is definitely not subsumed under the universal. / What is concentration? It takes causing the mind to be focused and undispersed with respect to an observed object as its intrinsic nature, and being the basis for wisdom as its activity. That is, in observing objects of virtue, fault, or neither, concentration causes the mind to be focused and undispersed; relying on this, discriminative wisdom arises. The expression "the mind is focused" reveals that wherever one wishes to dwell, it is immediately able to dwell; it is not confined to a single object. If not, when the path of seeing sequentially observes the various truths, the preceding and succeeding objects are distinct, and there would be no samādhi. If it is a state where the mind is not bound to focus on an object, concentration does not arise; therefore, it is not universal. / What is discernment? It takes selecting and examining with respect to an observed object as its intrinsic nature, and severing doubt as its activity. That is, in observing objects of virtue, fault, or neither, one attains certainty through investigation by discernment. In a mind that does not observe and is deluded, there is no selecting and examining; therefore, it is not subsumed under the universal. Regarding these five particulars, their presence or absence in the seventh and eighth consciousnesses according to stage has already been explained above. They can be concurrent in all stages of the sixth mental consciousness, because they are not prevented in either the transformed or untransformed state. The five consciousnesses such as the eye[-consciousness] can possess these five: although they do not have the predominant characteristics of wishing and so on, they have the subtle and weak meaning of taking pleasure in the object and so on. Because meditative absorption is excluded, their nature is said to be distracted and mobile; but because samādhi is not excluded, they can possess concentration. Because wisdom exists, the superknowledges of the eye and ear are spoken of as wisdom associated with the eye- and ear-consciousnesses. The remaining three are analogous to this: having discernment is without fault. In the stage prior to attaining mastery, these five may be absent; at the time mastery is attained, these five are definitely present, as in the stage of the seventh and eighth consciousnesses having already transformed their basis. All of them are associated with the five feelings. The treatise says that the faculty of grief longs for, sorrows over, and desires to realize the supreme Dharma; and experiencing purely painful feelings, one aspires and seeks for liberation. Since it has already been stated that the manas has the faculty of pain, and the treatise states that greed and love are associated with grief and pain, and what is concurrent with this greed and love definitely possesses aspiration, therefore aspiration, etc., are associated with the five feelings. These five should again be discerned through various doors such as nature, realm, and ground, as should be reasoned appropriately. Having explained the two categories of universal and particular, what are the characteristics of the wholesome category of mental factors? The verse says: