The Root of Goodness of Forbearance and the Supreme Worldly Root of Goodness

Original text: 此顶善根。下中上品。渐次增长。至成满时。有善根生。名为忍法。于四谛理。能忍可中。此最胜故。又此位忍。无退堕故。名为忍法。此忍善根。安足增进。皆法念住。与前有别。然此忍法。有下中上。下中二品。与顶法同。谓具观察。四圣谛境。及能具修。十六行相。

Explanation: When the roots of goodness of the peak stage grow gradually from the low grade to the middle grade, and then from the middle grade to the high grade, until they reach maturity and fullness, other roots of goodness will arise, called the stage of acquiescence (kṣānti). Among the roots of goodness that can acquiesce in and accept the principles of the Four Noble Truths of suffering, origination, cessation, and the path, this one is the most excellent; therefore it is called the stage of acquiescence. Moreover, because the acquiescence at this stage no longer regresses or falls back, it is named the stage of acquiescence. The initial arising and gradual advancement of these roots of goodness of acquiescence all occur while cultivating the mindfulness of dharmas, which distinguishes them from the previous stages. When cultivating the first three kinds of mindfulness, the roots of goodness of acquiescence cannot yet arise; the roots of goodness of acquiescence are not produced through mixed cultivation, and this is what distinguishes them from the previous roots of goodness of warmth and peak. These roots of goodness of acquiescence are also divided into low, middle, and high grades. The low and middle grades are the same as the peak stage: both fully contemplate the realm of the Four Noble Truths and are capable of fully cultivating the sixteen aspects.

From the above text, it can be seen that the roots of goodness of the acquiescence stage will not regress, whereas the roots of goodness of the warmth and peak stages may possibly regress. That is to say, the already-arisen conformative stage of decisive discernment (nirvedha-bhāgīya) may be lost, so that one no longer has the conformative stage of decisive discernment within, no longer accords with the principles of the Four Noble Truths, no longer accepts that the five aggregates are suffering, empty, impermanent, and not-self, and one's wisdom regresses to some degree. There are many reasons for this; any condition or cause may cause wisdom to regress, and those with heavy karmic obstructions may even cease to believe in the Buddha and stop studying Buddhism. But after the period of karmic obstruction passes, one may perhaps rekindle the courage and confidence to study and practice Buddhism, and may possibly once again cultivate the roots of goodness of the warmth and peak stages; however, the roots of goodness of the acquiescence stage will never regress.

Because all four kinds of roots of goodness belong to the wisdom of cultivation—wisdom gained through practice—the wisdom of hearing and the wisdom of reflection can regress and are not firm; the earlier portion of the wisdom of cultivation can also regress and is not firm. Only in the later stage of the wisdom of cultivation does wisdom become firm and no longer regress. Then, once one has realized the path through direct seeing, there is even less possibility of regression. Meditative concentration may regress, but the wisdom of seeing the path never regresses, and thus the fruit of realization does not regress. When one has cultivated to the third fruit, the first dhyāna concentration may perhaps regress and cannot be maintained forever, but the liberating wisdom and merit of the third fruit will never regress, and so the fruit does not regress. Before seeing the path, meditative concentration may perhaps not regress, but wisdom may possibly regress; as long as wisdom regresses, the roots of goodness regress, regardless of the state of meditative concentration.

Original text: 上品有异。唯观欲苦。与世第一。相邻接故。由此义准。暖等善根。皆能具缘三界苦等。义已成立。无简别故。谓瑜伽师于色无色。对治道等。一一圣谛。行相所缘。渐减渐略。乃至但有二念作意。思惟欲界苦圣谛境。齐此以前。名中忍位。从此位无间。起胜善根。一行一刹那。名上品忍。此善根起。不相续故。上品忍无间。生世第一法。

Explanation: The high grade of the roots of goodness of acquiescence differs from the peak stage: it contemplates only the suffering of the desire realm, being directly adjacent to the first of the worldly stages (laukika-agradharma). From this principle it can be inferred that the roots of goodness of warmth, peak, and so forth are all capable of fully taking as object the suffering and the rest of the Four Noble Truths of the three realms. This principle has already been established in the mind, because there is no need to further discriminate among the Four Noble Truths. The yogic practitioner, with regard to the counteractive paths for the form realm and the formless realm, gradually reduces and simplifies the aspects and objects of each noble truth of suffering, origination, cessation, and the path, until finally there remains only the mental engagement of two moments of mindfulness, contemplating the realm of the noble truth of suffering in the desire realm. Up to this point is called the middle grade of the acquiescence stage. From this stage, without interruption, more excellent roots of goodness arise—one aspect per one moment—called the high grade of acquiescence. When these roots of goodness first arise, they are not continuous; but when cultivated to the high grade of acquiescence, the roots of goodness become uninterrupted, and at this point the first of the worldly stages arises.

Original text: 如上品忍。缘欲苦谛。修一行相。唯一刹那。此有漏故。名为世间。是最胜故。名为第一。此有漏法。世间中胜。是故名为。世第一法。有士用力。离同类因。引圣道生。故名最胜。

Explanation: For example, like the high grade of acquiescence, it takes as object the noble truth of suffering in the desire realm and cultivates one aspect among the sixteen aspects, completed in just a single moment. Because this root of goodness is with outflows (sāsrava), it is called worldly; because it is the most excellent, it is called the first. This contaminated dharma is the most excellent in the world, and therefore it is called the first of the worldly stages (laukika-agradharma). The power of concentration and wisdom at this stage of roots of goodness has the strength to enable the practitioner to depart from the causes of the same kind as worldly ordinary beings, and can initiate the power of the path to realize the noble path; therefore this stage is named the most excellent and the first.