Commentary on the Samādhi Meditation Sūtra
Chapter 10 The Fruitional Virtues of Cultivating the Sixteen Minds
Original text:是世间正见，是名为忍善根。是人多增进一心。极厌世界行。欲了了四谛相。作证趣涅槃。如是一心中。是名世间第一法。一时住四行。无常苦空无我。观一谛苦法。忍共缘故。何以故。观欲界五受阴。无常苦空无我。是中心忍入慧。亦是相应心心数法。是名苦法忍。身业口业及心不相应诸行。现在未来世。一切无漏法初门。是名苦法忍。(法无漏法忍信受也)
Explanation: This kind of worldly right view is called the root of goodness of tolerance (kṣānti). Having obtained the root of goodness of tolerance, this person greatly advances the one-pointed power of meditative concentration and focus, becomes extremely weary of the conditioned dharmas of the world that arise, cease, and change, and wishes to clearly discern the characteristics of the Four Noble Truths, personally realizing them and heading toward nirvāṇa. Such single-minded focus on the Four Noble Truths is called the foremost dharma in the world (laukikāgra-dharma). For an instant the mind dwells in the four contemplations: suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and non-self. Contemplating the first of the Four Noble Truths, the dharma of suffering, one tolerates the karmic conditions shared in common with sentient beings. Why is this said? Contemplating that the five aggregates (pañca-skandha) of sentient beings in the desire realm are impermanent, suffering, empty, and non-self, within this dharma the mind can endure and accept it, and wisdom is thereby gained—wisdom realized by the corresponding mind and mental factors (caitta)—which is called the dharma-tolerance of suffering (duḥkhe dharmajñāna-kṣānti). The bodily karmas, verbal karmas, and the conditioned dharmas not associated with mind that arise in the contemplative practice of the Four Noble Truths are, in the present and future worlds, the initial gateway to obtaining all undefiled (anāsrava) dharmas; this is called the dharma-tolerance of suffering.
Original text:次第生苦法智。苦法忍。断结使。苦法智作证。譬如一人刈一人束。亦如利刀斫竹。得风即偃。忍智功夫故。是事得办欲界系。见苦断十结得得。尔时异等智得。无漏智未得。无漏慧得。是时成就一智(等智未来成就)。第二心中成就法智苦智等智。过第三心第四心。成就四智。苦智法智比智等智。
Explanation: After realizing the foremost dharma in the world, the dharma-knowledge of suffering and the dharma-tolerance of suffering arise in sequence; one knows that everything in the world of the five aggregates is suffering, can accept and endorse the truth that the world of the five aggregates is itself suffering, severs the afflictive fetters (saṃyojana), and has the dharma-knowledge of suffering as personal realization. It is like one person mowing grass or reaping rice and wheat while another binds it into sheaves; it is also like a sharp blade cutting bamboo, which topples as soon as the wind strikes it. With the cultivation of tolerance and wisdom, one can escape the bondage of birth-and-death in the desire realm; realizing the suffering of the world and severing the ten fetters, the cultivation of tolerance and wisdom is accomplished. At this time the differentiated knowledge and the conventional knowledge (samvṛti-jñāna) are obtained; the undefiled knowledge has not yet been obtained, but the undefiled wisdom has been obtained. At this time one knowledge is accomplished (the conventional knowledge will be accomplished in the future). In the second mind, the dharma-knowledge, the knowledge of suffering, and the conventional knowledge are accomplished. Passing through the third and fourth minds, four knowledges are accomplished: the knowledge of suffering, the dharma-knowledge, the inferential knowledge (anvaya-jñāna), and the conventional knowledge.
Original text:习尽道法智中。一一智增。离欲人知他心智成就。增苦比忍苦比智。断十八结。是四心苦谛。能得习法忍习法智。断欲界系七结。习比忍习比智。断色无色界系十三结。尽法忍尽法智。断欲界系七结。尽比忍尽比智。断色无色界系十二结。道法忍道法智。断欲界系八结。道比忍道比智。断色无色界系十四结。道比智是名须陀般那(下子上子)。实知诸法相。是十六心。
Explanation: In the cultivation of the worldly knowledges of arising, cessation, and the Path, each and every knowledge must increase, until finally the worldly knowledge of exhaustion (kṣaya-jñāna) is perfectly and completely fulfilled, one transcends the three realms, and attains nirvāṇa and liberation. A person who has already become free of desire can accomplish the superknowledge of knowing others' minds; the knowledge of others' minds increases, together with the inferential tolerance of suffering and the inferential knowledge of suffering, severing eighteen fetters.
Thus, the truth of suffering in these four minds can realize the dharma-tolerance of arising and the dharma-knowledge of arising, severing the seven fetters that bind one to the desire realm. The inferential tolerance of arising and the inferential knowledge of arising can sever the thirteen fetters of birth-and-death of the form realm and the formless realm. Accomplishing the dharma-tolerance of cessation and the dharma-knowledge of cessation, one can sever the seven fetters that bind one to the desire realm. The inferential tolerance of cessation and the inferential knowledge of cessation can sever the twelve fetters of birth-and-death of the form realm and the formless realm. When the dharma-tolerance of the Path and the dharma-knowledge of the Path are accomplished, one can sever the eight fetters that bind one to the desire realm. The accomplishment of the inferential tolerance of the Path and the inferential knowledge of the Path can sever the fourteen fetters of birth-and-death that bind one to the form realm and the formless realm. The inferential knowledge of the Path is what is called srotāpanna (srota-āpanna); truly knowing the characteristics of all dharmas—these are the sixteen minds.
Original text:能十五心中。利根名随法行。钝根名随信行。是二人未离欲。名初果向。先未断结。得十六心。名须陀般那。若先断六品结。得十六心。名息忌陀伽迷(秦言一来)。若先断九品结得十六心。名阿那迦迷(秦言不来)。先未离欲断八十八结故。名须陀般那。
Explanation: When one can cultivate up to the fifteenth mind, those of sharp faculties are called followers of the Dharma (dharmānusārin), and those of dull faculties are called followers of faith (śraddhānusārin). These two kinds of people have not yet become free of desire and have not yet severed any fetters; they are called ones oriented toward the first fruit (srotāpanna-phala-pratipannaka). Reaching the sixteenth mind, one is a srotāpanna: if one has previously severed six grades of fetters and then attains the sixteenth mind, one is a sakṛdāgāmin; if one has previously severed nine grades of fetters, one is the third-fruit anāgāmin. Having not yet become free of desire but severing the eighty-eight fetters, one is called a srotāpanna.
Original text:复次无漏果善根得。得故名须陀般那。利根名见得。钝根名信爱。思惟结未断。余残七世生。若思惟结三种断。名家家三世生。圣道八分三十七品名流。流向涅槃。随是流行。故名须陀般那。是为佛初功德子恶道得脱。三结断三毒薄。名息忌陀伽迷。
Explanation: Furthermore, by means of the root of goodness one realizes the first fruit of the undefiled result; hence one is called a srotāpanna. Those of sharp faculties are said to attain it through realizing the Path of Seeing; those of dull faculties are called those who receive and delight in it through faith. The afflictive fetters of deliberation (bhāvanā) of a first-fruit srotāpanna are not yet severed; he must undergo seven more rounds of practice among humans and gods before they can be severed. If three kinds of the afflictive fetters of deliberation are severed, this is called being born from family to family (kulaṃkula) for three lives. When the noble eightfold Path and the thirty-seven factors are cultivated to completion, mind after mind flows toward nirvāṇa; flowing along with this stream, one is called a srotāpanna. Such a one is the first-fruit disciple who has accomplished the Buddha's initial merit and has escaped the evil destinies. One in whom the three fetters are severed and the three poisons have become attenuated is called the second-fruit sakṛdāgāmin.
Original text:复次欲界结九种(上上上中上下中上中中中下下上下中下下)。见谛断。思惟断。若凡夫人。先以有漏道。断欲界系六种结。入见谛道。十六心中得名息忌陀伽迷。若八种断。入见谛道。第十六心中一种。名息忌陀伽迷果向呵那伽迷。若佛弟子得须陀般那。单断三结。欲得息忌陀伽迷。是思惟断欲界系。九种结六种断。是名息忌陀伽迷。八种断。是名一种息忌陀伽迷果向阿那伽迷。
Explanation: Furthermore, the fetters of the desire realm are of nine kinds: the fetter of views, the fetter of grasping, the fetter of doubt, the fetter of craving, the fetter of aversion, the fetter of envy, the fetter of stinginess, the fetter of conceit, and the fetter of ignorance; they are divided into the three fetters of bondage severed at the time of seeing the truths, and the afflictions of deliberation such as greed, hatred, and delusion severed during the stage of cultivation. If an ordinary being (pṛthagjana) engaged in practice first severs, through defiled (sāsrava) cultivation, the six kinds of fetters that bind one to the desire realm, and then sees the truths and enters the Path, then among the sixteen minds such a person is called the second-fruit sakṛdāgāmin. If one severs eight kinds of fetters and sees the truths, this belongs to one kind among the sixteen minds, and is called a sakṛdāgāmin oriented toward anāgāminhood, between the second fruit and the third fruit. If a disciple of the Buddha has attained the first fruit, having severed only the three fetters, and wishes to attain the second fruit in turn, he must deliberate on how to sever the afflictions that bind one to the desire realm: severing six of the nine kinds of fetters makes one the second-fruit sakṛdāgāmin; severing eight makes one a second-fruit one oriented toward the third fruit of anāgāmin.
Original text:若凡夫人先断欲界系九种结。入见谛道。第十六心中名阿那伽迷。若得息忌陀伽迷。进断三种思惟结。第九解脱道名阿那伽迷。阿那伽迷有九种。今世必入涅槃阿那伽迷。中阴入涅槃阿那伽迷。生已入涅槃阿那伽迷。勤求入涅槃阿那伽迷。不勤求入涅槃阿那伽迷。上行入涅槃阿那伽迷。至阿迦尼吒入涅槃阿那伽迷。到无色定入涅槃阿那伽迷。身证阿那伽迷。行向阿罗汉阿那伽迷。
Explanation: If an ordinary being first severs the nine kinds of fetters that bind one to the desire realm and then sees the truths, then among the sixteen minds one is called a third-fruit anāgāmin. If, after attaining the second fruit of sakṛdāgāmin, one further severs the three kinds of afflictive fetters of deliberation, one enters the ninth path of liberation as an anāgāmin. There are nine kinds of anāgāmins, divided as follows: first, the anāgāmin who will certainly enter nirvāṇa in this very life; second, the anāgāmin who enters nirvāṇa in the intermediate state (antarābhava); third, the anāgāmin who enters nirvāṇa after rebirth; fourth, the anāgāmin who diligently strives to enter nirvāṇa; fifth, the anāgāmin who does not diligently strive to enter nirvāṇa; sixth, the anāgāmin who is reborn in the form realm and then enters nirvāṇa; seventh, the anāgāmin who is reborn in the Akaniṣṭha heaven and then enters nirvāṇa; eighth, the anāgāmin who is reborn in the formless realm and then enters nirvāṇa; ninth, the anāgāmin who is a body-witness (kāyasākṣin), the anāgāmin whose conduct is oriented toward arhatship.
Original text:色无色界九种结。以第九无碍道金刚三昧破一切结。第九解脱道尽智修一切善根。是名阿罗汉果。是阿罗汉有九种。退法。不退法。死法。守法。住法。必知法。不坏法。慧脱。共脱。濡智。濡进。
行五种法退是名退法。利智利进行五种法不退。是名不退法。濡智濡进利。厌思惟自杀身。是名死法。濡智大进自护身。是名守法。中智中进不增不减处中而住。是名住法。少利智勤精进能得不坏心解脱。是名必知法。利智大进。初得不坏心解脱。是名不坏法。不能入深禅中诸漏尽。是名慧解脱。得诸禅亦得灭禅诸漏尽。是名共解脱阿罗汉。一切有为法常厌满足。更不求功德。待时入涅槃。
Explanation: The form realm and the formless realm together have nine kinds of fetters. Using the vajra meditative concentration (vajra-samādhi) of the ninth unhindered path (ānantarya-mārga) to smash all the fetters, and attaining, on the ninth path of liberation, the knowledge of exhaustion (kṣaya-jñāna) that exhausts the world, and cultivating all the roots of goodness of liberation—this is called the fruit of arhatship. There are nine kinds of arhats: the retrogressive arhat, the non-retrogressive arhat, the death-bound arhat, the protective arhat, the abiding arhat, the arhat certain to attain understanding, the indestructible arhat, the arhat liberated by wisdom, the arhat of dual liberation, the arhat of soft wisdom, and the arhat of soft exertion.
One who practices the five dharmas without success and regresses is the retrogressive arhat. One who has profound and sharp wisdom and practices the five dharmas without regression is the non-retrogressive arhat. One whose wisdom is scanty and whose power of diligence is scanty, who becomes so weary through deliberation as to take his own life, casting off his lifespan early to enter nirvāṇa, is called the death-bound arhat. One whose wisdom is scanty but who has great power of diligence to protect himself is called the protective arhat. One whose wisdom is middling and whose diligence is middling, abiding in the middle with neither increase nor decrease, is called the abiding arhat. One who, with little wisdom, diligently applies diligence and can attain the liberation of the indestructible mind is called the arhat certain to attain understanding.
One of sharp wisdom and faculties, with great power of diligence, who initially attains the liberation of the indestructible mind, is called the indestructible arhat. One who cannot enter the meditative concentrations from the second dhyāna upward yet has exhausted all afflictions is the arhat liberated by wisdom. One who has attained the various dhyānas and has also attained the cessation absorption (nirodha-samāpatti) is the arhat of dual liberation; they constantly feel revulsion toward all conditioned dharmas, including the Buddha's teachings, are content with their present state, seek no further merit, and await the end of their lifespan to enter nirvāṇa.
Original text:有阿罗汉。求四禅四无色定四等心。八解脱八胜处十一切入九次第六神通。愿智阿兰若那三昧(秦言无诤阿兰若。言无事或言空寂。旧言须菩提。常行空寂行。非也。自是无诤行耳。无诤者。将护众生。不令起诤。于我耳起诤。如舍利弗目连夜入陶屋中宿致拘迦离起诤者是也)。超越三昧熏禅三解脱门及放舍(放舍者三脱门空无愿无相空无愿无相即十二门念反著者也)。更作利智勤精进。入如是诸禅功德。是名得不退法不坏法。
Explanation: Some arhats seek the four dhyānas, the four formless absorptions, and the four immeasurable minds, possess the eight liberations, the eight spheres of mastery, the ten totality spheres, the nine successive absorptions, and the six superknowledges, and are endowed with the meditative concentration of tranquil non-contention (araṇā-samādhi), the transcendent absorption, the three doors of liberation of the infused dhyāna, and relinquishment; they further seek vigorous wisdom and diligently apply diligence, entering into these various profound meditative concentrations, fully endowed with the power of samādhi merit—such are called the non-retrogressive and indestructible arhats.
Original text:若佛不出世。无佛法无弟子时。是时离欲人辟支佛出。辟支佛有三种。上中下。下者。本得须陀般那。若息忌陀伽迷。是须陀般那于第七世生人中。是时无佛法。不得作弟子。复不应八世生。是时作辟支佛。若息忌陀伽迷二世生。是时无佛法。不得作弟子。复不应三世生。是时作辟支佛。
Explanation: If a Buddha does not appear in the world, when there is no Buddha's Dharma and no disciples of the Buddha, then at such a time persons free of desire emerge as pratyekabuddhas. Pratyekabuddhas are of three kinds: superior, middling, and inferior. The inferior kind originally attained the first fruit of srotāpanna or the second fruit of sakṛdāgāmin. When such a srotāpanna is born into the human world in his seventh life, at that time there is no Buddha's Dharma in the world, so he cannot become a disciple of the Buddha and train under Him; and since he can no longer be reborn in the heavens or among humans, he cannot transmigrate an eighth time, so he can only become a pratyekabuddha at that time, awakening to the Dharma on his own. A sakṛdāgāmin of the second fruit must ascend to the heavens and return to the human world to be reborn for two more lives; if at that time there is likewise no Buddha's Dharma in the world, he cannot become a disciple of the Buddha and train under Him, and he cannot take a third rebirth, so at that time he becomes a pratyekabuddha, awakening to the Dharma on his own.
Original text:有人愿作辟支佛。种辟支佛善根时。无佛法善根熟。尔时厌世出家。得道名辟支佛。是名中辟支佛。有人求佛道。智力进力少。以因缘退(如舍利弗是也)。是时佛不出世。无佛法亦无弟子。而善根行熟作辟支佛。有相好若少若多。厌世出家得道。是名上辟支佛。
Explanation: Some people wish to become pratyekabuddhas; having planted the roots of goodness of a pratyekabuddha, when there is no Buddha's Dharma in the world yet those roots of goodness ripen, at that time they will grow weary of the world, leave home to cultivate the Path, and attain the fruit of the Path called pratyekabuddha—these are the middling-grade pratyekabuddhas. Some people seek the way to buddhahood, but their power of wisdom is insufficient and their power of diligence is scanty, and due to certain conditions they regress from the way to buddhahood. At that time no Buddha has appeared in the world, there is no Buddha's Dharma and no disciples either, yet their roots of goodness and practices have ripened, so they become pratyekabuddhas, developing adornments of major and minor marks in greater or lesser degree; weary of the world, they leave home and attain the Path—these are the superior-grade pratyekabuddhas.
Original text:于诸法中智慧浅入名阿罗汉。中入名辟支佛。深入名佛。如遥见树不能分别枝。小近能分别枝。不能分别华叶。到树下尽能分别知树枝叶华实。声闻能知一切诸行无常。一切诸法无主。唯涅槃善安隐。声闻能如是观。不能分别深入深知。辟支佛少能分别。亦不能深入深知。佛知诸法分别究畅。深入深知也。
Explanation: Among those who study and cultivate the various dharmas, one whose wisdom penetrates shallowly is an arhat; one whose wisdom penetrates to a middling degree is a pratyekabuddha; one whose wisdom penetrates most deeply is a Buddha. For example, when viewing a tree from afar, one cannot distinguish its branches; coming a little closer, one can distinguish the branches but still cannot distinguish the flowers and leaves; only upon reaching the tree can one fully distinguish and know the branches, leaves, flowers, and fruits. Śrāvakas can realize that all conditioned formations are impermanent, that all dharmas have no master, and that only nirvāṇa is peaceful and blissful. Śrāvakas can contemplate thus, but cannot discern or deeply know what lies further within. Pratyekabuddhas know somewhat more and somewhat more deeply than śrāvakas, yet still cannot penetrate further to know the deeper dharmas. Only the Buddha can know all dharmas exhaustively and perfectly, penetrating to the very depths, endowed with omniscience (sarvākārajñatā).
Original text:如波罗奈国王。夏暑热时处高楼上坐七宝床。令青衣磨牛头栴檀香涂身。青衣臂多着钏。摩王身时钏声满耳。王甚患之。教次第令脱。钏少声微。唯独一钏寂然无声。王时悟曰。国家臣民宫人婇女。多事多恼亦复如是。即时离欲独处思惟得辟支佛。须发自落着自然衣。从楼阁去。以己神足力出家入山。如是因缘中品辟支佛也。
Explanation: For example, when the summer heat was scorching, the king of Vārāṇasī sat on a couch of the seven treasures in a tall tower and had his maidservants grind ox-head sandalwood incense and then anoint his body with it. The maidservants wore many bracelets on their arms, and as they massaged the king's body, the sound of the bracelets clashing filled his ears. The king disliked hearing it greatly and ordered them to remove them one by one; the fewer the bracelets left on the arms, the fainter the sound, and when only one bracelet remained, there was no sound at all—utterly silent. The king then awakened to this and said: 'The ministers and citizens of the state, the palace attendants and courtesans—when there are many people, there are many affairs and many afflictions, just like these bracelets clashing and sounding against one another.' The king thereupon became free of desire, dwelt alone, deliberated by himself, and attained the fruit of a pratyekabuddha; his hair and beard immediately fell away of themselves, the kaṣāya robe clothed his body, and he flew away from the tower, leaving home by his own power of superknowledge (ṛddhi) and entering a mountain to cultivate. Having in this way realized the dharma of dependent origination, he was a middling-grade pratyekabuddha.
