Observing the Five Aggregates to Cut Through the View of Self (Part 2)
Chapter 6: The Abhidharmakośa, Volume 23 (The Four Preparatory Practices)
This volume describes the four roots of goodness that arise when a yogic practitioner cultivates the four establishments of mindfulness of the Śrāvaka vehicle: the root of goodness of the heat stage (ūṣma-gata), the root of goodness of the summit stage (mūrdhan), the root of goodness of the patience stage (kṣānti), and the root of goodness of the supreme worldly dharma (laukikāgra-dharma). These four roots of goodness are also the four preparatory stages (prayoga) prior to the path of seeing of the Śrāvaka vehicle. After engaging in these four preparatory practices, one will attain the pure dharma eye and realize the first fruit up to the fourth fruit. If one does not cultivate the four establishments of mindfulness but instead cultivates other dharma methods of the Four Noble Truths, such as the contemplation of the white bones, these four roots of goodness will likewise arise, one will be at the four preparatory stages, and only then can one see the path and realize the fruits.
Among the four roots of goodness, one who has attained the root of goodness of the heat stage, although still capable of regression, of cutting off the roots of goodness, or of committing karma leading to the Avīci hell, even to the point of dying and falling into evil destinies, will not transmigrate for long in the six realms of rebirth before reaching nirvāṇa. One who has attained the root of goodness of the summit stage, although also capable of regression, does not lose the roots of goodness; they are ultimately not cut off, and the roots of goodness will still increase. One who has attained the root of goodness of the patience stage has roots of goodness that only increase and never regress; at the end of life one no longer dwells at the stage of the untrained ordinary person (pṛthagjana), no longer commits karma leading to the Avīci hell, does not fall into evil destinies, will not be born from eggs or from moisture, will not be born in the heaven of non-perception (asaṃjñi-sattva), in Uttarakuru in the north, or at the abode of Mahābrahmā, will not be born as a eunuch or a hermaphrodite, and will not be born an eighth time in the three realms; the afflictions to be severed on the path of seeing will never arise again. One who has attained the root of goodness of the supreme worldly dharma, although still temporarily dwelling at the stage of the ordinary person, can enter into the correct nature and depart from birth, and will certainly attain the path of seeing and depart from the suffering of birth and death.
Section 1: The Root of Goodness of Heat and the Root of Goodness of Summit
Original text:颂曰。彼居法念住。总观四所缘。修非常及苦空。非我行相。论曰。彼观行者。居缘总杂。法念住中。总观所缘。身等四境。修四行相。所谓非常。苦空非我。修此观已。生何善根。
Explanation: There is a verse that says: A practitioner who is currently cultivating the establishment of mindfulness of dharma among the four establishments of mindfulness should contemplate the four objects of contemplation—body, feeling, mind, and dharmas—from an overall perspective, contemplating the characteristics of impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and non-self of body, feeling, mind, and dharmas. There is a treatise that says: A practitioner contemplating the four establishments of mindfulness, dwelling in the establishment of mindfulness of dharma where the conditions are both general and mixed, contemplates the objects of contemplation in their totality—the four realms of body and so forth—and cultivates the four characteristics of contemplation, namely impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and non-self. After cultivating this contemplation, what root of goodness arises?
The meaning here is that at the stage of cultivating the establishment of mindfulness of dharma, when one contemplates the objects of contemplation of body, feeling, mind, and dharmas from an overall perspective, the four roots of goodness will arise, called the four preparatory practices. The four preparatory practices only begin to be cultivated before the path of seeing; before cultivating the establishment of mindfulness of dharma, the four roots of goodness cannot yet appear, because the karmic opportunity has not yet arrived and the roots of goodness are not yet mature.
Original text:颂曰：从此生暖法。具观四圣谛。修十六行相。次生顶亦然。如是二善根。皆初法后四。次忍唯法念。下中品同顶。上唯观欲苦。一行一刹那。世第一亦然。皆慧五除得。
Explanation: The verse says: After cultivating the establishment of mindfulness of dharma with its contemplation of suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and non-self, the heat dharma arises. With the root of goodness of the heat stage, one can fully contemplate the Four Noble Truths and cultivate the sixteen characteristics: the four characteristics of the truth of suffering, the four characteristics of the truth of origin, the four characteristics of the truth of cessation, and the four characteristics of the truth of the path. Continuing to cultivate the establishment of mindfulness of dharma, the summit stage likewise arises in the same way, also fully contemplating the Four Noble Truths and cultivating the sixteen characteristics. These two roots of goodness, heat and summit, are both cultivated first through the establishment of mindfulness of dharma, contemplating in totality the four objects of contemplation of body, feeling, mind, and dharmas, and afterward cultivated through the other four [establishments].
The subsequent root of goodness of the patience stage can arise solely from cultivating the establishment of mindfulness of dharma. The lower and middle grades of the patience stage contemplate the same objects as the summit stage; the upper grade of the patience stage contemplates only the suffering of the desire realm, contemplating the truth of suffering for each aggregate, each moment, in one line and one instant. The root of goodness of the supreme worldly dharma is also like this; all are born only when cultivating the establishment of mindfulness of dharma, with the lower and middle grades contemplating the same objects as the summit stage, and the upper grade contemplating only the suffering of the desire realm. The four roots of goodness all take wisdom as their essence, being of the nature of wisdom, except for the fifth, the roots of goodness of those who have attained the dharma and the path.
The sixteen characteristics are the characteristics that appear after cultivating the Four Noble Truths. Among them, for the Noble Truth of Suffering one contemplates the suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and non-self nature of the four establishments of mindfulness—these four characteristics; for the Noble Truth of Origin one contemplates the four characteristics of the truth of origin: cause, origin, arising, and condition; for the Noble Truth of Cessation one contemplates the four characteristics of the truth of cessation: cessation, tranquility, excellence, and escape; for the Noble Truth of the Path one contemplates the four characteristics of the truth of the path: path, appropriateness, practice, and deliverance. In the cultivation of the roots of goodness of heat and summit, all sixteen characteristics must be cultivated, and the contemplative wisdom gradually becomes deeper and subtler, the meditative concentration also gradually deepens, and the levels of concentration and wisdom progressively deepen, until after the fourth root of goodness, the supreme worldly dharma, is brought to completion, with concentration and wisdom both complete, one can then see the path.
Original text:论曰。修习总缘共相法念住。渐次成熟。乃至上上品。从此念住后。有顺决择分。初善根生。名为暖法。此法如暖。立暖法名。是能烧惑薪。圣道火前相。如火前相故。名为暖。
Explanation: The treatise says: Cultivating the establishment of mindfulness of dharma that contemplates in totality the common characteristics of all sentient beings, one's wisdom gradually matures, up to the highest of the high grade. After this establishment of mindfulness, there arises the faculty conducive to the faculty of resolution (nirvedha-bhāgīya), conforming to the truth of the Four Noble Truths, and the first root of goodness is born, called the heat dharma. This dharma is like warmth, hence the name heat dharma. It is like the firewood that can burn afflictions, the precursor of the fire of the noble path; because it is like the precursor of fire, it is called heat.
Taking the path of seeing as a metaphor for the appearance of fire and the burning of firewood: before the fire appears, a change in temperature first occurs, the temperature rises, and warmth appears—this corresponds to the root of goodness of the heat stage. As the temperature continues to rise and the heat reaches a certain degree, the firewood burns and the fire appears. In between, one passes sequentially through the roots of goodness of the summit stage, the patience stage, and the supreme worldly dharma, and afterward one can see the path. The appearance of the heat dharma shows that through cultivating the four establishments of mindfulness and the Four Noble Truths, the practitioner's mind has undergone a change, able to give rise to the faculty conducive to resolution in accordance with the truth of the Four Noble Truths, no longer resisting or going against the truth of the Four Noble Truths—equivalent to an initial acceptance of the truth of the Four Noble Truths, having been permeated by it.
Original text:此暖善根分位长故。能具观察四圣谛境。及能具修十六行相。观苦圣谛。修四行相。一非常二苦。三空四非我。观集圣谛。修四行相。一因二集。三生四缘。观灭圣谛。修四行相。一灭二静。三妙四离。观道圣谛。修四行相。一道二如。三行四出。此相差别。如后当辩。
Explanation: Because the stage of cultivation experienced by this root of goodness of heat is relatively long—that is, because its stage of position is long—at the stage when the root of goodness of heat is manifest, one can fully observe the entire true realm of the Four Noble Truths, and can fully cultivate the sixteen characteristics. This means that if one has only observed the truth of suffering, the root of goodness of heat cannot yet appear; if one has only observed the truths of suffering and origin, the root of goodness of heat still cannot appear; if one further observes the truth of cessation, it still cannot appear; only after observing all of the Four Noble Truths can the root of goodness of heat appear.
Observing the Noble Truth of Suffering of the five aggregates, one cultivates four characteristics: impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and non-self; observing the Noble Truth of Origin of the five aggregates, one cultivates four characteristics: the cause of the arising of suffering, how suffering is accumulated, how the accumulation of suffering is born, and by what condition suffering is born; observing the Noble Truth of Cessation, one cultivates four characteristics: how suffering is extinguished, that after suffering ceases there is tranquility, that tranquility is the most sublime state, and that after tranquility one escapes suffering; observing the Noble Truth of the Path, one cultivates four characteristics: contemplating the path cultivated to extinguish suffering, that the cultivated path accords with true reality, that bodily, verbal, and mental actions accord with the truth of the Four Noble Truths and tend toward nirvāṇa, and escaping the three realms to attain liberation forever. All the cultivation content involved here has distinctions, and these distinctions will be discussed later.
Original text:此暖善根。下中上品。渐次增长。至成满时。有善根生。名为顶法。此转胜故。更立异名。动善根中。此法最胜。如人顶故。名为顶法。或由此是。进退两际。如山顶故。说名为顶。此亦如暖。具观四谛。及能具修。十六行相。
Explanation: When this root of goodness of heat grows gradually from the lower grade to the middle grade, and from the middle grade to the upper grade, until it reaches completion, another root of goodness arises, called the root of goodness of the summit stage. When the root of goodness of the summit stage becomes increasingly excellent, it is given a different name. Among the roots of goodness that are still movable, this dharma is the most excellent, like the crown of a person's head, hence it is called the summit dharma. It is also called the summit dharma because the summit stage stands between advance and retreat—forward is advance, backward is retreat—and the summit stage is like the peak of a mountain, hence it is named the summit. At the stage of the root of goodness of the summit, as with heat, one can fully observe the Four Noble Truths and fully cultivate the sixteen characteristics.
Original text:如是暖顶二种善根。初安足时。唯法念住。以何义故。名初安足。谓随何善根。以十六行相。最初游践四圣谛迹。后增进时。具四念住。诸先所得。后不现前。于彼不生钦重心故。
Explanation: These two roots of goodness, heat and summit, at the time of first setting foot, appear only when cultivating the establishment of mindfulness of dharma. For what reason is it called first setting foot? This means that accompanying whichever root of goodness, with the sixteen characteristics one first treads upon the tracks of the Four Noble Truths. After the roots of goodness of heat and summit advance, the cultivation of the four establishments of mindfulness is complete. The dharmas cultivated previously no longer manifest afterward, because toward those previously cultivated dharmas the mind does not give rise to a particularly reverent attitude—those dharmas are relatively coarse and shallow, and having passed beyond them, they need not be cultivated anymore.
Section 2: The Root of Goodness of Patience and the Root of Goodness of Supreme Worldly Dharma
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 root of goodness of the summit stage grows gradually from the lower grade to the middle grade, and from the middle grade to the upper grade, until it matures and reaches completion, other roots of goodness will arise, called the patience dharma. Among the roots of goodness capable of accepting the truth of the Four Noble Truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and path, this patience dharma is the most excellent, hence it is called the patience dharma. Furthermore, because the patience at this stage no longer regresses or falls away, it is called the patience dharma. In the process of cultivating the truth of the Four Noble Truths, the ability to tolerate, endure, accept, and acknowledge the truth of the Four Noble Truths belongs to the most excellent grade of the root of goodness of patience; at this stage of patience, the mind does not regress from the truth of the Four Noble Truths, hence it is named the patience dharma.
The initial arising and gradual advancement of this root of goodness of patience both occur while cultivating the establishment of mindfulness of dharma; cultivating the previous three establishments of mindfulness cannot yet give rise to the root of goodness of patience—the root of goodness of patience is not cultivated in a mixed manner, which distinguishes it from the previous roots of goodness of heat and summit. This root of goodness of patience is also divided into lower, middle, and upper grades; the lower and middle grades are the same as the summit stage, both fully observing the truth of the Four Noble Truths and fully cultivating the sixteen characteristics.
From the above text, it can be known that the root of goodness of patience will not regress to the point of not acknowledging the truth of the Four Noble Truths, whereas the roots of goodness of heat and summit may regress—that is, the already-arisen faculty conducive to resolution may be lost, the mind may no longer have the faculty conducive to resolution, no longer accord with the truth of the Four Noble Truths, and not accept the principles of suffering, origin, cessation, and path. Wisdom may regress for many reasons; any condition 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, perhaps the courage and confidence to study and practice Buddhism will be rekindled, and it is possible to cultivate the roots of goodness of heat and summit again; but when one has cultivated to the root of goodness of patience, there will be no regression.
Because the four roots of goodness all belong to the wisdom of cultivation (bhāvanā-mayī-prajñā), the wisdom attained through practice, the wisdom of hearing (śruta-mayī-prajñā) and the wisdom of reflection (cintā-mayī-prajñā) can regress and are not firm; the earlier part 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; and once one has seen the path and attained realization, there is even less regression. After seeing the path, meditative concentration may regress, but the wisdom of the path of seeing never regresses, so the fruit will not regress. When one has cultivated to the third fruit, the dhyāna of the first absorption may regress and cannot be maintained forever, but the liberating wisdom and merit of the third fruit will never regress, so the fruit does not regress. Before seeing the path, meditative concentration may not regress, but wisdom may 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 upper grade of the root of goodness of patience differs from the summit stage: it contemplates only the suffering of the desire realm, being immediately adjacent to the supreme worldly dharma. From this principle it can be determined that when the roots of goodness of heat, summit, and patience arise, they can all fully take as object the suffering and so forth of the Four Noble Truths of the three realms; this principle has already been established in the mind, so there is no need for further discrimination. Thus, the yogic practitioner, with respect to the counteractive methods of the path for the Noble Truths of the form realm and the formless realm, gradually reduces and simplifies the characteristics and objects of each Noble Truth, until finally there are only two mindfulnesses of attention, contemplating the realm of the Noble Truth of Suffering of the desire realm.
Before this point is called the middle patience stage. From this stage, without interruption, more excellent roots of goodness arise; each line, each instant is called the upper-grade patience. When the patience dharma first arises, the roots of goodness are not continuous; when one cultivates to the upper-grade patience, the roots of goodness become uninterrupted, and at this time the supreme worldly dharma is born.
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: The supreme worldly dharma, like the upper-grade patience, takes as object the Noble Truth of Suffering of the desire realm; having cultivated each of the sixteen characteristics, each is completed in only a single instant. But because this root of goodness is with outflows (sāsrava), it is called worldly; because it is the most excellent in the world, it is called supreme. This dharma with outflows is the most excellent in the world, therefore it is called the supreme worldly dharma. It has the power of a capable person, departs from the homogeneous cause of ordinary beings, and can induce the arising of the noble path, hence it is called the most excellent.
Although the supreme worldly dharma still belongs to worldly dharmas, it is the most excellent among worldly dharmas; after it comes the supramundane dharma of realizing sagehood and entering the stream (srotāpanna fruit). The supramundane means moving toward liberation, gradually leaving the three realms, gradually tending toward nirvāṇa. Therefore the four preparatory practices are the sprint stage before seeing the path, and also the preparation stage.
Original text:如是暖等。四种善根。念住性故。皆慧为体。若并助伴。皆五蕴性。然除彼得。勿诸圣者。暖等善根。重现前故。此中暖法。初安足时。缘三谛法。念住现在。修未来四。随一行相。修未来四。缘灭谛法。念住现在。修未来一。随一行相现在。修未来四。
Explanation: These four roots of goodness—heat, summit, patience, and supreme worldly dharma—because they all have the nature of the establishments of mindfulness, all take wisdom as their essence and possess the nature of wisdom. If the four roots of goodness are taken together with their accompanying factors, they all belong to the nature of the five aggregates—the roots of goodness and wisdom possessed by the aggregate of consciousness. But excluding those who have attained the dharma and the path, the rest do not yet belong to the noble ones, because the four roots of goodness such as heat manifest once again, being at the preparatory stage; only those who see the path after the four roots of goodness belong to the noble ones. When the heat dharma first appears, it takes as object the dharmas of the three truths of suffering, origin, and cessation; the establishment of mindfulness dwells in the present body, feeling, mind, and dharmas, cultivating the future four; following each characteristic, it cultivates the future four; taking as object the dharma of the truth of cessation, the establishment of mindfulness dwells in the present body, feeling, mind, and dharmas, cultivating the future one; following each characteristic in the present, it cultivates the future four.
Original text:由此种性。先未曾得。要同分者。方能修故。后增进时缘三谛。随一念住现在。修未来四。随一行相现在。修未来十六。缘灭谛法。念住现在。修未来四。随一行相现在。修未来十六。由此种性。先已曾得。不同分者。亦能修故。
Explanation: Because this person of the Śrāvaka lineage has never previously attained the heat dharma, only those possessing the same [attainment] can cultivate it. Later, when the roots of goodness advance, one takes as object the three truths of suffering, origin, and cessation; following the one establishment of mindfulness in the present, one cultivates the future four establishments of mindfulness; following each characteristic of the Four Noble Truths in the present, one cultivates the future sixteen characteristics. Taking as object the dharma of the truth of cessation, in the present establishment of mindfulness one cultivates the future four establishments of mindfulness; following each characteristic of the truth of cessation, one cultivates the future sixteen characteristics. Because this lineage has previously attained the heat dharma, those at different stages can also cultivate it.
Original text:顶初安足。缘四谛法。念住现在。修未来四。随一行相现在。修未来十六。后增进时。缘三谛。随一念住现在。修未来四。随一行相现在。修未来十六。缘灭谛法。念住现在。修未来四。随一行相现在。修未来十六。
Explanation: When the root of goodness of the summit stage first arises, it takes as object the dharmas of the Four Noble Truths; the establishment of mindfulness dwells in the present dharmas, cultivating the future four establishments of mindfulness; following each characteristic of the Four Noble Truths in the present, it cultivates the future sixteen characteristics. Later, when advancing, it takes as object the three truths of suffering, origin, and cessation; following the one establishment of mindfulness in the present, it cultivates the future four establishments of mindfulness; following each characteristic in the present, it cultivates the future sixteen characteristics. Taking as object the truth of cessation, in the present establishment of mindfulness it cultivates the future four establishments of mindfulness; following each characteristic of the truth of cessation in the present, it cultivates the future sixteen characteristics.
Original text:忍初安足。及后增进。缘四谛法。念住现在。修未来四。随一行相现在。修未来十六。然于增进。略所缘时。随略彼所缘。不修彼行相。世第一法。缘欲苦谛法。念住现在。修未来四。随一行相现在。修未来四。无异分故。似见道故。
Explanation: When the patience dharma first arises, and later when it advances, it takes as object the dharmas of the Four Noble Truths; in the present establishment of mindfulness it cultivates the future four establishments of mindfulness; following each characteristic of the Four Noble Truths in the present, it cultivates the future sixteen characteristics. However, when the patience dharma advances and omits certain objects of contemplation, corresponding to those omitted objects, it no longer cultivates their characteristics. The supreme worldly dharma takes as object the Noble Truth of Suffering of the desire realm; in the present establishment of mindfulness it cultivates the future four establishments of mindfulness; following each characteristic of the truth of suffering in the present, it cultivates the future four characteristics. Because there are no other stages, at this stage it is rather similar to the stage of the path of seeing, but after all it is not yet the path of seeing.
Original text:论曰。此暖顶忍。世第一法。四殊胜善根。名顺决择分。依何义建立顺决择分名。决谓决断。择谓简择。决断简择，谓诸圣道。以诸圣道。能断疑故。及能分别。四谛相故。分谓分段。此言意显。所顺唯是见道一分。决择之分。故得决择分名。此四为缘。引决择分。顺益彼故。得顺彼名故。此名为顺决择分。如是四种。皆修所成。非闻思所成。唯等引地故。
Explanation: The treatise says: These four excellent roots of goodness—heat, summit, patience, and supreme worldly dharma—are called the faculty conducive to the faculty of resolution (nirvedha-bhāgīya). On the basis of what principle is the name "conducive to the faculty of resolution" established? "Resolution" (nirvedha) means decisive determination; "faculty" (bhāga) means discrimination and selection. Decisive determination and discrimination refer to the noble paths, because the noble paths can sever doubt and confusion, and can discern the characteristics of the Four Noble Truths. "Portion" (bhāga) means segment; these words make the intent evident: what is conformed to is only the portion of the path of seeing, the portion of resolution, hence the name "faculty of resolution" (nirvedha-bhāga).
Taking these four roots of goodness—heat, summit, patience, and supreme worldly dharma—as conditions, they induce the faculty of resolution; because they accord with and benefit it, they receive the name of being conducive to it, hence they are called the faculty conducive to the faculty of resolution. These four roots of goodness are all wisdom accomplished through cultivation (bhāvanā-mayī-prajñā), not wisdom accomplished through hearing or reflection, being exclusively subsumed under the ground of meditative stabilization (samāhita-bhūmi).
