Abhidharmakośa-śāstra, Volume XXIII: The Four Preparatory Practices

Section 2  The Root of Good of Forbearance and the Supreme Worldly Root of Good

Original text of the treatise: 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 good of the peak method gradually grows from the low grade to the middle grade, and then from the middle grade to the high grade, until it reaches maturity and fullness, another root of good will arise, called the method of forbearance (kṣānti). Among the roots of good that can accept and assent to the principle of the Four Noble Truths, this method of forbearance is the most supreme, and therefore it is called the method of forbearance. Moreover, because at this stage of forbearance there is no regression or falling back, it is named the method of forbearance. In the process of cultivating the principle of the Four Noble Truths, the root of good that can tolerate, endure, accept, and assent to the principle of the Four Noble Truths belongs to the most supreme grade of the roots of good of forbearance. At this stage of forbearance, the mind does not regress from the principle of the Four Noble Truths, and therefore it is named the method of forbearance.

The initial arising and gradual advancement of this root of good of the method of forbearance both occur while cultivating the establishment of mindfulness of dharmas. When cultivating the previous three establishments of mindfulness, the root of good of the method of forbearance cannot yet arise; the root of good of the method of forbearance is not produced through mixed cultivation, and this distinguishes it from the previous roots of good of warmth and peak. This root of good of the method of forbearance is also divided into three grades—low, middle, and high. The low and middle two grades are the same as the peak method: both fully contemplate the realm of the Four Noble Truths and are able to fully cultivate the sixteen aspects.

From the above text, it can be known that the root of good of the method of forbearance will not regress to the point of no longer assenting to the principle of the Four Noble Truths, whereas the roots of good of warmth and peak may possibly regress; that is to say, the already-arisen faculties conduction toward resolution (nirvedha-bhāgīya) may be lost, so that inwardly there is no longer any faculty conduction toward resolution, no longer according with the principle of the Four Noble Truths, no longer accepting the principle of suffering, origin, cessation, and path. There are many reasons why wisdom may regress; any condition or cause may cause wisdom to regress, and those with heavy karmic obstructions may possibly no longer believe in the Buddha or study Buddhism. But after the period of karmic obstruction passes, they may perhaps rekindle the courage and confidence to study and practice Buddhism, and may possibly once again cultivate the roots of good of warmth and peak; but when one has cultivated to the root of good of the method of forbearance, there will be no regression.

Because all four roots of good belong to wisdom cultivated through practice (bhāvanā-mayī-prajñā), that is, wisdom obtained through cultivation, the wisdom of hearing (śruta-mayī-prajñā) and the wisdom of reflection (cintā-mayī-prajñā) can regress and are not firm; the earlier portion of cultivated wisdom can also regress and is not firm. Only in the later stage of cultivated wisdom does wisdom become firm and no longer regress; and once one has realized the path of seeing through direct realization, there is even less possibility of regression. After the path of seeing, meditative concentration may possibly regress, but the wisdom of the path of seeing never regresses, and thus the fruit of realization does not regress. When one has cultivated to the third fruit (anāgāmin), the meditative concentration of the first dhyāna may perhaps regress and cannot be maintained forever, but the liberating wisdom and merit of the third fruit will never regress, and thus the fruit of realization does not regress. Before the path of seeing, meditative concentration may perhaps not regress, but wisdom may possibly regress; as long as wisdom regresses, the roots of good regress, regardless of the state of meditative concentration.

Original text of the treatise: 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 root of good of the method of forbearance differs from the peak method: the high grade contemplates only the suffering of the desire realm, being immediately adjacent to the supreme worldly dharma. From this principle it can be inferred that when the roots of good such as warmth, peak, and forbearance arise, they can all fully take as object the suffering and so forth of the three realms—the Four Noble Truths; this principle has already been established in the mind, so there is no need for further discrimination. Thus, for the yogin, with regard to the antidote paths and so forth for the form realm and the formless realm, the aspects and objects of each noble truth are gradually reduced and simplified, until finally there is only the attention (manaskāra) of two mindfulnesses, contemplating the realm of the noble truth of suffering in the desire realm.

Before this point is called the middle stage of forbearance. From this stage, without interruption, more supreme roots of good arise; each aspect, each moment (kṣaṇa), is called the high grade of forbearance. When the method of forbearance first arises, the root of good is not continuous; when one cultivates to the high grade of forbearance, the root of good becomes uninterrupted, and at this time the supreme worldly dharma arises.

Original text of the treatise: 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 is like the high grade of forbearance, taking as object the noble truth of suffering in the desire realm; cultivating each of the sixteen aspects, it is completed in just a single moment (kṣaṇa). But because this root of good is with outflows (sāsrava), it is called worldly; and because it is the most supreme in the world, it is called supreme. This dharma with outflows is the most supreme in the world, and therefore it is called the supreme worldly dharma. This supreme worldly dharma has great efficacy; it departs from the homogeneous cause of ordinary beings and can give rise to the noble path, and therefore it is called the most supreme.

Although the supreme worldly dharma still belongs to worldly dharmas, it is the most supreme among worldly dharmas; what comes after it is the transcendental dharma of realizing sagehood and attaining the fruit of stream-entry (srotāpanna). The transcendental means moving toward liberation, gradually leaving the three realms, gradually approaching nirvāṇa. Therefore the four preparations (prayoga) are the sprint stage before the path of seeing, and also the preparatory stage.

Original text of the treatise: 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: Such are the four roots of good—warmth, peak, forbearance, and the supreme worldly dharma. Because they all have the nature of the establishments of mindfulness, they all take wisdom as their essence and possess the nature of wisdom. If the four roots of good are combined with their accompanying factors, they all belong to the nature of the five aggregates (pañca-skandha)—the roots of good and wisdom possessed by the aggregate of consciousness. However, apart from those who have attained the dharma and attained the path, the rest do not yet belong to the noble ones, because the four roots of good such as warmth appear anew, being at the stage of preparation (prayoga); only those who attain the path of seeing after the four roots of good belong to the noble ones. When the method of warmth first takes its footing, it takes as object the dharmas of the three truths; the establishment of mindfulness is in the present, cultivating the four of the future; following each aspect, it cultivates the four of the future. Taking as object the dharma of the truth of cessation, the establishment of mindfulness is in the present, cultivating one of the future; following each aspect in the present, it cultivates the four of the future.

Original text of the treatise: 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 not previously attained the method of warmth, only those who possess the same kind of root of good can cultivate it. When the root of good later advances, it takes as object the three truths of suffering, origin, and cessation; following the one establishment of mindfulness present, it cultivates the four establishments of mindfulness of the future; following each aspect of the Four Noble Truths present, it cultivates the sixteen aspects of the future. Taking as object the dharma of the truth of cessation, within the present establishment of mindfulness it cultivates the four establishments of mindfulness of the future; following each aspect of the truth of cessation, it cultivates the sixteen aspects of the future. Because this lineage has previously already attained the method of warmth, even those at a different stage can also cultivate it.

Original text of the treatise: 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 good of the peak method has just arisen, it takes as object the dharmas of the Four Noble Truths; with the establishment of mindfulness on the present dharmas, it cultivates the four establishments of mindfulness of the future; following each aspect of the Four Noble Truths present, it cultivates the sixteen aspects of the future. When it later advances, it takes as object the three truths of suffering, origin, and cessation; following the one establishment of mindfulness present, it cultivates the four establishments of mindfulness of the future; following each aspect present, it cultivates the sixteen aspects of the future. Taking as object the truth of cessation, within the present establishment of mindfulness it cultivates the four establishments of mindfulness of the future; following each aspect of the truth of cessation present, it cultivates the sixteen aspects of the future.

Original text of the treatise: 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 method of forbearance first takes its footing, as well as when it later advances, it takes as object the dharmas of the Four Noble Truths; within the present establishment of mindfulness, it cultivates the four establishments of mindfulness of the future; following each aspect of the Four Noble Truths present, it cultivates the sixteen aspects of the future. However, when the method of forbearance advances and omits some objects, corresponding to those omitted objects, it no longer cultivates their aspects. The supreme worldly dharma takes as object the noble truth of suffering in the desire realm; within the present establishment of mindfulness, it cultivates the four establishments of mindfulness of the future; following each aspect of the truth of suffering present, it cultivates the four aspects of the future. Because there are no longer any other stages, at this stage it is rather similar to the path of seeing, but after all it is not yet the path of seeing.

Original text of the treatise: 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 supreme roots of good—warmth, peak, forbearance, and the supreme worldly dharma—are named the faculties conduction toward resolution (nirvedha-bhāgīya). On the basis of what principle is the name "faculties conduction toward resolution" established? "Resolution" (nirvedha) means decisive determination; "conduction" (bhāga) means discrimination and selection. Decisive determination and discrimination refer to the noble paths, because the noble paths can cut off doubt and perplexity, and can discern the characteristics of the Four Noble Truths. "Portion" (bhāga) means segment; these words make the intent evident: what is conduced toward is only the portion of the path of seeing, the portion of resolution, and therefore it receives the name "portion of resolution" (nirvedha-bhāga).

With these four roots of good—warmth, peak, forbearance, and the supreme worldly dharma—as conditions, they give rise to the portion of resolution; because they accord with and benefit it, they receive the name of according with it, and therefore they are called the faculties conduction toward resolution. Such four roots of good are all accomplished through cultivation (bhāvanā), not accomplished through hearing or reflection, being encompassed solely by the realm of meditative absorption (samāhita-bhūmi).