Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra, Volume 34 (65)

Original Text: Furthermore, they deeply aspire to and delight in Nirvana. They are able to rapidly approach it, their minds unwavering and free from all fears. They embrace enhanced delight and experience comfort and joy. Such a practitioner, within the cultivation of the Noble Truths, is encompassed by the lower acceptance. The subject and object become equal, and the wisdom of equality arises. This is called the Warmth stage. Encompassed by the medium acceptance, the subject and object become equal, and the wisdom of equality arises. This is called the Summit stage. Encompassed by the higher acceptance, the subject and object become equal, and the wisdom of equality arises. This is called the Truth-Conforming Acceptance.

Explanation: Furthermore, they deeply love and delight in Nirvana, able to swiftly approach it, their minds unwavering, freed from all fears, giving rise internally to enhanced delight, comfort, and joy. Such a practitioner, in the process of cultivating the Four Noble Truths, is encompassed by the stage of lower acceptance. The mind that apprehends and the object apprehended become equal, and the wisdom of equality arises; this is named the Warmth stage, which belongs to the medium acceptance stage. The mind that apprehends and the object apprehended become equal, and the wisdom of equality arises; this is named the Summit stage, which belongs to the higher acceptance stage. The mind that apprehends and the object apprehended become equal, and the wisdom of equality arises; this is named the Truth-Conforming Acceptance.

Here, the acceptance of Nirvana is divided into three grades: lower, medium, and higher. The lower acceptance resides within the Warmth stage of the Four Aids to Penetration. The medium acceptance resides within the Summit stage of the Four Aids to Penetration. The higher acceptance is also called Truth-Conforming Acceptance and resides within the Acceptance stage of the Four Aids to Penetration. Practitioners in the Warmth stage have minds that turn towards Nirvana. In cultivating the Dharma of Nirvana, their minds become unwavering because they have given rise to enhanced delight towards the Dharma of Nirvana, freed from fear, and attained meritorious fruition. Therefore, in all subsequent cultivation processes, they will never regress. Even after severing the view of self and attaining the first fruition (Srotāpanna), they will certainly not regress from the path to Nirvana. The meritorious fruition experienced in the stages of the Four Aids to Penetration differs greatly from that of the first fruition. The meritorious fruition of the first fruition differs greatly from that of the second fruition, and similarly, the second fruition differs greatly from the third and fourth fruitions. Therefore, one should not misunderstand meritorious fruition. Do not mistake the meritorious fruition of the Four Aids to Penetration for that of the first or second fruition, thereby committing the grave false speech of claiming realization without having attained it.