The Egg, the Womb, and the Matrix
Fascicle 128 works through the standard checklist of dharma-categories for derived form, asks why an embryo cannot yet manifest bodily or verbal expression, and constructs an exhaustive combinatorial matrix cross-tabulating the great elements against wholesome, unwholesome, and neutral form across the three realms — closing with a compact master-summary. This page carries Ru-Yi's complete translation.
Translation Method
The Chinese source is Xuánzàng's seventh-century translation of the Abhidharma-mahāvibhāṣā-śāstra (阿毘達磨大毘婆沙論), preserved in the Taishō canon (T1545, vol. 27) via the CBETA digital edition — public domain text, translated directly from the Chinese. The English wording throughout is Ru-Yi's own, and the reading notes are original, grounded in standard Sarvāstivāda scholarship rather than a specific named commentator's lecture transcript.
Fascicle 128 continues the Great-Elements-and-Derivatives Nyāsa (大造納息第一之二). This fascicle is unusually dense with formulaic combinatorial matrices, characteristic of the treatise's own exhaustive style — the translation preserves this repetitive structure faithfully rather than smoothing it away, since the repetition itself is part of how the argument is made. Terms established across fascicles 93–127 recur here and are not re-explained at each occurrence.
Classical text is set in the left-hand column below, our English in the right.
1. Why Not Ask 'How Many Are Colored'? Two Gates Illuminating Each Other
Fascicle 128 opens with a methodological puzzle: why does the treatise ask how many of the great elements' derivative sense-fields are visible or invisible, yet never asks how many are "colored" or "colorless"? Several answers compete — it is simply the base treatise's own stylistic preference; the question would be trivial since every derived form is already colored by definition; or, most interestingly, the treatise deliberately poses a redundant-seeming question anyway (how many are unconditioned, when the answer is obviously none) purely so that two structurally parallel "gateways" can illuminate each other, each teaching something the other's silence would have left unclear.
大種蘊第五中大造納息第一之二大種所造處。幾有見。幾無見。問何故不問幾有色幾無色。答彼作論者意欲爾故。隨彼意欲而造論。但不違法性便不應責有說。所造無無色故。不得問言幾有色。幾無色問亦無無為。後不應問幾有為幾無為。答亦不應問。而後問者當知彼是有餘之說。有說。欲以種種文種種說。莊嚴於義令易解故。復次欲以二門二階二略二明二炬二影二光互相顯示。如無所造是無色故不問。如是無所造是無為故亦不應問。如無所造是無為而得問。如是雖無所造是無色亦應問。
Fifth Aggregate, the Great Elements: the Great-Elements-and-Derivatives Nyāsa, Chapter One, Part Two. Among the sense-fields produced by the great elements, how many are visible, and how many invisible? Question: why does the treatise not ask how many are colored and how many colorless? Answer: it is simply the intention of the treatise's own author — he composed the treatise following his own preference, and, so long as this does not contradict the proper form of the Dharma, this ought not to be demanded as an objection. Some say: since nothing derived is colorless, the question "how many are colored, how many colorless" cannot properly be asked; and since nothing derived is unconditioned either, the question "how many are conditioned, how many unconditioned" ought equally not to be asked afterward. Answer: this question, too, ought not to be asked — and that it is nevertheless asked later should be understood as belonging to a further, supplementary account. Some say: it is in order to adorn the meaning with a variety of wording and a variety of expression, making it easier to understand. Further, it is in order to mutually illuminate two gateways, two stages, two summaries, two lights, two torches, two shadows, and two beams — just as the question "how many are colorless" is not asked, since nothing derived is colorless, so too the question "how many are unconditioned" ought equally not to be asked; yet just as the question "how many are unconditioned" is nevertheless asked, though nothing derived is unconditioned, so too the question "how many are colorless" ought equally to be asked, even though nothing derived is colorless —
如是二門互相影示。令知前後問答理通。有餘師言。此中分別所造諸色幾有見等。既舉所造諸色為章。寧復可問幾有色等。以諸色言即顯有色。色體皆有變礙義故。有彼色義故名有色。非如有衣及有子等。
— these two gateways thus mutually illuminate one another, making known that the earlier and later questions and answers are logically consistent throughout. Other masters say: this passage analyzes how many of the various forms produced by the great elements are visible and the rest — and, having already raised "the various forms produced" as the chapter's own heading, how could one then further ask how many of them are "colored"? For the very term "form" already shows that they are colored, since the essential nature of form always carries the sense of change and resistance — it is precisely by possessing this sense of form that something is called "colored," unlike the sense in which one speaks of "having a robe" or "having a child," where possession is merely incidental rather than definitional.
The claim that two questions can "mutually illuminate" each other even when one of them has an entirely predictable, trivial answer is a subtle piece of pedagogical theory: the treatise treats the deliberate asking of an apparently unnecessary question as itself informative, since seeing exactly why an answer is trivial can teach something that silently omitting the question never would.
2. Visible, Resistant, With Outflow: Running the Standard Checklist
The treatise begins working through its standard checklist of dharma-categories, applied specifically to the eleven sense-fields produced by the great elements. Only the form sense-field is visible, since only it can be seen by an eye, its shape displayed and compared, or cast as a reflection; the remaining ten are invisible, with a careful accounting for exactly which portion of the touch and dharma sense-fields count, since not every instance of either is actually derived form. The same partial-versus-whole precision governs resistance, the presence or absence of outflow, and conditioned status, with every unconditioned category returning a flat "none."
大種所造處幾有見。答一謂色處。問何故色處名為有見。答眼根名見有見用故。所見色處有能見眼故名有見。如有主等或復見者。是能顯示色處相麁。可相顯示在此在彼相狀差別。所顯示色有能顯示故名有見。如有名等。或復見者是諸影像。唯有色處可有影像故名有見。餘則不爾。幾無見。答八二少分。八者謂眼耳鼻舌身聲香味處。二少分者。謂觸處法處。雖諸觸處皆無見攝。而非一切是所造色。若所造色亦無見者。是此所問餘非所問故說少分。法處亦爾。
Among the sense-fields produced by the great elements, how many are visible? Answer: one — namely, the form sense-field. Question: why is the form sense-field called visible? Answer: because the eye faculty is called "seeing," possessing the function of vision, and the form sense-field that is seen possesses an eye capable of seeing it, and hence is called visible — just as one speaks of "having an owner." Or, again, "seeing" here refers to the capacity of the form sense-field's own characteristic to be displayed coarsely, its distinct location and shape here or there being capable of being shown — since what is shown possesses something capable of showing it, it is called visible, just as one speaks of "having a name." Or, again, "seeing" here refers to the various reflected images — since only the form sense-field can bear a reflected image, it alone is called visible, while the others are not so. How many are invisible? Answer: eight entirely, plus two partially. The eight are the eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body sense-fields, and the sound, smell, and taste sense-fields. The two partial ones are the touch sense-field and the dharma sense-field — for though every instance of the touch sense-field is included within the invisible, not every instance of it is derived form; only that portion of it which is both invisible and derived is what is meant here, and hence it is said to be only "partial." The dharma sense-field is likewise so.
大種所造處幾有對。答九一少分。九者謂五內處及外四處。一少分者謂觸處。雖諸觸處皆有對攝。而非一切是所造色。若所造色亦有對者。是此所問餘非所問故說少分。幾無對。答一少分謂法處。雖諸法處皆無對攝。而非一切是所造色。若所造色亦無對者。是此所問餘非所問故說少分。然有對有三種一障礙有對。謂十色處。二境界有對謂五色根及心心所。三所緣有對。謂心心所。此中說障礙有對非餘。
Among the sense-fields produced by the great elements, how many possess resistance? Answer: nine entirely, plus one partially. The nine are the five internal sense-fields and the four external ones. The one partial one is the touch sense-field — for though every instance of the touch sense-field possesses resistance, not every instance of it is derived form; only the portion that is both resistant and derived is meant here, and hence it is said to be only "partial." How many lack resistance? Answer: one, partially — namely, the dharma sense-field, for though every instance of the dharma sense-field lacks resistance, not every instance of it is derived form; only the portion that both lacks resistance and is derived is meant here, and hence it is said to be only "partial." Now, resistance is of three kinds: first, obstructive resistance, belonging to the ten form-sense-fields; second, objective resistance, belonging to the five form-faculties together with mind and mental factors; and third, cognitive resistance, belonging to mind and mental factors. What is meant here is obstructive resistance, not the others.
大種所造處幾有漏。答九二少分。九者如前說。二少分者。謂觸處法處。雖諸觸處皆有漏攝。而非一切是所造色。若所造色亦有漏者。是此所問餘非所問故說少分。非諸法處。皆有漏攝。亦非一切是所造色。若所造色亦有漏者。是此所問餘非所問故說少分。幾無漏。答一少分謂法處。非諸法處皆無漏攝。亦非一切是所造色。若所造色亦無漏者。是此所問餘非所問故說少分。
Among the sense-fields produced by the great elements, how many have outflow? Answer: nine entirely, plus two partially. The nine are as explained before. The two partial ones are the touch sense-field and the dharma sense-field — for though every instance of the touch sense-field has outflow, not every instance of it is derived form, and only the portion both having outflow and derived is meant here, and hence it is said to be only "partial"; and, since not every instance of the dharma sense-field has outflow, nor is every instance of it derived form, only the portion both having outflow and derived is meant here, and hence it too is said to be only "partial." How many are without outflow? Answer: one, partially — namely, the dharma sense-field, for not every instance of the dharma sense-field is without outflow, nor is every instance of it derived form; only the portion both without outflow and derived is meant here, and hence it is said to be only "partial."
大種所造處幾有為。答九二少分。九者如前說。二少分者。謂觸處法處。雖諸觸處皆有為攝。而非一切是所造色。若所造色亦有為者。是此所問餘非所問故說少分。非諸法處皆有為攝。亦非一切是所造色。若所造色亦有為者。是此所問餘非所問故說少分。幾無為。答無。彼皆有為故。
Among the sense-fields produced by the great elements, how many are conditioned? Answer: nine entirely, plus two partially. The nine are as explained before. The two partial ones are the touch sense-field and the dharma sense-field — for though every instance of the touch sense-field is conditioned, not every instance of it is derived form, and only the portion both conditioned and derived is meant here, and hence it is said to be only "partial"; and, since not every instance of the dharma sense-field is conditioned, nor is every instance of it derived form, only the portion both conditioned and derived is meant here, and hence it too is said to be only "partial." How many are unconditioned? Answer: none, since all of them are conditioned.
The recurring formula — "though every instance of this sense-field falls into that category, not every instance of it is derived form, so only the derived portion is meant here" — is a small but telling piece of logical hygiene: the treatise refuses to let a true general statement about a whole sense-field quietly stand in for the narrower, more precise claim actually being made about just its derived subset.
3. Past, Present, Wholesome, Neutral: The Checklist Continues
The same rigorous partial-accounting method extends across time (past, future, and present, admitting the identical qualification each time) and moral quality — only the form, sound, and dharma sense-fields can ever be wholesome or unwholesome derived form, while seven sense-fields entirely, and three more partially, fall under neutral.
大種所造處幾過去。答十一少分。謂除意處。雖諸眼處皆所造攝。
Among the sense-fields produced by the great elements, how many are past? Answer: ten entirely, plus one partially — that is, excluding the mind sense-field. Though every instance of the eye sense-field is included within the derived,
而非一切皆在過去。有在未來現在世故。若是所造亦過去者。是此所問餘非所問故說少分。耳鼻舌身色聲香味處亦爾。非諸觸處皆所造攝。亦非一切皆在過去。若是所造亦過去者。是此所問餘非所問故說少分。法處亦爾。如說過去。未來現在說亦如是。有數等故。
— not every instance of it belongs to the past, since some belong to the future or the present; only the portion both derived and past is meant here, and hence it is said to be only "partial." The ear, nose, tongue, and body sense-fields, and the form, sound, smell, and taste sense-fields, are likewise so. Not every instance of the touch sense-field is included within the derived, nor is every instance of it past; only the portion both derived and past is meant here, and hence it too is said to be only "partial." The dharma sense-field is likewise so. Just as this is said of the past, so too should it be said of the future and the present, since they, too, admit of counting in this same way.
大種所造處幾善。答三少分。謂色聲法處雖諸色處皆所造攝。而非一切皆是善性。若是所造亦善性者。是此所問餘非所問故說少分。
Among the sense-fields produced by the great elements, how many are wholesome? Answer: three, all partially — namely, the form, sound, and dharma sense-fields. Though every instance of the form sense-field is included within the derived, not every instance of it is wholesome in nature; only the portion both derived and wholesome is meant here, and hence it is said to be only "partial."
聲處亦爾。非諸法處皆所造攝。亦非一切皆是善性。若是所造亦善性者。是此所問餘非所問故說少分。幾不善。答三少分如前說。幾無記。答七三少分。七者謂五內處及香味處。三少分者。謂色聲觸處。雖諸色處皆所造攝。而非一切皆是無記。若是所造亦無記者。
The sound sense-field is likewise so. Not every instance of the dharma sense-field is included within the derived, nor is every instance of it wholesome; only the portion both derived and wholesome is meant here, and hence it too is said to be only "partial." How many are unwholesome? Answer: the same three, partially, as explained before. How many are neutral? Answer: seven entirely, plus three partially. The seven are the five internal sense-fields together with the smell and taste sense-fields. The three partial ones are the form, sound, and touch sense-fields — for though every instance of the form sense-field is included within the derived, not every instance of it is neutral; only the portion both derived and neutral is meant here,
是此所問餘非所問故說少分。聲處亦爾。雖諸觸處皆無記攝。而非一切皆是所造。若是無記亦所造者。是此所問餘非所問故說少分。
— and hence it is said to be only "partial." The sound sense-field is likewise so. Though every instance of the touch sense-field is included within the neutral, not every instance of it is derived; only the portion both neutral and derived is meant here, and hence it too is said to be only "partial."
That moral quality (wholesome, unwholesome, neutral) turns out to require far more sense-fields to be invoked, and far more careful partial qualification, than a simple category like "past" or "future" reflects something genuine about the underlying phenomena: temporal location is a comparatively coarse-grained fact true of everything alike, while moral valence cuts unevenly across the very same set of sense-fields, present in some, absent in others, and only partially present in a third group.
4. Realm-Bound, Trainee, Cut Off: Completing the Checklist
The checklist concludes with realm-binding (the smell and taste sense-fields belong wholly to the desire realm, since they have no place in the formless realm's absence of matter and, being tied to eating, barely feature in higher states even within the form realm), trainee and adept status (confined almost entirely to the dharma sense-field), and the cutting-off of afflictions — with the flat, simple answer that no form whatsoever is ever cut off by insight alone, only by sustained cultivation or, for a small remainder, not cut off at all.
大種所造處幾欲界繫。答二九少分。二者謂香味處。九少分者。謂五內處。及色聲觸法處。雖諸眼處皆所造攝。而非一切皆欲界繫。
Among the sense-fields produced by the great elements, how many are bound to the desire realm? Answer: two entirely, plus nine partially. The two are the smell and taste sense-fields. The nine partial ones are the five internal sense-fields together with the form, sound, touch, and dharma sense-fields — for though every instance of the eye sense-field is included within the derived, not every instance of it is bound to the desire realm,
若是所造亦欲界繫者。是此所問餘非所問故說少分。耳鼻舌身色聲處亦爾。非諸觸處皆所造攝。亦非一切皆欲界繫。若是所造亦欲界繫者。是此所問餘非所問故說少分。法處亦爾。幾色界繫。答九少分如前說。幾無色界繫。答無。彼無色故。
— only the portion both derived and bound to the desire realm being meant here, and hence it is said to be only "partial." The ear, nose, tongue, and body sense-fields, and the form and sound sense-fields, are likewise so. Not every instance of the touch sense-field is included within the derived, nor is every instance of it bound to the desire realm; only the portion both derived and bound to the desire realm is meant here, and hence it too is said to be only "partial." The dharma sense-field is likewise so. How many are bound to the form realm? Answer: the same nine, partially, as explained before. How many are bound to the formless realm? Answer: none, since that realm has no form.
大種所造處幾學。答一少分。謂法處。非諸法處皆學所攝。亦非一切皆是所造。若是所造亦學攝者。是此所問餘非所問故說少分。幾無學。答一少分如前說。幾非學非無學。答九二少分。九者謂內五處。及外四處。二少分者。謂觸處法處。雖諸觸處皆非學非無學攝。而非一切皆是所造。若是非學非無學亦所造者。是此所問餘非所問故說少分。非諸法處皆非學非無學攝。亦非一切皆是所造。若是非學非無學。亦所造者。是此所問餘非所問故說少分。
Among the sense-fields produced by the great elements, how many are trainee? Answer: one, partially — namely, the dharma sense-field, for not every instance of the dharma sense-field is included within the trainee category, nor is every instance of it derived; only the portion both derived and trainee is meant here, and hence it is said to be only "partial." How many are adept? Answer: the same one, partially, as explained before. How many are neither trainee nor adept? Answer: nine entirely, plus two partially. The nine are the five internal sense-fields together with the four external ones. The two partial ones are the touch sense-field and the dharma sense-field — for though every instance of the touch sense-field is included within the neither-trainee-nor-adept category, not every instance of it is derived; only the portion both neither-trainee-nor-adept and derived is meant here, and hence it is said to be only "partial"; and, since not every instance of the dharma sense-field is included within the neither-trainee-nor-adept category, nor is every instance of it derived, only the portion both neither-trainee-nor-adept and derived is meant here, and hence it too is said to be only "partial."
大種所造處幾見所斷。答無。必無諸色見所斷故。幾修所斷。答九二少分。九者如前說。二少分者。謂觸處法處。雖諸觸處皆修所斷攝。而非一切皆是所造。若修所斷亦所造者。是此所問餘非所問故說少分。非諸法處皆修所斷攝。亦非一切皆是所造。若修所斷亦所造者。是此所問餘非所問故說少分。幾不斷。答一少分。謂法處。
Among the sense-fields produced by the great elements, how many are cut off by insight? Answer: none, since no form is ever cut off by insight. How many are cut off by cultivation? Answer: nine entirely, plus two partially. The nine are as explained before. The two partial ones are the touch sense-field and the dharma sense-field — for though every instance of the touch sense-field is included within what is cut off by cultivation, not every instance of it is derived; only the portion both cut off by cultivation and derived is meant here, and hence it is said to be only "partial"; and, since not every instance of the dharma sense-field is included within what is cut off by cultivation, nor is every instance of it derived, only the portion both cut off by cultivation and derived is meant here, and hence it too is said to be only "partial." How many are not cut off at all? Answer: one, partially — namely, the dharma sense-field,
非諸法處皆不斷攝。亦非一切皆是所造。若是所造亦不斷者。是此所問餘非所問故說少分。
— for not every instance of the dharma sense-field is included within what is never cut off, nor is every instance of it derived; only the portion both derived and never cut off is meant here, and hence it too is said to be only "partial."
That no form of any kind can be cut off merely by insight — only through cultivation — quietly reinforces a structural asymmetry running throughout this literature: insight alone can sever conceptual, view-based afflictions in a single decisive stroke, but the deeply conditioned habits bound up in the body's own material existence yield only to sustained, repeated practice over time.
5. Does Having the Elements Mean Having Derived Form? From Ocean Giants to Invisible Mites
A new topic opens: whoever possesses the great elements always possesses derived form as well — with one striking exception, noble ones reborn in the formless realm, who retain a purely technical, precept-linked "accompanying form" despite having no matter whatsoever. The scale of ordinary embodiment, meanwhile, ranges from beings in the ocean measuring hundreds of yojanas, through the vast body of the asura king Rāhu, up to Akaniṣṭha heaven's sixteen-thousand-yojana forms, down to mosquitoes and water-insects too small for the human eye to see at all.
若成就大種彼所造色耶。答諸成就大種。彼成就所造色。有成就所造色非大種。謂諸聖者生無色界。誰成就大種及所造色。謂欲色界一切有情。此則總說。若別說者。或有有情。成多大種及多造色。
If one possesses the great elements, does one possess derived form? Answer: whoever possesses the great elements possesses derived form. There is one who possesses derived form but not the great elements — namely, noble ones reborn in the formless realm. Who possesses both the great elements and derived form? Every being within the desire and form realms — this is the general account. Speaking specifically, some beings possess many great elements and much derived form,
或有有情。成少大種及少造色。成多大種及多造色者。如大海中有諸有情所得身形。或百二百三百四百五六七百踰繕那量。如曷邏呼阿素洛王所得身形其量廣大。如色究竟所得身形。一萬六千踰繕那量。成少大種及少造色者。猶如蚊蠛水中虫等。乃至極細非人眼境。問何故聖者生無色界。唯成就造色非大種耶。答彼界無色。又不成就他界大種。以有漏法越地捨故。造色不爾通無漏故異地成就。無有聖者不成就無漏戒。是故聖生彼界唯成就造色。於中學成就學隨轉色。無學成就無學隨轉色。
— and others possess few great elements and little derived form. As to possessing many great elements and much derived form: the bodies of beings within the great ocean may measure one, two, three, four, five, six, or seven hundred yojanas; the body of King Rāhu, lord of the asuras, is vaster still; and the bodies of beings in Akaniṣṭha heaven measure sixteen thousand yojanas. As to possessing few great elements and little derived form: this is like mosquitoes, gnats, and water-insects, down to the very finest, invisible to the human eye. Question: why do noble ones reborn in the formless realm possess only derived form, and not the great elements? Answer: that realm has no form at all — moreover, they do not possess the great elements of another realm, since dharmas with outflow are given up upon crossing into a different realm or ground; derived form is not like this, however, since it extends to the undefiled as well, and hence is possessed even across different realms and grounds — there being no noble one who fails to possess undefiled precept-restraint. It is on this account that a noble one reborn in that realm possesses only derived form — among such nobles, a trainee possesses the trainee's own accompanying form, and a non-learner possesses the non-learner's own accompanying form.
That a noble one reborn in the formless realm — a state defined by the total absence of matter — can nonetheless be said to "possess" a form of sorts, purely as an abstract entailment of possessing undefiled precept-restraint, shows how far this tradition is willing to stretch the ordinary meaning of "possession" once a category becomes technical enough: form here survives its own physical impossibility by becoming, in effect, a logical bookkeeping entry attached to moral attainment.
6. The Converse: Noble Ones Who Have Form Without Elements at All
The converse relationship holds with the identical exception in reverse: lacking derived form always means lacking the great elements too, except for those same noble ones in the formless realm, who lack the elements yet still retain their technical accompanying form. A further question then asks who possesses neither at all — every ordinary being reborn in the formless realm, since the earlier account had covered every desire- and form-realm being plus every noble one above, but had not yet accounted for ordinary beings reborn into that same formless state.
若不成就大種。彼所造色耶。答諸不成就所造色。彼不成就大種。
If one does not possess the great elements, does one lack derived form? Answer: whoever does not possess derived form does not possess the great elements.
有不成就大種非所造色。謂諸聖者生無色界。誰不成就所造色及大種。謂生無色界一切異生。彼界無有一切色故。又不成就下界色故有漏諸色生上失故。無漏諸色彼未得故。問順前句中何所不攝。而復須立順後句耶。答順前句中唯攝欲色界一切有情。及攝無色界一切聖者。未攝無色界一切異生。為欲攝彼故復立順後句。
There is one who does not possess the great elements, yet is not without derived form — namely, noble ones reborn in the formless realm. Who possesses neither derived form nor the great elements? Every ordinary being reborn in the formless realm, since that realm entirely lacks form of every kind, and since they possess no form of a lower realm either — form with outflow being given up upon rising to that realm, and undefiled form not yet having been obtained by them. Question: what is left uncovered by the first case above, that a further, converse case must now be established? Answer: the first case above covers only every being of the desire and form realms, together with every noble one of the formless realm, but does not yet cover every ordinary being of the formless realm — and it is in order to cover them that this further, converse case is now established.
Explicitly justifying why a second, converse tetralemma case needs to be constructed at all — because the first case's coverage left a specific, nameable gap — is a small window into this literature's own sense of intellectual completeness: a matrix of possibilities is not considered finished merely because it feels exhaustive, but only once every logically possible combination has been checked off by name.
7. Why Can't an Embryo Speak? The Physiology of the Egg and the Womb
A rich physiological digression asks why beings still within the eggshell or the earliest stages of the womb possess the great elements yet no wholesome form at all — answered through a precise account of embryonic incapacity: the body is too feeble, the mind too weak and turned only inward rather than outward, and the cramped confines of egg or womb prevent even movement, let alone manifest bodily or verbal expression; what stirring does occur is attributed to mere wind-force, never to genuine mental intention, since manifest karma requires the power of mind specifically. Absorption, too, is impossible at this stage, body and mind alike being too weak to support it.
若成就大種彼善色耶。答應作四句。有成就大種非善色。謂處卵㲉。若諸異生住胎藏中。若生欲界住不律儀。及非律儀非不律儀。
If one possesses the great elements, does one possess wholesome form? Answer: a tetralemma should be constructed. There is one who possesses the great elements but not wholesome form — namely, one still within the eggshell; or an ordinary being within the womb; or one reborn in the desire realm living in a state of non-restraint, or of neither restraint nor non-restraint,
無善身語表。設有而失。彼處卵㲉。住胎異生前生所有表無表色。
— without manifest wholesome bodily or verbal expression, whether never having had it or having had it and lost it. As for one within the eggshell, or an ordinary being within the womb: whatever manifest or unmanifest form belonged to them in a former life,
由失所依眾同分故一切已捨。今於此位未能起表。又無入定理故。
— has, on account of losing the class-nature they formerly depended upon, been entirely given up, and, at this present stage, they are not yet capable of manifesting any expression at all, nor is there any possibility of their entering absorption,
不成就一切善色。問何故此位未能起表。答以所依身極羸弱故。要身強盛能起表業。又此位心極微劣故。心麁勝者能發表業。又此位心內門轉故。心外門轉能起表業。又此位中胎卵迫迮尚不能動。況能起表。然有時胎動轉者。此由風力非心所為。表業必由心力所起。問何緣此位無入定理耶。答此位身心俱羸劣故。又無入定加行緣故。得忍異生命終捨忍。如前業蘊已廣決擇。四生廣說亦如業蘊。若生欲界住不律儀及非律儀非不律儀無善身語表者。謂睡眠醉悶。及捨加行不求起表。設有而失者。謂由三緣故失。一意樂息。
— and hence they possess no wholesome form whatsoever. Question: why is manifest expression not yet possible at this stage? Answer: because the body they depend upon is exceedingly feeble, and it is only a strong, robust body that is capable of manifesting expression; moreover, because the mind at this stage is exceedingly weak, and it is only a coarse, forceful mind that can give rise to manifest expression; moreover, because the mind at this stage turns only inward, and it is only a mind turning outward that can give rise to manifest expression; moreover, at this stage, the embryo or egg is so cramped and confined that it cannot even move, let alone manifest expression — and, though the embryo may sometimes stir, this is due merely to the force of wind, not to any act of mind, since manifest karma must necessarily arise from the power of mind. Question: for what reason is there no possibility of entering absorption at this stage? Answer: because body and mind alike are feeble at this stage, and there is no preparatory condition for entering absorption — the case of an ordinary being who has attained forbearance losing that forbearance at death has already been thoroughly determined in the earlier Karma Aggregate, and the four modes of birth are likewise explained in full there. As for one reborn in the desire realm, living in a state of non-restraint or of neither restraint nor non-restraint, without manifest wholesome bodily or verbal expression: this means one who is asleep, drunk, or unconscious, or who has abandoned effort and does not seek to manifest expression. As for having had it and lost it: this is on account of three conditions — first, the intention subsiding;
二捨加行。三限勢過。此亦如業蘊廣說。有成就善色非大種。謂諸聖者生無色界。是聖者故成就善色生無色故。不成就大種。彼諸聖者通學無學。學成學善色。無學成無學善色。有成就大種亦善色。
— second, the effort being abandoned; and third, the fixed span of its force expiring — this too is explained in full in the earlier Karma Aggregate. There is one who possesses wholesome form but not the great elements — namely, noble ones reborn in the formless realm: being noble, they possess wholesome form; being reborn in the formless realm, they do not possess the great elements. Such nobles include both trainees and non-learners — a trainee possesses the trainee's own wholesome form, and a non-learner possesses the non-learner's own wholesome form. There is one who possesses both the great elements and wholesome form,
Insisting that even an embryo's visible movement is caused by wind rather than mind is a precise philosophical safeguard: without this distinction, the treatise's own definition of manifest karma as necessarily mind-driven would be threatened by the observable fact that embryos do sometimes move, and the wind explanation lets the tradition preserve its causal theory intact without denying the plain physical evidence.
8. Wholesome Form Completed, and the Impossibility of Unwholesome Form Outside the Desire Realm
The tetralemma for wholesome form closes: those possessing the great elements without wholesome form include beings under non-restraint or asleep and unmanifesting; noble ones reborn in the formless realm possess wholesome form without the elements at all; noble ones in the womb, or beings properly manifesting virtuous conduct, possess both; and ordinary beings in the formless realm possess neither. Unwholesome form proves simpler by comparison — wherever it exists, the great elements are guaranteed to exist too, since unwholesome conduct requires an actual body, and it is entirely absent from the form and formless realms by definition.
謂諸聖者住胎藏中。若生欲界住律儀。若住不律儀。及非律儀非不律儀。現有善身語表。或先有不失。若生色界住胎聖者。定成有漏無漏無表道力強故。若生欲界住律儀者。謂隨所應住三律儀。住不律儀及非律儀非不律儀。現有善身語表者。謂不睡眠。不醉。不悶。不捨加行。求起表業。或先有不失者。謂三緣故如前說。若生色界者彼定成就靜慮律儀故。有善色有非成就大種及善色。謂諸異生生無色界。生無色故不成大種。有漏善色越界捨故。無漏善色彼未得故若成就大種彼不善色耶。答諸成就不善色。彼定成就大種。
— namely, noble ones within the womb; or one reborn in the desire realm living in a state of restraint, non-restraint, or neither restraint nor non-restraint, presently manifesting wholesome bodily or verbal expression, or having had it before without losing it. A noble one reborn in the form realm and dwelling within the womb necessarily possesses both wholesome-with-outflow and undefiled unmanifest form, since the power of the path is especially strong there. As for one reborn in the desire realm living in a state of restraint: this means abiding in whichever of the three kinds of restraint is fitting; as for living in a state of non-restraint or of neither restraint nor non-restraint, presently manifesting wholesome bodily or verbal expression: this means one not asleep, not drunk, not unconscious, and not having abandoned effort, actively seeking to manifest expression; as for having had it before without losing it: this is on account of the three conditions explained before. One reborn in the form realm necessarily possesses the restraint of dhyāna, and hence possesses wholesome form. There is one who possesses neither the great elements nor wholesome form — namely, ordinary beings reborn in the formless realm: being reborn in the formless realm, they do not possess the great elements; their wholesome form with outflow having been given up upon crossing realms, and their undefiled wholesome form not yet having been obtained. If one possesses the great elements, does one possess unwholesome form? Answer: whoever possesses unwholesome form necessarily possesses the great elements,
有成就大種。非不善色。謂處卵㲉及住胎藏。若生欲界住律儀。及非律儀非不律儀。無不善身語表。設有而失。若生色界。謂若成就不善色者定在欲界。無在欲界不成大種必有身故。由此得為順後句。答釋餘文句准上應知。
— but there is one who possesses the great elements yet lacks unwholesome form — namely, one within the eggshell or the womb; or one reborn in the desire realm living in a state of restraint, or of neither restraint nor non-restraint, without manifest unwholesome bodily or verbal expression, whether never having had it or having had it and lost it; or one reborn in the form realm. Whoever possesses unwholesome form is necessarily within the desire realm, since no one within the desire realm fails to possess the great elements, necessarily having a body — and it is on this account that the converse case is established. The remaining passages should be explained according to the pattern above.
The asymmetry between wholesome and unwholesome form's relationship to the great elements — wholesome form can exist independently of matter in the formless realm's noble ones, but unwholesome form never can — encodes a quiet moral claim: virtue is treated as something capable of persisting in a purely abstract, disembodied register, while wrongdoing remains stubbornly tied to the material body that alone makes wrongful action possible.
9. Covered-Neutral Color: A New Category Enters the Matrix
A further moral category, "covered-neutral" form — morally neutral yet still defiled, specific to certain view-based mental afflictions manifesting bodily in the form realm — enters the combinatorial matrix, cross-tabulated first against the great elements themselves. Wherever it exists, one is guaranteed to be reborn in the form realm and to possess the great elements; the converse fails, since form-realm beings not presently manifesting such expression, and every desire-realm being, possess the elements without this particular kind of neutral form.
若成就大種彼有覆無記色耶。答諸成就有覆無記色彼定成就大種。
If one possesses the great elements, does one possess covered-neutral form? Answer: whoever possesses covered-neutral form necessarily possesses the great elements,
有成就大種非有覆無記色。謂生欲界若生色界。現無有覆無記身語表。謂若成就有覆無記色者定在色界。無有在色界不成大種必有身故。由此得為順後句。答無有生欲界起有覆無記表。善染表業依自他身故。若成就大種彼無覆無記色耶。答如是。設成就無覆無記色。彼大種耶。答如是。以成就大種者必成就身根等故。若成就身根等者必成就大種故。生欲色界一切有情。皆成就大種及無覆無記色故。生無色界二俱無故。若成就大種彼善不善色耶。答有成就大種非善不善色。謂處卵㲉。若諸異生住胎藏中。若生欲界住非律儀非不律儀。無善不善身語表。設有而失。有成就大種亦善色非不善色。謂諸聖者住胎藏中。若生欲界住律儀。無不善身語表。設有而失。若住非律儀非不律儀。現有善身語表。或先有不失。無不善身語表。設有而失。若生色界有成就大種。亦不善色非善色。謂生欲界住不律儀。無善身語表。設有而失。若住非律儀非不律儀。現有不善身語表。或先有不失。無善身語表。設有而失。有成就大種亦善不善色。謂生欲界住律儀。現有不善身語表或先有不失。若住不律儀。現有善身語表。或先有不失。若住非律儀非不律儀。現有善不善身語表。或先有不失。設成就善不善色彼大種耶。答如是。謂成就善不善色者必在欲界。在欲界者定成就大種故。若成就大種彼善有覆無記色耶。答有成就大種非善有覆無記色。謂處卵㲉。若諸異生住胎藏中。若生欲界住不律儀及非律儀非不律儀。無善身語表。設有而失。有成就大種亦善色非有覆無記色。謂諸聖者住胎藏中。若生欲界住律儀。若住不律儀及非律儀非不律儀。現有善身語表。或先有不失。若生色界現無有覆無記身語表。有成就大種亦善有覆無記色。謂生色界現有有覆無記身語表。設成就善有覆無記色彼大種耶。答如是。謂成就善有覆無記色者必在色界。在色界者定成就大種故。
— but there is one who possesses the great elements yet lacks covered-neutral form — namely, one reborn in the desire realm, or reborn in the form realm without presently manifesting covered-neutral bodily or verbal expression. Whoever possesses covered-neutral form is necessarily within the form realm, since no one within the form realm fails to possess the great elements, necessarily having a body — and it is on this account that the converse case is established. Answer: there is no case of manifesting covered-neutral expression while reborn in the desire realm, since wholesome and defiled manifest karma both depend on either one's own or another's body. If one possesses the great elements, does one possess uncovered-neutral form? Answer: it is so. And if one possesses uncovered-neutral form, does one possess the great elements? Answer: it is so as well, since whoever possesses the great elements necessarily possesses the body faculty and the rest, and whoever possesses the body faculty and the rest necessarily possesses the great elements — every being reborn in the desire or form realms possesses both the great elements and uncovered-neutral form, while beings reborn in the formless realm possess neither. If one possesses the great elements, does one possess both wholesome and unwholesome form? Answer: there is one who possesses the great elements but neither wholesome nor unwholesome form — namely, one within the eggshell; or an ordinary being within the womb; or one reborn in the desire realm living in a state of neither restraint nor non-restraint, without manifest wholesome or unwholesome expression, whether never having had it or having had it and lost it. There is one who possesses the great elements and wholesome form, but not unwholesome form — namely, noble ones within the womb; or one reborn in the desire realm living in a state of restraint, without manifest unwholesome expression, whether never having had it or having had it and lost it; or living in a state of neither restraint nor non-restraint, presently manifesting wholesome expression, or having had it before without losing it, without manifest unwholesome expression, whether never having had it or having had it and lost it; or one reborn in the form realm. There is one who possesses the great elements and unwholesome form, but not wholesome form — namely, one reborn in the desire realm living in a state of non-restraint, without manifest wholesome expression, whether never having had it or having had it and lost it; or living in a state of neither restraint nor non-restraint, presently manifesting unwholesome expression, or having had it before without losing it, without manifest wholesome expression, whether never having had it or having had it and lost it. There is one who possesses the great elements and both wholesome and unwholesome form — namely, one reborn in the desire realm living in a state of restraint, presently manifesting unwholesome expression, or having had it before without losing it; or living in a state of non-restraint, presently manifesting wholesome expression, or having had it before without losing it; or living in a state of neither restraint nor non-restraint, presently manifesting both wholesome and unwholesome expression, or having had them before without losing them. And if one possesses both wholesome and unwholesome form, does one possess the great elements? Answer: it is so, since whoever possesses both wholesome and unwholesome form is necessarily within the desire realm, and whoever is within the desire realm necessarily possesses the great elements. If one possesses the great elements, does one possess both wholesome and covered-neutral form? Answer: there is one who possesses the great elements but not wholesome-and-covered-neutral form — namely, one within the eggshell; or an ordinary being within the womb; or one reborn in the desire realm living in a state of non-restraint, or of neither restraint nor non-restraint, without manifest wholesome expression, whether never having had it or having had it and lost it. There is one who possesses the great elements and wholesome form, but not covered-neutral form — namely, noble ones within the womb; or one reborn in the desire realm living in a state of restraint, non-restraint, or neither restraint nor non-restraint, presently manifesting wholesome expression, or having had it before without losing it; or one reborn in the form realm without presently manifesting covered-neutral expression. There is one who possesses the great elements and both wholesome and covered-neutral form — namely, one reborn in the form realm presently manifesting covered-neutral expression. And if one possesses both wholesome and covered-neutral form, does one possess the great elements? Answer: it is so, since whoever possesses wholesome-and-covered-neutral form is necessarily within the form realm, and whoever is within the form realm necessarily possesses the great elements.
若成就大種彼善無覆無記色耶。答有成就大種亦無覆無記色非善色。謂處卵㲉。若諸異生住胎藏中。若生欲界住不律儀。及非律儀非不律儀。無善身語表。設有而失。有成就大種亦善無覆無記色。
If one possesses the great elements, does one possess both wholesome and uncovered-neutral form? Answer: there is one who possesses the great elements and uncovered-neutral form, but not wholesome form — namely, one within the eggshell; or an ordinary being within the womb; or one reborn in the desire realm living in a state of non-restraint, or of neither restraint nor non-restraint, without manifest wholesome expression, whether never having had it or having had it and lost it. There is one who possesses the great elements and both wholesome and uncovered-neutral form,
謂諸聖者住胎藏中。若生欲界住律儀。若住不律儀。及非律儀非不律儀。現有善身語表。或先有不失。若生色界。設成就善無覆無記色。彼大種耶。答如是。謂成就善無覆無記色者。必在欲色界。在欲色界者。定成就大種故。
— namely, noble ones within the womb; or one reborn in the desire realm living in a state of restraint, non-restraint, or neither restraint nor non-restraint, presently manifesting wholesome expression, or having had it before without losing it; or one reborn in the form realm. And if one possesses both wholesome and uncovered-neutral form, does one possess the great elements? Answer: it is so, since whoever possesses wholesome-and-uncovered-neutral form is necessarily within the desire or form realm, and whoever is within either of these realms necessarily possesses the great elements.
若成就大種彼不善有覆無記色耶。答無。謂成就不善色者必在欲界。成就有覆無記色者必在色界。無一有情俱生二界故。
If one possesses the great elements, does one possess both unwholesome and covered-neutral form? Answer: no one does, since whoever possesses unwholesome form is necessarily within the desire realm, while whoever possesses covered-neutral form is necessarily within the form realm — and no single being is ever reborn in two realms at once.
That covered-neutral form is confined so tightly to the form realm — never appearing in the desire realm at all, since defiled manifest karma always depends on an actual body acting in a shared social world the desire realm alone provides in this specific configuration — shows how precisely this taxonomy ties even subtle categories of moral defilement to the exact cosmological conditions capable of producing them.
10. Every Pair and Triple: The Matrix Reaches Full Combinatorial Expansion
The combinatorial exercise now expands to every possible pairing and tripling among wholesome, unwholesome, covered-neutral, and uncovered-neutral form, each cross-referenced against possession of the great elements — a relentless, exhaustive working-through of every logically available combination, repeatedly confirming the same underlying rule: wholesome and unwholesome form belong to the desire realm, covered-neutral form belongs to the form realm, and no single being is ever reborn in two realms simultaneously, so any combination spanning both realms at once is automatically impossible.
若成就大種彼不善無覆無記色耶。答有成就大種。亦無覆無記色。
If one possesses the great elements, does one possess both unwholesome and uncovered-neutral form? Answer: there is one who possesses the great elements and uncovered-neutral form, but not unwholesome form,
非不善色。謂處卵㲉。及住胎中。若生欲界住律儀。及非律儀非不律儀。無不善身語表。設有而失。若生色界有成就大種。亦不善無覆無記色。謂生欲界住不律儀。若住律儀。及非律儀非不律儀。現有不善身語表。或先有不失設成就不善無覆無記色彼大種耶。答如是。謂成就不善無覆無記色者。必在欲界。在欲界者定成就大種故。若成就大種彼有覆無記無覆無記色耶。答有成就大種。亦無覆無記色。非有覆無記色。謂生欲界。若生色界。現無有覆無記身語表。有成就大種。亦有覆無記無覆無記色。謂生色界現有有覆無記身語表。設成就有覆無記無覆無記色彼大種耶。答如是。謂成就此二無記色者。必在色界。在色界者定成就大種故若成就大種彼善不善有覆無記色耶。答無。謂成就善不善色者必在欲界。成就善有覆無記色者。必在色界。無一有情俱生二界故。
— namely, one within the eggshell, or within the womb; or one reborn in the desire realm living in a state of restraint, or of neither restraint nor non-restraint, without manifest unwholesome expression, whether never having had it or having had it and lost it; or one reborn in the form realm. There is one who possesses the great elements and both unwholesome and uncovered-neutral form — namely, one reborn in the desire realm living in a state of non-restraint, restraint, or neither restraint nor non-restraint, presently manifesting unwholesome expression, or having had it before without losing it. And if one possesses both unwholesome and uncovered-neutral form, does one possess the great elements? Answer: it is so, since whoever possesses unwholesome-and-uncovered-neutral form is necessarily within the desire realm, and whoever is within the desire realm necessarily possesses the great elements. If one possesses the great elements, does one possess both covered-neutral and uncovered-neutral form? Answer: there is one who possesses the great elements and uncovered-neutral form, but not covered-neutral form — namely, one reborn in the desire realm; or one reborn in the form realm without presently manifesting covered-neutral expression. There is one who possesses the great elements and both covered-neutral and uncovered-neutral form — namely, one reborn in the form realm presently manifesting covered-neutral expression. And if one possesses both covered-neutral and uncovered-neutral form, does one possess the great elements? Answer: it is so, since whoever possesses these two neutral kinds of form is necessarily within the form realm, and whoever is within the form realm necessarily possesses the great elements. If one possesses the great elements, does one possess wholesome, unwholesome, and covered-neutral form together? Answer: no one does, since whoever possesses wholesome-and-unwholesome form is necessarily within the desire realm, while whoever possesses wholesome-and-covered-neutral form is necessarily within the form realm — and no single being is ever reborn in two realms at once.
若成就大種。彼善不善無覆無記色耶。答有成就大種。亦無覆無記色。非善不善色。謂處卵㲉。若諸異生住胎藏中。若生欲界住非律儀非不律儀。無善不善身語表。設有而失。有成就大種亦善無覆無記色。非不善色。謂諸聖者住胎藏中。若生欲界住律儀。無不善身語表。設有而失。若住非律儀非不律儀。現有善身語表。或先有不失。無不善身語表。設有而失。若生色界有成就大種。亦不善無覆無記色非善色。謂生欲界住不律儀。無善身語表。設有而失。若住非律儀非不律儀。現有不善身語表。或先有不失。無善身語表。設有而失。有成就大種亦善不善無覆無記色。謂生欲界住律儀。現有不善身語表。或先有不失。若住不律儀。現有善身語表。或先有不失。若住非律儀非不律儀。現有善不善身語表。或先有不失。設成就善不善無覆無記色。彼大種耶。答如是。謂成就此三色者。必在欲界。在欲界者定成就大種故。
If one possesses the great elements, does one possess wholesome, unwholesome, and uncovered-neutral form together? Answer: there is one who possesses the great elements and uncovered-neutral form, but neither wholesome nor unwholesome form — namely, one within the eggshell; or an ordinary being within the womb; or one reborn in the desire realm living in a state of neither restraint nor non-restraint, without manifest wholesome or unwholesome expression, whether never having had it or having had it and lost it. There is one who possesses the great elements and both wholesome and uncovered-neutral form, but not unwholesome form — namely, noble ones within the womb; or one reborn in the desire realm living in a state of restraint, without manifest unwholesome expression, whether never having had it or having had it and lost it; or living in a state of neither restraint nor non-restraint, presently manifesting wholesome expression, or having had it before without losing it, without manifest unwholesome expression, whether never having had it or having had it and lost it; or one reborn in the form realm. There is one who possesses the great elements and both unwholesome and uncovered-neutral form, but not wholesome form — namely, one reborn in the desire realm living in a state of non-restraint, without manifest wholesome expression, whether never having had it or having had it and lost it; or living in a state of neither restraint nor non-restraint, presently manifesting unwholesome expression, or having had it before without losing it, without manifest wholesome expression, whether never having had it or having had it and lost it. There is one who possesses the great elements and all three of wholesome, unwholesome, and uncovered-neutral form — namely, one reborn in the desire realm living in a state of restraint, presently manifesting unwholesome expression, or having had it before without losing it; or living in a state of non-restraint, presently manifesting wholesome expression, or having had it before without losing it; or living in a state of neither restraint nor non-restraint, presently manifesting both wholesome and unwholesome expression, or having had them before without losing them. And if one possesses all three of wholesome, unwholesome, and uncovered-neutral form, does one possess the great elements? Answer: it is so, since whoever possesses these three forms is necessarily within the desire realm, and whoever is within the desire realm necessarily possesses the great elements.
若成就大種彼善有覆無記無覆無記色耶。答有成就大種亦無覆無記色。非善有覆無記色。謂處卵㲉。若諸異生住胎藏中。若生欲界住不律儀。及非律儀非不律儀。無善身語表。設有而失。有成就大種亦善無覆無記色。非有覆無記色。謂諸聖者住胎藏中。若生欲界住律儀。若住不律儀及非律儀非不律儀。現有善身語表。或先有不失。若生色界現無有覆無記身語表。有成就大種亦善有覆無記無覆無記色。謂生色界現有有覆無記身語表。設成就善有覆無記無覆無記色。彼大種耶。答如是。謂成就此三色者。必在色界。在色界者定成就大種故。
If one possesses the great elements, does one possess wholesome, covered-neutral, and uncovered-neutral form together? Answer: there is one who possesses the great elements and uncovered-neutral form, but neither wholesome nor covered-neutral form — namely, one within the eggshell; or an ordinary being within the womb; or one reborn in the desire realm living in a state of non-restraint, or of neither restraint nor non-restraint, without manifest wholesome expression, whether never having had it or having had it and lost it. There is one who possesses the great elements and both wholesome and uncovered-neutral form, but not covered-neutral form — namely, noble ones within the womb; or one reborn in the desire realm living in a state of restraint, non-restraint, or neither restraint nor non-restraint, presently manifesting wholesome expression, or having had it before without losing it; or one reborn in the form realm without presently manifesting covered-neutral expression. There is one who possesses the great elements and all three of wholesome, covered-neutral, and uncovered-neutral form — namely, one reborn in the form realm presently manifesting covered-neutral expression. And if one possesses all three of wholesome, covered-neutral, and uncovered-neutral form, does one possess the great elements? Answer: it is so, since whoever possesses these three forms is necessarily within the form realm, and whoever is within the form realm necessarily possesses the great elements.
若成就大種。彼不善有覆無記無覆無記色耶。答無。謂成就不善無覆無記色者。必在欲界。成就有覆無記無覆無記色者。必在色界。
If one possesses the great elements, does one possess unwholesome, covered-neutral, and uncovered-neutral form together? Answer: no one does, since whoever possesses unwholesome-and-uncovered-neutral form is necessarily within the desire realm, while whoever possesses covered-neutral-and-uncovered-neutral form is necessarily within the form realm,
無一有情俱生二界故。
— and no single being is ever reborn in two realms at once.
若成就大種。彼善不善有覆無記無覆無記色耶。答無。謂成就善不善無覆無記色者。必在欲界。成就善有覆無記無覆無記色者。必在色界。無一有情俱生二界故若成就善色彼不善色耶。答應作四句。
If one possesses the great elements, does one possess wholesome, unwholesome, covered-neutral, and uncovered-neutral form all together? Answer: no one does, since whoever possesses wholesome, unwholesome, and uncovered-neutral form is necessarily within the desire realm, while whoever possesses wholesome, covered-neutral, and uncovered-neutral form is necessarily within the form realm — and no single being is ever reborn in two realms at once. If one possesses wholesome form, does one possess unwholesome form? Answer: a tetralemma should be constructed.
Watching the treatise patiently rule out every combination that would require a single being to inhabit two realms of rebirth at once is really just one governing principle — the realms are mutually exclusive for any one continuum — restated dozens of times across an enormous combinatorial expansion: the sheer repetition itself becomes an argument, demonstrating just how thoroughly this single cosmological fact constrains every possible configuration of moral form.
11. A New Anchor: Wholesome Color Against Unwholesome, Covered, and Uncovered
The matrix now pivots, taking wholesome form itself as the fixed anchor and testing it against each of the other categories in turn. Possessing wholesome form without unwholesome form covers noble ones in the womb, disciplined desire-realm beings, all of the form realm, and even noble ones in the formless realm; the reverse holds for the undisciplined; both together describe ordinary desire-realm moral complexity; and neither describes the earliest embryonic stages together with formless-realm ordinary beings. A parallel elaboration works out wholesome form's relationship to uncovered-neutral form, and to combinations of unwholesome with either neutral category.
有成就善色非不善色。謂諸聖者住胎藏中。若生欲界住律儀。無不善身語表設有而失。若住非律儀非不律儀。現有善身語表。或先有不失。無不善身語表。設有而失。若生色界若諸聖者。生無色界。
There is one who possesses wholesome form but not unwholesome form — namely, noble ones within the womb; or one reborn in the desire realm living in a state of restraint, without manifest unwholesome expression, whether never having had it or having had it and lost it; or living in a state of neither restraint nor non-restraint, presently manifesting wholesome expression, or having had it before without losing it, without manifest unwholesome expression, whether never having had it or having had it and lost it; or one reborn in the form realm; or noble ones reborn in the formless realm.
有成就不善色非善色。謂生欲界住不律儀。無善身語表。設有而失。若住非律儀非不律儀。現有不善身語表。或先有不失。無善身語表。設有而失。有成就善色亦不善色。謂生欲界住律儀。現有不善身語表。或先有不失。若住不律儀。現有善身語表。或先有不失。若住非律儀非不律儀。現有善不善身語表。或先有不失。有非成就善色。及不善色。謂處卵㲉。若諸異生住胎藏中。若生欲界住非律儀非不律儀。無善不善身語表。設有而失。若諸異生生無色界。
There is one who possesses unwholesome form but not wholesome form — namely, one reborn in the desire realm living in a state of non-restraint, without manifest wholesome expression, whether never having had it or having had it and lost it; or living in a state of neither restraint nor non-restraint, presently manifesting unwholesome expression, or having had it before without losing it, without manifest wholesome expression, whether never having had it or having had it and lost it. There is one who possesses both wholesome and unwholesome form — namely, one reborn in the desire realm living in a state of restraint, presently manifesting unwholesome expression, or having had it before without losing it; or living in a state of non-restraint, presently manifesting wholesome expression, or having had it before without losing it; or living in a state of neither restraint nor non-restraint, presently manifesting both wholesome and unwholesome expression, or having had them before without losing them. There is one who possesses neither wholesome nor unwholesome form — namely, one within the eggshell; or an ordinary being within the womb; or one reborn in the desire realm living in a state of neither restraint nor non-restraint, without manifest wholesome or unwholesome expression, whether never having had it or having had it and lost it; or ordinary beings reborn in the formless realm.
若成就善色。彼有覆無記色耶。答諸成就有覆無記色。彼定成就善色。或成就善色。非有覆無記色。謂諸聖者住胎藏中。若生欲界住律儀。若住不律儀及非律儀非不律儀。現有善身語表。或先有不失。若生色界現無有覆無記身語表。若諸聖者生無色界。若成就善色彼無覆無記色耶。答應作四句。有成就善色。非無覆無記色。謂諸聖者生無色界。有成就無覆無記色非善色。謂處卵㲉。若諸異生住胎藏中。若生欲界住不律儀及非律儀非不律儀。無善身語表。設有而失。有成就善色。亦無覆無記色。謂諸聖者住胎藏中。若生欲界住律儀。若住不律儀及非律儀非不律儀。現有善身語表。或先有不失。若生色界有非成就善色。及無覆無記色。謂諸異生生無色界。
If one possesses wholesome form, does one possess covered-neutral form? Answer: whoever possesses covered-neutral form necessarily possesses wholesome form as well; but one may possess wholesome form without possessing covered-neutral form — namely, noble ones within the womb; or one reborn in the desire realm living in a state of restraint, non-restraint, or neither restraint nor non-restraint, presently manifesting wholesome expression, or having had it before without losing it; or one reborn in the form realm without presently manifesting covered-neutral expression; or noble ones reborn in the formless realm. If one possesses wholesome form, does one possess uncovered-neutral form? Answer: a tetralemma should be constructed. There is one who possesses wholesome form but not uncovered-neutral form — namely, noble ones reborn in the formless realm. There is one who possesses uncovered-neutral form but not wholesome form — namely, one within the eggshell; or an ordinary being within the womb; or one reborn in the desire realm living in a state of non-restraint, or of neither restraint nor non-restraint, without manifest wholesome expression, whether never having had it or having had it and lost it. There is one who possesses both wholesome and uncovered-neutral form — namely, noble ones within the womb; or one reborn in the desire realm living in a state of restraint, non-restraint, or neither restraint nor non-restraint, presently manifesting wholesome expression, or having had it before without losing it; or one reborn in the form realm. There is one who possesses neither wholesome nor uncovered-neutral form — namely, ordinary beings reborn in the formless realm.
若成就善色。彼不善有覆無記色耶。答無。謂成就不善色者。必在欲界。成就有覆無記色者。必在色界。無一有情俱生二界故若成就善色。彼不善無覆無記色耶。答有成就善色。非不善無覆無記色。
If one possesses wholesome form, does one possess both unwholesome and covered-neutral form? Answer: no one does, since whoever possesses unwholesome form is necessarily within the desire realm, while whoever possesses covered-neutral form is necessarily within the form realm — and no single being is ever reborn in two realms at once. If one possesses wholesome form, does one possess both unwholesome and uncovered-neutral form? Answer: there is one who possesses wholesome form but not unwholesome-and-uncovered-neutral form,
謂諸聖者生無色界。有成就善色亦無覆無記色。非不善色。謂諸聖者住胎藏中。若生欲界住律儀。無不善身語表。設有而失。若住非律儀非不律儀。現有善身語表。或先有不失。無不善身語表。設有而失。若生色界。有成就善色亦不善無覆無記色。謂生欲界住律儀。現有不善身語表。或先有不失。若住不律儀。現有善身語表。
— namely, noble ones reborn in the formless realm. There is one who possesses both wholesome and uncovered-neutral form, but not unwholesome form — namely, noble ones within the womb; or one reborn in the desire realm living in a state of restraint, without manifest unwholesome expression, whether never having had it or having had it and lost it; or living in a state of neither restraint nor non-restraint, presently manifesting wholesome expression, or having had it before without losing it, without manifest unwholesome expression, whether never having had it or having had it and lost it; or one reborn in the form realm. There is one who possesses both wholesome and unwholesome-and-uncovered-neutral form — namely, one reborn in the desire realm living in a state of restraint, presently manifesting unwholesome expression, or having had it before without losing it; or living in a state of non-restraint, presently manifesting wholesome expression,
或先有不失。若住非律儀非不律儀。現有善不善身語表。或先有不失。設成就不善無覆無記色彼善色耶。答或成就。或不成就。云何成就。即如上說。云何不成就。謂生欲界住不律儀。無善身語表。
— or having had it before without losing it; or living in a state of neither restraint nor non-restraint, presently manifesting both wholesome and unwholesome expression, or having had them before without losing them. And if one possesses both unwholesome and uncovered-neutral form, does one possess wholesome form? Answer: one may or may not. As to possessing it: this is as explained above. As to not possessing it: this means one reborn in the desire realm living in a state of non-restraint, without manifest wholesome expression,
Rotating which category serves as the matrix's fixed anchor — first the great elements, now wholesome form itself — is a quiet demonstration that this taxonomy has no single privileged starting point: any one of these moral or physical categories can, in principle, serve as the organizing axis around which all the others are tested, the underlying facts about realms and rebirth remaining constant no matter which category is asked about first.
12. Completing the Cross-Tabulation
The remaining combinations round out the picture: possessing both unwholesome and uncovered-neutral form leaves wholesome form's presence genuinely undetermined, resolved case by case according to restraint status; unwholesome form and covered-neutral form can never coexist, for the same realm-exclusivity reason established throughout; and wholesome form's relationship to both neutral categories together traces the identical pattern already seen — present together only in the form realm's defiled-expression case, absent together only for noble ones in the formless realm.
設有而失。若住非律儀非不律儀。現有不善身語表。或先有不失。
— whether never having had it or having had it and lost it; or living in a state of neither restraint nor non-restraint, presently manifesting unwholesome expression, or having had it before without losing it,
無善身語表。設有而失。
— without manifest wholesome expression, whether never having had it or having had it and lost it.
若成就善色彼有覆無記無覆無記色耶。答有成就善色。非有覆無記無覆無記色。謂諸聖者生無色界。有成就善色亦無覆無記色。非有覆無記色。謂諸聖者住胎藏中。若生欲界住律儀。若住不律儀及非律儀非不律儀。現有善身語表。或先有不失。若生色界現無有覆無記身語表。有成就善色亦有覆無記無覆無記色。謂生色界現有有覆無記身語表。設成就有覆無記無覆無記色。彼善色耶。答如是。謂成就有覆無記無覆無記色者。必在色界。在色界者定成就善色故。
If one possesses wholesome form, does one possess both covered-neutral and uncovered-neutral form? Answer: there is one who possesses wholesome form but not covered-neutral-and-uncovered-neutral form — namely, noble ones reborn in the formless realm. There is one who possesses both wholesome and uncovered-neutral form, but not covered-neutral form — namely, noble ones within the womb; or one reborn in the desire realm living in a state of restraint, non-restraint, or neither restraint nor non-restraint, presently manifesting wholesome expression, or having had it before without losing it; or one reborn in the form realm without presently manifesting covered-neutral expression. There is one who possesses wholesome form together with both covered-neutral and uncovered-neutral form — namely, one reborn in the form realm presently manifesting covered-neutral expression. And if one possesses both covered-neutral and uncovered-neutral form, does one possess wholesome form? Answer: it is so, since whoever possesses covered-neutral-and-uncovered-neutral form is necessarily within the form realm, and whoever is within the form realm necessarily possesses wholesome form.
若成就善色。彼不善有覆無記無覆無記色耶。答無。謂成就不善無覆無記色者。必在欲界。成就有覆無記無覆無記色者。必在色界。
If one possesses wholesome form, does one possess unwholesome, covered-neutral, and uncovered-neutral form together? Answer: no one does, since whoever possesses unwholesome-and-uncovered-neutral form is necessarily within the desire realm, while whoever possesses covered-neutral-and-uncovered-neutral form is necessarily within the form realm,
無一有情俱生二界故若成就不善色。彼有覆無記色耶。答無。謂成就不善色者。必在欲界。成就有覆無記色者。必在色界。無一有情俱生二界故若成就不善色。彼無覆無記色耶。答諸成就不善色。彼定成就無覆無記色。有成就無覆無記色。非不善色。謂處卵㲉。及住胎中。若生欲界住律儀及非律儀非不律儀。無不善身語表。設有而失。若生色界若成就不善色。彼有覆無記無覆無記色耶。答無。
— and no single being is ever reborn in two realms at once. If one possesses unwholesome form, does one possess covered-neutral form? Answer: no one does, since whoever possesses unwholesome form is necessarily within the desire realm, while whoever possesses covered-neutral form is necessarily within the form realm — and no single being is ever reborn in two realms at once. If one possesses unwholesome form, does one possess uncovered-neutral form? Answer: whoever possesses unwholesome form necessarily possesses uncovered-neutral form as well; but there is one who possesses uncovered-neutral form without possessing unwholesome form — namely, one within the eggshell, or within the womb; or one reborn in the desire realm living in a state of restraint, or of neither restraint nor non-restraint, without manifest unwholesome expression, whether never having had it or having had it and lost it; or one reborn in the form realm. If one possesses unwholesome form, does one possess both covered-neutral and uncovered-neutral form? Answer: no one does,
如上說。
— as explained above.
That some combinations resolve with a flat, unconditional answer while others require the qualified "one may or may not" reflects a genuine underlying distinction the matrix is careful to preserve: some facts about moral form follow necessarily from cosmological structure alone, while others depend on a being's own specific, contingent choices — restraint kept, effort sustained, or abandoned — and the treatise never blurs the two kinds of certainty together.
13. The Summary at Last: A Tidy Principle Earned the Hard Way
After dozens of individually worked tetralemmas, the fascicle closes with a single clean master-summary: the four great elements, and uncovered-neutral form alike, are guaranteed for desire- and form-realm beings and entirely absent from the formless realm; wholesome form is guaranteed only in the form realm, optional elsewhere; unwholesome form is impossible outside the desire realm, optional within it; and covered-neutral form is impossible outside the form realm, optional within it.
若成就有覆無記色。彼無覆無記色耶。答諸成就有覆無記色。彼定成就無覆無記色。有成就無覆無記色。非有覆無記色。謂生欲界。
If one possesses covered-neutral form, does one possess uncovered-neutral form? Answer: whoever possesses covered-neutral form necessarily possesses uncovered-neutral form as well; but there is one who possesses uncovered-neutral form without possessing covered-neutral form — namely, one reborn in the desire realm;
若生色界。現無有覆無記身語表。如上所說總略義者。謂四大種生欲色界必定成就。生無色界定不成就。無覆無記色亦爾。善色生色界定成就。生欲無色界。或成就或不成就。不善色生色無色界定不成就。生欲界或成就或不成就。有覆無記色。生欲無色界定不成就。生色界或成就或不成就。
— or one reborn in the form realm without presently manifesting covered-neutral expression. The general principle of all that has been explained above is this: the four great elements are necessarily possessed by one reborn in the desire or form realm, and necessarily not possessed by one reborn in the formless realm — uncovered-neutral form follows this same pattern. Wholesome form is necessarily possessed by one reborn in the form realm, and may or may not be possessed by one reborn in the desire or formless realm. Unwholesome form is necessarily not possessed by one reborn in the form or formless realm, and may or may not be possessed by one reborn in the desire realm. Covered-neutral form is necessarily not possessed by one reborn in the desire or formless realm, and may or may not be possessed by one reborn in the form realm.
That this tidy four-line summary could, in principle, have opened the entire fascicle instead of closing it is itself instructive: the treatise deliberately makes its reader earn the compact principle through the full combinatorial labor first, trusting that a rule reached only after exhaustively verifying every case carries a different, more durable kind of understanding than the same rule simply asserted up front.
Fascicle 128 Complete
This closes fascicle 128 of Ru-Yi's translation, drawn from the treatise's true CBETA boundary. Fascicle 128 continues the Great-Elements-and-Derivatives Nyāsa (大造納息第一之二): the standard checklist of dharma-categories applied to the eleven sense-fields produced by the great elements, the physiology of why an embryo cannot yet manifest bodily or verbal expression, and an exhaustive combinatorial matrix cross-tabulating the great elements against wholesome, unwholesome, covered-neutral, and uncovered-neutral form across the desire, form, and formless realms — closing with a compact summary of the whole. Fascicle 129 continues within this same nyāsa.