Dharma-Knowledge, Class-Knowledge, and Liberation of Mind
Fascicle 148 gives dharma-knowledge and class-knowledge a full four-part anatomy, investigates time-liberation and immovable liberation of mind and which faculties obtain them, catalogues what powers the uninterrupted path at each of the four fruits, and closes with an exhaustive census of what is cut off, laid to rest, and newly arisen at each fruit. 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 148 continues and concludes the Existence Nyāsa (有納息第二之二). Terms established across fascicles 93–147 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. Does an Uncontaminated Faculty Bound to the Desire Realm Match Dharma-Knowledge?
Fascicle 148 opens with an intricate tetralemma cross-tabulating two properties of an uncontaminated faculty: whether it takes the desire realm as its object, and whether it is associated with dharma-knowledge. The two properties turn out not to coincide — patient-acceptance itself, and knowledge of the form and formless realms' own suffering and origin, both take the desire realm as object without being associated with dharma-knowledge, while cessation- and path-dharma-knowledge are associated with dharma-knowledge yet never touch the desire realm at all.
諸根無漏緣欲界繫。此根法智相應耶。設根無漏法智相應。此根緣欲界繫耶。答應作四句。有根無漏緣欲界繫。此根非法智相應。謂苦法智忍。及相應根。苦法智集法智忍。及相應根。集法智此中苦法智忍是無漏慧根。此根緣欲界繫。非法智相應。以忍與智不相應故。及相應根者。謂苦法智忍相應八無漏根。此根亦緣欲界繫。非法智相應。忍相應故。苦法智亦是無漏慧根。此根亦緣欲界繫。非法智相應。自體與自體不相應故。謂三緣故自體不與自體相應。一無二自性俱生故。二前後剎那不並故。三一切法不觀自性與他為緣故。集法智忍。及相應根。集法智亦如是。有根無漏法智相應。此根不緣欲界繫。謂滅道法智相應根。此是滅道法智相應八無漏根。
"Whatever faculty is uncontaminated and takes the desire realm as its object — is that faculty associated with dharma-knowledge? And, conversely, whatever faculty is uncontaminated and associated with dharma-knowledge — does that faculty take the desire realm as its object?" Answer: this calls for a tetralemma. There is a faculty that is uncontaminated and takes the desire realm as its object, yet is not associated with dharma-knowledge — namely, the patient-acceptance-of-suffering-through-dharma-knowledge and its associated faculties, and the patient-acceptance-of-origin-through-dharma-knowledge together with origin-knowledge-through-dharma-knowledge. Here, the patient-acceptance-of-suffering-through-dharma-knowledge is itself an uncontaminated wisdom-faculty; this faculty takes the desire realm as its object, yet is not associated with dharma-knowledge, since patient-acceptance and knowledge are never mutually associated. As for its associated faculties, these are the eight uncontaminated faculties associated with the patient-acceptance-of-suffering-through-dharma-knowledge; this faculty likewise takes the desire realm as its object, yet is not
此根不緣欲界繫。緣不繫法故。
associated with dharma-knowledge, since it is associated with patient-acceptance instead.
有根無漏緣欲界繫。此根亦法智相應。謂苦集法智相應根。此是苦集法智相應八無漏根。此根緣欲界繫。緣欲界苦集故。有根無漏不緣欲界繫。此根亦非法智相應。謂苦類智忍苦類智。及二相應根。
There is a faculty that is uncontaminated and takes the desire realm as its object, and is also associated with dharma-knowledge — namely, the faculties associated with the dharma-knowledge-of-suffering-and-origin; these are the eight uncontaminated faculties associated with the dharma-knowledge of suffering and of origin, which take the desire realm as their object, since they take as their object the desire realm's own suffering and origin. There is a faculty that is uncontaminated and does not take the desire realm as its object, and is likewise not associated with dharma-knowledge — namely, the patient-acceptance-of-suffering-through-class-knowledge and the knowledge-of-suffering-through-class-knowledge, together with their associated faculties,
集類智忍集類智。及二相應根。滅法智忍及相應根。滅法智滅類智忍滅類智。及二相應根。道法智忍。及相應根。道法智道類智忍道類智。及二相應根。此中苦類智忍苦類智俱是無漏慧根。此根不緣欲界繫。緣色無色界繫故。亦非法智相應。忍智與智不相應故。及二相應根者。謂苦類智忍苦類智相應八無漏根。此根不緣欲界繫。
the patient-acceptance-of-origin-through-class-knowledge and the knowledge-of-origin-through-class-knowledge, together with their associated faculties, the patient-acceptance-of-cessation-through-dharma-knowledge together with its associated faculties, the knowledge-of-cessation-through-dharma-knowledge, the patient-acceptance-of-cessation-through-class-knowledge and the knowledge-of-cessation-through-class-knowledge, together with their associated faculties, the patient-acceptance-of-the-path-through-dharma-knowledge together with its associated faculties, the knowledge-of-the-path-through-dharma-knowledge, the patient-acceptance-of-the-path-through-class-knowledge and the knowledge-of-the-path-through-class-knowledge, together with their associated faculties. Here, the patient-acceptance-of-suffering-through-class-knowledge and the knowledge-of-suffering-through-class-knowledge are both uncontaminated wisdom-faculties; these faculties do not take the desire realm as their object, since they take as their object the form and formless realms; and their associated faculties are the eight uncontaminated faculties associated with the patient-acceptance-of-suffering-through-class-knowledge and the knowledge-of-suffering-through-class-knowledge, and these faculties too do not take the desire realm as their object,
緣色無色界繫故。亦非法智相應。與苦類智忍苦類智相應故。集類智忍集類智。及二相應根。亦如是。滅法智忍是無漏慧根。此根不緣欲界繫。緣不繫法故。亦非法智相應。忍與智不相應故。及相應根者。謂滅法智忍相應八無漏根。此根不緣欲界繫。緣不繫法故。
since they are associated with the patient-acceptance-of-suffering-through-class-knowledge and the knowledge-of-suffering-through-class-knowledge; and the same holds, mutatis mutandis, for the patient-acceptance-of-origin-through-class-knowledge, the knowledge-of-origin-through-class-knowledge, and their associated faculties. The patient-acceptance-of-cessation-through-dharma-knowledge is itself an uncontaminated wisdom-faculty; this faculty does not take the desire realm as its object, since it takes as its object the unconditioned; and it is likewise not associated with dharma-knowledge, since patient-acceptance and knowledge are not mutually associated. As for its associated faculties, these are the eight uncontaminated faculties associated with the patient-acceptance-of-cessation-through-dharma-knowledge; these faculties too do not take the desire realm as their object, since they take as their object the unconditioned,
亦非法智相應。忍相應故。滅法智亦是無漏慧根。此根不緣欲界繫。緣不繫法故。亦非法智相應。自體與自體不相應故。道法智忍及相應根。道法智亦如是。滅類智忍滅類智俱是無漏慧根。此根不緣欲界繫。緣不繫法故。亦非法智相應。忍智與智不相應故。及二相應根者。謂滅類智忍滅類智相應八無漏根。此根不緣欲界繫。緣不繫法故。亦非法智相應。與滅類智忍滅類智相應故。道類智忍道類智。及二相應根亦如是。
and are likewise not associated with dharma-knowledge, since they are associated with patient-acceptance instead. The knowledge-of-cessation-through-dharma-knowledge is likewise an uncontaminated wisdom-faculty; this faculty too does not take the desire realm as its object, since it takes as its object the unconditioned, and is likewise not associated with dharma-knowledge, since a substance is never associated with itself; and the same holds, mutatis mutandis, for the patient-acceptance-of-the-path-through-dharma-knowledge, its associated faculties, and the knowledge-of-the-path-through-dharma-knowledge. The patient-acceptance-of-cessation-through-class-knowledge and the knowledge-of-cessation-through-class-knowledge are both uncontaminated wisdom-faculties; these faculties do not take the desire realm as their object, since they take as their object the unconditioned, and are likewise not associated with dharma-knowledge, since patient-acceptance and knowledge are not mutually associated; and their associated faculties are the eight uncontaminated faculties associated with the patient-acceptance-of-cessation-through-class-knowledge and the knowledge-of-cessation-through-class-knowledge, which likewise do not take the desire realm as their object, since they take as their object the unconditioned, and are likewise not associated with dharma-knowledge, since they are associated with the patient-acceptance-of-cessation-through-class-knowledge and the knowledge-of-cessation-through-class-knowledge instead; and the same holds, mutatis mutandis, for the patient-acceptance-of-the-path-through-class-knowledge, the knowledge-of-the-path-through-class-knowledge, and their associated faculties.
The recurring explanatory refrain — patient-acceptance and knowledge are never mutually associated, since a substance is never associated with itself — quietly does an enormous amount of structural work across this entire tetralemma: it is the single principle responsible for nearly every one of the many exceptions the census has to carve out.
2. And Does an Uncontaminated Faculty Bound to the Higher Realms Match Class-Knowledge?
The mirror-image tetralemma follows for the form and formless realms and class-knowledge, with exactly the same underlying logic producing exactly the same pattern of exceptions — patient-acceptance again pulling apart from knowledge, and cessation- and path-class-knowledge again floating free of any realm-object at all, since the unconditioned itself belongs to no realm.
諸根無漏緣色無色界繫。此根類智相應耶。設根無漏類智相應。此根緣色無色界繫耶。答應作四句。有根無漏緣色無色界繫。此根非類智相應。謂苦類智忍。及相應根。苦類智集類智忍。及相應根。
"Whatever faculty is uncontaminated and takes the form or formless realm as its object — is that faculty associated with class-knowledge? And, conversely, whatever faculty is uncontaminated and associated with class-knowledge — does that faculty take the form or formless realm as its object?" Answer: this calls for a tetralemma. There is a faculty that is uncontaminated and takes the form or formless realm as its object, yet is not associated with class-knowledge — namely, the patient-acceptance-of-suffering-through-class-knowledge and its associated faculties, and the patient-acceptance-of-origin-through-class-knowledge together with the origin-knowledge-through-class-knowledge.
集類智此中苦類智忍是無漏慧根。此根緣色無色界繫。非類智相應。忍與智不相應故。及相應根者。謂苦類智忍相應八無漏根。此根亦緣色無色界繫。非類智相應。忍相應故。苦類智亦是無漏慧根。此根亦緣色無色界繫非類智相應。自體與自體不相應故。集類智忍及相應根。集類智亦如是。有根無漏類智相應。此根不緣色無色界繫。謂滅道類智相應根。此是滅道類智相應八無漏根。此根不緣色無色界繫。緣不繫法故。
As for the knowledge-of-origin-through-class-knowledge, here the patient-acceptance-of-suffering-through-class-knowledge is itself an uncontaminated wisdom-faculty; this faculty takes the form or formless realm as its object, yet is not associated with class-knowledge, since patient-acceptance and knowledge are never mutually associated; and its associated faculties are the eight uncontaminated faculties associated with the patient-acceptance-of-suffering-through-class-knowledge, which likewise take the form or formless realm as their object, yet are not associated with class-knowledge, since they are associated with patient-acceptance instead. The knowledge-of-suffering-through-class-knowledge is likewise an uncontaminated wisdom-faculty; this faculty too takes the form or formless realm as its object, yet is not associated with class-knowledge, since a substance is never associated with itself; and the patient-acceptance-of-origin-through-class-knowledge and its associated faculties, and the knowledge-of-origin-through-class-knowledge, are all exactly the same. There is a faculty that is uncontaminated and associated with class-knowledge, yet does not take the form or formless realm as its object — namely, the faculties associated with the cessation-and-path knowledge-through-class-knowledge; these are the eight uncontaminated faculties associated with the class-knowledge of cessation and of the path; this faculty does not take the form or formless realm as its object, since it takes as its object the unconditioned dharmas.
有根無漏緣色無色界繫。此根亦類智相應。謂苦集類智相應根。此是苦集類智相應八無漏根。此根緣色無色界繫。緣色無色界苦集故。有根無漏不緣色無色界繫。此根亦非類智相應。謂苦法智忍苦法智。及二相應根。集法智忍集法智。及二相應根。滅法智忍滅法智。及二相應根。滅類智忍及相應根。滅類智道法智忍道法智。及二相應根道類智忍及相應根。道類智此中苦法智忍苦法智。俱是無漏慧根。此根不緣色無色界繫。緣欲界繫故。亦非類智相應。忍智與智不相應故。及二相應根者。謂苦法智忍苦法智相應八無漏根。
There is a faculty that is uncontaminated and takes the form or formless realm as its object, and is also associated with class-knowledge — namely, the faculties associated with the knowledge-of-suffering-and-origin-through-class-knowledge; these are the eight uncontaminated faculties associated with the class-knowledge of suffering and of origin, which take the form or formless realm as their object, since they take as their object the suffering and origin of the form and formless realms. There is a faculty that is uncontaminated and does not take the form or formless realm as its object, and is likewise not associated with class-knowledge — namely, the patient-acceptance-of-suffering-through-dharma-knowledge and the knowledge-of-suffering-through-dharma-knowledge, together with their associated faculties; the patient-acceptance-of-origin-through-dharma-knowledge and the knowledge-of-origin-through-dharma-knowledge, together with their associated faculties; the patient-acceptance-of-cessation-through-dharma-knowledge and the knowledge-of-cessation-through-dharma-knowledge, together with their associated faculties; the patient-acceptance-of-cessation-through-class-knowledge and its associated faculties, the knowledge-of-cessation-through-class-knowledge; the patient-acceptance-of-the-path-through-dharma-knowledge and the knowledge-of-the-path-through-dharma-knowledge, together with their associated faculties; the patient-acceptance-of-the-path-through-class-knowledge and its associated faculties, the knowledge-of-the-path-through-class-knowledge. Here, the patient-acceptance-of-suffering-through-dharma-knowledge and the knowledge-of-suffering-through-dharma-knowledge are both uncontaminated wisdom-faculties; these faculties do not take the form or formless realm as their object, since they take as their object the desire realm, and are likewise not associated with class-knowledge, since patient-acceptance and knowledge are not mutually associated; and their associated faculties are the eight uncontaminated faculties associated with the patient-acceptance-of-suffering-through-dharma-knowledge and the knowledge-of-suffering-through-dharma-knowledge.
此根不緣色無色界繫。緣欲界繫故。亦非類智相應。與忍法智相應故。集法智忍集法智。及二相應根亦如是。滅法智忍滅法智俱是無漏慧根。此根不緣色無色界繫。緣不繫法故。亦非類智相應。忍智與智不相應故。及二相應根者。謂滅法智忍滅法智相應八無漏根。
These faculties too do not take the form or formless realm as their object, since they take as their object the desire realm, and are likewise not associated with class-knowledge, since they are associated with dharma-knowledge instead; and the same holds, mutatis mutandis, for the patient-acceptance-of-origin-through-dharma-knowledge and the knowledge-of-origin-through-dharma-knowledge, together with their associated faculties. The patient-acceptance-of-cessation-through-dharma-knowledge and the knowledge-of-cessation-through-dharma-knowledge are both uncontaminated wisdom-faculties; these faculties do not take the form or formless realm as their object, since they take as their object the unconditioned, and are likewise not associated with class-knowledge, since patient-acceptance and knowledge are not mutually associated; and their associated faculties are the eight uncontaminated faculties associated with the patient-acceptance-of-cessation-through-dharma-knowledge and the knowledge-of-cessation-through-dharma-knowledge.
此根不緣色無色界繫。緣不繫法故。亦非類智相應。與忍法智相應故。道法智忍道法智。及二相應根亦如是。滅類智忍是無漏慧根。
These faculties too do not take the form or formless realm as their object, since they take as their object the unconditioned, and are likewise not associated with class-knowledge, since they are associated with dharma-knowledge instead; and the same holds, mutatis mutandis, for the patient-acceptance-of-the-path-through-dharma-knowledge, the knowledge-of-the-path-through-dharma-knowledge, and their associated faculties. The patient-acceptance-of-cessation-through-class-knowledge is itself an uncontaminated wisdom-faculty;
此根不緣色無色界繫。緣不繫法故。亦非類智相應。忍與智不相應故。及相應根者。謂滅類智忍相應八無漏根。此根不緣色無色界繫。緣不繫法故。亦非類智相應忍相應故。滅類智亦是無漏慧根。
this faculty does not take the form or formless realm as its object, since it takes as its object the unconditioned, and is likewise not associated with class-knowledge, since patient-acceptance and knowledge are never mutually associated; and its associated faculties are the eight uncontaminated faculties associated with the patient-acceptance-of-cessation-through-class-knowledge, which likewise do not take the form or formless realm as their object, since they take as their object the unconditioned, and are likewise not associated with class-knowledge, since they are associated with patient-acceptance instead. The knowledge-of-cessation-through-class-knowledge is likewise an uncontaminated wisdom-faculty;
此根不緣色無色界繫。緣不繫法故。亦非類智相應。自體與自體不相應故。道類智忍及相應根。道類智亦如是。
this faculty too does not take the form or formless realm as its object, since it takes as its object the unconditioned, and is likewise not associated with class-knowledge, since a substance is never associated with itself; and the same holds, mutatis mutandis, for the patient-acceptance-of-the-path-through-class-knowledge, its associated faculties, and the knowledge-of-the-path-through-class-knowledge.
Running the identical tetralemma twice, once for the lower realm and once for the higher ones, and watching it produce a perfectly mirrored set of exceptions each time, is itself a small proof of the treatise's own internal consistency: the same logical machinery, applied to structurally parallel material, yields structurally parallel results without needing any special-casing at all.
3. Why Frame This Discussion Around Just These Two Kinds of Knowledge?
Before analyzing dharma-knowledge and class-knowledge in detail, the treatise pauses to ask a genuinely curatorial question: why does this particular discussion get framed specifically around these two kinds of knowledge, when earlier discussions in this very treatise were framed around entirely different pairs or larger sets — the knowledge of others' minds and of past lives, the knowledge of exhaustion and non-arising, the four truths' own four knowledges, or the full set of eight or ten? The answer, refreshingly, is simply that each author composed according to his own intention, so long as the true nature of dharmas was never contradicted.
法智當言法智耶。乃至廣說。問何故此中但依法類二智作論。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。彼意欲依二智作論即便作之。謂法智類智如前智蘊。隨論者意依二智作論。謂他心智宿住隨念智如後定蘊。隨論者意亦依二智作論。謂盡智無生智。如此蘊前隨論者意依四智作論。謂苦智集智滅智道智。
"Should dharma-knowledge itself be called dharma-knowledge, and so on, as stated at length?" Why raise this question at all, framing it specifically around dharma-knowledge and class-knowledge alone? Because the author of this treatise simply intended it so, and a treatise is composed according to its own author's intention — so long as it does not contradict the true nature of dharmas, no objection should be raised against it. Since this author's own intention was to frame the discussion around these two kinds of knowledge, that is precisely what was done — exactly as dharma-knowledge and class-knowledge were framed earlier in the Knowledge Aggregate; exactly as, following the intention of a different author, the knowledge of others' minds and the knowledge of recollecting past abodes were framed later in the Concentration Aggregate; exactly as, again following a different author's intention, the knowledge of exhaustion and the knowledge of non-arising were framed earlier in this very aggregate; and exactly as, following yet another author's intention, the four kinds of knowledge — of suffering, of origin, of cessation, and of the path — were framed earlier still.
如前結蘊隨論者意依八智作論。謂法智類智他心智世俗智苦集滅道智。如所知納息。隨論者意依十智作論。謂前八智。及盡無生智。
Exactly as, following the intention of yet another author, the eight kinds of knowledge — dharma-knowledge, class-knowledge, the knowledge of others' minds, mundane knowledge, and the knowledge of suffering, origin, cessation, and the path — were framed in the Fetters Aggregate; and exactly as, in the Nyāsa on What Is Known, following the intention of still another author, ten kinds of knowledge were framed — the preceding eight, together with the knowledge of exhaustion and of non-arising.
譬如善巧陶師以濕埿團置於輪上。隨意埏埴成種種器。於工巧法而不相違。如是善作論者以聞思慧。行所知境照了除癡。然後隨欲造種種論。於諸法性亦不相違。有說。唯法類智互不相攝。亦俱遍緣不相攝境。謂有漏無漏有為無為四聖諦法。有說。以法類智攝一切無漏智盡是彼根本。有說。法類二智作分齊緣。謂法智緣下類智緣上。由此等緣故但依此二智作論。
Just as a skilled potter, having placed a lump of moist clay upon the wheel, can freely shape it into whatever vessel he wishes without ever violating the true nature of the craft, so too a skilled composer of treatises, having illuminated and dispelled confusion about the objects known through the wisdom born of listening and reflection, may afterward freely compose whatever treatise he wishes without ever violating the true nature of dharmas. Another position holds that dharma-knowledge and class-knowledge alone are mutually exclusive of one another, yet both equally take as their pervasive object whatever is not included in the other — namely, the contaminated and the uncontaminated, the conditioned and the unconditioned, and the dharmas of the four noble truths. Another position holds that dharma-knowledge and class-knowledge together encompass the entirety of uncontaminated knowledge, since every other kind of knowledge is fundamentally rooted in these two. Another position holds that dharma-knowledge and class-knowledge together mark out the outer boundary of every object — dharma-knowledge taking the lower realm as its object, class-knowledge taking the upper realms as its object. It is for reasons such as these that the discussion is framed specifically around these two kinds of knowledge alone.
The potter's-wheel simile — a skilled craftsman freely shaping the very same lump of clay into whatever vessel he wishes, without ever violating the nature of the craft itself — is a rare and disarming moment of methodological self-awareness: the treatise openly acknowledges that its own organizing categories are, within real limits, a matter of authorial choice rather than an inevitability forced by the subject matter.
4. What Dharma-Knowledge Really Is: Ground, Association, Aspect, and Object
Having justified its own organizing choice, the treatise gives dharma-knowledge itself a full four-part anatomy: it can be reclassified as the knowledge of others' minds or of any of the four truths depending on exactly what it is doing in a given moment; it can rely on any of three meditative grounds; it can be associated with pleasure, joy, or equanimity depending on that ground; it takes on the aspect of emptiness, the wishless, or the signless depending on which truth it addresses; and its object is always either the desire realm or the unconditioned, never anything in between.
法智當言法智耶。當言類智他心智世俗智苦智集智滅智道智耶。答當言法智或他心智苦智集智滅智道智。當言。法智者。謂知欲界諸行。諸行因。諸行滅。諸行對治道或他心智者。謂知欲界諸行對治道他心心所法。或苦智者。謂知欲界諸行非常相苦相空相非我相。
"Should dharma-knowledge itself be called dharma-knowledge?" Should it instead be called class-knowledge, the knowledge of others' minds, mundane knowledge, or the knowledge of suffering, origin, cessation, or the path? Answer: it should be called dharma-knowledge, or else the knowledge of others' minds, or the knowledge of suffering, origin, cessation, or the path. When it should be called dharma-knowledge, this refers to knowing the formations of the desire realm, the cause of these formations, the cessation of these formations, and the path that serves as their antidote. When it should instead be called the knowledge of others' minds, this refers to knowing the antidote-path itself, and the minds and mental factors of another, with respect to the formations of the desire realm.
或集智者。謂知欲界諸行因因相集相生相緣相。或滅智者。謂知欲界諸行滅滅相靜相妙相離相。或道智者。謂知欲界諸行對治道道相如相行相出相。顯自性已當顯地。法智當言有尋有伺無尋唯伺無尋無伺耶。答當言三種。謂在未至初靜慮名有尋有伺。在靜慮中間名無尋唯伺。在上三靜慮名無尋無伺。顯地已當顯相應。
When it should instead be called the knowledge of suffering, this refers to knowing the formations of the desire realm under the aspects of impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and non-self. When it should instead be called the knowledge of origin, this refers to knowing the formations of the desire realm under the aspects of cause, origin, arising, and condition. When it should instead be called the knowledge of cessation, this refers to knowing the cessation of the formations of the desire realm under the aspects of cessation, calm, sublimity, and definitive departure. When it should instead be called the knowledge of the path, this refers to knowing the antidote-path of the formations of the desire realm under the aspects of the path, the correct method, accomplishment, and deliverance. Having shown its own intrinsic nature, the passage now goes on to show its ground. "Should dharma-knowledge be said to involve discursive thought and investigation, discursive thought alone, or neither?" Answer: it should be said to be all three. When grounded in the intermediate stage or the first dhyāna, it involves discursive thought and investigation; when grounded in the meditative interval between the first and second dhyānas, it involves discursive thought alone; when grounded in the upper three dhyānas, it involves neither. Having shown its ground, the passage now goes on to show its association.
法智當言樂根相應喜根相應捨根相應耶。答當言三種謂在第三靜慮樂根相應。在初二靜慮喜根相應。在未至靜慮中間第四靜慮。捨根相應。顯相應已當顯行相法智。當言空無願無相相應耶。答當言三種。謂二行相空相應。十行相無願相應。四行相無相相應。顯行相已當顯所緣。法智當言緣欲界繫。緣色界繫。緣無色界繫。緣不繫耶。答當言。緣欲界繫或不繫。緣欲界繫者。謂苦集法智。緣不繫者。謂滅道法智。
"Should dharma-knowledge be said to be associated with pleasure, joy, or equanimity?" Answer: it should be said to be all three. When grounded in the third dhyāna, it is associated with pleasure; when grounded in the first two dhyānas, it is associated with joy; when grounded in the intermediate stage, the meditative interval, or the fourth dhyāna, it is associated with equanimity. Having shown its association, the passage now goes on to show its aspect. "Should dharma-knowledge be said to be associated with emptiness, the wishless, or the signless?" Answer: it should be said to be all three. Under the two aspects of emptiness and non-self, it is associated with emptiness; under the ten aspects belonging to the other three truths, it is associated with the wishless; under the four aspects of cessation, it is associated with the signless. Having shown its aspect, the passage now goes on to show its object. "Should dharma-knowledge be said to take the desire realm, the form realm, the formless realm, or the unconditioned as its object?" Answer: it should be said to take the desire realm or the unconditioned as its object. When it takes the desire realm as its object, this refers to the dharma-knowledge of suffering and of origin; when it takes the unconditioned as its object, this refers to the dharma-knowledge of cessation and of the path.
Watching a single term, "dharma-knowledge," turn out to require four entirely separate axes of classification before its full profile is even specified is a useful reminder of how much this tradition resists treating any of its technical vocabulary as a simple label: a single word here names not one fixed thing but a whole coordinate system's worth of possible configurations.
5. Class-Knowledge Receives the Same Four-Part Anatomy
Class-knowledge undergoes exactly the same fourfold analysis as dharma-knowledge — ground, association, aspect, and object — with the sole substantive difference that its own meditative ground extends further, reaching down into the three lower formless attainments as well as the upper dhyānas, and its object reaches the form and formless realms rather than the desire realm.
類智當言類智耶。當言法智他心智世俗智苦智集智滅智道智耶。答當言類智或他心智苦智集智滅智道智。當言類智者。謂知色無色界諸行諸行因諸行滅諸行對治道。或他心智者。謂知色無色界諸行無漏對治道他心心所法。或苦智者。謂知色無色界諸行非常等四種相。或集智者。謂知色無色界諸行因因等四種相。或滅智者。謂知色無色界諸行滅滅等四種相。或道智者。謂知色無色界諸行對治道道等四種相。顯自性已當顯地。類智當言有尋有伺無尋唯伺無尋無伺耶。答當言三種。謂在未至初靜慮名有尋有伺。在靜慮中間名無尋唯伺。在上三靜慮下三無色名無尋無伺。顯地已當顯相應。
"Should class-knowledge itself be called class-knowledge?" Should it instead be called dharma-knowledge, the knowledge of others' minds, mundane knowledge, or the knowledge of suffering, origin, cessation, or the path? Answer: it should be called class-knowledge, or else the knowledge of others' minds, or the knowledge of suffering, origin, cessation, or the path. When it should be called class-knowledge, this refers to knowing the formations of the form and formless realms, the cause of these formations, the cessation of these formations, and the path that serves as their antidote. When it should instead be called the knowledge of others' minds, this refers to knowing the uncontaminated antidote-path itself, and the minds and mental factors of another, with respect to the formations of the form and formless realms. When it should instead be called the knowledge of suffering, this refers to knowing the formations of the form and formless realms under these same four aspects of impermanence and so forth. When it should instead be called the knowledge of origin, this refers to knowing the formations of the form and formless realms under these same four aspects of cause and so forth. When it should instead be called the knowledge of cessation, this refers to knowing the cessation of the formations of the form and formless realms under these same four aspects of cessation and so forth. When it should instead be called the knowledge of the path, this refers to knowing the antidote-path of the formations of the form and formless realms under these same four aspects of the path and so forth. Having shown its own intrinsic nature, the passage now goes on to show its ground. "Should class-knowledge be said to involve discursive thought and investigation, discursive thought alone, or neither?" Answer: it should be said to be all three. When grounded in the intermediate stage or the first dhyāna, it involves discursive thought and investigation; when grounded in the meditative interval, it involves discursive thought alone; when grounded in the upper three dhyānas or the three lower formless attainments, it involves neither. Having shown its ground, the passage now goes on to show its association.
類智當言樂根相應喜根相應捨根相應耶。答當言三種謂在第三靜慮樂根相應。在初二靜慮喜根相應。在未至靜慮中間第四靜慮下三無色捨根相應。顯相應已當顯行相。類智當言空無願無相相應耶。答當言三種。謂二行相空相應。十行相無願相應。四行相無相相應。
"Should class-knowledge be said to be associated with pleasure, joy, or equanimity?" Answer: it should be said to be all three. When grounded in the third dhyāna, it is associated with pleasure; when grounded in the first two dhyānas, it is associated with joy; when grounded in the intermediate stage, the meditative interval, the fourth dhyāna, or the three lower formless attainments, it is associated with equanimity. Having shown its association, the passage now goes on to show its aspect. "Should class-knowledge be said to be associated with emptiness, the wishless, or the signless?" Answer: it should be said to be all three. Under the two aspects of emptiness and non-self, it is associated with emptiness; under the ten aspects belonging to the other three truths, it is associated with the wishless; under the four aspects of cessation, it is associated with the signless.
已顯行相當顯所緣。
Having shown its aspect, the passage now goes on to show its object.
類智當言緣欲界繫。緣色界繫。緣無色界繫。緣不繫耶。答當言緣色無色界繫或不繫。緣色無色界繫者。謂苦集類智緣不繫者。謂滅道類智。
"Should class-knowledge be said to take the desire realm, the form realm, the formless realm, or the unconditioned as its object?" Answer: it should be said to take the form and formless realms or the unconditioned as its object. When it takes the form and formless realms as its object, this refers to the class-knowledge of suffering and of origin; when it takes the unconditioned as its object, this refers to the class-knowledge of cessation and of the path.
That class-knowledge's own ground extends into the formless attainments while dharma-knowledge's does not is a small but precise structural asymmetry: it reflects nothing more mysterious than the plain fact that class-knowledge's own proper territory, the form and formless realms, actually includes formless states that dharma-knowledge, confined to the desire realm, simply has no occasion to enter.
6. A New Investigation: What Kind of Faculty Does Liberation of Mind Actually Obtain?
The fascicle turns to an entirely new investigation, opened by recalling the Buddha's own teaching to Ānanda: a monk who delights in noisy, crowded dwellings can never attain either time-liberation of mind or immovable liberation of mind, while one who delights in solitude and stillness can attain both. The treatise sets out to clarify what these two liberations actually are and, crucially, by which faculty each is obtained — building an elaborate hierarchy running from resolute conviction itself down through its defiled and undefiled, contaminated and uncontaminated, trainee and beyond-training subdivisions, arriving finally at time-liberation and immovable liberation as its two most refined forms.
時心解脫。當言學根得無學根得。乃至廣說。問何故作此論。答欲解釋契經義故。如佛告阿難陀言。苾芻不應樂處憒鬧。若樂是者於時愛心解脫。或於不時不動心解脫身作證。能具足住無有是處。若有苾芻不樂憒鬧而樂寂靜。於時愛心解脫。或不時不動心解脫身作證。能具足住斯有是處彼經雖說二種解脫。而不分別此二自性。亦未曾顯由何根得。前智蘊中雖已顯示解脫自性。而未顯得。今欲顯得故作斯論。有說。欲止他所說故。謂或有執。時心解脫有學有所作所作未辦故。不動心解脫無學無所作所作已辦故。為遮彼執。顯二解脫俱是無學所作已辦。或復有執。時心解脫是有漏。不動心解脫是無漏。欲止彼意顯二解脫俱是無漏。或復有執。時心解脫是有為。不動心解脫是無為。為止彼執顯二解脫俱是有為。由此等緣故作斯論。諸法中唯二法是解脫自性。謂有為法中唯有勝解。無為法中唯有擇滅彼勝解者。是心所大地法恒與心相應。彼擇滅者。是離繫是勝義善常住涅槃。勝解有二。謂染不染。染謂邪勝解。即貪等煩惱隨煩惱相應。不染謂正勝解。即信等諸善法相應。此正勝解復有二種。謂有漏無漏。有漏者謂不淨觀持息念無量勝處遍處等相應。無漏復二。謂學無學。學者謂七聖身中無漏勝解。無學者。謂阿羅漢身中無漏勝解。無學勝解復有二種。謂時心解脫。不時心解脫。時心解脫者。謂五種阿羅漢身中無漏勝解。不時心解脫者謂不動法阿羅漢身中無漏勝解。此二亦名心解脫慧解脫。離貪故名心解脫。離無明故名慧解脫。問若此勝解離貪故名心解脫。離無明故名慧解脫者。集異門等所說當云何通。如說云何離貪故心得解脫。答無貪善根對治貪故。云何離無明故慧得解脫。答無癡善根對治癡故。由此說故二解脫體。即是善根非是勝解。答彼文應作是說。云何離貪故心得解脫。答無貪善根相應心勝解印可。即此名為時心解脫。云何離無明故慧得解脫。答無癡善根相應心勝解印可。即此名為不動心解脫。而不作是說者有何意耶。答此就依處以顯勝解。謂依無貪故心解脫貪。依無癡故心解脫癡。然心解脫體是勝解。
"At the moment when the mind is thereby liberated, should it be said that this is a trainee's faculty that is obtained, or a faculty of the one beyond training, and so on, as stated at length?" Why raise this question at all? To explain the meaning of the sūtra's own teaching. The Buddha told Ānanda: "A monk should not delight in a crowded and noisy dwelling; for one who delights in such a place, it is impossible that he should, at the right time, attain liberation of mind through love, or, at some time other than the right time, attain immovable liberation of mind, realized in his own body, and dwell fully in it. But if a monk does not delight in a crowded and noisy dwelling and instead delights in solitude and stillness, it is entirely possible that he should, at the right time, attain liberation of mind through love, or, at some time other than the right time, attain immovable liberation of mind, realized in his own body, and dwell fully in it." Although that sūtra speaks of these two kinds of liberation, it does not analyze their own intrinsic nature, nor has it ever made clear by which faculty each is obtained. The earlier Knowledge Aggregate, though it already showed the intrinsic nature of liberation, did not yet show how it is obtained; the present discussion is raised specifically to make that obtaining clear. Another position holds that this discussion is raised to block a view held by others — namely, that some hold that time-liberation of mind belongs to the trainee, since there remains work yet to be done, its task not yet accomplished, while immovable liberation of mind belongs to the one beyond training, since no work remains to be done, its task already accomplished. To block this view, the passage makes clear that both liberations equally belong to the one beyond training, their task equally already accomplished. Still others hold that time-liberation of mind is contaminated while immovable liberation of mind is uncontaminated; to block this view, the passage makes clear that both liberations are equally uncontaminated. Still others hold that time-liberation of mind is conditioned while immovable liberation of mind is unconditioned; to block this view, the passage makes clear that both liberations are equally conditioned. It is for reasons such as these that the present discussion is raised. Among all dharmas, only two dharmas constitute the very intrinsic nature of liberation: among conditioned dharmas, only resolute conviction; among unconditioned dharmas, only cessation-through-analysis. Resolute conviction is a mental factor belonging to the great class found universally in every mind, and is invariably associated with mind; cessation-through-analysis is the severing of bondage, the ultimate good, the eternally abiding nirvāṇa. Resolute conviction is of two kinds — defiled and undefiled. Defiled resolute conviction is wrong resolute conviction, associated with craving and the other afflictions and secondary afflictions; undefiled resolute conviction is correct resolute conviction, associated with faith and the other wholesome dharmas. This correct resolute conviction is itself further of two kinds — contaminated and uncontaminated. The contaminated kind is associated with the contemplation of foulness, mindfulness of breathing, the immeasurables, the masteries, the totalities, and the like. The uncontaminated kind is again of two kinds — belonging to the trainee and belonging to the one beyond training. The trainee's kind is the uncontaminated resolute conviction found within the seven kinds of noble persons; the kind belonging to the one beyond training is the uncontaminated resolute conviction found within the arhat. This latter, uncontaminated resolute conviction belonging to the one beyond training, is itself further of two kinds — time-liberation of mind and non-time-liberation of mind. Time-liberation of mind is the uncontaminated resolute conviction found within the five kinds of arhat; non-time-liberation of mind is the uncontaminated resolute conviction found within the arhat of the unshakable type. These two are also called liberation of mind and liberation through wisdom — called liberation of mind because it is free from craving, and liberation through wisdom because it is free from ignorance. One might ask: if this resolute conviction is called liberation of mind because it is free from craving, and liberation through wisdom because it is free from ignorance, how, then, is this to be reconciled with what the Compendium of Topics and other texts state — namely, when it is said, "how is it that the mind is liberated by being free from craving?" the answer given is, "because the wholesome root of non-craving serves as the antidote to craving," and when it is said, "how is wisdom liberated by being free from ignorance?" the answer given is, "because the wholesome root of non-delusion serves as the antidote to delusion" — statements which would seem to make the very substance of these two liberations the wholesome roots themselves, rather than resolute conviction at all? Answer: that passage ought properly to have been phrased as follows: "how is it that the mind is liberated by being free from craving?" — because the mind's own resolute conviction, sealed and endorsed by the wholesome root of non-craving, is itself what is called time-liberation of mind; "how is wisdom liberated by being free from ignorance?" — because the mind's own resolute conviction, sealed and endorsed by the wholesome root of non-delusion, is itself what is called immovable liberation of mind. And as for why it was not phrased in exactly this way, what could be the reason? Answer: that passage speaks in terms of the basis by which resolute conviction operates — the mind being liberated from craving in dependence on non-craving, and liberated from delusion in dependence on non-delusion — yet the true substance of liberation of mind remains resolute conviction throughout.
The extended chain of definitions here — resolute conviction, then correct resolute conviction, then uncontaminated correct resolute conviction, then the resolute conviction specifically belonging to the one beyond training, then finally its time-liberated and immovable subtypes — reads almost like a genealogical tree, and the effect is to show that even the tradition's most exalted attainment, immovable liberation, is not a wholly different kind of thing from ordinary mental resolve, but its own most refined and purified descendant.
7. Time-Liberation, Immovable Liberation, and Every Fetter Exhausted: Trainee or Beyond-Training?
Having established what liberation of mind actually is, the treatise now asks which faculty obtains it — and the answer, in five different but equivalent formulations, is consistently "both a trainee's faculty and a faculty of the one beyond training," since the uninterrupted path that immediately precedes the moment of liberation still belongs to the trainee, while the path of liberation that completes it already belongs to the one beyond training. The same analysis extends to the exhaustion of every fetter, closing with a careful explanation of why this final, unconditioned liberation is described more simply than the two conditioned liberations of mind that precede it: conditioned liberation naturally admits of lower, middle, and higher grades, since what is obtained first genuinely differs from what is obtained later, while unconditioned liberation, always exactly the same however many times it is reached, needs no such graded description at all.
時心解脫當言學根得無學根得學無學根得耶答當言學無學根得。學根得者謂無間道俱生根。無學根得者。謂解脫道俱生根。又學根得者。謂向道俱生根。無學根得者。謂果道俱生根。又學根得者。謂金剛喻定俱生品根。無學根得者。謂盡智俱生品根。又學根得者。
"At the moment of time-liberation of mind, should it be said that this is a trainee's faculty that is obtained, a faculty of the one beyond training that is obtained, or a faculty belonging to both the trainee and the one beyond training that is obtained?" Answer: it should be said that a faculty belonging to both the trainee and the one beyond training is obtained. A trainee's faculty being obtained refers to whatever faculties are co-arisen with the uninterrupted path; a faculty of the one beyond training being obtained refers to whatever faculties are co-arisen with the path of liberation. Again, a trainee's faculty being obtained refers to whatever faculties are co-arisen with the path of approach; a faculty of the one beyond training being obtained refers to whatever faculties are co-arisen with the path of the fruit itself. Again, a trainee's faculty being obtained refers to whatever faculties are co-arisen with the class comprising the vajra-like concentration; a faculty of the one beyond training being obtained refers to whatever faculties are co-arisen with the class comprising the knowledge of exhaustion. Again, a trainee's faculty being obtained refers to —
謂已知根。無學根得者。謂具知根。又學根得者。謂修道俱生根。
the already-known faculty; a faculty of the one beyond training being obtained refers to the faculty of complete knowledge. Again, a trainee's faculty being obtained refers to whatever faculties are co-arisen with the path of cultivation;
無學根得者謂無學道俱生根。修地無學地亦爾。不動心解脫。當言學根得無學根得。學無學根得耶。答若本得不動當言學無學根得。
a faculty of the one beyond training being obtained refers to whatever faculties are co-arisen with the path of the one beyond training. The same holds, mutatis mutandis, for the ground of cultivation and the ground of the one beyond training. "At the moment of immovable liberation of mind, should it be said that this is a trainee's faculty that is obtained, a faculty of the one beyond training that is obtained, or a faculty belonging to both the trainee and the one beyond training that is obtained?" Answer: if this is the very first attainment of immovability, it should be said that a faculty belonging to both the trainee and the one beyond training is obtained.
若時解脫阿羅漢得不動。當言無學根得。學無學根得者。廣說如前。無學根得者。彼無間解脫道俱無學攝故。一切結盡當言學根得。無學根得。學無學根得耶。答當言學無學根得。廣說如前。問此文何故不如不動心解脫說。答此文亦應作如是說。若初證一切結盡。當言學無學根得。若時解脫阿羅漢得不動證一切結盡。當言無學根得。而不作是說者有何意耶。答解脫有二。謂有為無為。二種心解脫是有為。一切結盡是無為。有為解脫有下中上。初所得異後所得異故差別說。無為解脫無下中上。後得同初故無別說。
If instead a time-liberated arhat is now attaining immovability, it should be said that a faculty of the one beyond training is obtained. As for what "a faculty belonging to both the trainee and the one beyond training is obtained" means, this is exactly as explained at length above; as for what "a faculty of the one beyond training is obtained" means, this is because the uninterrupted path and the path of liberation here both equally belong to the one beyond training. "When every fetter is exhausted, should it be said that this is a trainee's faculty that is obtained, a faculty of the one beyond training that is obtained, or a faculty belonging to both the trainee and the one beyond training that is obtained?" Answer: it should be said that a faculty belonging to both the trainee and the one beyond training is obtained, exactly as explained at length above. One might ask: why does this passage not simply follow the same pattern as the account already given for immovable liberation of mind? Answer: this passage, too, ought properly to have been phrased in just that same way: if this is the very first realization that every fetter is exhausted, it should be said that a faculty belonging to both the trainee and the one beyond training is obtained; if instead a time-liberated arhat is now realizing that every fetter is exhausted through attaining immovability, it should be said that a faculty of the one beyond training is obtained. And as for why it was not phrased in exactly this way, what could be the reason? Answer: liberation is of two kinds — conditioned and unconditioned. The two kinds of liberation of mind are conditioned; the exhaustion of every fetter is unconditioned. Conditioned liberation admits of lower, middle, and higher grades, since what is first obtained differs from what is obtained later, and this difference is accordingly spelled out in full. Unconditioned liberation admits of no such lower, middle, or higher grades, since what is obtained later is exactly the same as what was obtained at first, and so no further distinction is drawn.
That the very same instant of attaining liberation is analyzed as simultaneously drawing on a trainee's faculty and a beyond-training faculty is a small but genuinely useful piece of conceptual precision, and the closing observation about unconditioned liberation extends it further: unconditioned liberation is always identical regardless of when or how many times it is reached, while conditioned liberation genuinely varies in grade depending on its own history — locating the very source of spiritual progress and difference entirely within the conditioned, graded path leading up to liberation, while the destination itself, once truly reached, admits of no further degrees at all.
8. What Kind of Knowledge Powers the Uninterrupted Path at Stream-Entry and Once-Returning?
The fascicle's next great investigation catalogues, for the uninterrupted path realizing each of the four fruits in turn, exactly which kind of knowledge it is associated with, whether it involves discursive thought, which feeling accompanies it, which aspect it bears, and what it takes as its object — beginning with stream-entry, whose uninterrupted path is fixed and uniform, and continuing into once-returning, whose answer splits three ways depending on the specific route a practitioner has taken to reach it.
以無間道證預流果。此道當言法智相應。類智他心智世俗智苦智集智滅智道智相應耶。當言有尋有伺無尋唯伺無尋無伺耶。當言樂根喜根捨根相應耶。當言空無願無相相應耶。當言緣欲界繫色界繫無色界繫不繫耶。答以無間道證預流果。此道當言忍相應有尋有伺捨根相應。無願相應。緣不繫忍相應者。道類智忍俱故。有尋有伺者。唯依未至地故。捨根相應者。未至地唯有捨受故。無願相應者。道無願俱故。緣不繫者類智品為所緣故。
"By means of the uninterrupted path that realizes the fruit of stream-entry, should this path be said to be associated with dharma-knowledge, class-knowledge, the knowledge of others' minds, mundane knowledge, or the knowledge of suffering, origin, cessation, or the path? Should it be said to involve discursive thought and investigation, discursive thought alone, or neither? Should it be said to be associated with pleasure, joy, or equanimity? Should it be said to be associated with emptiness, the wishless, or the signless? Should it be said to take the desire realm, the form realm, the formless realm, or the unconditioned as its object?" Answer: by means of the uninterrupted path that realizes the fruit of stream-entry, this path should be said to be associated with patient-acceptance, to involve discursive thought and investigation, to be associated with equanimity, to be associated with the wishless, and to take the unconditioned as its object. It is said to be associated with patient-acceptance because it is co-arisen with the class-patient-acceptance of the path; it is said to involve discursive thought and investigation because it relies solely on the level of proximate access; it is said to be associated with equanimity because the level of proximate access carries only the feeling of equanimity; it is said to be associated with the wishless because it is co-arisen with the wishless aspect of the path; and it is said to take the unconditioned as its object because it takes as its object the class-knowledge's own category of dharmas.
以無間道證一來果。此道當言法智相應。類智他心智世俗智苦智集智滅智道智相應耶。當言有尋有伺無尋唯伺無尋無伺耶。當言樂根喜根捨根相應耶。當言空無願無相相應耶。當言緣欲界繫色界繫無色界繫不繫耶。答若倍離欲染入正性離生者。如證預流果說。若從預流果以世俗道證一來果。此道當言世俗智相應。有尋有伺捨根相應。緣欲界繫。世俗智相應者。謂麁等三行相隨一轉故。不與空等相應者。彼唯無漏故。緣欲界繫者。欲界五蘊為所緣故。餘如前說若從預流果以無漏道證一來果。此道當言法智相應。或苦智。或集智。或滅智。或道智相應。有尋有伺捨根相應。或空或無願或無相相應。或緣欲界繫。或緣不繫。法智相應者。謂四法智隨一相應。
"By means of the uninterrupted path that realizes the fruit of once-returning, should this path be said to be associated with dharma-knowledge, class-knowledge, the knowledge of others' minds, mundane knowledge, or the knowledge of suffering, origin, cessation, or the path? Should it be said to involve discursive thought and investigation, discursive thought alone, or neither? Should it be said to be associated with pleasure, joy, or equanimity? Should it be said to be associated with emptiness, the wishless, or the signless? Should it be said to take the desire realm, the form realm, the formless realm, or the unconditioned as its object?" Answer: if one enters the fixed state of correct destiny having already halved one's desire-realm contamination in advance, the answer is exactly as given for realizing the fruit of stream-entry. If one realizes the fruit of once-returning from the fruit of stream-entry by means of the mundane path, this path should be said to be associated with mundane knowledge, to involve discursive thought and investigation, to be associated with equanimity, and to take the desire realm as its object. It is said to be associated with mundane knowledge because it operates through whichever one of the three aspects of coarseness and the rest applies; it is said not to be associated with emptiness and the other aspects because those belong exclusively to the uncontaminated; and it is said to take the desire realm as its object because it takes the five aggregates of the desire realm as its object; the remainder is exactly as already explained. If one realizes the fruit of once-returning from the fruit of stream-entry by means of the uncontaminated path, this path should be said to be associated with dharma-knowledge, or with the knowledge of suffering, origin, cessation, or the path; to involve discursive thought and investigation; to be associated with equanimity; to be associated with emptiness, the wishless, or the signless; and to take the desire realm, or the unconditioned, as its object. It is said to be associated with dharma-knowledge because it is associated with whichever one of the four kinds of dharma-knowledge applies;
或苦智相應者。即苦法智相應。乃至或道智相應者。即道法智相應。或空相應者。謂二行相相應。或無願相應者。謂十行相相應。
and it is said to be associated with the knowledge of suffering because it is precisely associated with the dharma-knowledge of suffering — and so on, up through its being said to be associated with the knowledge of the path because it is precisely associated with the dharma-knowledge of the path. It is said to be associated with emptiness because it is associated with the two aspects of emptiness; it is said to be associated with the wishless because it is associated with the ten aspects of the wishless.
或無相相應者。謂四行相相應。或緣欲界繫者謂苦集法智。或緣不繫者。謂滅道法智。餘如前說。
It is said to be associated with the signless because it is associated with the four aspects of the signless. It is said to take the desire realm as its object because it takes as its object the dharma-knowledge of suffering and of origin; it is said to take the unconditioned as its object because it takes as its object the dharma-knowledge of cessation and of the path; the remainder is exactly as already explained.
That once-returning's own uninterrupted path admits three genuinely different profiles — depending on whether one arrives already having halved one's desire-realm contamination, or arrives from stream-entry by the mundane path, or arrives from stream-entry by the uncontaminated path — while stream-entry itself has only one fixed profile, is a vivid illustration of how the path only grows more genuinely various, not less, the further a practitioner advances through it.
9. The Same Question, Now for Non-Returning and Arhatship
The same exhaustive catalogue continues through non-returning, whose uninterrupted path can involve any combination of discursive thought and any of the three feelings depending on which meditative ground is relied upon, and concludes with arhatship, whose uninterrupted path alone among all four fruits can be associated with either dharma-knowledge or class-knowledge and can take the formless realm as its object — since only at this final fruit does the very last remaining contamination, bound to the peak of existence itself, finally come within reach.
以無間道證不還果。此道當言法智相應。類智他心智世俗智苦智集智滅智道智相應耶。當言有尋有伺無尋唯伺無尋無伺耶。當言樂根喜根捨根相應耶。當言空無願無相相應耶。當言緣欲界繫色界繫無色界繫不繫耶。答若已離欲染入正性離生。此道當言忍相應。或有尋有伺。或無尋唯伺。或無尋無伺。或樂根相應。或喜根相應。或捨根相應。無願相應。緣不繫。或有尋有伺者。謂依未至初靜慮。
"By means of the uninterrupted path that realizes the fruit of non-returning, should this path be said to be associated with dharma-knowledge, class-knowledge, the knowledge of others' minds, mundane knowledge, or the knowledge of suffering, origin, cessation, or the path? Should it be said to involve discursive thought and investigation, discursive thought alone, or neither? Should it be said to be associated with pleasure, joy, or equanimity? Should it be said to be associated with emptiness, the wishless, or the signless? Should it be said to take the desire realm, the form realm, the formless realm, or the unconditioned as its object?" Answer: if one has already become entirely free of desire-realm contamination before entering the fixed state of correct destiny, this path should be said to be associated with patient-acceptance, to involve discursive thought and investigation, discursive thought alone, or neither, to be associated with pleasure, joy, or equanimity, to be associated with the wishless, and to take the unconditioned as its object. It involves discursive thought and investigation, or discursive thought alone, or neither, in that
或無尋唯伺者。謂依靜慮中間。或無尋無伺者。謂依上三靜慮或樂根相應者。謂依第三靜慮。或喜根相應者。謂依初二靜慮。或捨根相應者。謂依未至靜慮中間第四靜慮。餘如前說。若從一來果以世俗道證不還果者。如以世俗道證一來果說。若從一來果以無漏道證不還果者。如以無漏道證一來果說。以無間道證阿羅漢果。此道當言法智相應類智他心智世俗智苦智集智滅智道智相應耶。當言有尋有伺無尋唯伺無尋無伺耶。當言樂根喜根捨根相應耶。當言空無願無相相應耶。當言緣欲界繫色界繫無色界繫不繫耶。答此道當言或法智相應或類智或苦智或集智或滅智或道智相應。或有尋有伺。或無尋唯伺。或無尋無伺。或樂根。或喜根或捨根相應。或空或無願或無相相應。或緣無色界繫。或緣不繫。或法智相應者。謂滅道法智隨一相應。或類智相應者。謂四類智隨一相應。或苦智集智相應者。即苦集類智相應。或滅智道智相應者。即滅道法類智相應。或有尋有伺者。謂依未至初靜慮。或無尋唯伺者。謂依靜慮中間。或無尋無伺者。謂依上三靜慮下三無色。或樂根相應者。謂依第三靜慮。或喜根相應者。謂依初二靜慮。或捨根相應者。謂依未至靜慮中間第四靜慮下三無色。或空相應者。謂二行相相應。或無願相應者。謂十行相相應。或無相相應者。謂四行相相應。或緣無色界繫者。謂苦集類智緣有頂苦集故。或緣不繫者。謂滅道法類智緣三界滅。及能對治道故。
discursive thought and investigation applies when relying on proximate access or the first dhyāna; discursive thought alone applies when relying on the meditative interval; and neither applies when relying on the upper three dhyānas. It is associated with pleasure when relying on the third dhyāna; with joy when relying on the first two dhyānas; and with equanimity when relying on proximate access, the meditative interval, or the fourth dhyāna; the remainder is exactly as already explained. If one realizes the fruit of non-returning from the fruit of once-returning by means of the mundane path, the answer is exactly as given for realizing the fruit of once-returning by means of the mundane path; if one realizes it by means of the uncontaminated path, the answer is exactly as given for realizing the fruit of once-returning by means of the uncontaminated path. "By means of the uninterrupted path that realizes the fruit of arhatship, should this path be said to be associated with dharma-knowledge, class-knowledge, the knowledge of others' minds, mundane knowledge, or the knowledge of suffering, origin, cessation, or the path? Should it be said to involve discursive thought and investigation, discursive thought alone, or neither? Should it be said to be associated with pleasure, joy, or equanimity? Should it be said to be associated with emptiness, the wishless, or the signless? Should it be said to take the desire realm, the form realm, the formless realm, or the unconditioned as its object?" Answer: this path should be said to be associated with dharma-knowledge, class-knowledge, the knowledge of suffering, origin, cessation, or the path; to involve discursive thought and investigation, discursive thought alone, or neither; to be associated with pleasure, joy, or equanimity; to be associated with emptiness, the wishless, or the signless; and to take the formless realm, or the unconditioned, as its object. It is said to be associated with dharma-knowledge because it is associated with whichever one of the cessation- and path-dharma-knowledges applies; it is said to be associated with class-knowledge because it is associated with whichever one of the four class-knowledges applies; it is said to be associated with the knowledge of suffering or of origin because it is precisely associated with the cessation- and path-class-knowledges; it is said to be associated with the knowledge of cessation or of the path because it is precisely associated with the cessation- and path-dharma-and-class-knowledges. It involves discursive thought and investigation when relying on proximate access or the first dhyāna; discursive thought alone when relying on the meditative interval; and neither when relying on the upper three dhyānas or the three lower formless attainments. It is associated with pleasure when relying on the third dhyāna; with joy when relying on the first two dhyānas; and with equanimity when relying on proximate access, the meditative interval, the fourth dhyāna, or the three lower formless attainments. It is associated with emptiness because it is associated with the two aspects of emptiness; with the wishless because it is associated with the ten aspects of the wishless; with the signless because it is associated with the four aspects of the signless. It is said to take the formless realm as its object because the class-knowledge of suffering and of origin takes as its object the suffering and origin of the peak of existence; and it is said to take the unconditioned as its object because the dharma- and class-knowledges of cessation and of the path take as their object cessation across the three realms, and the antidote-path capable of achieving it.
That arhatship's own uninterrupted path is the only one among the four capable of touching the formless realm as its object is a fitting capstone to this catalogue: the path's own reach, quite literally, extends further and further into subtler territory the closer a practitioner comes to its very end, with the peak of existence itself reserved as the last contamination only the final fruit can ever confront.
10. Which Faculties Are Cut Off, Laid to Rest, and Newly Arisen at Stream-Entry
A new and final census asks, at the very moment of attaining each fruit, exactly which faculties are permanently cut off forever, which are merely laid to rest by the uninterrupted path only to arise again through the path of liberation, and which do one but not the other — with stream-entry cutting off no faculty at all, since nothing has yet been permanently severed, while seven faculties are laid to rest and immediately arise again in their transformed, liberated form.
幾根永斷滅起得預流果。答無根永斷。七根滅起。一滅不起一起不滅得預流果。七根滅起者。七謂意捨信等五根。滅謂此七無間道攝。起謂此七解脫道攝。又滅謂向道攝。起謂果道攝。又滅謂道類智忍品攝。起謂道類智品攝。又滅謂未知當知根俱生。起謂已知根俱生。又滅謂見道攝。起謂修道攝。見地修地亦爾。一滅不起者。
How many faculties are permanently cut off, laid to rest, and arisen upon attaining the fruit of stream-entry? Answer: no faculty is permanently cut off; seven faculties are laid to rest and arisen; one is laid to rest without arising, and one arises without being laid to rest. The seven faculties laid to rest and arisen are the mind-faculty, equanimity, and faith with its four companions. "Laid to rest" means these seven belong to the uninterrupted path; "arisen" means these same seven belong to the path of liberation. Again, "laid to rest" means belonging to the path of approach; "arisen" means belonging to the path of the fruit. Again, "laid to rest" means belonging to the class of the class-patient-acceptance of the path; "arisen" means belonging to the class of the class-knowledge of the path. Again, "laid to rest" means co-arisen with the faculty of the yet-unknown; "arisen" means co-arisen with the already-known faculty. Again, "laid to rest" means belonging to the path of seeing; "arisen" means belonging to the path of cultivation — and the same holds for the ground of seeing and the ground of cultivation. The one faculty laid to rest without arising —
謂未知當知根。一起不滅者。謂已知根。幾根永斷滅起得一來果。
is the faculty of the yet-unknown; the one that arises without being laid to rest is the already-known faculty. How many faculties are permanently cut off, laid to rest, and arisen upon attaining the fruit of once-returning?
The passage's own six parallel glosses on what "laid to rest" and "arisen" actually mean — uninterrupted-path versus path-of-liberation, approach versus fruit, patient-acceptance versus knowledge, the yet-unknown versus the already-known faculty, and seeing versus cultivation — all converging on the very same seven faculties, is a small demonstration of how many independent conceptual vocabularies this tradition maintains for describing what is, at bottom, the exact same underlying transition.
11. The Census Continues Through Once-Returning and Into Non-Returning
The same cutting-off, laying-to-rest, and arising census continues through once-returning's own three possible routes of attainment, before arriving at non-returning, where for the first time actual permanent cutting-off enters the picture — the female, male, pain, and displeasure faculties finally severed for good, alongside the familiar pattern of faculties laid to rest and arisen.
答若倍離欲染入正性離生者。如證預流果說。若從預流果以世俗道證一來果。無根永斷七根滅起得一來果。七根滅起者七如前說。滅謂此七無間道攝。起謂此七解脫道攝。又滅謂向道攝。起謂果道攝。
Answer: if one enters the fixed state of correct destiny having already halved one's desire-realm contamination in advance, the answer is exactly as given for realizing the fruit of stream-entry. If one realizes the fruit of once-returning from the fruit of stream-entry by means of the mundane path, no faculty is permanently cut off, and seven faculties are laid to rest and arisen upon attaining the fruit of once-returning; these seven are exactly as already described — "laid to rest" meaning these seven belong to the uninterrupted path, "arisen" meaning these same seven belong to the path of liberation; again, "laid to rest" meaning belonging to the path of approach, "arisen" meaning belonging to the path of the fruit.
若從預流果以無漏道證一來果。無根永斷八根滅起得一來果。八根滅起者。八謂前七加已知根。滅起義如前說。
If one realizes the fruit of once-returning from the fruit of stream-entry by means of the uncontaminated path, no faculty is permanently cut off, and eight faculties are laid to rest and arisen upon attaining the fruit of once-returning; these eight are the preceding seven plus the already-known faculty; the sense of "laid to rest" and "arisen" is exactly as already explained. How many faculties are permanently cut off, laid to rest, and arisen upon attaining the fruit of non-returning?
幾根永斷滅起得不還果。答若已離欲染入正性離生無根永斷。七根滅起。一滅不起。一起不滅。得不還果。七根滅起者。七謂意根樂喜捨根隨一。信等五根。餘如得預流果中說。若從一來果以世俗道證不還果。不入靜慮。四根永斷七根滅起得不還果四根永斷者。謂女男苦憂根。七根滅起者。七謂意捨信等五根。滅起義如從預流得一來說。若入靜慮。四根永斷。六根滅起。一滅不起。一起不滅。
Answer: if one has already become entirely free of desire-realm contamination before entering the fixed state of correct destiny, no faculty is permanently cut off; seven faculties are laid to rest and arisen; one is laid to rest without arising, and one arises without being laid to rest, upon attaining the fruit of non-returning. The seven faculties laid to rest and arisen are the mind-faculty together with whichever one of pleasure, joy, or equanimity applies, and faith with its four companions; the remainder is exactly as already explained in discussing the fruit of stream-entry. If one realizes the fruit of non-returning from the fruit of once-returning by means of the mundane path, and does not rely on any dhyāna proper, four faculties are permanently cut off — namely the female, male, pain, and displeasure faculties — and seven faculties are laid to rest and arisen upon attaining the fruit of non-returning; these seven are the mind-faculty, equanimity, and faith with its four companions; the sense of "laid to rest" and "arisen" is exactly as already explained in discussing the transition from stream-entry to once-returning. If one instead relies on some dhyāna proper, four faculties are permanently cut off, six faculties are laid to rest and arisen, one is laid to rest without arising, and one arises without being laid to rest, upon attaining
得不還果。
the fruit of non-returning.
That permanent cutting-off first appears in this particular census only at non-returning, and not at either of the two earlier fruits, lines up precisely with what the fascicle's own male/female/pain/displeasure discussion established earlier in this same session's work: these four faculties belong specifically to the desire realm, and it is exactly at non-returning that desire-realm contamination is finally, completely left behind.
12. Six, Seven, or Eight Faculties Laid to Rest — Depending on Whether a Dhyāna Is Entered
The non-returning census concludes with a careful distinction between practitioners who enter an actual meditative dhyāna at the final moment of becoming free from desire and those who rely only on proximate access — a distinction that changes not just the feeling-faculty involved but the entire shape of the census, prompting the treatise to pause and ask directly: who enters a dhyāna at this pivotal final moment, and who does not?
四根永斷者如前說。六根滅起者。六謂意根信等五根。滅起義如前說。一滅不起者。謂捨根。一起不滅者。謂喜根。若從一來果以無漏道證不還果。不入靜慮四根永斷八根滅起。得不還果。八根者。
The four faculties permanently cut off are exactly as already described; the six faculties laid to rest and arisen are the mind-faculty and faith with its four companions, the sense of "laid to rest" and "arisen" exactly as already explained; the one laid to rest without arising is the equanimity-faculty; the one that arises without being laid to rest is the joy-faculty. If one realizes the fruit of non-returning from the fruit of once-returning by means of the uncontaminated path, and does not rely on any dhyāna proper, four faculties are permanently cut off, and eight faculties are laid to rest and arisen upon attaining the fruit of non-returning; the eight are
謂意捨信等五已知根。餘如前說。若入靜慮四根永斷七根滅起一滅不起。一起不滅。得不還果。七根者。即前謂意信等五。及已知根。餘如以世俗道證不還果中說。
the mind-faculty, equanimity, and faith with its four companions, and the already-known faculty; the remainder is exactly as already explained. If one instead relies on some dhyāna proper, four faculties are permanently cut off, seven faculties are laid to rest and arisen, one is laid to rest without arising, and one arises without being laid to rest, upon attaining the fruit of non-returning; the seven are the preceding mind-faculty and faith with its four companions, plus the already-known faculty; the remainder is exactly as already explained in discussing realization by means of the mundane path.
問離欲界染第九解脫道。誰即入靜慮。誰不入耶。答所依力強者入。所依力劣者不入。有說。所依力劣者入。為長養所依故。所依力強者不入。不為長養所依故。有說。欣多者入。厭多者不入。有說。喜樂多者入。憂苦多者不入。有說。以滅道智離欲染者入。以苦集智離欲染者不入。有說。以無相道無願離欲染者入。以空苦集無願離欲染者不入。有說。厭欲界法離欲染者入。厭三界法離欲染者不入。有說。為求靜慮而離染者入為求解脫而離染者不入。有說。利根者入。鈍根者不入。如利根鈍根。因力緣力。內分力外分力。內正思惟力外聞正法力。應知亦爾。
One might ask: at the ninth and final path of liberation in becoming free from desire-realm contamination, who enters some dhyāna proper at that point, and who does not? Answer: one whose underlying basis has strong power enters; one whose underlying basis has weak power does not enter. Another position holds the reverse — one whose underlying basis has weak power enters, in order to nourish and strengthen that very basis, while one whose underlying basis already has strong power does not enter, having no such need to nourish it further. Another position holds that one with abundant joyful aspiration enters, while one with abundant weariness does not enter. Another position holds that one with abundant joy and pleasure enters, while one with abundant sorrow and distress does not enter. Another position holds that one who becomes free of desire-realm contamination by means of the cessation- and path-knowledges enters, while one who becomes free by means of the suffering- and origin-knowledges does not enter. Another position holds that one who becomes free of desire-realm contamination by means of the signless and wishless paths enters, while one who becomes free by means of the empty, suffering, origin, and wishless paths does not enter. Another position holds that one weary of the dharmas of the desire realm alone, in becoming free of contamination, enters, while one weary of the dharmas of all three realms, in becoming free of contamination, does not enter. Another position holds that one who becomes free of contamination seeking dhyāna itself enters, while one who becomes free of contamination seeking liberation does not enter. Another position holds that one of sharp faculties enters, while one of dull faculties does not enter — and exactly as with sharp and dull faculties, so too, mutatis mutandis, with the power of one's own causal basis and the power of external conditions, the power of one's own inner disposition and the power of an outer disposition, and the power of correct reflection within versus the power of hearing the correct teaching from without.
The nine competing explanations offered for who enters a dhyāna at this final threshold and who does not — strong basis versus weak, joy versus weariness, sharp faculties versus dull, and more — read almost like a catalogue of every dimension along which two practitioners walking the very same path might nonetheless diverge, refusing to reduce so consequential a choice to any single explanatory factor.
13. The Final Census: What Is Cut Off, Laid to Rest, and Arisen at Arhatship
The fascicle's closing investigation completes the census at arhatship itself, where for the first time the life-faculty joins the ranks of what is permanently cut off, and where the precise count of what is laid to rest and arisen shifts depending on whether arhatship is reached from proximate access or from any of the actual dhyānas — with the third dhyāna alone requiring pleasure, rather than joy, as the faculty laid to rest and arisen.
幾根永斷滅起得阿羅漢果。答若依未至證阿羅漢果。一根永斷七根永斷滅起。一滅不起。一起不滅。得阿羅漢果。一根永斷者謂命根。七根永斷滅起者。七謂意捨信等五根。永斷謂有漏攝。滅謂無間道攝起謂解脫道攝。又永斷謂世俗攝。滅謂向道攝。起謂果道攝。又永斷謂非學非無學攝。滅謂學攝。起謂無學攝。又永斷謂有頂攝。滅謂金剛喻定俱生品攝。起謂盡智俱生品攝。又永斷謂修所斷攝。滅謂已知根攝起謂具知根攝。又永斷謂無色界繫攝。滅謂修道地攝。起謂無學道地攝。一滅不起者。謂已知根一起不滅者。謂具知根。
How many faculties are permanently cut off, laid to rest, and arisen upon attaining the fruit of arhatship? Answer: if one attains the fruit of arhatship relying on proximate access, one faculty is permanently cut off; seven faculties are permanently cut off yet also laid to rest and arisen; one is laid to rest without arising, and one arises without being laid to rest. The one faculty permanently cut off is the life-faculty. The seven faculties permanently cut off yet also laid to rest and arisen are the mind-faculty, equanimity, and faith with its four companions. "Permanently cut off" means belonging to the contaminated; "laid to rest" means belonging to the uninterrupted path; "arisen" means belonging to the path of liberation. Again, "permanently cut off" means belonging to the mundane; "laid to rest" means belonging to the path of approach; "arisen" means belonging to the path of the fruit. Again, "permanently cut off" means belonging to what is neither trainee nor beyond training; "laid to rest" means belonging to the trainee; "arisen" means belonging to the one beyond training. Again, "permanently cut off" means belonging to the peak of existence; "laid to rest" means belonging to the class of the vajra-like concentration; "arisen" means belonging to the class of the knowledge of exhaustion. Again, "permanently cut off" means belonging to what is cut off by cultivation; "laid to rest" means belonging to the already-known faculty; "arisen" means belonging to the faculty of complete knowledge. Again, "permanently cut off" means belonging to what is bound to the formless realm; "laid to rest" means belonging to the ground of cultivation; "arisen" means belonging to the ground of the one beyond training. The one laid to rest without arising is the already-known faculty; the one that arises without being laid to rest is the faculty of complete knowledge.
如依未至。依靜慮中間第四靜慮三無色定亦爾。若依初靜慮證阿羅漢果。二根永斷。六根永斷滅起。一根滅起。一滅不起。一起不滅。得阿羅漢果二根永斷者謂命捨根。六根永斷滅起者。六謂意信等五根永斷滅起義如前說一根滅起者。一謂喜根。滅起義如前說一滅不起者。謂已知根。一起不滅者。謂具知根。如依初靜慮。依第二第三靜慮亦爾。然差別者。依第三靜慮。應說樂根起滅。
Exactly as when relying on proximate access, so too, mutatis mutandis, when relying on the meditative interval, the fourth dhyāna, or the three lower formless attainments. If one attains the fruit of arhatship relying on the first dhyāna, two faculties are permanently cut off; six faculties are permanently cut off yet also laid to rest and arisen; one faculty is laid to rest and arisen; one is laid to rest without arising, and one arises without being laid to rest. The two faculties permanently cut off are the life- and equanimity-faculties. The six faculties permanently cut off yet also laid to rest and arisen are the mind-faculty and faith with its four companions, the sense of "permanently cut off," "laid to rest," and "arisen" exactly as already explained. The one faculty laid to rest and arisen is the joy-faculty, the sense of "laid to rest" and "arisen" exactly as already explained. The one laid to rest without arising is the already-known faculty; the one that arises without being laid to rest is the faculty of complete knowledge. Exactly as when relying on the first dhyāna, so too, mutatis mutandis, when relying on the second or third dhyāna — except that, when relying on the third dhyāna, the pleasure-faculty rather than joy should be spoken of as being laid to rest and arisen.
That the life-faculty itself is finally, permanently cut off only at arhatship — after having survived every earlier fruit's own census entirely intact — is a fitting note on which this long investigation closes: even the most basic thread of continuity a being can possess turns out to be something the path eventually severs, not something any lesser attainment ever touches.
Fascicle 148 Complete
This closes fascicle 148 of Ru-Yi's translation, drawn from the treatise's true CBETA boundary. Fascicle 148 continues and concludes the Existence Nyāsa (有納息第二之二): an intricate tetralemma cross-tabulating realm-object against dharma-knowledge and class-knowledge; a candid methodological aside on why different discussions in this treatise are framed around different sets of knowledges, compared to a potter freely shaping clay; a full four-part anatomy of both dharma-knowledge and class-knowledge; a new investigation into time-liberation and immovable liberation of mind and which faculties obtain them; an exhaustive catalogue of what kind of knowledge powers the uninterrupted path at each of the four fruits; and, closing both the fascicle and the entire Existence Nyāsa, a census of which faculties are permanently cut off, laid to rest, and newly arisen at each fruit, concluding with arhatship itself. Fascicle 149 opens an entirely new nyāsa within this same Sixth Aggregate: the Contact Nyāsa (根蘊第六中觸納息第三之一), turning from existence and the fruits of the path to the sixteen kinds of contact.