Unmoved Like Sumeru

The five desirable sense-objects are: the visible form cognized by the eye that is agreeable, pleasing, and delightful, in accord with one's wishes, capable of drawing forth desire, and capable of being clung to with attachment; and so on, clear through the tangible object cognized by the body that is agreeable, pleasing, and delightful, in accord with one's wishes, capable of drawing forth desire, and capable of being clung to with attachment. Question: why is this treatise composed? Answer: in order to elucidate the meaning of a sūtra passage — for a sūtra states, "the visible form cognized by the eye that is agreeable, pleasing," and so on at length; although the sūtra speaks in this way, it does not explain the matter at length, and since the sūtra serves as the very foundation this treatise relies upon, what it leaves unexplained ought now to be explained, and it is for this reason that this treatise is composed. What is meant by the desirable sense-object of visible form cognized by the eye? Answer: whatever visible form, fettered to the desire realm, serves as the object of the craving arisen from eye-contact. What is meant by the desirable sense-object of sound cognized by the ear? Answer: whatever sound, fettered to the desire realm, serves as the object of the craving arisen from ear-contact. What is meant by the desirable sense-object of smell cognized by the nose? Answer: whatever smell serves as the object of the craving arisen from nose-contact. What is meant by the desirable sense-object of taste cognized by the tongue? Answer: whatever taste serves as the object of the craving arisen from tongue-contact. What is meant by the desirable sense-object of touch cognized by the body? Answer: whatever tangible object, fettered to the desire realm, serves as the object of the craving arisen from body-contact. Question: why is the dharma cognized by the mind not established as a desirable sense-object? Answer: only whatever serves as the object of craving is established as a desirable sense-object, and, since the dharma cognized by the mind is in some cases not the object of craving, it is not established as a desirable sense-object. Furthermore, whatever dharma serves as the object of two kinds of craving is established as a desirable sense-object — namely, the craving arisen from eye-contact

together with the craving arisen from mind-contact, and so on, clear through the craving arisen from body-contact together with the craving arisen from mind-contact — whereas the dharma cognized by the mind serves as the object of only one kind of craving, namely the craving arisen from mind-contact alone, and it is for this reason that it is not established as a desirable sense-object. Question: if so, then the visible form, sound, and tangible object of the first dhyāna ought also to be established as desirable sense-objects, since these, too, serve as the object of two kinds of craving. Answer: only whatever dharma serves as the object of two kinds of craving, where that craving is itself unwholesome, is established as a desirable sense-object — the visible form, sound, and tangible object of the first dhyāna, although they do serve as the object of two kinds of craving, are not established as desirable sense-objects, since that craving is itself neutral, just as the unwholesome and the neutral desire-realm craving, and craving for form, should likewise be distinguished. Others hold: only whatever dharma serves as the object of two kinds of craving, where that craving is itself the cause and condition of sexual desire, is established as a desirable sense-object — the visible form, sound, and tangible object of the first dhyāna, although they do serve as the object of two kinds of craving, are not the cause and condition of sexual desire, and are therefore not established as desirable sense-objects; and it is for this same reason that the dharma cognized by the mind is not established as a desirable sense-object. Furthermore, only whatever dharma is jointly enjoyed by two parties is established as a desirable sense-object, as when a woman's own continuum is enjoyed by a man, or a man's own continuum is enjoyed by a woman, and the like — the dharma cognized by the mind, not being jointly enjoyed in this way, is not established as a desirable sense-object. Furthermore, only whatever dharma has a coarse and conspicuous character that gives rise to a great deal of craving is established as a desirable sense-object — the dharma cognized by the mind, having a subtle and inconspicuous character that does not give rise to a great deal of craving, is not established as a desirable sense-object. Having now explained the self-nature, the reason for the name shall now be explained. Question: why is it called a "desirable" sense-object? Answer: because this desire is itself desirable, it is called a desirable sense-object. Question: since these are all contaminated and full of many faults, what excellent quality could they possibly have to be called "desirable"? Answer: there is, in fact, a small portion of excellent quality here as well — namely, their capacity to give rise to joy and happiness, and it is for this reason that they are called desirable. Furthermore, sensual desires are themselves base and lowly, yet those infatuated with desire embellish and exaggerate them, grasping them as pure and excellent, and so they are spoken of as "desirable." Furthermore, sensual desires are called "desirable" because they suit the mind of one who desires and craves them. Furthermore, sensual desires are called "desirable" because those infatuated with desire guard and long for them. Furthermore, this is called "desirable" because it is capable of conforming to and increasing the relish of craving and desire. The Venerable Ghoṣa states: this is called "desirable" because it is the very place where foolish, ordinary people give rise to the notion of its excellence. The Venerable Vasumitra states: this is called a desirable sense-object because it is loved, delighted in, enjoyed, and sought after by all those habituated to desire. The Venerable Buddhadeva states: sensual desires, although not excellent in the ultimate sense, are excellent in the conventional sense; although not excellent in any final sense, they are excellent for the time being — that is, they are capable of drawing forth joy and happiness for a brief while, and of setting various sufferings to rest. The Venerable Elder states: sensual desires are themselves base and inferior, yet resemble something pure and excellent, and it is for this reason that they are called "excellent" — and it is for these reasons that they are named desirable sense-objects. As a sūtra states: the venerable Kāmaka once went to where the Buddha was,

paid homage at the Buddha's feet, and said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One, when the Buddha constantly speaks of 'desire,' what matter does he intend to display by it?" The Buddha replied: "'Desire' refers precisely to the five desirable sense-objects. What are these five? Namely, the visible form cognized by the eye that is agreeable, pleasing, and delightful, in accord with one's wishes, capable of drawing forth desire, and capable of being clung to with attachment," and so on at length. Question: since desire in the ultimate sense refers to craving, why does the World-Honored One speak of visible form and the like as "desire"? Answer: because these serve as the very equipment of desire, they are named "desire" — just as one speaks of the equipment of happiness as "happiness," the equipment of defilement as "defilement," and the equipment of contamination as "contamination," the very same holds here as well. Question: how is it known that desire, in the ultimate sense, is exclusively craving? Answer: because of the Āgama — as the Venerable Śāriputra states in a verse:

"The world's excellent objects are not true desire — / true desire is a person's own discriminating craving; / the excellent objects remain in the world just as they always were, / while the wise, with respect to them, have already removed their own desire." At that time, there was a certain heretic ascetic of wrong livelihood standing not far off, who immediately challenged Śāriputra with a verse of his own:

"If the world's excellent objects are not true desire, and desire is instead said to be a person's own discriminating craving, then a monk, too, ought to be named 'one who enjoys desire,' since he still gives rise to evil discriminating thought." Śāriputra then replied to the heretic: "giving rise to evil discriminating thought is indeed rightly named 'enjoying desire.'" He then spoke a further verse to the heretic, saying:

"If the world's excellent objects were themselves true desire, and desire were instead said not to be a person's own discriminating craving, then your own teacher, too, ought to be named 'one who enjoys desire,' since he constantly gazes upon agreeable, excellent visible forms." At that, the heretic fell silent, unable to reply — and thus it is known that true desire is indeed craving, and not the object itself. A sūtra states that there are three kinds of desire-birth. The first: there are sentient beings who delight in experiencing desirable sense-objects that are already present before them, and who move about freely among such presently-existing desirable objects — this refers to human beings and a portion of the gods; "human beings" subsumes the entire human destiny, while "a portion of the gods" refers to the lower four heavens. The second: there are sentient beings who delight in experiencing desirable sense-objects that they themselves transform into being, and who move about freely among such self-transformed desirable objects — this refers to the fifth heaven, the Heaven of Delight in Transformation. The third: there are sentient beings who delight in experiencing desirable sense-objects that others transform into being for them, and who move about freely among such others-transformed desirable objects — this refers to the sixth heaven, the Heaven of Controlling Others' Emanations. Question: on what basis are these three desire-births established? Answer: the first is established on the basis of experiencing desirable objects exactly as they already presently exist;

the second is established on the basis of experiencing and delighting in self-transformed desirable objects; and the third is established on the basis of experiencing and delighting in others'-transformed desirable objects. Question: why are human beings together with the lower four heavens grouped together as a single desire-birth, while the latter two heavens are each established separately? Answer: the afflictions of human beings and the lower four heavens are coarse, while the afflictions of the latter two heavens are subtle. Furthermore, the afflictions of human beings and the lower four heavens are sharp, while the afflictions of the latter two heavens are frequent. Furthermore, the afflictions of human beings and the lower four heavens are heavy, while the afflictions of the latter two heavens are light — and it is for this reason that human beings and the lower four heavens are grouped together, while the latter two heavens are established separately. Others hold: the objects of human beings and the lower four heavens are not overwhelmingly intense, while the objects of the latter two heavens are overwhelmingly intense. Furthermore, the objects of human beings and the lower four heavens are not abundantly rich, while the objects of the latter two heavens are abundantly rich. Furthermore, the objects of human beings and the lower four heavens are not pure and excellent, while the objects of the latter two heavens are pure and excellent. Furthermore, the objects of human beings and the lower four heavens do not seize hold of the mind, while the objects of the latter two heavens do seize hold of the mind. Furthermore, the objects of human beings and the lower four heavens are incapable of intoxicating and stupefying the faculties, while the objects of the latter two heavens are capable of intoxicating and stupefying the faculties — and it is for these reasons that human beings and the lower four heavens are grouped together, while the latter two heavens are established separately. Others hold: for human beings and the lower four heavens, the path to freedom from desire lies far off, and sexual matters are difficult to put to rest, and it is for this reason that they are grouped together; for the latter two heavens, the path to freedom from desire lies near at hand, and sexual matters are easy to put to rest, and it is for this reason that they are established separately. Others hold: for human beings and the lower four heavens, sexual union is accomplished through physical contact, and it is for this reason that they are grouped together; the fifth heaven accomplishes sexual union through mutual laughter, and the sixth heaven accomplishes it through mutual gazing, and it is for this reason that each is established separately — this is stated with reference to the differing duration of the sexual act itself, using an illustrative analogy, as has already been discussed above. Others hold: human beings and the lower four heavens alike delight in experiencing objects that arise naturally, and are therefore grouped together as one; the fifth heaven alone delights in experiencing objects it has itself transformed, and the sixth heaven alone delights in experiencing objects transformed by others, and it is for this reason that each is established separately. These five desirable sense-objects are fettered only to the desire realm, and it is for this reason that they are eliminated only by the stage of proximate access.

The five precepts of training are: refraining from taking life, refraining from taking what is not given, refraining from sexual misconduct, refraining from false speech, and refraining from all intoxicating drink — these five are explained at length in the Karma Aggregate; being all fettered to the desire realm, they are eliminated only by the stage of proximate access. By which level of concentration are the six internal sense-spheres, the six external sense-spheres, the six bodies of consciousness, the six bodies of contact, the six bodies of feeling, the six bodies of perception, the six bodies of volition, and the six bodies of craving eliminated? Answer: the five internal sense-spheres, together with the external sense-spheres of visible form, sound, and touch, are eliminated by the four dhyānas or the stage of proximate access; the mental internal sense-sphere, the external sense-sphere of dharmas, mental consciousness, and their associated bodies of contact, feeling, perception, volition, and craving, are eliminated by the seven fundamental grounds or the stage of proximate access; the external sense-spheres of smell and taste, the bodies of nose- and tongue-consciousness, and their associated bodies of contact, feeling, perception, volition, and craving, are eliminated by the stage of proximate access; the bodies of eye-, ear-, and body-consciousness, and their associated bodies of contact, feeling, perception, volition, and craving, are eliminated by the first dhyāna or the stage of proximate access. Question: why does this passage compose its treatise with reference to these six categories? Answer: this is simply what the author of this treatise intended, and he composed the treatise according to that very intention — so long as it does not contradict the characteristics of the dharmas involved, no objection should be raised. Furthermore, one ought not even to ask about the author's own intention here, since this is simply what the sūtra itself states — the Buddha, throughout his sūtras, repeatedly speaks of these various six-fold categories without explaining them at length, and since the sūtra serves as the very foundation this treatise relies upon, what it leaves unexplained ought now to be explained, and it is for this reason that this treatise is composed. Question: setting aside the author's own intention, why does the Buddha's own sūtra speak of these six-fold categories in the first place? Answer: some hold: it is in order to display the five aggregates and their own cause — that is, speaking of the first five internal sense-spheres, the first five external sense-spheres, and a portion of the dharma-sense-sphere displays the aggregate of form; speaking of the six bodies of feeling and a portion of the dharma-sense-sphere displays the aggregate of feeling; speaking of the six bodies of perception and a portion of the dharma-sense-sphere displays the aggregate of perception; speaking of the six bodies of contact and a portion of the dharma-sense-sphere displays the aggregate of formations; speaking of the six bodies of consciousness and the mental sense-sphere displays the aggregate of consciousness; and speaking of the six bodies of volition and the six bodies of craving displays the cause of the five aggregates — as a sūtra states, karma is the cause of birth and craving is the cause of its arising, and this very arising is precisely the acquired five aggregates. Others hold: it is in order to display the three kinds of accumulation — karma, affliction, and suffering — that is, speaking of the six bodies of volition displays the accumulation of karma; speaking of the six bodies of craving displays the accumulation of affliction; and speaking of the remaining six categories displays the accumulation of suffering. Just as this displays the three accumulations of karma and the rest, so too does it display the three kinds of arising of karma and the rest, and the three courses of karma and the rest should likewise be understood in the same way. The self-nature of each of these six-fold categories has already been explained in the Miscellaneous Aggregate and elsewhere. Now, the first five internal sense-spheres, together with the external sense-spheres of visible form, sound, and touch, are all fettered to five grounds, and are therefore eliminated by the four dhyānas or the stage of proximate access. That fettered to the desire realm is eliminated by the stage of proximate access; and so on clear through that fettered to the fourth dhyāna, which is eliminated by the four dhyānas' own stage of proximate access, the meditative interval, or the proximate-access ground of the sphere of infinite space. As for the concentration spoken of in this passage, some hold that it refers to the uncontaminated concentration alone; others hold that it refers to both the contaminated and uncontaminated concentration together, to be distinguished exactly as explained above. As for the "elimination" spoken of, if it refers to generic-type elimination, then the term "stage of proximate access" here subsumes the stage of proximate access, the meditative interval, and the four upper proximate-access grounds, and, within the stage of proximate access, subsumes both the contaminated and the uncontaminated, since this is capable of eliminating the five internal sense-spheres and the external sense-spheres of visible form, sound, and touch fettered to the desire realm clear through the fourth dhyāna. If it refers to final elimination, then the term "stage of proximate access" here subsumes the stage of proximate access, the meditative interval, and the proximate-access ground of the sphere of infinite space, and, within the stage of proximate access, subsumes only the uncontaminated,

since this is capable of eliminating the five internal sense-spheres and the external sense-spheres of visible form, sound, and touch fettered to the fourth dhyāna. It is for this reason that it is said that they are eliminated by the four dhyānas or the stage of proximate access. The mental internal sense-sphere, the external sense-sphere of dharmas, mental consciousness, and their associated bodies of contact, feeling, perception, volition, and craving are all fettered to all nine grounds,

or are unfettered. Those fettered to all nine grounds are eliminated by the seven fundamental grounds or the stage of proximate access. That fettered to the desire realm is eliminated by the stage of proximate access; and so on clear through that fettered to the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, which is eliminated by the seven fundamental grounds' own stage of proximate access and the meditative interval. As for the concentration spoken of in this passage, some hold that it refers to the uncontaminated alone; others hold that it refers to both the contaminated and uncontaminated, to be distinguished exactly as explained above. As for the "elimination" spoken of,

if it refers to generic-type elimination, then the term "stage of proximate access" here subsumes the stage of proximate access, the meditative interval, and the seven upper proximate-access grounds,

and, within the stage of proximate access, subsumes both the contaminated and the uncontaminated, since this is capable of eliminating the mental sense-sphere and the rest fettered to the desire realm clear through the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. If it refers to final elimination, then the term "stage of proximate access" here subsumes the stage of proximate access and the meditative interval, and, within the stage of proximate access, subsumes only the uncontaminated, since this is capable of eliminating the mental sense-sphere and the rest fettered to the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. It is for this reason that it is said that they are eliminated by the seven fundamental grounds or the stage of proximate access. The external sense-spheres of smell and taste, the bodies of nose- and tongue-consciousness, and their associated bodies of contact, feeling, perception, volition, and craving, are all fettered to the desire realm, and are therefore eliminated only by the stage of proximate access. The bodies of eye-, ear-, and body-consciousness, and their associated bodies of contact, feeling, perception, volition, and craving, are all fettered to two grounds, and are therefore eliminated by the first dhyāna or the stage of proximate access. That fettered to the desire realm is eliminated by the stage of proximate access; that fettered to the first dhyāna is eliminated by the first dhyāna's own stage of proximate access, the meditative interval, or the second dhyāna's own proximate-access ground. As for the concentration spoken of in this passage,

some hold that it refers to the uncontaminated alone; others hold that it refers to both the contaminated and uncontaminated, to be distinguished exactly as explained above. As for the "elimination" spoken of, some hold that it refers to generic-type elimination; others hold that it refers to final elimination, each to be distinguished accordingly, exactly as explained above. It is for this reason that it is said that they are eliminated by the first dhyāna or the stage of proximate access.

By which level of concentration are the seven abodes of consciousness, the eight worldly dharmas, the nine abodes of beings, and the ten courses of action eliminated? Answer: the first abode of consciousness, the eight worldly dharmas, the first abode of beings, and the ten courses of action are eliminated by the stage of proximate access; the second abode of consciousness and abode of beings are eliminated by the first dhyāna or the stage of proximate access; the third abode of consciousness and abode of beings are eliminated by the second dhyāna or the stage of proximate access; the fourth abode of consciousness and abode of beings are eliminated by the third dhyāna or the stage of proximate access; the fifth abode of beings is eliminated by the fourth dhyāna or the stage of proximate access; the fifth abode of consciousness and the sixth abode of beings are eliminated by the fifth ground or the stage of proximate access; the sixth abode of consciousness and the seventh abode of beings are eliminated by the sixth ground or the stage of proximate access; and the seventh abode of consciousness and the eighth and ninth abodes of beings are eliminated by the seven fundamental grounds or the stage of proximate access. The seven abodes of consciousness are explained at length in the Great Elements Aggregate. Among these, the first abode of consciousness is fettered only to the desire realm, and is therefore eliminated only by the stage of proximate access; the second abode of consciousness is fettered to the first dhyāna, and is therefore eliminated by the first dhyāna's own stage of proximate access, the meditative interval, or the second dhyāna's own proximate-access ground; the third abode of consciousness is fettered to the second dhyāna, and is therefore eliminated by the first two dhyānas' own

stage of proximate access, the meditative interval, or the third dhyāna's own proximate-access ground; the fourth abode of consciousness is fettered to the third dhyāna, and is therefore eliminated by the first three dhyānas' own stage of proximate access, the meditative interval, or the fourth dhyāna's own proximate-access ground; the fifth abode of consciousness is fettered to the sphere of infinite space, and is therefore eliminated by the five fundamental grounds' own stage of proximate access, the meditative interval, or the proximate-access ground of the sphere of infinite consciousness; the sixth abode of consciousness is fettered to the sphere of infinite consciousness, and is therefore eliminated by the six fundamental grounds' own stage of proximate access, the meditative interval, or the proximate-access ground of the sphere of nothing-at-all; the seventh abode of consciousness is fettered to the sphere of nothing-at-all, and is therefore eliminated by the seven fundamental grounds' own stage of proximate access, the meditative interval, or the proximate-access ground of the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. As for the concentration spoken of in this passage, some hold that it refers to the uncontaminated alone; others hold that it refers to both the contaminated and uncontaminated, to be distinguished exactly as explained above. As for the "elimination" spoken of, there is here no difference at all between the two accounts of generic-type elimination and final elimination, since each abode of consciousness here is fettered to only a single ground.

The eight worldly dharmas are: first, gain; second, loss; third, fame; fourth, disrepute; fifth, praise; sixth, blame; seventh, pleasure; and eighth, pain. Question: why is this treatise composed? Answer: in order to refute other schools' positions and to make plain our own — that is, the Vibhajyavādin masters and the masters of the Mahāsāṃghika school maintain that the Buddha's own physical body is an uncontaminated dharma. Why do they hold this view? It is on the basis of a sūtra passage, for a sūtra states that the Tathāgata, arising in the world and abiding in the world, appearing in the world, is not defiled by worldly dharmas — and it is on this basis that they maintain that the Buddha's own physical body is an uncontaminated dharma. They further maintain that, since the Buddha has eternally severed every affliction together with its habitual trace, how could his physical body possibly still be contaminated? This treatise is composed precisely in order to refute their position and to make plain that the Buddha's own physical body is simply contaminated, and is by no means an uncontaminated dharma. Question: how is it known that the Buddha's own physical body is a contaminated dharma? Answer: as a sūtra states,

"Monks, you should know: covered over by ignorance and bound by the fetter of craving, the foolish, ordinary person acquires a body endowed with consciousness — and the very same holds true even for the wise" — and since the Buddha's own physical body, too, is precisely the fruit of ignorance and craving, it is thereby known not to be an uncontaminated dharma. A sūtra further states that ten sense-spheres, together with a portion of two others, are contaminated, and it is by this that it is known the Buddha's own physical body is definitely contaminated. Furthermore, were the Buddha's own physical body uncontaminated, then the woman of unrivaled beauty ought not to have given rise to lust, Aṅgulimāla ought not to have given rise to hatred, Uruvilvā-Kāśyapa ought not to have given rise to delusion, and the proud brahmin ought not to have given rise to conceit — yet, since the Buddha's own physical body did indeed give rise to lust, hatred, delusion, and conceit in others, it is thereby known that it is definitely contaminated. Question: if so, then how is the sūtra passage cited by our opponents to be reconciled? Answer: that sūtra speaks with an implicit intention of the Buddha's own dharma-body — that is, "the Tathāgata, arising in the world and abiding in the world" refers to the Buddha's own physical body appearing in the world, while "not defiled by worldly dharmas" refers to the Buddha's own dharma-body. Furthermore, "worldly dharmas" refers precisely to the eight worldly dharmas — since the Tathāgata is not defiled by the eight worldly dharmas, the passage speaks of his being undefiled by worldly dharmas, which does not mean he is thereby uncontaminated. That is, the eight worldly dharmas accord with the sentient beings of the world, and the sentient beings of the world likewise accord with the eight worldly dharmas — the eight worldly dharmas accord with the Tathāgata, yet the Tathāgata does not accord with the eight worldly dharmas, and it is for this reason that it is said that the Tathāgata is not defiled by worldly dharmas. Furthermore, the Tathāgata is free of the eight worldly dharmas, and so the passage speaks of his being undefiled, which does not mean he is thereby uncontaminated. Question: the Tathāgata, too, does experience the eight worldly dharmas — why, then, does the passage speak of his being "free" of them? As for gain: as when the householder Ugra, in a single day, offered the Buddha three hundred thousand garments, and, at that same time, the physician-king Jīvaka and eighty others each offered the Buddha, in a single day, a hundred thousand pairs of fine silk robes. As for loss: as when the Buddha, on one occasion, put on his robe, took up his bowl, and entered the brahmin village of Śāla to beg for alms, entering with an empty bowl and leaving with an empty bowl still. As for fame: at the time of the Buddha's birth, he was said to be renowned clear up to the Heaven of Controlling Others' Emanations; at the time of his attainment of unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, he was said to be renowned clear up to the Akaniṣṭha heaven; and at the time of his first turning of the wheel of the Dharma, he was said to be renowned clear up to the Brahmā heaven. As for disrepute: as when the Buddha, on one occasion, was slandered by the brahmin woman Cañcā, and, on another occasion, was the subject of an evil rumor spread throughout the sixteen great kingdoms because of the woman Sundarī. As for blame: as when the ill-spoken brahmin Bhāradvāja cursed the Buddha to his face with five hundred verses.

As for praise: as when that same brahmin, seeing that the Buddha's own countenance remained utterly unchanged, then gave rise to pure faith, and, in turn, praised the Buddha to his face with five hundred verses; the Venerable Śāriputra, too, with numerous verses, praised the Buddha's own unsurpassed excellent qualities to his face; the Venerable Ānanda, too, with numerous verses, praised the Buddha's own rare and wondrous Dharma to his face; and, likewise, Upāli, Vaṅgīsa, Nīrabhūti, and other great treatise-masters all praised the Buddha to his face with hundreds of thousands of verses. As for pleasure: the Buddha possessed an excellent bodily and mental pleasure, together with a pliancy and bliss, that no other sentient being could ever match. As for pain: the World-Honored One, too, suffered back pain and headaches, was wounded in the foot by a kaṭhira-thorn, and had his toe cut and bleeding by a flying splinter of stone — all such things, too, the World-Honored One indeed experienced. Why, then, does the passage speak of his being "free" of them? Answer: it is because none of these things is capable of causing the Buddha to become defiled that he is called "free" of them — that is, the Buddha, the World-Honored One, although he encounters the four dharmas of gain and the like, his mind never becomes elated; and although he suffers the four dharmas of loss and the like, his mind never becomes despondent. Furthermore, although he encounters the four dharmas of gain and the like, his mind never becomes exhilarated; and although he suffers the four dharmas of loss and the like, his mind never becomes grieved. Furthermore, although he encounters the four dharmas of gain and the like, his mind, being undefiled, does give rise to joy; and although he suffers the four dharmas of loss and the like, his mind, being free of hatred, does give rise to a kind of sorrow. Furthermore, although he encounters the four dharmas of gain and the like, he never gives rise to craving; and although he suffers the four dharmas of loss and the like, he never gives rise to aversion. It is just as with the sovereign Mount Sumeru, resting upon its golden wheel: the fierce winds of the eight directions cannot cause it to sway — and the World-Honored One is exactly the same, abiding securely upon the golden wheel of moral discipline, unmoved by the world's own eight winds. It is for this reason that he is said to be undefiled by worldly dharmas — this does not mean that his physical body is thereby uncontaminated, and it is said to be undefiled in this sense alone. Question: since the Tathāgata has eternally severed every affliction together with its habitual trace, how can it then be said that he is contaminated? Answer: although every contaminant within his own person has been eternally severed, he is nevertheless still capable of increasing the contaminants within another person's own body; and, moreover, since his own body arose from contaminants in a prior time, he is said to be contaminated — and it is for this reason that this treatise is composed, precisely in order to refute other schools' positions and to make plain our own. Here, "gain" is of two kinds: gain of the animate, and gain of the inanimate. Gain of the animate refers to acquiring elephants, horses, cattle, sheep, wives, children, servants, and the like; gain of the inanimate refers to acquiring gold, silver, and other treasures, garments, and the like. "Loss" refers simply to failing to acquire either of these two kinds. "Fame" refers to praise spoken in one's absence; "disrepute" refers to censure spoken in one's absence; "praise" refers to praise spoken to one's face; and "blame" refers to censure spoken to one's face. "Pleasure" refers to bodily and mental pleasure belonging to the desire realm; others hold that it refers exclusively to the pleasure associated with the five sense-consciousnesses. "Pain" refers to bodily and mental pain belonging to the desire realm; others hold that it refers exclusively to the pain associated with the five sense-consciousnesses. Question: how many elements, sense-spheres, and aggregates subsume these eight worldly dharmas? Answer: gain of the animate is subsumed under seventeen elements, eleven sense-spheres, and five aggregates, excluding sound, since sound is not something one continuously possesses, and belongs properly to the animate being itself. Gain of the inanimate is subsumed under four elements, four sense-spheres, and one aggregate — namely, the elements and sense-spheres of visible form, smell, taste, and touch, and the aggregate of form. Loss, fame, disrepute, praise, blame, pleasure, and pain are subsumed under two elements, two sense-spheres, and three aggregates — namely, the elements and sense-spheres of sound and dharmas, and the aggregates of form, feeling, and formations. Here, loss is subsumed under the dharma-element, the dharma-sense-sphere, and the aggregate of formations, since loss consists precisely in non-possession; fame, disrepute, praise, and blame are subsumed under the element and sense-sphere of sound and the aggregate of form; and pleasure and pain are subsumed under the dharma-element, the dharma-sense-sphere, and the aggregate of feeling. If the eight worldly dharmas are spoken of as a whole, then they are subsumed under all eighteen elements, twelve sense-spheres, and five aggregates. Others hold: both gain and loss alike are subsumed under all eighteen elements, twelve sense-spheres, and five aggregates, since both what is acquired and what is not acquired extend equally across all eighteen elements and the rest,

the rest being exactly as explained above. Others hold: both gain and loss alike are subsumed under the dharma-element, the dharma-sense-sphere, and the aggregate of formations, since gain and loss have, as their very essence, the nature of possession and non-possession respectively, the rest being exactly as explained above. Question: why are these eight called "worldly dharmas"? Answer: because the sentient beings of the world accord with them, they are named worldly dharmas — when the sentient beings of the world encounter the four dharmas of gain and the like, their minds become elated; and when they suffer the four dharmas of loss and the like, their minds become despondent. Furthermore, when they encounter the four dharmas of gain and the like, their minds become exhilarated; and when they suffer the four dharmas of loss and the like, their minds become grieved.

Furthermore, when they encounter the four dharmas of gain and the like, their minds, being defiled, give rise to joy; and when they suffer the four dharmas of loss and the like, their minds, being filled with hatred, give rise to sorrow. Furthermore, when they encounter the four dharmas of gain and the like, their minds give rise to craving; and when they suffer the four dharmas of loss and the like, their minds give rise to aversion — and it is for these reasons that these eight are named worldly dharmas. Since the Tathāgata's own mind does not accord with these, it is said that he is not defiled by worldly dharmas. Question: since śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, too, have severed craving and aversion, they, too, do not accord with these eight dharmas — why, then, does the passage not say the same of them? Answer: because their case is not fixed and certain — that is, some among them remain entirely undefiled, such as the unshakeable type of arhat, while others still retain a kind of defilement, such as the liable-to-regress type and the like. Furthermore, the two vehicles still retain a kind of resembling dharma — that is, although an arhat has indeed severed craving and aversion, he still retains a residual habitual trace resembling craving and aversion. For instance, two arhats, both alike non-time-liberated, may dwell together in the very same place, and yet one of them receives abundant veneration, support, and renown, while the other receives none — the one who receives it then displays something resembling self-elevation, as though possessed of joy and craving, while the one who receives none then displays something resembling self-deprecation, as though possessed of sorrow and grief — and it is for this reason that they are not said to be undefiled by worldly dharmas. Only the Buddha has eternally uprooted the habitual trace of craving and aversion — even were every sentient being in existence to obtain every excellent benefit, veneration, and renown, while the Tathāgata himself obtained not the slightest portion of it, he would never display self-deprecation, as though possessed of sorrow and grief, still less its very opposite, a burst of celebratory delight; and even were the Buddha alone to obtain every excellent benefit, veneration, and renown, while every other sentient being obtained not the slightest portion of it, he would never display self-elevation, as though possessed of joy and craving, but would instead give rise only to compassionate solicitude — and it is for this reason that the Buddha alone is said to be truly undefiled by worldly dharmas. Furthermore, the Buddha, the World-Honored One, upon gaining, does not become elated, since the habitual trace of arrogance has been severed; upon losing, does not become despondent, since he delights in seclusion; upon gaining fame, does not become exhilarated, since the habitual trace of craving has been severed; upon suffering disrepute, does not become grieved, since he has attained fearlessness; upon receiving praise, does not give rise to joy, since the habitual trace of pride has been severed; upon receiving blame, does not give rise to sorrow, since he abides in the emptiness-concentration; upon experiencing pleasure, does not give rise to craving, since he abides in the wishlessness-concentration; and upon experiencing pain, does not give rise to aversion, since he abides in the signlessness-concentration. These eight worldly dharmas are fettered only to the desire realm, and are therefore eliminated only by the stage of proximate access.

The nine abodes of beings are explained at length in the Great Elements Aggregate. Among these, the elimination-level of seven of them is exactly as explained for the seven abodes of consciousness above. The fifth abode of beings is fettered to the fourth dhyāna, and is therefore eliminated by the four dhyānas' own stage of proximate access, the meditative interval, or the proximate-access ground of the sphere of infinite space. The ninth abode of beings is fettered to the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, and is therefore eliminated by the seven fundamental grounds' own stage of proximate access and the meditative interval. As for the concentration spoken of in this passage, some hold that it refers to the uncontaminated alone; others hold that it refers to both the contaminated and uncontaminated, to be distinguished exactly as explained above. Here, too, there is no difference at all between the two accounts of generic-type elimination and final elimination, since each abode of beings here is fettered to only a single ground. The ten courses of action are explained at length in the Karma Aggregate.

Among these, the ten unwholesome courses of action are fettered only to the desire realm, and are therefore eliminated only by the stage of proximate access. The first seven wholesome courses of action are fettered to five grounds, or are unfettered. That fettered to the desire realm is eliminated by the stage of proximate access; and so on clear through that fettered to the fourth dhyāna, which is eliminated by the four dhyānas' own stage of proximate access, the meditative interval, or the proximate-access ground of the sphere of infinite space. The last three wholesome courses of action are fettered to all nine grounds, or are unfettered. That fettered to the desire realm is eliminated by the stage of proximate access; and so on clear through that fettered to the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, which is eliminated by the seven fundamental grounds' own stage of proximate access

and the meditative interval. Here, however, since the passage speaks of the wholesome courses of action fettered to the desire realm as the proximate antidote for the unwholesome courses of action, it therefore says only that they are eliminated by the stage of proximate access.

By which level of concentration are the four dhyānas, the four immeasurables, the four formless attainments, the eight liberations, the eight bases of vanquishing, and the ten totality-bases eliminated? Answer: the first dhyāna is eliminated by the first dhyāna or the stage of proximate access; the second dhyāna, together with the immeasurable of joy, the first two liberations, and the first four bases of vanquishing, is eliminated by the second dhyāna or the stage of proximate access; the third dhyāna is eliminated by the third dhyāna or the stage of proximate access; the fourth dhyāna, together with the three remaining immeasurables, the pure liberation, the last four bases of vanquishing, and the first eight totality-bases, is eliminated by the four dhyānas or the stage of proximate access; the sphere of infinite space, together with its own liberation and totality-base, is eliminated by the five fundamental grounds or the stage of proximate access; the sphere of infinite consciousness, together with its own liberation and totality-base, is eliminated by the six fundamental grounds or the stage of proximate access; and the last two formless spheres, together with the last three liberations, are eliminated by the seven fundamental grounds or the stage of proximate access. The four dhyānas clear through the ten totality-bases are explained at length elsewhere. Each of the four dhyānas is fettered to its own ground, or is unfettered. That fettered to its own ground is eliminated by the fundamental level of the ground immediately below it, the stage of proximate access, the meditative interval, or the proximate-access ground immediately above it. As for the concentration spoken of here, whether contaminated or uncontaminated, it should be distinguished exactly as explained above. As for the "elimination" spoken of, there is here no difference at all between the two accounts of generic-type elimination and final elimination, since each dhyāna here is fettered to only a single ground. Among the four immeasurables, the immeasurable of joy is fettered to the first two dhyānas, and is therefore eliminated by the first two dhyānas or the stage of proximate access; the remaining three immeasurables are fettered to four grounds, and are therefore eliminated by the four dhyānas or the stage of proximate access, the distinctions among these to be worked out accordingly, exactly as explained above. As for the concentration spoken of here, whether contaminated or uncontaminated, it should be distinguished exactly as explained above. As for the "elimination" spoken of, some hold that it refers to generic-type elimination; others hold that it refers to final elimination, each to be distinguished accordingly, exactly as explained above — though it should be understood that, within the stage of proximate access, only the uncontaminated is ever subsumed here. Among the four formless attainments, the first three formless spheres are each fettered to their own ground, or are unfettered. That fettered to its own ground is eliminated by the fundamental level of the ground immediately below it, the stage of proximate access, the meditative interval, or the proximate-access ground immediately above it. The last formless sphere is fettered only to its own ground, and is therefore eliminated by the seven fundamental grounds' own stage of proximate access and the meditative interval. As for the concentration spoken of here, whether contaminated or uncontaminated, it should be distinguished exactly as explained above — though, for this last formless sphere, only the uncontaminated concentration is ever intended. As for the "elimination" spoken of, there is here, too, no difference at all between the two accounts of generic-type elimination and final elimination, since each of these, too, is fettered to only a single ground. Among the eight liberations, the first two liberations should be understood exactly as explained for the immeasurable of joy above; the liberations of the lower three formless spheres should be understood exactly as explained for the lower three formless spheres above; and the last two liberations should be understood exactly as explained for the fourth formless sphere above. The pure liberation is fettered to the ground of the fourth dhyāna, and is therefore eliminated by the four dhyānas' own stage of proximate access, the meditative interval, or the proximate-access ground of the sphere of infinite space — the concentration and elimination spoken of here should be understood exactly as explained for the fourth dhyāna above. Among the eight bases of vanquishing, the first four bases of vanquishing should be understood exactly as explained for the first two liberations above, and the last four bases of vanquishing should be understood exactly as explained for the pure liberation above. Among the ten totality-bases, the first eight totality-bases should be understood exactly as explained for the last four bases of vanquishing above; the totality-base of the sphere of infinite space, being fettered only to its own ground, is eliminated by the five fundamental grounds' own stage of proximate access, the meditative interval, or the proximate-access ground of the sphere of infinite consciousness; and the totality-base of the sphere of infinite consciousness, likewise being fettered only to its own ground, is eliminated by the six fundamental grounds' own stage of proximate access, the meditative interval, or the proximate-access ground of the sphere of nothing-at-all. As for the concentration spoken of here, whether contaminated or uncontaminated, it should be distinguished exactly as explained above. As for the "elimination" spoken of, there is here, too, no difference at all between the two accounts of generic-type elimination and final elimination, since each of these, too, is fettered only to its own ground.

By which level of concentration are the knowledge of others' minds and mundane wisdom eliminated? Answer: the knowledge of others' minds is eliminated by the four dhyānas or the stage of proximate access; mundane wisdom is eliminated by the seven fundamental grounds or the stage of proximate access. The knowledge of others' minds and mundane wisdom are both explained at length elsewhere. The knowledge of others' minds is fettered to four grounds, or is unfettered. That fettered to the first dhyāna is eliminated by the first dhyāna's own stage of proximate access, the meditative interval, or the second dhyāna's own proximate-access ground; and so on clear through that fettered to the fourth dhyāna, which is eliminated by the four dhyānas' own stage of proximate access, the meditative interval, or the proximate-access ground of the sphere of infinite space. As for the concentration spoken of here, whether contaminated or uncontaminated, it should be distinguished exactly as explained above. As for the "elimination" spoken of, some hold that it refers to generic-type elimination; others hold that it refers to final elimination, each to be distinguished accordingly, exactly as explained above. Mundane wisdom is fettered to all nine grounds. That fettered to the desire realm is eliminated by the stage of proximate access; and so on clear through that fettered to the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, which is eliminated by the seven fundamental grounds' own stage of proximate access and the meditative interval. As for the concentration and elimination spoken of here, both should be distinguished accordingly, exactly as explained above. It is for this reason that it is said that they are eliminated by the seven fundamental grounds or the stage of proximate access.