the cultivation (bhdvand) of the samddhi which is the cultivation of the samddhi, the pradhdnas, and the smrtyupasthdnas ["cultivation" is
understood
in the sense of parifuddhi, paripuri].
AbhidharmakosabhasyamVol-4VasubandhuPoussinPruden1991
The Third in the last Dhyana.
The Third Deliverance can only be cultivated in the Fourth Dhyana.
32d. It is the absence of desire.
It is by nature the root of good absence of desire, not a meditation on loathsome things; in fact it takes for its object a thing that it considers as good: it therefore has the aspect of something good.
***
These three Deliverances, with the dharmas that are associated with them, are the five skandhas. As for the Deliverances of Arupyadhatu:
32d. They are good Arupyas and absorption.
The Third to the Seventh Deliverances are the good arupyas,
attachment to
? that is, they are pure or undefiled (viii. 5), and they pertain to
absorption (samahita), but not the drupya that is produced at the 182
According to others, the mind and mental states produced by retribution among beings born in Arupyadhatu are not concen- trated.
The name of "Deliverance" is also given to the Path of Deliverance (Vimuktimarga) of the prefatory stages of the absorptions of Arupyadhatu (drupyasdmantakasamdpatti, viii. 22), but not to the Irresistable Path (the path of abandoning, Anantaryamarga) of these same prefatory stages: for these have for their object the lower sphere that they abandon, and the Deliverances receive their name from the fact that they turn away
183
33a. The absorption of extinction {nirodhasamapatti).
The Absorption of Extinction, or more fully the absorption of
end of life [viii. l6c, note 103].
from the lower sphere.
the extinction of ideas and sensations (samjnaveditanirodhasamd- 184
patti) is the Eighth Deliverance. We have already mentioned it.
It is called ''Deliverance'* because it turns away from ideas
(samjnd) and sensations {vedita = vedand)\ or rather because it
185
turns away from all conditioned things.
186 deliverances because they deliver one from the obstacles to
187
***
The absorption of extinction is realized
According to others, the Eight Deliverances
are called
absorption.
33b. Immediately after a subtle-subtle mind.
The Absorptions 1273
? 1274 Chapter Eight
A mind in Bhavagra (=Naivasamjnanasamjnayatana), which
belongs to the ascetic who is in a position to realize the absorption
of extinction, is subtle in comparison with any mind associated
m
with ideas (samjna). "Subtle-subtle'* (suksmasuksma) signifies a
mind more subtle, but yet one which enters the absorption of extinction [that is to say, "upon which there immediately succeeds .
? ? "]?
The absorption of extinction comes to an end when there
appears either a pure mind (viii. 5) of the sphere of Bhavagra, the
Fourth Arupya--the sphere to which the absorption of extinction
belongs--or an Aryan, that is, an undefiled mind of the sphere of
the Third Arupya. Then there is entry into the absorption of
extinction by a defiled mind, and going out by a defiled or undefiled
190
mind.
33c-d. Going out into a pure mind of the sphere of the same absorption, or into a lower Aryan mind.
***
What is the object of the Deliverances?
34a. The first ones have for their object the visible things of Kamadhatu.
The first three Deliverances have for their object the physical matter (rupayatana) of Kamadhatu, unpleasant physical matter in the first two, pleasant physical matter in the Third.
34b. As for those that are non-material, all that which belongs to the Knowledge, the Suffering of their sphere and of a higher sphere, etc.
? The Deliverances of Arupyadhatu have for their object the
191
extinction of this Suffering, the totality of Non-dual Knowledge
Suffering of their sphere and a higher sphere,
(anvayajndna), the extinction not attained through conscious effort
192 m (apratisamkhydnirodha) and space (dkdsa).
***
We have seen (32a-c) that the first two Deliverances belong to the first two Dhyanas, that the Third Deliverance belongs to the Fourth Dhy&na. Why is there no Deliverance in the Third Dhyana?
Since body consciousness is absent in the Second Dhyana, there is no craving for the visible things of this Dhyana [which should be opposed in the Third Dhyana], because the Third Dhyana is "agitated by its excellent pleasures".
But if there is no craving for visible things in the Third Dhyana, what purpose does the ascetic pursue in producing the Third Deliverance [which is a meditation on an agreeable physical object]?
The ascetic should gladden his mind which the meditation on loathsome things has depressed; or rather he should take into consideration his achievement or his lack of achievement. He asks himself if the first two Deliverances have been achieved or not. If, in his contemplation on an agreeable object (the Third Deliver- ance), defilements do not arise, then the first two Deliverances
194
have been achieved. In fact the ascetic cultivates the Deliveran-
ces, the Dominent Ayatanas, etc. , with a twofold purpose: 1) to remove, to render more distant, the defilements; and 2) to obtain mastery in absorption. This mastery has for its result the production of the qualities, such as Absence of Contention (Arana), etc. , and the production of the supernormal powers (rddhi) of the Aryans: the supernormal power by which a saint
the cause and the
? 1276 Chapter Eight
transforms objects or causes them to last, by which he gives up his
195
life, etc.
***
Why does the Sutra use the expression "having experienced [through the body] ([kdyena] sdksdtkrtvd) in the definition of only
196
the Third and the Eighth Deliverances?
It is because of their excellence and because they are found to
197
35a. The Dominant Ayatanas {abhibhvayatanas) are eight
exist in the final sphere of the two Dhatus.
#*#
in number.
198
1. There is the idea of internal physical matter,
199
and there is
the seeing of a small amount of external attractive and unattractive
physical matter: [at this time there is the thought, "I have
succeeded in (abhibhuya) in knowing all of the rupas, I have
200
succeeded in seeing all of the rupas. This is the First Dominant
Ayatana. ] 2. There is the idea of internal physical matter, and there is the seeing of an unlimited amount of external physical matter. 3. There is an absence of any idea of internal physical matter, but there is the seeing of a small amount of external physical matter. 4. There is an absence of any idea of internal physical matter, but there is the seeing of a large amount of external physical matter. These are the first four Dominant Ayatanas.
5-8. There is an absence of any idea of physical matter, but there is the seeing of external blue, yellow, red, and white. These make a total of eight.
35b. Two are like the First Deliverance.
? The first two Dominant Ayatanas are similar to the First Deliverance.
35c. The following two are like the Second.
The Third and the Fourth Dominant Ayatanas are like the Second Deliverance.
35d. And the last four are like the Third Deliverance.
And the last four are like the Third Deliverance.
What is the difference between the Deliverances and the Dominant Ayatanas?
Through the Deliverances, one is only "delivered", but through the Dominant Ayatanas, one attains domination of their object. This domination includes the view of the object as one desires and
201 the absence of any defilement provoked by the object.
***
36a. There are ten All-Encompassing Ayatanas (krtsnaya- 202
tanas)
They are called all-encompassing'' (krtsna) because they 203
embrace their object in its totality and exclusively.
They are ten in number: this is the totality of earth, water, fire, and wind; blue, yellow, red, and white; plus the uninterrupted dyatanas (anantydyatanas) of space and consciousness (the First and the Second Absorptions of Arupyadhatu).
36b. Eight are the absence of desire.
? 1278 Chapter Eight
The first eight are, by nature, the root of good which is absence of desire:(with their concomitant dharmas, they are the five skandhas).
36c. They belong to the last Dhyana.
They are realized by an ascetic in the Fourth Dhyana.
36d. They have Kamadhatu for their object.
They refer to the visible things (rupayatana) of Kamadhatu.
However some think that the Fourth, the All-Encompassing Ayatana of Wind {vdyukrtsndyatana) has for its object the tangible thing that is called the wind element (vdyudhdtu). Some think that the first four have tangible things for their object, while the last
204 four have visible things for their object.
36e. Two are pure drupya.
The last two are pure absorptions of Ampyadhatu.
36f. They have the four skandhas of their sphere for their object.
Their objects are the four skandhas of the sphere to which they belong (the First and Second absorptions of Ampyadhatu).
***
The Eight Dominant Ayatanas have the Eight Deliverances for their "entry" and the Ten All-Encompassing Ayatanas have the
? Eight Dominant Ayatanas for their entry: the following, in fact, are superior to the preceding ones.
All these qualities can have the mental series of a Prthagjana or the mental series of an Aryan for their support, with the exception of the Deliverance of Extinction (nirodhavimoksa) which can only be produced by Aryans.
***
(Concerning the acquisition of these qualities and the persons who can produce them:)
37a. Extinction has been explained.
All of the types of the Deliverance of Extinction have been previously mentioned.
37b. The others are obtained either through detachment or through cultivation.
The qualities other than the Deliverance of Extinction are obtained either through detachment (vairagya) or through cultivation (prayoga) accordingly as they have been, or have not been, habitually cultivated.
37d-c. The qualities of Arupyadhatu are obtained by beings of the Three Dhatus; the others, only by humans.
The Deliverances and the All-Encompassing Ayatanas of Arupyadhatu are cultivated by beings born in any of the Three Dhatus. But only humans can cultivate the other absorptions,--the three Deliverances, the Eight Dominant Ayatanas, and eight
The Absorptions 1279
? 1280 Chapter Eight
All-Encompassing Ayatanas,--because these absorptions arise through the power of the Teaching.
If this is the case, how can beings born in the spheres {bhumi) of Rupadhatu and Arupyadhatu realize the dhydna and arupya absorptions higher than the spheres in which they are born?
They can do this be reason of the power of cause, of actions {karma), and the nature of things {dharmata).
38a-b. In two spheres, it is through the power of cause and of action {karma) that one produces the absorptions of
205
In Rupadhatu and in the lower spheres of Arupyadhatu, the higher absorptions of Arupyadhatu arise through the power of
206
world,
209 210 they are produced through the force of dharmata. In
Arupyadhatu.
cause,
existence, closely and intensively cultivated.
through the power of action {karma), that is to say, by reason of the imminent retribution of a previous action of the category "to be retributed later," including a sphere of retribution higher than that (Rupadhatu or the lower spheres of Arupyadhatu) in which one is born. This is because someone who is not detached from a
208
38c-d. In Rupadhatu, it is through these two powers, and also by reason of the nature of things, that one produces the dhyanas.
Beings born in a lower stage of Rupadhatu produce dhyanas
higher than the stages in which they have been born because of the
two powers described above. Also, at the period at the end of the
when they have been, in the course of a previous
lower sphere cannot be reborn in a higher sphere.
this period, all the beings of lower spheres produce higher
dhyanas, for the efficacy of good dharmas becomes fully develo-
211
ped.
207
They also arise
? How long will the Good Law (saddharma) of the Blessed One last, during which time these different types of dharmas212 can be clearly known and seen? 213
39a-b. The nature of the Good Law of the Master is twofold, dgama and adhigama214
Agama ("the traditions") is the teaching, the Sutra, the Vinaya and the Abhidharma. 215 Adhigama ("holiness"216 or understand- ing) are the dharmas aiding Bodhi (the bodhipaksikadharmas, vi. 67b, cultivated by the Aryans of the Three Vehicles, and the results of the religious life, vi. 51, obtained through the Three Vehicles. ) Such is the Good Law, twofold in its nature.
39c-d. Those who preach it and who cultivate it support it. 217
Those who preach the Good Law, the Sutras, etc. , support the Good Law which is agama. Those who cultivate or who realize the Good Law, the dharmas aiding Bodhi, etc. , support the Good Law which is adhigama. As long as such persons exist in the world, the Good Law will last.
It is said (in the Samyuktagama, TD 2, p. 177? 9) that the Good Law will last one thousand years after the Parinirvana.
This number refers to the adhigama;218 but according to others, the agama will last longer. 219
***
The Absorptions 1281
? 1282 Chapter Eight
This present treatise is based on the treatises of the Abhid- harma [and includes the sense of the Abhidharma, i. 2c]. [There are many ways of explaining the Abhidharma:] according to which
220
40. The Abhidharma that is established through the
interpretation of the Vaibhasikas of Kasmlr is, in its
totality, what I have explained. That some ideas, poorly
grasped, are reproduced here is our fault, for only the Munis
are authoritative (pramdna) in the interpretation of the 221
For the most part, this Abhidharma, which has been spoken by me, is the Abhidharma as established by the Vaibhasikas of Kasmiir. That which, herein, has been poorly grasped, is my fault: for the Buddhas and the sons of the Buddhas alone are the
222 authority for the interpretation of the Good Law.
41. The Master, the eye of the world, is closed; the witnesses, for the most part, have perished; the Law is put into confusion by persons who have not seen the Truth; and by bad sophists, independent, from whom nothing is gained.
42. For he who knows for himself has departed on the Supreme Path, as well as the supports of the Law of the one who knows for himself: the world no longer has a Protec- tor. The defilements, which destroy spiritual qualities, now have full liberty.
43. Seeing that the Law of the Muni is in its last breath, and that it is the hour of the forces of defilements, those who
223
This concludes the Eighth Chapter of the Abhidharmakosabhd- syam, entitled "Instruction in the Absorptions/*
interpretation is the Abhidharma explained in this treatise?
Good Law.
desire liberation should be diligent.
? Footnotes 1283 1. The Kdrikd has samdpattih iubhaikdgryam; but the Sutra speaks of samddhi. On the
traditional summary of Chapter VIII and of samdpatti-samddbi, see below viii. 23 note 128. 2. Paramartha translates: "dhyana produced through arising, dhydna produced through
concentration. "
3. Kosa, iii. 2c, vi. 38a-b, 43 a-b, ii. 41d. There are three (or two) stages in the heaven of the
First Dhyana, etc. On the "dhydna existences," see viii. 12, 14a, 16c, 19c.
4. Pali: kusalacittekaggatd (Visuddhimagga, 84; see index); Majjhima, i. 301, Samyutta, v. 21, Dhammasangani, 11 (cittassekaggatd) (The translator mentions Yogdvacara's Manual, p. xxvi); Mrs Rhys Davis, Psychology, 1914, 104 (references to the canonical texts). samddhi=adhicitta, vi, p. 978; part of the Path, part of Bodhi, vi. 54d, 70; rddhipdda, vi. 69c-d, part of the Saiksa and ASaiksa, vi. 75.
BodhisattvabhUmi, fol. 82b, quotes viii. 27c-28.
On samddhi, a very "scholastic" text in Majjhima, i. 301.
The samddhiskandha embraces three parts of the Path, samyagvydydma, samyaksmrti,
and samyaksamddhi it then follows that one distinguishes: 1. samddhi \-cittassa ekaggatd); 2. the nimittas of the samddhi which are the smrtyupasthdnas; 3. the partskaras of the samddhi which are the samyakpradhdnas; and 4.
the cultivation (bhdvand) of the samddhi which is the cultivation of the samddhi, the pradhdnas, and the smrtyupasthdnas ["cultivation" is understood in the sense of parifuddhi, paripuri].
5. Whoever enters into dhydna, that is to say whoever possesses the absorption called dhydna, necessarily also possesses the mental states and the mind (the four skandhas), the "discipline of dhydna" (iv. 2), which is a rupa.
6. Ekdlambanatd cittdndm is the definition of the Abhidharma; but one should understand cittacaittdndm: "The fact that minds and the mental states . . . "
7. Defined in Kola, ii. 24; English trans, p. 190.
8. In the same way that the VaiSesika maintains that a piece of cloth is white
iuklagunayogdt, through conjunction with the quality of white.
9. All minds contain samddhi, but a mind associated (sampraykta) with a weak samddhi is
not concentrated (ekdgra).
10. According to the Vydkhyd, the two definitions in the same Sutra: adhicittam iiksa katama / catvdridhydndni. On the three iiksds, see Anguttara, i. 235; ii. 194, Koia, vi. 43c, p. . In the same way that adhiiilam siksa is iita, so too adhiprajfiam iiksa is prajfld, and
adhicittam iiksa is simply citta. Now the dhydnas are adhicittam iiksa, and are thus citta; the dhydnas, moreover, are samddhi, thus samddhi is citta.
In the same way that iilapariiuddhi is iila, drstipariiuddhi is drspi, and vimuktipariiud- dhi is vimukti. (See ? ? fa, vi 76c, p. 1035)
11. The Sarvastivadin answers.
12. Mdhavyutpatti, 245,1052 1055, upanidhydtavya, nidhydyati. Kosa, i. 4lc, where the
Vydkyd explains: samtiranam. . . visayopanidhydnapurvakam niicaydkarsanam.
13. This formula figures notably in the Sutra of the Five Vimuktyayatanas quoted in Vydkhydadi. 27 {Mahavyutpatti, 81, Digha, iii. 241, Anguttara, iii. 21); Samyutta, iii. 13: samdhito bhikkhave bhukkhu yathdbhutam pajdndti; ii. 31 samddhupanisam yathdbhUtam fidnadassanam, etc. And elsewhere, Nettippakarana, 66, Anguttara, v. 3, Visuddhimagga, 371, etc.
According to all these texts, samddhi is necessary for the exact knowledge necessary for salvation. On this point, see Compendium, 55, 75; KoU, vi. Foreword p. , viii. 22d.
? 1284 Chapter Eight
14. According to Hsiian-tsang and the glosses of Saeki. According to Paramartha: "Some other masters say that ting ^ (= samddhi) is dhydna. What is the meaning of dhydna? Through "ting" one obtains knowing, seeing, so it is called dhydna. Why? Because the mind that obtains ting [=the samdhita mind] truly knows and sees. The word dhydna signifies ? *** S {cintd, cetand)\ Hang J | (to measure). Ssu is prajnd. Such is the Siddhanta. "
15. As an advance chariot is pulled by two mares bound by a yoke, so dhydna is bound by samatha and vipaiyand. In the Arupyas, calm is great, intellection small; the opposite in Anagamya (viii. 22); in the dhydnas, there is equilibrium.
Samatha = samddhi - absorption; vipafyana - prajnd.
The editors of the Pali Text Society (against several manuscripts) read yuganandha (Patisambhidd, ii. 92 and foil. ; Visuddhimagga, 149): "Some cultivate vipassana preceded by samatha;. . . some cultivate samatha preceded by vipassana . . . some cultivate samatha and vipassana bound together (samathavipassanam yuganandham bhavert)" "The dharmas bound together and which are called samddhi and prajfld do not go beyond one another . . . (samadhipaHHasamkhatd yuganandhadhammd annamannam anativattamdnd. . . ) Bodhicdrydvatdra, viii. 4, Siksdsamuccaya, 119, Sutrdlamkdra, xiv. 9. Compendium, 55, 75.
In Tantrism, yuganaddhaka or yuganaddhakrama is the non-distinction of samsdra and nirvana, of grdhaka and grdhya, etc. (Pancakrama, p. 46-48).
16. On defiled dhydna, the story of the monk who believes himself to be a Srotaapanna of the First Dhyana, an Arhat in the Fourth, but who in fact remains subject to desire, Przyluski, AQoka, 390.
Three bad "meditators," dhydyin, ? ? fa, v. 21b-d trans, p. 800 and note 76; Majjhima, iii. 14.
17. The meaning of vitarka, vicdra, priti, and sukha, is explained below.
In Niddesa, p. 373, an interesting essay on the classification of the dhydnas.
18. There is a difficulty. How does the author, by saying that the First Dhyana is vicarapritisukhavat, say implicitly that this Dhyana also "contains vitarka"} In fact, dhydndntara "contains vicdra' and "contains vitarka. " The Vydkhyd explains: yathd dhydndntare vicdro na pritisukhavdn ity avitarko naivam ayam vicdrah / vifesito hy ayam vicdrah pritisukhasahapathitah / vicdrapritisukhavad Hi pritisukhavatd vicdrena pritisukhena ca samprayuktam prathamam dhydnam ity arthah.
Vasubandhu does not say vitarkapritisukhavat, because he wishes to say that the other Dhyanas lose, in this order, the parts indicated. If one were to define the Second Dhyana as without vitarka, then dhydndntara would be confused with the Second Dhyana.
19. On the Arupyas, see Majjhima, i. 2, 164, 410, ii. 26l (where the first two are ignored), Visuddhimagga, HI, 336-340; Comm. on the Digha, Dialogues, Hi. p. 273: akasdnancdyatana is a dhydna which has the infinity of space for its object; references to the notes of Rhys Davids, ibid. p. 216.
20. Paramarth translates: "Separation-sphere-lower arises. " Hsiian-tsang: "Separation lower sphere arisen, from whence the division into four. " P'u-kuang (TD 41, p. 418? 6) explains, "It is fourfold because it arises from separation from arising in a lower sphere. " Fa-pao (TD 41, p. 788c3) says, "It is fourfold by reason of separation from arising in a lower sphere": "separation from arising" signifies "separation from defiled dharmas" or rather "to separate oneself and to arise. " One arises above because one separates oneself from what is below.
21. ? ? fa iii. 3 explains how Arupyadhatu, which does not include any places, or stages, is still fourfold from the point of view of the mode of existence of the gods who arise there: drupyadhdtur asthdna upapattyd caturvidhah. The Abhisamaydlamkdrdloka (ad Astasdhas- rikd 153, 18), after having quoted this definition, adds a line (borrowed from which Sdstra? ): dhydndd urdhvam sasamsthdno rupesadbhdvo ftha va (Sic MSS): "Or rather,
? placed above the world of the dhydnas (= Rupadhatu), it includes shape, for there exists there a small amount of rupa. " Buddhist cosmology recognizes some heavens superimposed on Arupyadhatu in which there are mansions (kung *]*! { ); see for example Hastings' Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, article "Cosmology. "
Kathavatthu, viii. 8, xvi. 9. The Andhakas maintain that some subtle matter exists in Arupyadhatu (by reason of the text = vijndnapratyayandmarupam, see above p. 1222). See Vasumitra and Bhavya.
The Mahasamghikas and MahiSasakas,--and the Vibhdsd adds the Vibhajyavadins (see below),--admit the existence of rupa.
Notes of theJapanese editor--Commentary on the Samayabheda: The six types of consciousness (sad vijndnakdydh) exist in Rupadhatu and Arupyadhatu. But, if rupa exists in Arupyadhau, why is it called Arupyadhatu? Because subtle rupa exists there, but not gross rupa.
Vibhdsd, (TD 27, p. 431b6): Some say that rupa exists in Arupyadhatu, as do the Vibhajyavadins . . . The Mahasamghikas think that in Arupyadhatu there is a rupa which is the result of action.
The Sdriputrdbhidharma says that, in Arupyadhatu, there is a rupa, namely the rupa that forms part of the dharmdyatana (Kos'a, iv. English trans, p. 561).
The Mahayana says that in Arupyadhatu there is a rupa which is the result of samddhi. See Mahddharmabherisutra (TD 9, p. 293cl0) and the Mahayana Parinirvdna sutra (TD 12, p. 4l5al7, a25): "The saints of the Two Vehicles cannot know how the gods of Naivasamjnanasarhjnayatana are . . . Only the Buddha knows of those that have life (ayus, shou-ming K^pf ) among the Asamjnin gods; the same for beings in Naivasamjfianasamjfiayatana. "
22. Vydkyd: "According to others, we should understand: By virtue of the text: sarvaso rupasamjndndm samatikramdt, it is proved that there is no longer any rupa in drupyasamdpatti. " The Japanese editor understands: "Because it is denied that there is andsrava samvara in this samdpatti. "
23. See iii. l4a. "Transparent" poorly renders the sense of the word accha. This refers to a rupa which can pass through other rupas, a material resembling ether. "
24. For "the absorption existences" (upapatti), like the "absorptions" (samdpatti), become better and better.
25. See ii. 14, iii. 3.
26. On samsrsta, vii. p. 1099, and iii. 32a-b.
Mahakotthita converses with Sariputta on this subject, Majjhima, i. 206 (See Kosa, ii. 45,
English trans, p. 233).
27. But the two Chinese versions, here and below, read: ndmarupa-vijndnayor, a reading confirmed by the Pali sources.
However the Vydkyd quotes the Sutra: tadyathayusman sdruputra dve nadakaldpydv dkdsa ucchrite sydtdm / te'nyonyanisrite / anyonyam ni/ritya tistheydtdm / tatra kaicid ekdm apanayed / dvitiya nipatet / dvitiydm apanayed ekd nipatet / evam dyusman sdriputra nama ca rupam cdnyonyaniiritam anyonyam nisritya tisthati. . . Same comparison in Samyutta, ii. 114; but ndmarupa and vijndna, not rupa and ndman.
28. Argument of the Vibhajyavadins according to the Vibhdsd, see above, note 21.
29. A very close edition, Samyutta, iii. 53 (trans, of Warren, p. 162).
30. Vydkyd. The stanza: dyur usmd'thd vijrldnam . .
The Third Deliverance can only be cultivated in the Fourth Dhyana.
32d. It is the absence of desire.
It is by nature the root of good absence of desire, not a meditation on loathsome things; in fact it takes for its object a thing that it considers as good: it therefore has the aspect of something good.
***
These three Deliverances, with the dharmas that are associated with them, are the five skandhas. As for the Deliverances of Arupyadhatu:
32d. They are good Arupyas and absorption.
The Third to the Seventh Deliverances are the good arupyas,
attachment to
? that is, they are pure or undefiled (viii. 5), and they pertain to
absorption (samahita), but not the drupya that is produced at the 182
According to others, the mind and mental states produced by retribution among beings born in Arupyadhatu are not concen- trated.
The name of "Deliverance" is also given to the Path of Deliverance (Vimuktimarga) of the prefatory stages of the absorptions of Arupyadhatu (drupyasdmantakasamdpatti, viii. 22), but not to the Irresistable Path (the path of abandoning, Anantaryamarga) of these same prefatory stages: for these have for their object the lower sphere that they abandon, and the Deliverances receive their name from the fact that they turn away
183
33a. The absorption of extinction {nirodhasamapatti).
The Absorption of Extinction, or more fully the absorption of
end of life [viii. l6c, note 103].
from the lower sphere.
the extinction of ideas and sensations (samjnaveditanirodhasamd- 184
patti) is the Eighth Deliverance. We have already mentioned it.
It is called ''Deliverance'* because it turns away from ideas
(samjnd) and sensations {vedita = vedand)\ or rather because it
185
turns away from all conditioned things.
186 deliverances because they deliver one from the obstacles to
187
***
The absorption of extinction is realized
According to others, the Eight Deliverances
are called
absorption.
33b. Immediately after a subtle-subtle mind.
The Absorptions 1273
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A mind in Bhavagra (=Naivasamjnanasamjnayatana), which
belongs to the ascetic who is in a position to realize the absorption
of extinction, is subtle in comparison with any mind associated
m
with ideas (samjna). "Subtle-subtle'* (suksmasuksma) signifies a
mind more subtle, but yet one which enters the absorption of extinction [that is to say, "upon which there immediately succeeds .
? ? "]?
The absorption of extinction comes to an end when there
appears either a pure mind (viii. 5) of the sphere of Bhavagra, the
Fourth Arupya--the sphere to which the absorption of extinction
belongs--or an Aryan, that is, an undefiled mind of the sphere of
the Third Arupya. Then there is entry into the absorption of
extinction by a defiled mind, and going out by a defiled or undefiled
190
mind.
33c-d. Going out into a pure mind of the sphere of the same absorption, or into a lower Aryan mind.
***
What is the object of the Deliverances?
34a. The first ones have for their object the visible things of Kamadhatu.
The first three Deliverances have for their object the physical matter (rupayatana) of Kamadhatu, unpleasant physical matter in the first two, pleasant physical matter in the Third.
34b. As for those that are non-material, all that which belongs to the Knowledge, the Suffering of their sphere and of a higher sphere, etc.
? The Deliverances of Arupyadhatu have for their object the
191
extinction of this Suffering, the totality of Non-dual Knowledge
Suffering of their sphere and a higher sphere,
(anvayajndna), the extinction not attained through conscious effort
192 m (apratisamkhydnirodha) and space (dkdsa).
***
We have seen (32a-c) that the first two Deliverances belong to the first two Dhyanas, that the Third Deliverance belongs to the Fourth Dhy&na. Why is there no Deliverance in the Third Dhyana?
Since body consciousness is absent in the Second Dhyana, there is no craving for the visible things of this Dhyana [which should be opposed in the Third Dhyana], because the Third Dhyana is "agitated by its excellent pleasures".
But if there is no craving for visible things in the Third Dhyana, what purpose does the ascetic pursue in producing the Third Deliverance [which is a meditation on an agreeable physical object]?
The ascetic should gladden his mind which the meditation on loathsome things has depressed; or rather he should take into consideration his achievement or his lack of achievement. He asks himself if the first two Deliverances have been achieved or not. If, in his contemplation on an agreeable object (the Third Deliver- ance), defilements do not arise, then the first two Deliverances
194
have been achieved. In fact the ascetic cultivates the Deliveran-
ces, the Dominent Ayatanas, etc. , with a twofold purpose: 1) to remove, to render more distant, the defilements; and 2) to obtain mastery in absorption. This mastery has for its result the production of the qualities, such as Absence of Contention (Arana), etc. , and the production of the supernormal powers (rddhi) of the Aryans: the supernormal power by which a saint
the cause and the
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transforms objects or causes them to last, by which he gives up his
195
life, etc.
***
Why does the Sutra use the expression "having experienced [through the body] ([kdyena] sdksdtkrtvd) in the definition of only
196
the Third and the Eighth Deliverances?
It is because of their excellence and because they are found to
197
35a. The Dominant Ayatanas {abhibhvayatanas) are eight
exist in the final sphere of the two Dhatus.
#*#
in number.
198
1. There is the idea of internal physical matter,
199
and there is
the seeing of a small amount of external attractive and unattractive
physical matter: [at this time there is the thought, "I have
succeeded in (abhibhuya) in knowing all of the rupas, I have
200
succeeded in seeing all of the rupas. This is the First Dominant
Ayatana. ] 2. There is the idea of internal physical matter, and there is the seeing of an unlimited amount of external physical matter. 3. There is an absence of any idea of internal physical matter, but there is the seeing of a small amount of external physical matter. 4. There is an absence of any idea of internal physical matter, but there is the seeing of a large amount of external physical matter. These are the first four Dominant Ayatanas.
5-8. There is an absence of any idea of physical matter, but there is the seeing of external blue, yellow, red, and white. These make a total of eight.
35b. Two are like the First Deliverance.
? The first two Dominant Ayatanas are similar to the First Deliverance.
35c. The following two are like the Second.
The Third and the Fourth Dominant Ayatanas are like the Second Deliverance.
35d. And the last four are like the Third Deliverance.
And the last four are like the Third Deliverance.
What is the difference between the Deliverances and the Dominant Ayatanas?
Through the Deliverances, one is only "delivered", but through the Dominant Ayatanas, one attains domination of their object. This domination includes the view of the object as one desires and
201 the absence of any defilement provoked by the object.
***
36a. There are ten All-Encompassing Ayatanas (krtsnaya- 202
tanas)
They are called all-encompassing'' (krtsna) because they 203
embrace their object in its totality and exclusively.
They are ten in number: this is the totality of earth, water, fire, and wind; blue, yellow, red, and white; plus the uninterrupted dyatanas (anantydyatanas) of space and consciousness (the First and the Second Absorptions of Arupyadhatu).
36b. Eight are the absence of desire.
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The first eight are, by nature, the root of good which is absence of desire:(with their concomitant dharmas, they are the five skandhas).
36c. They belong to the last Dhyana.
They are realized by an ascetic in the Fourth Dhyana.
36d. They have Kamadhatu for their object.
They refer to the visible things (rupayatana) of Kamadhatu.
However some think that the Fourth, the All-Encompassing Ayatana of Wind {vdyukrtsndyatana) has for its object the tangible thing that is called the wind element (vdyudhdtu). Some think that the first four have tangible things for their object, while the last
204 four have visible things for their object.
36e. Two are pure drupya.
The last two are pure absorptions of Ampyadhatu.
36f. They have the four skandhas of their sphere for their object.
Their objects are the four skandhas of the sphere to which they belong (the First and Second absorptions of Ampyadhatu).
***
The Eight Dominant Ayatanas have the Eight Deliverances for their "entry" and the Ten All-Encompassing Ayatanas have the
? Eight Dominant Ayatanas for their entry: the following, in fact, are superior to the preceding ones.
All these qualities can have the mental series of a Prthagjana or the mental series of an Aryan for their support, with the exception of the Deliverance of Extinction (nirodhavimoksa) which can only be produced by Aryans.
***
(Concerning the acquisition of these qualities and the persons who can produce them:)
37a. Extinction has been explained.
All of the types of the Deliverance of Extinction have been previously mentioned.
37b. The others are obtained either through detachment or through cultivation.
The qualities other than the Deliverance of Extinction are obtained either through detachment (vairagya) or through cultivation (prayoga) accordingly as they have been, or have not been, habitually cultivated.
37d-c. The qualities of Arupyadhatu are obtained by beings of the Three Dhatus; the others, only by humans.
The Deliverances and the All-Encompassing Ayatanas of Arupyadhatu are cultivated by beings born in any of the Three Dhatus. But only humans can cultivate the other absorptions,--the three Deliverances, the Eight Dominant Ayatanas, and eight
The Absorptions 1279
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All-Encompassing Ayatanas,--because these absorptions arise through the power of the Teaching.
If this is the case, how can beings born in the spheres {bhumi) of Rupadhatu and Arupyadhatu realize the dhydna and arupya absorptions higher than the spheres in which they are born?
They can do this be reason of the power of cause, of actions {karma), and the nature of things {dharmata).
38a-b. In two spheres, it is through the power of cause and of action {karma) that one produces the absorptions of
205
In Rupadhatu and in the lower spheres of Arupyadhatu, the higher absorptions of Arupyadhatu arise through the power of
206
world,
209 210 they are produced through the force of dharmata. In
Arupyadhatu.
cause,
existence, closely and intensively cultivated.
through the power of action {karma), that is to say, by reason of the imminent retribution of a previous action of the category "to be retributed later," including a sphere of retribution higher than that (Rupadhatu or the lower spheres of Arupyadhatu) in which one is born. This is because someone who is not detached from a
208
38c-d. In Rupadhatu, it is through these two powers, and also by reason of the nature of things, that one produces the dhyanas.
Beings born in a lower stage of Rupadhatu produce dhyanas
higher than the stages in which they have been born because of the
two powers described above. Also, at the period at the end of the
when they have been, in the course of a previous
lower sphere cannot be reborn in a higher sphere.
this period, all the beings of lower spheres produce higher
dhyanas, for the efficacy of good dharmas becomes fully develo-
211
ped.
207
They also arise
? How long will the Good Law (saddharma) of the Blessed One last, during which time these different types of dharmas212 can be clearly known and seen? 213
39a-b. The nature of the Good Law of the Master is twofold, dgama and adhigama214
Agama ("the traditions") is the teaching, the Sutra, the Vinaya and the Abhidharma. 215 Adhigama ("holiness"216 or understand- ing) are the dharmas aiding Bodhi (the bodhipaksikadharmas, vi. 67b, cultivated by the Aryans of the Three Vehicles, and the results of the religious life, vi. 51, obtained through the Three Vehicles. ) Such is the Good Law, twofold in its nature.
39c-d. Those who preach it and who cultivate it support it. 217
Those who preach the Good Law, the Sutras, etc. , support the Good Law which is agama. Those who cultivate or who realize the Good Law, the dharmas aiding Bodhi, etc. , support the Good Law which is adhigama. As long as such persons exist in the world, the Good Law will last.
It is said (in the Samyuktagama, TD 2, p. 177? 9) that the Good Law will last one thousand years after the Parinirvana.
This number refers to the adhigama;218 but according to others, the agama will last longer. 219
***
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This present treatise is based on the treatises of the Abhid- harma [and includes the sense of the Abhidharma, i. 2c]. [There are many ways of explaining the Abhidharma:] according to which
220
40. The Abhidharma that is established through the
interpretation of the Vaibhasikas of Kasmlr is, in its
totality, what I have explained. That some ideas, poorly
grasped, are reproduced here is our fault, for only the Munis
are authoritative (pramdna) in the interpretation of the 221
For the most part, this Abhidharma, which has been spoken by me, is the Abhidharma as established by the Vaibhasikas of Kasmiir. That which, herein, has been poorly grasped, is my fault: for the Buddhas and the sons of the Buddhas alone are the
222 authority for the interpretation of the Good Law.
41. The Master, the eye of the world, is closed; the witnesses, for the most part, have perished; the Law is put into confusion by persons who have not seen the Truth; and by bad sophists, independent, from whom nothing is gained.
42. For he who knows for himself has departed on the Supreme Path, as well as the supports of the Law of the one who knows for himself: the world no longer has a Protec- tor. The defilements, which destroy spiritual qualities, now have full liberty.
43. Seeing that the Law of the Muni is in its last breath, and that it is the hour of the forces of defilements, those who
223
This concludes the Eighth Chapter of the Abhidharmakosabhd- syam, entitled "Instruction in the Absorptions/*
interpretation is the Abhidharma explained in this treatise?
Good Law.
desire liberation should be diligent.
? Footnotes 1283 1. The Kdrikd has samdpattih iubhaikdgryam; but the Sutra speaks of samddhi. On the
traditional summary of Chapter VIII and of samdpatti-samddbi, see below viii. 23 note 128. 2. Paramartha translates: "dhyana produced through arising, dhydna produced through
concentration. "
3. Kosa, iii. 2c, vi. 38a-b, 43 a-b, ii. 41d. There are three (or two) stages in the heaven of the
First Dhyana, etc. On the "dhydna existences," see viii. 12, 14a, 16c, 19c.
4. Pali: kusalacittekaggatd (Visuddhimagga, 84; see index); Majjhima, i. 301, Samyutta, v. 21, Dhammasangani, 11 (cittassekaggatd) (The translator mentions Yogdvacara's Manual, p. xxvi); Mrs Rhys Davis, Psychology, 1914, 104 (references to the canonical texts). samddhi=adhicitta, vi, p. 978; part of the Path, part of Bodhi, vi. 54d, 70; rddhipdda, vi. 69c-d, part of the Saiksa and ASaiksa, vi. 75.
BodhisattvabhUmi, fol. 82b, quotes viii. 27c-28.
On samddhi, a very "scholastic" text in Majjhima, i. 301.
The samddhiskandha embraces three parts of the Path, samyagvydydma, samyaksmrti,
and samyaksamddhi it then follows that one distinguishes: 1. samddhi \-cittassa ekaggatd); 2. the nimittas of the samddhi which are the smrtyupasthdnas; 3. the partskaras of the samddhi which are the samyakpradhdnas; and 4.
the cultivation (bhdvand) of the samddhi which is the cultivation of the samddhi, the pradhdnas, and the smrtyupasthdnas ["cultivation" is understood in the sense of parifuddhi, paripuri].
5. Whoever enters into dhydna, that is to say whoever possesses the absorption called dhydna, necessarily also possesses the mental states and the mind (the four skandhas), the "discipline of dhydna" (iv. 2), which is a rupa.
6. Ekdlambanatd cittdndm is the definition of the Abhidharma; but one should understand cittacaittdndm: "The fact that minds and the mental states . . . "
7. Defined in Kola, ii. 24; English trans, p. 190.
8. In the same way that the VaiSesika maintains that a piece of cloth is white
iuklagunayogdt, through conjunction with the quality of white.
9. All minds contain samddhi, but a mind associated (sampraykta) with a weak samddhi is
not concentrated (ekdgra).
10. According to the Vydkhyd, the two definitions in the same Sutra: adhicittam iiksa katama / catvdridhydndni. On the three iiksds, see Anguttara, i. 235; ii. 194, Koia, vi. 43c, p. . In the same way that adhiiilam siksa is iita, so too adhiprajfiam iiksa is prajfld, and
adhicittam iiksa is simply citta. Now the dhydnas are adhicittam iiksa, and are thus citta; the dhydnas, moreover, are samddhi, thus samddhi is citta.
In the same way that iilapariiuddhi is iila, drstipariiuddhi is drspi, and vimuktipariiud- dhi is vimukti. (See ? ? fa, vi 76c, p. 1035)
11. The Sarvastivadin answers.
12. Mdhavyutpatti, 245,1052 1055, upanidhydtavya, nidhydyati. Kosa, i. 4lc, where the
Vydkyd explains: samtiranam. . . visayopanidhydnapurvakam niicaydkarsanam.
13. This formula figures notably in the Sutra of the Five Vimuktyayatanas quoted in Vydkhydadi. 27 {Mahavyutpatti, 81, Digha, iii. 241, Anguttara, iii. 21); Samyutta, iii. 13: samdhito bhikkhave bhukkhu yathdbhutam pajdndti; ii. 31 samddhupanisam yathdbhUtam fidnadassanam, etc. And elsewhere, Nettippakarana, 66, Anguttara, v. 3, Visuddhimagga, 371, etc.
According to all these texts, samddhi is necessary for the exact knowledge necessary for salvation. On this point, see Compendium, 55, 75; KoU, vi. Foreword p. , viii. 22d.
? 1284 Chapter Eight
14. According to Hsiian-tsang and the glosses of Saeki. According to Paramartha: "Some other masters say that ting ^ (= samddhi) is dhydna. What is the meaning of dhydna? Through "ting" one obtains knowing, seeing, so it is called dhydna. Why? Because the mind that obtains ting [=the samdhita mind] truly knows and sees. The word dhydna signifies ? *** S {cintd, cetand)\ Hang J | (to measure). Ssu is prajnd. Such is the Siddhanta. "
15. As an advance chariot is pulled by two mares bound by a yoke, so dhydna is bound by samatha and vipaiyand. In the Arupyas, calm is great, intellection small; the opposite in Anagamya (viii. 22); in the dhydnas, there is equilibrium.
Samatha = samddhi - absorption; vipafyana - prajnd.
The editors of the Pali Text Society (against several manuscripts) read yuganandha (Patisambhidd, ii. 92 and foil. ; Visuddhimagga, 149): "Some cultivate vipassana preceded by samatha;. . . some cultivate samatha preceded by vipassana . . . some cultivate samatha and vipassana bound together (samathavipassanam yuganandham bhavert)" "The dharmas bound together and which are called samddhi and prajfld do not go beyond one another . . . (samadhipaHHasamkhatd yuganandhadhammd annamannam anativattamdnd. . . ) Bodhicdrydvatdra, viii. 4, Siksdsamuccaya, 119, Sutrdlamkdra, xiv. 9. Compendium, 55, 75.
In Tantrism, yuganaddhaka or yuganaddhakrama is the non-distinction of samsdra and nirvana, of grdhaka and grdhya, etc. (Pancakrama, p. 46-48).
16. On defiled dhydna, the story of the monk who believes himself to be a Srotaapanna of the First Dhyana, an Arhat in the Fourth, but who in fact remains subject to desire, Przyluski, AQoka, 390.
Three bad "meditators," dhydyin, ? ? fa, v. 21b-d trans, p. 800 and note 76; Majjhima, iii. 14.
17. The meaning of vitarka, vicdra, priti, and sukha, is explained below.
In Niddesa, p. 373, an interesting essay on the classification of the dhydnas.
18. There is a difficulty. How does the author, by saying that the First Dhyana is vicarapritisukhavat, say implicitly that this Dhyana also "contains vitarka"} In fact, dhydndntara "contains vicdra' and "contains vitarka. " The Vydkhyd explains: yathd dhydndntare vicdro na pritisukhavdn ity avitarko naivam ayam vicdrah / vifesito hy ayam vicdrah pritisukhasahapathitah / vicdrapritisukhavad Hi pritisukhavatd vicdrena pritisukhena ca samprayuktam prathamam dhydnam ity arthah.
Vasubandhu does not say vitarkapritisukhavat, because he wishes to say that the other Dhyanas lose, in this order, the parts indicated. If one were to define the Second Dhyana as without vitarka, then dhydndntara would be confused with the Second Dhyana.
19. On the Arupyas, see Majjhima, i. 2, 164, 410, ii. 26l (where the first two are ignored), Visuddhimagga, HI, 336-340; Comm. on the Digha, Dialogues, Hi. p. 273: akasdnancdyatana is a dhydna which has the infinity of space for its object; references to the notes of Rhys Davids, ibid. p. 216.
20. Paramarth translates: "Separation-sphere-lower arises. " Hsiian-tsang: "Separation lower sphere arisen, from whence the division into four. " P'u-kuang (TD 41, p. 418? 6) explains, "It is fourfold because it arises from separation from arising in a lower sphere. " Fa-pao (TD 41, p. 788c3) says, "It is fourfold by reason of separation from arising in a lower sphere": "separation from arising" signifies "separation from defiled dharmas" or rather "to separate oneself and to arise. " One arises above because one separates oneself from what is below.
21. ? ? fa iii. 3 explains how Arupyadhatu, which does not include any places, or stages, is still fourfold from the point of view of the mode of existence of the gods who arise there: drupyadhdtur asthdna upapattyd caturvidhah. The Abhisamaydlamkdrdloka (ad Astasdhas- rikd 153, 18), after having quoted this definition, adds a line (borrowed from which Sdstra? ): dhydndd urdhvam sasamsthdno rupesadbhdvo ftha va (Sic MSS): "Or rather,
? placed above the world of the dhydnas (= Rupadhatu), it includes shape, for there exists there a small amount of rupa. " Buddhist cosmology recognizes some heavens superimposed on Arupyadhatu in which there are mansions (kung *]*! { ); see for example Hastings' Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, article "Cosmology. "
Kathavatthu, viii. 8, xvi. 9. The Andhakas maintain that some subtle matter exists in Arupyadhatu (by reason of the text = vijndnapratyayandmarupam, see above p. 1222). See Vasumitra and Bhavya.
The Mahasamghikas and MahiSasakas,--and the Vibhdsd adds the Vibhajyavadins (see below),--admit the existence of rupa.
Notes of theJapanese editor--Commentary on the Samayabheda: The six types of consciousness (sad vijndnakdydh) exist in Rupadhatu and Arupyadhatu. But, if rupa exists in Arupyadhau, why is it called Arupyadhatu? Because subtle rupa exists there, but not gross rupa.
Vibhdsd, (TD 27, p. 431b6): Some say that rupa exists in Arupyadhatu, as do the Vibhajyavadins . . . The Mahasamghikas think that in Arupyadhatu there is a rupa which is the result of action.
The Sdriputrdbhidharma says that, in Arupyadhatu, there is a rupa, namely the rupa that forms part of the dharmdyatana (Kos'a, iv. English trans, p. 561).
The Mahayana says that in Arupyadhatu there is a rupa which is the result of samddhi. See Mahddharmabherisutra (TD 9, p. 293cl0) and the Mahayana Parinirvdna sutra (TD 12, p. 4l5al7, a25): "The saints of the Two Vehicles cannot know how the gods of Naivasamjnanasarhjnayatana are . . . Only the Buddha knows of those that have life (ayus, shou-ming K^pf ) among the Asamjnin gods; the same for beings in Naivasamjfianasamjfiayatana. "
22. Vydkyd: "According to others, we should understand: By virtue of the text: sarvaso rupasamjndndm samatikramdt, it is proved that there is no longer any rupa in drupyasamdpatti. " The Japanese editor understands: "Because it is denied that there is andsrava samvara in this samdpatti. "
23. See iii. l4a. "Transparent" poorly renders the sense of the word accha. This refers to a rupa which can pass through other rupas, a material resembling ether. "
24. For "the absorption existences" (upapatti), like the "absorptions" (samdpatti), become better and better.
25. See ii. 14, iii. 3.
26. On samsrsta, vii. p. 1099, and iii. 32a-b.
Mahakotthita converses with Sariputta on this subject, Majjhima, i. 206 (See Kosa, ii. 45,
English trans, p. 233).
27. But the two Chinese versions, here and below, read: ndmarupa-vijndnayor, a reading confirmed by the Pali sources.
However the Vydkyd quotes the Sutra: tadyathayusman sdruputra dve nadakaldpydv dkdsa ucchrite sydtdm / te'nyonyanisrite / anyonyam ni/ritya tistheydtdm / tatra kaicid ekdm apanayed / dvitiya nipatet / dvitiydm apanayed ekd nipatet / evam dyusman sdriputra nama ca rupam cdnyonyaniiritam anyonyam nisritya tisthati. . . Same comparison in Samyutta, ii. 114; but ndmarupa and vijndna, not rupa and ndman.
28. Argument of the Vibhajyavadins according to the Vibhdsd, see above, note 21.
29. A very close edition, Samyutta, iii. 53 (trans, of Warren, p. 162).
30. Vydkyd. The stanza: dyur usmd'thd vijrldnam . .
