瑜伽師地論 聲聞地 · 初瑜伽處 · 出離地 · 善友性~沙門莊嚴

Discipline, faculties, food, sleep, and clear comprehension are all in place; these last six gates round the provisions off to completeness: good friend · hearing · reflecting · freedom from obstruction · giving · the adornments of the ascetic. The point of the eye: the "four principles" (四道理) of reflecting on the right Dharma (how to think about the Buddha-dharma so that it does not go astray), and the ascetic whose whole body of virtue is arrayed as ornament.

In one line: The last six gates of the provisions of the two paths gather up the path of deliverance — good friendship (eight conditions + five things done for a person · able to display the three miracles) · hearing the right Dharma (the twelvefold teaching · the three baskets) · reflecting on the right Dharma (keeping away from the six matters not to be reflected upon · by the two modes of enumeration and weighing · with the four principles 〔dependence · activity · establishment (three means of knowledge) · the nature of things〕 as the true contemplation of reflective wisdom) · freedom from obstruction (three obstructions: to preparatory effort / to seclusion / to quiescence = the twofold obstruction to tranquillity-and-insight) · cultivating the giving that is generosity (six questions · the provision of merit) · the adornments of the ascetic (the virtues of fourteen gates · the dhūta severing three sorts of greed 〔the wool-and-cloth simile〕 · adorning oneself with virtue, radiance shining everywhere); the Stage of Deliverance (the mundane / supramundane paths + the fourteen gates of the two paths' provisions) is by this point complete, and the First Yoga-Station is finished.

Three Points of the Eye

1. Good friendship (eight conditions + five things done): the eight conditions = abiding in the restraint of the precepts · being possessed of much learning · being able to have something realized (the perceptions / four meditative absorptions / four formless [attainments] / four immeasurables / four fruits / five superknowledges / eight liberations · the three miracles 〔spiritual power = the wheel of spiritual power / declaration = the superknowledge of others' minds / instruction = the superknowledge of the exhaustion of the outflows · Dunlun, T42 0438b〕) · compassion · a mind that never wearies · endurance (reviled, he does not revile in return; angered against, he does not return anger; his fundamental nature undergoes no alteration) · freedom from fear · completeness of speech 〔T30 0417a–b〕. The five things well done = well admonishing and calling to account (five virtues · the three roots of what is seen, heard, and suspected) · well causing to remember · well instructing · well admonishing-and-warning · well expounding the right Dharma (first giving, discipline, birth in heaven · afterward the four noble truths).

2. Hearing and reflecting on the right Dharma · the four principles (the true contemplation of reflective wisdom · the doctrinal eye): hearing = the twelvefold teaching (sūtras … upadeśa) subsumed under the three baskets 〔T30 0418b〕. Reflecting = keeping away from the six matters not to be reflected upon (a self / sentient beings / the world / the fruit of karma / the state of the meditatively concentrated / the state of the buddhas) · by the two modes (enumeration = counting the phenomena out · weighing = according to the right principles). The four principles: dependence (depending on causes and conditions for arising · depending on names and phrases for designation) · activity (each with its own distinct activity) · establishment (the aggregates are impermanent, suffering, empty, without self · proved by the three means of knowledge: authoritative teaching / direct perception / inference 〔Dunlun, T42 0440b · the utmost teaching = the teaching that is utmost, whether inner or outer〕) · the nature of things (the fundamental nature is thus · it settles the mind) 〔T30 0419a–b〕.

3. Freedom from obstruction · giving · the adornments of the ascetic (the gathering-up of the provisions of deliverance): freedom from obstruction = the three obstructions (to preparatory effort · to seclusion · to quiescence = the obstruction to tranquillity-and-insight: the obstruction to śamatha 〔heedlessness · abiding in the wrong place · relishing concentration〕 · the obstruction to vipaśyanā 〔taking pleasure in self-exaltation, "I am born of a high clan … disdaining others" · distraction〕 〔T30 0420b · Dunlun, T42 0441a〕). Cultivating the giving that is generosity, six questions (who can give / to whom 〔those who suffer · those who have shown kindness · those who are dear · those who are honored〕 / with what / what mark / how / why · the provision of merit). The adornments of the ascetic, the virtues of fourteen gates (right faith · freedom from flattery · few sicknesses · vigor · wisdom · few desires · contentment · easy to support · easy to satisfy · the dhūta · dignified bearing · knowing the measure · the manner of a worthy and good person · the marks of the wise · endurance · gentleness · worthy goodness) · the virtues of the dhūta, the 12/13 practices severing three sorts of greed (the wool-and-cloth simile: unbeaten, it is matted together; once beaten and fluffed, soft and fit to be worked) · closed with the simile of the ornaments of adornment of the ascetic (adorning oneself with virtue · his virtue blazing · his radiance shining everywhere 〔T30 0421c–0423c〕).

Note: good friendship through adornment inherit discipline / faculties / food / sleep / clear comprehension as the total gathering-up of the provisions. The four principles and three means of knowledge → expounded at length in the Stage of What is Attained through Reflection (Stage 11); the twofold obstruction to tranquillity-and-insight → counteracted in the Stage of Meditative Equipoise (Stage 6). The ancient masters detail both: Dunlun's Notes 〔T42 0437c21–0442a23 · the three miracles and three wheels · the dhūta practices opened and folded across the schools — Jing / Kuiji / the Four-Part Vinaya / the Nirvāṇa / the Great Perfection of Wisdom Treatise · the six points of concord〕 · Kuiji's Concise Compendium, twenty-fifth fascicle 〔T43 0112a28–0113a16 · the utmost teaching vs. the words of the sages · felt robes〕. The Stage of Deliverance is complete; the First Yoga-Station is finished, and next comes the Second Yoga-Station. For the doctrinal exposition, see the 〈Exposition〉.

The last six of the fourteen gates of the provisions for the two paths: the ninth, good friendship; the tenth, hearing the true Dharma; the eleventh, reflecting on the true Dharma; the twelfth, freedom from obstruction; the thirteenth, cultivating generous giving; the fourteenth, the adornments of the ascetic (śramaṇa). Technical terms are kept as of old, and rendered clause by clause into present-day language, without adding doctrinal exposition, without citing treatises, without annotating Sanskrit; where the summary verse (uddāna) has compressed the matter, what it abridged is restored within 〔 〕.

〔The Śrāvaka Stage, the thirteenth, within the Basic Section; the First Yoga-Station; Deliverance, the third, part four〕

The Ninth Gate · Good Friendship

What is called good friendship? It is that, through eight causal factors, one should understand good friendship as complete in every mode. Which eight? Suppose there is one who abides in the moral discipline, is furnished with much learning, is able to attain realization, is by nature much given to compassion, is untiring in mind, is well able to endure, is without fear, and whose speech is complete.

What is called abiding in the moral discipline? It is to abide furnished with the discipline, well able to guard the code of individual liberation (the prātimokṣa, as explained at length before), to delight in the state of the ascetic and to delight in the state of the brahmin, and to practice right conduct for one's own taming, for one's own quiescence, for one's own nirvāṇa. This is called abiding in the moral discipline.

What is called being furnished with much learning? It is that, when there is a Dharma proclaimed and disclosed — "good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end; excellent in its words and its meaning; unique, complete, pure, the holy life" — one is able to receive and retain well these many wondrous Dharmas of that kind, penetrating them well in word, examining them well in thought, and understanding them well in insight. This is called being furnished with much learning.

What is called being able to attain realization? It is being able to attain the surpassing perception of impermanence, the perception of impermanence-as-suffering, the perception of suffering-as-not-self, the perception of the loathsomeness of food, the perception that nothing in all the world is to be delighted in, the perception of danger, the perception of cutting off, the perception of separation, the perception of cessation, the perception of death, the perception of the impure, the perception of the livid corpse, the perception of the festering corpse, the perception of the decomposing corpse, the perception of the bloated corpse, the perception of the devoured corpse, the perception of the blood-smeared corpse, the perception of the scattered corpse, the perception of the chained skeleton, and the perception that contemplates emptiness 〔these perceptions〕; and further, being able to attain the first meditative absorption, the second, the third, and the fourth absorption, the sphere of boundless space, the sphere of boundless consciousness, the sphere of nothing-at-all, and the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception 〔the four formless attainments〕; and further, being able to attain loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity 〔the four immeasurables〕, or the fruit of stream-entry, the fruit of once-returning, the fruit of non-returning, or the supernormal power over the sphere of objects, the power of recollecting former abodes, the divine ear, the power over death-and-rebirth, and the power of discerning others' minds, or arhatship; being furnished with the eight liberations, the meditative absorptions and such concentrations, having great capability and great power, being well able to display for others the "three miraculous transformations" as instruction and admonition. The three miraculous transformations are: first, the miraculous transformation of spiritual power; second, the miraculous transformation of declaration; third, the miraculous transformation of guiding instruction. This is called being able to attain realization.

What is called being by nature compassionate? It is that toward others one constantly gives rise to pity, delighting to give them what is of benefit, delighting to give them advantage, delighting to give them happiness, delighting to give them ease of body and mind 〔bodily and mental comfort〕, and delighting to give them security. This is called being by nature compassionate.

What is called being untiring in mind? It is that one is well able to demonstrate, to guide, to encourage, and to console; that among the fourfold assembly one proclaims the true Dharma without shrinking from toil and weariness, diligent and undeclining, complete in the arousing of effort, by nature glad to do so, and rousing energetic effort. This is called being untiring in mind.

What is called being well able to endure? It is that "one does not return abuse for abuse, does not return anger for anger, does not return a blow for a blow, does not return mockery for mockery," and can bear the mallet and pestle; that amid all the sufferings of oppression, binding and detention, imprisonment, beating, humiliation, coercion, and cutting, one lays the fault on oneself, takes the maturation of karma as the ground to which one resorts, and in the end gives rise to no rancor toward others, harbors no hatred, and does not fail to relinquish the latent proclivity; so that, though one meets with slight and humiliation in this way, one's fundamental nature undergoes no change at all, and one only ever thinks of what is of benefit for that person. And one is able also to endure cold and heat, hunger and thirst, mosquitoes and gadflies, wind and sun, the vile touch of snakes and scorpions, the encroachments of others and their bitter, stinging speech, and the sufferings arising within the body that are sharp, hard, acrid, cutting to the heart, and life-robbing — being by nature enduring and able to take them in. This is called being well able to endure.

What is called being without fear? It is that, when in a great assembly one expounds the true Dharma, the mind is without timidity, the voice is without trembling, and the eloquence is without error; that in the end one is not pressed by any fears through the causes of fright and dread; the armpits do not run with sweat and the body's hair does not stand on end. This is called being without fear.

What is called being complete in speech? It is that one accomplishes speech that is foremost, speech that is most beautiful and wondrous, speech that is very clear, speech easy to understand, speech that others wish to hear, speech without contrariety, speech unattached to anything, and speech without limit. This is called being complete in speech, with words that are skillful and wondrous.

Accomplishing these eight causal factors, one becomes well able to remonstrate and reprove, to prompt remembrance well, to teach well, to admonish well, and to expound the true Dharma well.

"Being well able to remonstrate and reprove" — it is that, if some other person has breached the moral precepts with respect to the higher discipline, or breached the rules with respect to the higher deportment, then, on the ground of what one has seen, heard, or suspected, one is able to remonstrate and reprove rightly: truthfully, not falsely; at the proper time, not the improper time; for their benefit, not their harm; gently, not roughly; as a good friend 〔in heart〕, not out of resentment and envy. This is called being well able to remonstrate and reprove.

"Prompting remembrance well" — it is to make one remember an offense formerly committed, or a Dharma, or a meaning. 〔To make one remember an offense:〕 if some other person has formerly committed a breach but cannot remember it, one skillfully devises a means to make them remember, saying: "Elder! At such a place, in such a matter, at such a time, you committed a breach of such-and-such a kind." 〔To make one remember a Dharma:〕 if some other person, pondering alone the true Dharma formerly heard and received (the discourses, verses in accord, predictions, and so on), cannot remember it, one makes them remember, either by reciting and imparting it to prompt remembrance, or by raising questions and challenges to prompt remembrance. 〔To make one remember a meaning:〕 if some other person has forgotten and lost the true meaning formerly heard and received, one prompts remembrance for them, proclaiming and disclosing it, making it fresh and making it clear; and further, if what was well able to draw forth benefit and to draw forth the holy life, done long ago and said long ago, has been forgotten by that person, one likewise prompts their remembrance. This is called prompting remembrance well.

"Teaching well" — it is that, with regard to the yogic attention of tranquillity and insight in seclusion and quiet, from time to time one instructs in accord with what is fitting, and from time to time proclaims the unerring discourse that corresponds to it — namely, the greatly delightful discourse able to lead the mind away from the hindrances and coverings: the discourse on moral discipline, the discourse on concentration, the discourse on holy wisdom, the discourse on liberation, and the discourse on the knowledge and vision of liberation; the discourse on having few wishes and the discourse on contentment; the discourse on eternal cutting off, the discourse on freedom from craving, and the discourse on quiescent cessation; the discourse on diminishing, the discourse without admixture, and the discourse on conformity to conditionality and dependent origination. This is called teaching well.

"Admonishing well" — it is that, with regard to the holy teaching spoken by the Great Master, one is able to instruct impartially by the true Dharma and by the discipline (the vinaya); or, when a preceptor of deportment, a personal preceptor, a fellow in the Dharma, or others worthy of reverence has, as one knows in accord with reality, transgressed and breached in any one respect, then from time to time one lawfully rebukes, penalizes, and expels them, so as to tame them; and once they are tamed, one lawfully and impartially receives the gains together with them, in harmony, enlightening, gathering in, and taking them in; and with regard to what should be done and what should not be done, so as to make it be practiced or not be practiced, and with regard to what should be habituated and what should not be habituated, one guides and instructs. This is called admonishing well.

"Expounding the true Dharma well" — it is that from time to time one is well able to proclaim the unerring discourse of "what is done at the outset," namely the discourse on giving, the discourse on discipline, and the discourse on rebirth in the heavens, and, with regard to the desires, is able to disclose at length the Dharma of their danger, the going-forth from them, and their purification; and from time to time one proclaims the surpassing discourse corresponding to the four holy truths, namely the discourse on suffering, the discourse on its origin, the discourse on its cessation, and the discourse on the path. So that sentient beings may attain maturation, may attain purification, and so that the true Dharma may long endure, one proclaims a discourse that corresponds, accompanies, accords, is clear, useful, fitting, and in accord — a discourse composed of names, phrases, and syllables; and this discourse is uttered at the proper time, earnest, gradual, continuous, and coherent, making them glad, delighted, joyful, and eager, with nothing to reprove, corresponding and accompanying, undisordered and lawful, in accord with the assembly; with a mind of loving pity, a mind of benefit, and a mind of compassion, not depending on gain, honor, and praise, not exalting oneself, and not disparaging others. This is called expounding the true Dharma well.

Because that person accomplishes these eight limbs and is well able, from time to time, to remonstrate and reprove, to prompt remembrance, to teach, to admonish, and to expound the Dharma, it is for this reason that they are called a good friend. Thus good friendship has been explained at length.

And how is the summary meaning here to be known? It is that the good friend is good and deeply devoted in mind, is by nature compassionate, and at the very first delights in doing what is of benefit for that person and delights in doing what brings happiness 〔one〕; and further, with regard to this very benefit and happiness, understands it in accord with reality, without distortion, free from distorted views 〔two〕; and further, with regard to this very benefit and happiness, has great power and skillful means, and is able to make it accumulate and able to make it draw forth 〔three〕; and further, with regard to this very benefit and happiness, is diligent and undeclining, complete in the arousing of effort, by nature glad, and rousing energetic effort 〔four〕. One should know that, through these four causal factors, the state of the spiritual friend is gathered up, complete in every mode, whole and in brief. This is called the summary meaning of good friendship.

The Tenth Gate · Hearing the True Dharma

What is called hearing and reflecting on the true Dharma? As to what is called "the true Dharma," it is that which is proclaimed, disclosed, distinguished, and illumined by the Blessed World-Honored One, by the Buddha's disciples, by the true, the rightly-arrived, and the truly good persons. And what is this? It is the discourses, the verses in accord, the predictions … and so on down to the doctrinal discussions 〔the twelvefold division of the teaching〕; these are called the true Dharma.

"The discourses" (sūtra) — it is that the Blessed One (bhagavat) 〔the Buddha〕, in this place and that, for the sentient beings to be trained here and there, in accordance with the differences of conduct of those to be trained, proclaimed measureless speech corresponding to the aggregates, speech corresponding to the sense-bases, speech corresponding to dependent origination, speech corresponding to nutriment, speech corresponding to the truths, speech corresponding to the elements, speech corresponding to the śrāvaka vehicle, speech corresponding to the pratyekabuddha vehicle, speech corresponding to the tathāgata vehicle, speech corresponding to the foundations of mindfulness, the right exertions, the bases of spiritual power, the faculties, the powers, the factors of awakening, the limbs of the path, and the like, and speech corresponding to the perception of impurity, the mindfulness of breathing, the trainings, and the assurances of purity; and those who compiled the treasury of the Tathāgata's true Dharma gathered together such manifold holy speech, so that the holy teaching might long endure, arranging it in order and compiling it in order by way of beautiful and wondrous names, phrases, and syllables in accord with what was fitting — that is, stringing and stitching together the various true, good, and wondrous meanings able to draw forth benefit and able to draw forth the holy life. These are called the discourses.

"The verses in accord" (geya) — it is that in the middle or at the end one proclaims stanzas (gāthā), or proclaims a discourse whose meaning is not yet drawn out. These are called the verses in accord. "The predictions" (vyākaraṇa) — it is that herein one predicts such matters as where the disciples will be reborn after their lives have passed, or one proclaims a discourse whose meaning is already drawn out. These are called the predictions. "The chants" (gāthā) — it is not the direct saying but the saying in verse-lines (whether two lines, three lines, four lines, five lines, six lines, and so on). These are called the chants. "The utterances" (udāna) — it is that herein the name and clan of the one who could request are not shown, and, so that the true Dharma may long endure, it is spoken without being requested. These are called the utterances. "The occasions" (nidāna) — it is that herein the name and clan of the one who could request are shown, and it is spoken because of a request, together with the discourses of individual liberation corresponding to the discipline, which have a cause and a condition. These are called the occasions. "The parables" (avadāna) — it is that herein there is speech by way of parable, and because of the parable the fundamental meaning becomes clear and pure. These are called the parables. "The past events" (itivṛttaka) — it is the teachings whose matters and meanings correspond to former lives. These are called the past events. "The birth stories" (jātaka) — it is that herein one proclaims how, in past lives in this place and that, the World-Honored One died and was born, practiced the bodhisattva's conduct, and practiced the difficult practices. These are called the birth stories. "The extensive expositions" (vaipulya) — it is that herein one expounds at length the whole path of the bodhisattvas, so that one may cultivate and realize unsurpassed perfect awakening, the ten powers, the fearlessnesses, unobstructed knowledge, and all such qualities. These are called the extensive expositions. "The marvels" (adbhutadharma) — it is that herein one proclaims the most wondrous, rare, and surpassing qualities — whether shared or unshared, surpassing all others, surpassing all the world, and approved by common consent — of the buddhas, the buddhas' disciples, monks and nuns, probationary nuns (śikṣamāṇā), male and female novices 〔the śrāmaṇera and śrāmaṇerī〕, and laymen and laywomen 〔the upāsaka and upāsikā〕, and so on. These are called the marvels. "The doctrinal discussions" (upadeśa) — it is all the matrices (mātṛkā) 〔the mothers-of-the-text〕 and the Abhidharma, which investigate the very deep meaning of the discourses (sūtra) 〔the scriptures〕 and expound the essentials of all the discourses. These are called the doctrinal discussions.

These twelvefold divisions of the teaching are subsumed under the three baskets: the discourses, the verses in accord, the predictions, the chants, the utterances, the parables, the past events, the birth stories, the extensive expositions, and the marvels are called the Sūtra Basket 〔the Basket of Discourses〕; the occasions are called the Vinaya Basket 〔the Basket of Discipline〕; the doctrinal discussions are called the Abhidharma Basket 〔the Basket of Treatises〕. Thus these twelvefold divisions of the teaching are subsumed under the three baskets. All this is proclaimed in common by the true, the rightly-arrived, and the truly good persons, and is therefore called the true Dharma. Because one listens to and hears this, it is called hearing the true Dharma. And what is this? It is that, suppose there is one who receives and retains the Sūtra Basket, the Vinaya Basket, or the Abhidharma Basket; who receives and retains together the Sūtra and Vinaya Baskets, the Sūtra and Abhidharma Baskets, or the Vinaya and Abhidharma Baskets; or who receives and retains all three, the Sūtra, Vinaya, and Abhidharma Baskets. All of this is called hearing the true Dharma. This hearing of the true Dharma is again of two kinds: first, hearing its words; second, hearing its meaning.

The Eleventh Gate · Reflecting on the True Dharma

What is called reflecting on the true Dharma? It is that, suppose there is one who, relying on the true Dharma heard and believed, dwells alone in a quiet, empty place, keeping away from the six kinds of matters that should not be pondered — namely, pondering the self, pondering sentient beings, pondering the world, pondering the karmic fruit and maturation of sentient beings, pondering the meditative range of those in absorption, and pondering the buddhas and the buddhas' range 〔these six are beyond the reach of ordinary pondering; to ponder them merely disorders the mind〕 — and only rightly contemplates the "particular mark and general mark" of all dharmas.

This contemplating is again of two kinds: first, reckoning up the dharmas by skillful means through the "mode of enumeration"; second, examining the qualities and faults of the dharmas in accord with right principle through the "mode of assessment." Whether one reflects on teachings associated with the aggregates or on any of the other teachings mentioned above, one reflects on all of them by the skillful means of these two modes: enumeration and assessment.

How does one contemplate the teaching corresponding to the aggregates through the "mode of enumeration"? It is thus: what is spoken of as "form" — that is, the ten form-bases and the forms subsumed under the dharma-base — is called the aggregate of form; what is spoken of as "feeling" — that is, the three kinds of feeling — is called the aggregate of feeling; what is spoken of as "perception" — that is, the sixfold body of perception — is called the aggregate of perception; what is spoken of as "formations" — that is, the sixfold body of volition and the rest — is called the aggregate of formations; what is spoken of as "consciousness" — that is, the sixfold body of consciousness and the rest — is called the aggregate of consciousness. This is called contemplating the teaching corresponding to the aggregates through the mode of enumeration; or, by this mode of enumeration, pondering them one by one in their successive differences, one should know that there are then measureless differences.

How does one contemplate the teaching corresponding to the aggregates in accord with right principle through the "mode of assessment"? It is examining without distortion in accord with the "four principles." Which four? First, the principle of dependence; second, the principle of function; third, the principle of establishment-by-proof; fourth, the principle of the way-things-are.

What is "the principle of dependence"? In brief there are two kinds of dependence: first, dependence for arising — the aggregates arise through the force of the various causes and conditions, and their arising must depend on those causes and conditions; second, dependence for designation — the aggregates are designated through the bodies of names, phrases, and syllables, and their designation must depend on those names, phrases, and syllables. These are the aggregates' dependence in arising and in designation. It is this very dependence for arising and dependence for designation, in the arising of the aggregates and the designating of the aggregates, that is called "the skillful means of the yoga of principle," and it is therefore spoken of as the principle of dependence.

"The principle of function" — it is that, once the aggregates have arisen, through their own conditions they have their own functions, each distinct: the eye is able to see form, the ear is able to hear sound, the nose is able to smell scent, the tongue is able to taste flavor, the body is able to feel the tangible, and the mind is able to cognize dharmas; form is the object of the eye and what the eye ranges over, and so on down to dharmas being the object of the mind and what the mind ranges over. The distinct functions of the other phenomena of this kind within their respective domains should likewise be understood. It is the principle — the skillful means of the yoga — that lies in these dharmas' each having its distinct function, all of which is called the principle of function.

"The principle of establishment-by-proof" — it is that "all the aggregates are impermanent, arisen from the assemblage of conditions, suffering, empty, and not-self," examined in accord with reality by way of the three means of valid knowledge: by way of the authoritative teaching 〔the means of holy words〕, by way of direct perception, and by way of inference. Verifying the principle by these three means of valid knowledge, those who have wisdom rightly grasp, settle, and establish in mind that "all the aggregates are impermanent in nature, arisen-from-the-assemblage-of-conditions in nature, suffering in nature, empty in nature, and not-self in nature." Such and the like is called the principle of establishment-by-proof.

"The principle of the way-things-are" — it is this: for what cause and condition are those aggregates of such a kind, and the receptacle-worlds arranged in such a way? For what cause and condition does earth have solidity for its mark, water wetness for its mark, fire warmth for its mark, and wind lightness-and-motion for its mark? For what cause and condition are the aggregates impermanent, the dharmas not-self, and nirvāṇa quiescent? For what cause and condition does form have the mark of deterioration, feeling the mark of experiencing, perception and the rest the mark of cognizing, formations the mark of fashioning, and consciousness the mark of discerning? Because those dharmas are "such by their fundamental nature, such by their own nature, such by their dharma-nature" — this very way-things-are is called "the skillful means of the yoga of principle"; and whether it be just so, or otherwise than so, or not so, all of it takes the way-things-are as its ground and all of it returns to the principle of the way-things-are, making the mind abide and making the mind clear. This is called the principle of the way-things-are.

This is called examining the teaching corresponding to the aggregates in accord with the four principles. As one examines the teaching corresponding to the aggregates through the mode of enumeration and the mode of assessment, so through these two modes one examines all the rest of the teaching. This whole is called scrutinizing rightly, examining, and contemplating all the true Dharma that has been spoken. This is called hearing and reflecting on the true Dharma.

The Twelfth Gate · Freedom from Obstruction

What is called freedom from obstruction? This freedom from obstruction is in brief of two kinds: first, that resting on the inner; second, that resting on the outer. I shall first speak of "obstruction resting on the inner and obstruction resting on the outer"; what is contrary to these, one should know, is precisely the two kinds of freedom from obstruction.

What is called "obstruction resting on the inner"? It is that, suppose there is one who has not cultivated merit in former lives; and because they have not cultivated merit, they cannot from time to time obtain the fitting requisites of life (clothing, food, seats and bedding, medicines for illness, and other utensils); who has sharp greed and long-standing greed, sharp anger and long-standing anger, sharp delusion and long-standing delusion; or who has amassed and wrought much disease-causing karma in former lives, and because of that has many diseases; or who, through present unbalanced conduct, has wind, heat, and phlegm again and again arising, or has undigested food remaining within the body; or who eats coarse and heavy fare, has many affairs, many undertakings, much to do, and much intercourse with crowds, being fond of business, of talk, of sleep, of noisy crowds, of dwelling mixed among others, and of idle proliferation, and being fond of self-exaltation, distraction, negligence, and dwelling in an improper place. Such and the like — one should know all of it is called obstruction resting on the inner.

What is called "obstruction resting on the outer"? It is that, suppose there is one who relies on an unvirtuous person, and through that cause cannot from time to time obtain fitting instruction and admonition; or who dwells in a bad place, where, in the daytime, there are many kinds of noisy, mixed crowds gathering and various disturbing events, and, in the night, many kinds of loud voices, great sounds, and the din of a great crowd, and again various kinds of sharp and bitter vile touches of wind and sun, or various kinds of frights and terrors from humans and non-humans. Such and the like — one should know all of it is called obstruction resting on the outer. Thus the inner and outer obstructions have been explained at length.

And how is the summary meaning here to be known? It is that herein there are in brief three obstructions: first, the obstruction to effortful practice; second, the obstruction to seclusion; third, the obstruction to quiescence.

"The obstruction to effortful practice" — it is that, when this obstruction is present, one has no capability and no power for any effortful practice with respect to the wholesome things. And what is this? It is chronic ailments, hardship, and grave illness; wind, heat, and phlegm arising again and again; or undigested food remaining within the body; or being bitten and stung by snakes, scorpions, centipedes, and millipedes; or being harassed by humans and non-humans; and, moreover, being unable to obtain clothing, food, bedding, medicines, and other utensils. All such things, it should be known, are called the obstruction to effortful practice.

What is "the obstruction to seclusion"? First, eating coarse and heavy fare; second, having many affairs, many undertakings, and much to do, or being fond of business, whereby, delighting in all sorts of business, one's mind scatters among this affair and that. Third, being fond of talk,though one has the capability and great power for the cultivation of seclusion, cutting off, and quiescence, yet with mere reciting one becomes content. Fourth, being fond of sleep,constantly bound by sluggishness and drowsiness, indolent by nature, taking sleeping, leaning, and lying down as pleasures. Fifth, being fond of noisy crowds,delighting to talk with laity and renunciants of the discourse on kings, the discourse on thieves, the discourse on food, the discourse on drink, the discourse on fine clothing, the discourse on the courtesans' lanes, the discourse on the various lands, the discourse handed down of great men, the discourse handed down of the world, and the discourse handed down of the great sea, and the like — the vain, ornate discourses that draw forth what is meaningless — thus idling away the days. Sixth, greatly delighting to gather often with crowds,whereby, among this affair and that, the mind is set moving and disturbed. Seventh, being fond of dwelling mixed among others,whereby, laity and renunciants alike, if one has not yet met them one longs to see them, and once one has met them one does not wish to part. Eighth, being fond of idle proliferation,delighting in the world's various idle proliferations, glad to press forward where one ought to turn toward practice, and gladly casting off the good yoke amid seclusion. All such numerous obstructive things, it should be known, are called the obstruction to seclusion. When this obstruction is present, it is hard to relinquish attachment to the wilderness, the mountain forests, and the open wastes, and one cannot dwell in the wilderness, among the tombs, beneath the trees, or in an empty quiet room.

"The obstruction to quiescence" — it is that "quiescence" means tranquillity (śamatha) 〔calming〕 and insight (vipaśyanā) 〔contemplation〕; there is the obstruction to tranquillity and the obstruction to insight.

"The obstruction to tranquillity" — it is negligence and dwelling in an improper place. Through negligence, either sluggishness and drowsiness bind the mind, or, having attained only tranquillity, one gives rise to relish for it, or the mind gladly enters upon what is inferior, or the mind gladly clings to what is dull; and by dwelling in such an improper place, humans or non-humans, noisy and mixed, disturb one, others harass one, and the mind gallops outward and scatters. This is called the obstruction to tranquillity; it should be known that this obstruction directly obstructs quiescence.

"The obstruction to insight" — it is being fond of self-reliant exaltation and being distracted. As for "being fond of self-reliant exaltation": suppose there is one who thinks thus — "I was born into a high clan, went forth in pure faith, am not inferior; the other monks are not so" — and through this exalts and elevates himself and disparages others; likewise, he thinks, "I was born into a wealthy clan and went forth in pure faith; I am not poor or deprived. I am furnished with fine appearance, delightful to behold and dignified; I am of much learning, retain what I have heard, and have accumulated my hearing; I am skilled in speech and complete in my words. The other monks are not so" — and through this exalts and elevates himself and disparages others; and because he thus exalts himself, he cannot from time to time respectfully question monks who are advanced in years, of much knowledge, and long-cultivated in the holy life, and those monks in turn do not from time to time open up for him what is not yet opened, or make clear for him what is not yet made clear, or earnestly and by wisdom penetrate the deep meaning of the phrases and disclose it to him by skillful means, on down to making his knowledge and vision pure — this is called the obstruction to insight of being fond of self-reliant exaltation. Again, suppose there is one who, having attained only a small portion of inferior knowledge and vision, dwells securely thereby, and through this exalts himself, and because he exalts himself he gives rise to contentment and seeks nothing higher — this is called the obstruction to insight in which one is fond of self-reliant exaltation and abides therein. As for "being distracted": suppose there is one whose faculties are not quiescent, whose faculties are distracted and clamorous, who at all times thinks evil thoughts, speaks evil speech, and does evil deeds, and cannot abide steadily or firmly in contemplating the dharmas, whereby his insight cannot be complete and cannot attain purity — this is called the obstruction to insight of distraction. Thus two things obstruct tranquillity (much negligence and dwelling in an improper place), and two things obstruct insight (being fond of self-reliant exaltation and being distracted).

Thus both the obstruction to tranquillity and the obstruction to insight are together called the obstruction to quiescence. This is called the summary meaning of obstruction. This very summary meaning together with the foregoing extensive explanation, taken together as one, is called obstruction. What is contrary to this obstruction, one should know, is freedom from obstruction — that is, the non-existence, the being-far-removed, the not-conjoining, and the not-coming-together of this obstruction is called freedom from obstruction.

The Thirteenth Gate · Cultivating Generous Giving

What is called generous giving? It is that, if a giving is by its nature without fault, and one cultivates giving in order to adorn the mind, to accompany the mind, to provide for the yoga, and to attain the higher goal, this is called generous giving.

Question: Who is able to give? Who is given to? With what does one give? What is the mark of giving? How does one give? For what reason does one give? — By these factors, the nature of giving is without fault.

〔Who is able to give〕 Answer: "The one able to give" means the giver and the donor. What is the giver? What is the donor? If one gives with one's own hand, this is called the giver; if one gives one's own property, and gives gladly, not unwillingly, this is called the donor.

〔Who is given to〕 "The one given to" means the four kinds of recipients: first, the suffering; second, the benefactors; third, the beloved; fourth, the venerable. What are "the suffering"? They are the poor, beggars, wayfarers, the needy, the blind, the deaf and dull, the destitute, the resourceless, those lacking the requisites of life, and others of the same kind; these are called the suffering. What are "the benefactors"? They are father and mother, the wet-nurse, those who reared one, those who raised one; or those who could ferry one across in the wilderness and the sandy wastes, those who could relieve one in times of famine, those who came to the rescue when one dreaded an enemy, those who could release one when one was bound in fetters, those who came to the aid and treatment when one met with illness, those who taught one benefit and taught one happiness, those who drew forth benefit and drew forth happiness, those who were companions amid all sorts of affairs, who shared one's joys and shared one's sorrows, and who did not abandon one when calamity struck, and others of the same kind; these are called benefactors. What are "the beloved"? They are one's kin and friends, in whose presence there is love and there is respect, or who speak trustingly, or who often speak and converse and keep company, or who are on intimate terms, and others of the same kind; these are called the beloved. What are "the venerable"? They are the ascetics and brahmins, those approved by common consent in the world as worthy and good, those free from doing harm and those utterly free from harming, those free from craving, those who practice for the taming of craving, those free from anger, those who practice for the taming of anger, those free from delusion, those who practice for the taming of delusion, and others of the same kind; these are called the venerable.

〔With what does one give〕 "With what one gives" — in brief, one practices generous giving using either things counted as sentient or things counted as non-sentient. What is practicing generous giving with "things counted as sentient"? It is either wife and children, servants and laborers, or elephants, horses, pigs, cattle, sheep, chickens, ducks, camels, mules, and the like, or other grown men and grown women, boys and girls, or again one's own inner body — head, eyes, hands, feet, blood, flesh, bone, and marrow — bestowed according to their wish (this is what the bodhisattvas practice, and is not the giving that is meant here). Only if someone truly has mastery, power, or control over those sentient beings; if it is proper to give them to another; if the giver incurs no fault in giving; if the gift does not cause resentment in another's mind; and if one knows that those beings will not thereby be harmed or troubled, is it called faultless generous giving with things counted as sentient. What is practicing generous giving with "things counted as non-sentient"? In brief there are three kinds of things: first, wealth-things (pearl-gems, true pearls, lapis lazuli, conch and cowrie, jade discs, coral, carnelian, colored stones, native-hued 〔gold〕 and dyeable 〔silver〕, red pearls, right-spiraling 〔"right-spiraling": the right-spiraling conch-shell, a mark of good fortune; this character in the base text reads 右旋 "right-spiraling," while the Song, Yuan, and Ming editions read 布施 "giving," and the Sheng edition reads 右施 "right-giving" — all three readings are recorded〕, or the various precious treasures, gold and silver, clothing, utensils, incense, and garlands); these and other things of the same kind are called wealth-things. Second, grain-things (things that may be eaten or drunk — barley, wheat, rice, millet, panic-millet, sesame, and the greater and lesser beans; sugarcane, grapes, milk and curd, fruit juice, and all sorts of drinks); these and other things of the same kind are called grain-things. Third, estate-things (fields and dwellings, shops and stalls, and the erecting of merit-houses, monasteries, and the like); these and other things of the same kind are called estate-things. This is called faultless generous giving with things counted as non-sentient. All things counted as sentient and non-sentient are together called the things used in giving.

〔What is the mark of giving〕 "The mark of giving" means the volition that operates conjoined with non-greed — the fashioning act of mind, together with the bodily act and verbal act that arise from it — in relinquishing the thing given (whether relinquishing one's own continuum or relinquishing another's continuum). This is called the mark of giving.

〔How does one give?〕 One gives through pure faith, through the view derived from the right teaching, through the view that deeds bear fruit, and with utmost earnestness; with a reverent mind one gives with one's own hand and does not slight the recipient; one gives at the proper time, meets another's pressing need, and does not harm or trouble another; lawfully and impartially, one does not give wealth amassed by cruel violence, but gives fresh and clean things, fine and wondrous things, and pure things, whereby self and other are both without fault; one gives repeatedly to subdue the stain of miserliness and accumulate the strength of giving; before giving the mind rejoices, while giving the mind is pure, and after giving it has no regret. This is what is meant by "thus one gives."

〔For what reason does one give〕 "For what reason one gives" — one gives out of loving-kindness and compassion (toward the suffering), or one gives out of gratitude (toward benefactors), or one gives out of love, respect, and trusting devotion (toward the beloved), or one gives seeking the surpassing qualities, worldly and world-transcending (toward the venerable). Through these factors one cultivates generous giving; and by these marks, whether laity or renunciant, one practices giving in order to adorn the mind, to accompany the mind, to provide for the yoga, and to attain the higher goal. Because of this, the nature of the giving is without fault, and this is called generous giving.

The Fourteenth Gate · The Adornments of the Ascetic

What is called the adornments of the ascetic? The summary verse 〔uddāna〕 says:

〔Verse〕 Right faith, without flattery, few illnesses, energetic effort, and wisdom; furnished with few wishes, contentment, being easy to support, and being easy to satisfy; the qualities of the purifying practices, dignity, knowing the measure, the ways of the good; furnished with the marks of the wise, endurance, gentle harmony, and being worthy and good.

It is that, suppose there is one furnished with right faith, without flattery or crookedness, with few illnesses, energetic by nature, accomplished in wondrous wisdom, of few wishes, content, easy to support, easy to satisfy, fully accomplished in the qualities of the purifying practices (the dhūta), dignified, knowing the measure, fully accomplished in the ways of the worthy and good, fully accomplished in the marks of the wise, enduring, gentle and harmonious, and worthy and good by nature.

What is being "furnished with right faith"? It is being of much pure faith, much right reverence and compliance, giving rise much to firm conviction, and much good wish and delight; toward the wholesome dharmas and toward the Great Master, giving rise to deep pure faith, without confusion and without doubt; toward the Great Master, being reverent, respectful, attending upon, and making offerings; and single-mindedly drawing near, relying on, and dwelling by. And as toward the Great Master, so likewise toward the Dharma, toward the fellows in the holy life, toward all the instructions and admonitions of the trainings, toward the making of offerings, toward non-negligence, and toward concentration. This is called being furnished with right faith.

What is being "without flattery or crookedness"? It is being of pure substance, upright by nature, and revealing oneself in accord with reality 〔not concealing anything〕 before the Great Master and the wise fellows in the holy life. This is called being without flattery or crookedness.

What is having "few illnesses"? It is being free from illness by nature, digesting in accord with the seasons, appropriating in balance, neither too warm nor too cold, without any harm, and at ease from time to time, so that what is eaten, drunk, chewed, and tasted is easily and rightly digested 〔assimilated〕. This is called having few illnesses.

What is being "energetic by nature"? It is being able to abide with strength, with diligence, with courage, firm and fierce; among the wholesome dharmas being able not to cast off the yoke 〔not to set down the burden〕; diligent and untiring, complete in the arousing of effort, able to accomplish things, and personally attending upon the wise fellows in the holy life. This is called being energetic by nature.

What is being "accomplished in wondrous wisdom"? It is having acuteness, mindfulness, and awareness all complete; the faculties not dull, not stupid, not mute, and not speaking by another's hand 〔not needing another to speak for one〕; having the power to understand the meaning of the dharmas well spoken and ill spoken, and being fully accomplished in the innate awareness-wisdom and the awareness-wisdom of applied practice. This is called being accomplished in wondrous wisdom.

What is "having few wishes"? It is, though accomplished in the good qualities of few wishes and the like, not wishing others to know that "I am furnished with few wishes and accomplished in these qualities." This is called having few wishes.

What is "contentment"? It is with any one sort of clothing, food, bedding, and the like, giving rise to gladness and to right contentment; with regard to clothing not yet obtained, whether coarse or fine, having no further longing or deliberation; and with regard to what is already obtained, using it without defilement and without attachment; and so likewise with food and bedding. This is called contentment.

What is being "easy to support"? It is being able, alone and by oneself, to nourish oneself well, without depending on others (whether servant-boys or other people), and moreover not pursuing surplus wealth and treasure, which would cause donors and the like to reckon one hard to support. This is called being easy to support.

What is being "easy to satisfy"? It is obtaining but little and sustaining oneself; if one obtains what is coarse and worn, one likewise sustains oneself. This is called being easy to satisfy.

"Accomplished in the qualities of the purifying practices" — that is, always begging for food, begging for food in sequence, eating at a single sitting only, taking one's fill first and then eating, keeping only the three robes, keeping only felt robes, keeping refuse-heap robes, dwelling in the wilderness, ever dwelling beneath the trees, ever dwelling in the open, ever dwelling among the tombs, ever seated upright, and dwelling in one's seat as it is 〔the various ascetic practices, the dhūta〕; the qualities of the purifying practices resting on food, on robes, and on the various furnishings are either twelve kinds or thirteen kinds. Within begging for food there is a twofold division: first, begging for food as it comes (receiving food according to the houses one comes and goes past, taking whatever one gains); second, begging for food in sequence (entering the lanes, going from house to house begging, and receiving food according to what appears and is obtained, not raising one's hand high to pass over toward another house in the wish to obtain fine food, and so on down to setting one's hope on obtaining much). One should know that herein: if one takes begging for food as undifferentiated, there are only twelve; if one takes begging for food as differentiated 〔dividing it into as-it-comes and in-sequence〕, there are then thirteen.

"Eating at a single sitting only" — sitting on one seat, receiving all that ought to be eaten, and once one has risen from that seat, never eating again. This is called eating at a single sitting only. "Taking one's fill first and then eating" — for the sake of eating, one sits on a fitting seat, and before eating one first fully receives all that ought to be eaten, rightly knowing "I now receive only this much food and drink, and will sustain myself thereby" and "beyond this I shall certainly not eat"; having received it thus, only then does one eat. This is called taking one's fill first and then eating. "Keeping only the three robes" — sustaining oneself with only three robes; what are the three robes? First, the saṃghāṭī 〔the great robe〕; second, the uttarāsaṅga 〔the upper robe, of seven strips〕; third, the antarvāsa 〔the lower robe, of five strips〕; apart from these, one never stores up surplus robes. This is called keeping only the three robes. "Keeping only felt robes" — the robes one keeps (whether the three robes or surplus robes) are all made of wool-felt, and one never stores up other kinds of made robes. This is called keeping only felt robes. "Keeping refuse-heap robes" — the robes that others have discarded, cast into the streets, lanes, markets, shops, roads and byroads, or soiled with excrement, or smeared and stained with excrement, pus, blood, snot, and spittle; one takes such impure cloth, removes the coarse filth, firmly washes it, sews and dyes it, and keeps it. This is called keeping refuse-heap robes. What is "dwelling in the wilderness"? It is dwelling in the empty and quiet mountain forests and open wastes, using the furthermost bedding, keeping far from all villages and settlements. This is called dwelling in the wilderness. "Ever dwelling beneath the trees" — ever vowing to dwell beneath the trees, resting on the roots of the trees. This is called ever dwelling beneath the trees. "Ever dwelling in the open" — ever vowing to dwell in the open, in a place without cover or shelter. This is called ever dwelling in the open. "Ever dwelling among the tombs" — ever vowing to dwell among the burial mounds, the places where the dead are sent off with their corpses. This is called ever dwelling among the tombs. "Ever seated upright" — on a large bed, a small rope-bed, or a seat of grass and leaves, sitting with the body upright and passing the days thus, never leaning one's back or side against the bed, wall, tree, or seat. This is called ever sitting upright. "Dwelling in one's seat as it is" — with the grass seat or leaf seat one sits and lies upon, one sits and lies constantly on the grass seat or leaf seat laid out as before, and once it is laid out one never turns it over and repairs it again and again. This is called dwelling in one's seat as it is.

Question: Why are they called "the qualities of the purifying practices"? Answer: It is like wool or fine wool-cloth 〔fine woolen felt〕 in the world: before it is beaten, plucked, teased, and pulled apart, it clings together, is neither soft nor light, and is unfit for making into thread, felt, and cushions; but once beaten, plucked, teased, and pulled apart, it scatters loose, becomes soft, light, and fine, and is fit for making into thread, felt, and cushions. So too the practitioner: through greed for food, greed for clothing, and greed for furnishings, the mind is defiled and attached to food, clothing, and furnishings; and that person, through these qualities of the purifying practices, is able to purify and refine, making the mind upright, soft, light, and fine, capable, in accord and resting well, and able to cultivate the holy life — and therefore they are called the qualities of the purifying practices. 〔The pairings:〕 With respect to food there is greed for tasty food and greed for much food, which are able to obstruct the cultivation of good: to cut off greed for tasty food, one always begs for food and begs in sequence; to cut off greed for much food, one eats at a single sitting only and takes one's fill first and then eats. With respect to clothing there is greed for many robes, greed for a soft touch, and greed for the fine and wondrous: to cut off greed for many robes, one keeps only the three robes; to cut off greed for a soft touch, one keeps only felt robes; to cut off greed for the fine and wondrous, one keeps refuse-heap robes. With respect to furnishings there is greed for noisy crowds, greed for buildings, greed for the pleasure of leaning and the pleasure of lying, and greed for furnishings: to cut off greed for noisy crowds, one dwells in the wilderness; to cut off greed for buildings, one ever dwells beneath the trees, in the open, and among the tombs (and to cut off greed for lust, one ever dwells among the tombs); to cut off greed for the pleasure of leaning and lying, one ever sits upright; to cut off greed for furnishings, one dwells in one's seat as it is. This is called being accomplished in the qualities of the purifying practices.

What is "Dignity" — being able to accomplish the dignified bearing in going and returning, in looking down and looking up, in bending and stretching, and in carrying the saṃghāṭī, carrying the robes, and carrying the bowl. This is called dignity.

What is "knowing the measure"? It is with regard to the clothing, food, furnishings, medicines, and various utensils that faithful brahmins, householders, and lay-lords bestow to the utmost, gathering in a measured way 〔not craving much〕. This is called knowing the measure.

What is "Accomplished in the ways of the worthy and good" — whether born into a high clan or born into a wealthy clan, one goes forth in pure faith, of fine countenance, delightful to behold and dignified, furnished with much learning, and complete in speech; or, having obtained but a little knowledge, a little vision, and a little dwelling-in-ease, one does not through this exalt oneself or disparage others, is able to know that "only the practice of the Dharma in accord with the Dharma is what is true and real," and, having understood this, energetically practices the Dharma in accord with the Dharma. This is called being accomplished in the ways of the worthy and good.

What is "Accomplished in the marks of the wise" — by the mark of one's deeds one is shown to be a fool, and by the mark of one's deeds one is shown to be wise: fools think evil thoughts, speak evil speech, and do evil deeds; the wise think good thoughts, speak good speech, and do good deeds. This is called being accomplished in the marks of the wise.

What is "Endurance" — not returning abuse for abuse, not returning anger for anger, not returning a blow for a blow, not returning mockery for mockery; and being able to bear cold and heat, hunger and thirst, mosquitoes and gadflies, wind and sun, the poisonous touch of snakes and scorpions, the encroachments of others and their coarse, evil speech, and the sharp, hard, acrid, cutting, and life-robbing sufferings arising within the body — being by nature enduring and having the capacity to take them in. This is called endurance.

What is "Gentle harmony" — toward the Great Master and the rest, being fully accomplished in bodily acts, verbal acts, and mental acts of loving pity; sharing in common with the wise fellows in the holy life the enjoyment of what ought to be enjoyed; with all food and drink having nothing kept privately, but using what has been lawfully gained and lawfully obtained, fallen into the bowl and gathered by the bowl; sharing the same precepts and the same views, and accomplishing these six things that are delightful, lovable, and worthy of esteem, free from contention, easy to dwell with, and by nature not troubling to others; ever making the fellows in the holy life glad while dwelling together in one place 〔that is, the six points of reverent harmony〕. This is called gentle harmony.

What is "Worthy and good" — being far removed from frowning, with an open countenance and level gaze, smiling and speaking first, ever using kindly speech, by nature much gathering in good-Dharma companions, and pure in body and mind. This is called being worthy and good.

If one accomplishes such dharmas, one delights in the true Dharma and delights in the qualities, and does not delight in gain, honor, and praise; nor does one accomplish the two wrong views of over-affirmation and under-denial — never over-affirming what is not existent, never under-denying what really exists; with regard to the various ornate-worded compositions of the world — the worldly, ornately embellished phrases and poetic discourses — one is able to know rightly that they are meaningless and without benefit, and so keeps far from them, casts them off, does not practice or love them, and does not spread them; one does not delight in storing up surplus robes and bowls; one keeps far from dwelling mixed among the laity in noisy crowds (because it increases the afflictions), and delights to dwell in harmony with the holy assembly (because it purifies and cultivates wisdom); one does not delight in gathering in kinsfolk and friends (fearing only that through such ties of kin and friendship one would draw upon oneself measureless disturbing affairs, and that if they should be ruined and lost, one would give rise to all sorts of grief, lament, sorrow, suffering, and distress); with regard to the root afflictions and the derivative afflictions that arise, one does not firmly cling to them but forthwith relinquishes, expels, and spews them out (fearing only that through the ties of these two afflictions one would give rise to the manifold sufferings of the present life and later lives); one never vainly wastes any gift of faith, never breaches the pure precepts while using a gift of faith, never disparages another's gift of faith, and never casts off the training rules one has received; one ever delights to examine one's own faults and does not delight in seeking out others' transgressions, concealing one's own good and disclosing one's own evil; even at the cost of one's life one does not deliberately breach the manifold offenses, and should one, through lapse of mindfulness, commit some small breach, one straightway and swiftly repents and removes it in accord with the Dharma; with regard to what ought to be done one is diligent and untiring, able to accomplish all one's affairs by oneself, and never seeks to have another serve as one's attendant; toward the inconceivable majesty and spiritual power and the very deep Dharma-teaching of the Blessed Buddha and the Buddha's disciples, one gives rise to deep faith and understanding and never slanders them, being able to know rightly that "this is only what the Tathāgata knows and sees; it is not my range"; and one never delights to dwell in the discourses and spells born of one's own deluded view-grasping, unreasonable perverse attachment, and evil views.

If one is furnished with such qualities, abiding thus, training thus, and adorning oneself with the various adornments of the true ascetic, it is exceedingly wondrous. It is like a person, hale and handsome, fond of adorning himself and glad to enjoy the desires, who bathes his body and head, anoints himself with fine fragrance, dons fresh white garments, and decks himself with all sorts of wondrous adornments — namely necklaces, earrings, finger-rings, wrist-bracelets, arm-bracelets, various fine jeweled seals, together with gold and silver and all sorts of flower-garlands — such adornment being exceedingly marvelous. So too the practitioner, adorning himself with the various wondrous adornments that are the qualities of the true ascetic — his virtue blazing, his majestic radiance shining everywhere — is therefore said to have the adornments of the ascetic. This is the meaning of the adornments of the ascetic.

Teaching arc: discipline, faculties, food, sleep, and clear comprehension have all now been laid out in a row; these last six gates round the provisions off to completeness — the good friend (a fine teacher), hearing the Dharma, reflecting on the Dharma, freedom from obstruction, giving, and the "adornments of the ascetic" (沙門莊嚴) into which all the foregoing virtues are gathered. The point of the eye is the "four principles" (四道理) of reflecting on the right Dharma: how must one think about the Buddha-dharma so that the thinking does not go astray? The treatise hands the yoga practitioner a measuring-rod for cognition — the principle of dependence, the principle of activity, the principle of establishment, and the principle of the nature of things. By the time the Stage of Deliverance has walked this far, a śrāvaka practitioner has already been so adorned with virtues that "his radiance shines everywhere."

Practice needs a fine teacher: the eight conditions of a good friend

As the path of deliverance walks into its closing stretch, the treatise first expounds "good friendship" (善友性) — what kind of person is fit to be your good spiritual friend. The treatise lists eight conditions: abiding in the restraint of the precepts, being possessed of much learning, being able to have something realized, being compassionate by nature, being of a mind that never wearies, being well able to endure, being without fear, and being complete in speech. Of these, the condition "being able to have something realized" (能有所證) is the thickest: he must have realized the perceptions of impermanence and the rest, the four meditative absorptions (四靜慮), the four formless [attainments] (四無色), the four immeasurables (四無量), the four fruits of the ascetic life (四沙門果), the five superknowledges (五神通) up to arhatship — and be able, moreover, to display for others the "three miracles" (三神變): the miracle of spiritual power, the miracle of declaration, and the miracle of instruction; the ancient masters match these three with the three wheels and three superknowledges: the wheel of spiritual power (the superknowledge of [magical] power over the body), the wheel of mind-reading (the superknowledge of others' minds), and the wheel of teaching the Dharma (the superknowledge of the exhaustion of the outflows) 〔Dunlun〕. And the condition "being well able to endure" (善能堪忍) shows character most of all: "reviled, he does not revile in return; angered against, he does not return anger; struck, he does not strike in return; mocked, he does not mock in return" 〔罵不報罵、瞋不報瞋、打不報打、弄不報弄〕, and though he meets with slight, insult, and abuse, "his fundamental nature undergoes no change or alteration whatever, and he only ever holds toward them the thought of their welfare and benefit" 〔本性都無變改，唯常於彼思為義利〕.

Possessed of these eight limbs, the good friend can then do five things for a person: he can well admonish and call to account (pointing out faults in accord with the Dharma — truthfully, at the right time, beneficially, gently, and out of a good friend's kindness, not out of hatred or envy); he can well cause to remember (reminding of what has been transgressed and of the meaning of the Dharma heard); he can well instruct (teaching tranquillity and insight, teaching few desires and contentment); he can well admonish-and-warn (reproving and disciplining in accord with the Dharma so as to bring under control); and he can well expound the right Dharma (first expounding giving, discipline, and birth in heaven, and afterward the four noble truths). A good spiritual friend is no casual acquaintance; he is one complete in virtue, realization, compassion, and eloquence together — and one, moreover, who is willing to admonish and willing to teach.

Hearing is the twelvefold teaching; the hard part is how to "think"

The tenth gate, "hearing the right Dharma" (聞正法), speaks of what is heard — the twelvefold teaching spoken by the Buddha and the Buddha's disciples (the sūtras, the geya, the vyākaraṇa, the gāthā, the udāna, the nidāna, the avadāna, the itivṛttaka, the jātaka, the vaipulya, the adbhuta-dharma, and the upadeśa), subsumed under the three baskets. Hearing is of two kinds: hearing its wording, and hearing its meaning.

What truly costs effort is the eleventh gate, "reflecting on the right Dharma" (思正法) — how, once it has been heard in, one must think so that the thinking does not go astray. The treatise first marks off six forbidden zones (the six matters not to be reflected upon): do not reflect and dispute over "a self," over sentient beings, over the world (why the receptacle-realm is arranged as it is), over the maturational fruit of sentient beings' karma, over the state of those who have entered concentration, and over the state of the buddhas — these six lie beyond the measure of an ordinary being's reckoning, and to force one's thinking upon them only vainly disturbs the mind. What one should think about is the "own-mark and common-mark" (自相、共相) of all phenomena, thought through by two methods: one is "the mode of enumeration" (算數行相) — counting the phenomena out one by one and clearly (as, which factors each of the five aggregates subsumes); the other is "the mode of weighing" (稱量行相) — and this draws out the doctrinal summit of the whole passage: the "four principles" (四道理).

The heart of the whole passage: how to "think" about the Buddha-dharma in accord with principle — the four principles

The treatise teaches you to weigh all phenomena with four measuring-rods:

The principle of dependence (觀待道理) — in everything, look at "what it depends upon": the arising of the aggregates must depend upon causes and conditions (dependence-in-arising); the designation of the aggregates must depend upon names, phrases, and syllables (dependence-in-designation). Not one phenomenon arises in isolation; each is by mutual dependence.

The principle of activity (作用道理) — look at "what function it can set up": the eye can see forms, the ear can hear sounds … the mind can cognize dharmas, each with its own distinct activity.

The principle of establishment (證成道理) — look at "on what ground it stands established": that all the aggregates are "impermanent, arisen from a concourse of conditions, suffering, empty, and without self" — this is no empty assertion; it must be proved and tested by the "three means of knowledge": the means of knowledge that is authoritative teaching (the words of the sages), direct perception (personal realization within concentration), and inference (reasoning, as when from arising-through-conditions one infers impermanence) 〔Dunlun〕. The ancient masters further draw a fine distinction whereby "the means of knowledge that is the utmost teaching" (至教量) surpasses the mere name "the words of the sages": "it is the teaching that is utmost; because the principle is utmost, whether inner or outer it is in every case called the utmost teaching" 〔即至極之教，以理至極，無問內外皆名至教〕 — where the principle has reached the utmost, one does not ask whether it be inner or outer, but counts it all as utmost teaching 〔Kuiji〕.

The principle of the nature of things (法爾道理) — pressed to the very end, some things are simply "so of themselves": why is fire warm, why is water wet, why are all phenomena without self, why is nirvāṇa quiescent? Answered down to the root, it is that "the fundamental nature is thus, the own-nature is thus, the nature of the dharma is thus" 〔本性應爾、自性應爾、法性應爾〕; press further and there is nothing more to ask — this "settles the mind and brings the mind to clarity" 〔令心安住、令心曉了〕.

These four principles are the full set of tools for the yoga practitioner's "reflecting in accord with principle": whenever he meets a phenomenon, he weighs it from four sides — what it depends upon, what function it sets up, on what ground it is established, and how ultimately it is so of its own nature. That reflective wisdom does not go astray lies wholly in this measuring-rod. (This is also precisely the outline that the later Stage of What is Attained through Reflection will open out at length.)

The three obstructions on the path — above all that "obstruction to tranquillity-and-insight"

The twelfth gate, "freedom from obstruction" (無障), throws obstruction into relief by reversal: obstruction that depends on the inner (not cultivating merit; sharp and severe greed, hatred, and delusion; much sickness from past karma; many affairs and much attachment), and obstruction that depends on the outer (relying on bad friends, dwelling in a bad place). The treatise then gathers these into three obstructions: the obstruction to preparatory effort (sickness and pain press upon the body, so that one lacks even the strength to apply oneself), the obstruction to seclusion (heavy eating, many affairs, love of talk, love of sleep, love of clamor, love of dwelling amid company, love of frivolous discourse — one who cannot let go of the bustle cannot settle into the quiet), and the obstruction to quiescence (寂靜障).

The third is the deepest. The treatise says that "quiescence" is tranquillity-and-insight, so the obstruction to quiescence is the twofold obstruction to tranquillity and to insight: the obstruction to śamatha (奢摩他障) is "heedlessness and abiding in the wrong place" (放逸及住非處) — through heedlessness, torpor and drowsiness enwrap the mind; or, having gained a little concentration, one relishes it and clings to a base, dim, and murky object; the obstruction to vipaśyanā (毘鉢舍那障) is "taking pleasure in self-exaltation, and distraction" (樂自恃舉及掉亂) — "I am born of a high clan, I am possessed of fine looks, I am of much learning and good in debate; the rest of the bhikṣus are not like this" 〔我生高族、我具妙色、我多聞善辯，諸餘比丘則不如是〕 — and, exalting himself thus, he is unwilling to inquire of the aged and much-knowing, and others too do not expound the profound sentences and meanings for him, so that the wisdom of insight can go no further in; or, the mind scattered and the faculties agitated, thinking ill and speaking ill, insight too cannot be brought to completion 〔Dunlun〕. The treatise's aim is exceedingly exact: what obstructs concentration is heedlessness, and what obstructs insight is self-conceit and distraction — the two things a practitioner should most guard against turn out to be just these.

Giving and adornment: the perfection of merit, and a whole body of virtue arrayed as ornament

The thirteenth gate, "cultivating the giving-up that is generosity" (修惠捨), is the provision of merit, and the treatise expounds giving fully by six questions: who can give (the giver, the donor); to whom one gives (four sorts of recipient: those who suffer, those who have shown kindness, those who are dear and loved, those who are honored and superior); with what one gives (things belonging to sentient beings, things not belonging to sentient beings — wealth, grain, dwellings); what the mark of giving is (the volition and the acts of body and speech that operate together with non-greed, and the relinquishing of the thing given); how one gives (with pure faith, with earnestness, with reverence, at the fitting time, without harm or vexation, and pure and free of regret); and why one gives (out of loving-kindness and compassion toward those who suffer, out of gratitude toward those who have shown kindness, out of love and respect toward those who are dear, and out of seeking the surpassing virtue toward those who are honored and superior). That giving be "without fault" lies wholly in all six of these sides being right.

At last the fourteenth gate, "the adornments of the ascetic" (沙門莊嚴), gathers all the foregoing virtues into a single body of adornment. The treatise lists the virtues of fourteen gates: right faith, freedom from flattery, few sicknesses, vigor, excellent wisdom, few desires, contentment, being easy to support, being easy to satisfy, the virtues of the dhūta, dignified bearing, knowing the measure, the manner of a worthy and good person, the marks of the wise and discerning, endurance, gentleness and harmony, and worthy goodness. Of these, the "virtues of the dhūta" (杜多功德) — the twelve or thirteen ascetic practices — the treatise expounds most movingly, and even fits to it a simile: "it is as when wool or fine cloth, before it has been beaten, before it has been fluffed, before it has been teased apart, before it has been split, is matted together, not soft and not light, and unfit to be worked with; but once it is beaten, fluffed, teased apart, and split, it becomes soft, light, and fine, and fit to be worked with" 〔譬如或毛或㲲，未鞭未彈未紛未擘時相著、不軟不輕，不堪造作；若鞭彈紛擘，則柔軟輕妙、堪任造作〕 — a person's greed for food, clothing, and bedding is just like unbeaten coarse wool, sticky and hard to use; the ascetic practices (ever begging food, keeping only the three robes, dwelling in the wilderness …) are just that stretch of beating and fluffing that scatters the greed apart and makes the mind "pure and upright, soft and pliant, and fit to cultivate the holy life." One by one the treatise fits out the three sorts of greed that the dhūta practices sever: begging food and one-sitting-eating sever greed for food; the three robes, felt robes, and cast-off-rag robes sever greed for clothing; and the wilderness, the foot of a tree, the charnel ground, and sitting upright sever greed for bedding.

At the gate's close, the treatise gathers up the whole Stage of Deliverance with one perfect simile: a person of the world, in the flush of vigor and comely and upright, bathed and anointed with fragrance, his body arrayed with necklaces of gold and silver, is exceedingly wondrous; "just so, the practitioner, adorning himself with the various virtues of the true ascetic as with wondrous ornaments of adornment, has his virtue blazing and his radiance shining everywhere" 〔如是行者，以正沙門種種功德妙莊嚴具而自莊嚴，其德熾然、威光遍照〕. — A single seed of the nature-of-things belonging to the Lineage Stage, cultivated all the way along through Entering and through Deliverance, has by this point been so adorned with discipline, concentration, wisdom, few desires, endurance, the dhūta, and every other virtue that its whole body gives off light. This is what it looks like for a śrāvaka practitioner to have his "provisions perfected."

Carrying Forward

These last six gates gather the provisions of the path of deliverance to completeness: the good friend as outer condition, hearing and reflecting on the right Dharma as the provision of wisdom (the four principles being the true contemplation of reflective wisdom), freedom from obstruction removing the twofold obstruction to tranquillity-and-insight, giving as the provision of merit, and the adornments of the ascetic gathering all the virtues into the adornment of a single body. The Stage of Deliverance (the mundane path, the supramundane path, and the fourteen gates of the provisions of the two paths) is by this point complete; the "existence" of the Lineage Stage, the "stirring" of the Entering Stage, and the "accomplishment" of the Deliverance Stage — these three joints being now set up, the First Yoga-Station is finished. Its "four principles and three means of knowledge" will be expounded at length later in the Stage of What is Attained through Reflection (Stage 11); its "twofold obstruction to tranquillity-and-insight" is precisely what the concentration of the Stage of Meditative Equipoise (Stage 6) is set to counteract; and next comes the Second Yoga-Station, which will further make clear the distinctions and the establishment of the person (補特伽羅, pudgala). A single seed of the nature-of-things has, by this point, become an ascetic whose radiance shines everywhere.