解脫道論 天耳通的能起與修法
這一門短，卻藏著本品最有意思的一處編排：同一件事，論文給了兩個方向相反的次第，一個字的判語也不加。
先師說：先聞自身眾生的聲，再聞身外的，再聞依所住處的——由近而遠。緊接著「復說」：初坐禪人不能先聞自身的聲，因為那是細聲，自性耳不是它的境界；所以要從遠處螺鼓等大聲起手——由遠而近。
兩說掉頭相對。可直接核實的是：第二說明言自身聲細、非自性耳境界，所以先取遠螺鼓等聲；第一說只列自身聲、身外聲、依所住處聲的次第，沒有把「近」說成較易。論文不判二說，本編也不替它們補上一個共同的難易原則。
這一門講的是「過人耳」，本段卻四次明出「自性耳」：從自性耳起天耳界、依自性耳界而修、所取的螺鼓聲依自性耳；末了一句更直白——若失自性耳，天耳界也失。
所以本段能確定的是：天耳界的起、修、所取與失都繫於自性耳。至於二者在體性上如何成立，本文沒有另作界說。兩個次第也只按各自明言的起點與理由分列，不代為調和。
本門的誡只一句：不應作意於最可畏。理由是可受的聲勾欲愛、可畏的聲勾驚怖——新開的耳，兩頭都容易被聲音拉走。與前門「不當速遠行」是同一個道理：不是那些東西壞，是新得的能力還托不住強的所緣。
This method is short, yet it contains one of the chapter’s most revealing arrangements. The treatise gives two opposite sequences for the same practice and adds no verdict.
The former teachers say: first hear the sounds of beings within one’s own body, then those outside the body, then those in the place where one lives—from near to far. Immediately afterward comes a further account: a beginner cannot first hear sounds within the body because they are subtle and not the object of the natural ear. Begin instead with the distant sound of a conch or drum—from far to near.
The two accounts face opposite ways. What can be verified is limited. The second explicitly says that sounds within the body are subtle and not the natural ear’s object, and therefore begins with a distant conch or drum. The first merely states its sequence; it does not say that what is near is easier. The treatise does not adjudicate, so this edition does not invent a common law of difficulty to reconcile them.
Although this knowledge is defined as surpassing the human ear, the passage names the “natural ear” four times: the divine-ear element arises from it, practice relies upon it, the sound of the conch and drum depends upon it, and if it is lost the divine-ear element is lost as well.
The passage therefore establishes that the arising, cultivation, object, and loss of the divine-ear element are all tied to the natural ear. It does not define their relationship in terms of essence, and that question remains open.
One warning governs the method: do not attend to what is most frightening. A receivable sound may draw sensual desire; a frightening sound may draw fear. Like the earlier warning not to travel far too quickly, the point is not that the object is evil, but that a newly opened capacity may not yet carry a powerful object without being pulled away.
Shi Huijing · Waken · The Path of Freedom · Who Brings Forth the Divine Ear, and How It Is Cultivated · Doorway · Summer 2026
阿羅漢優波底沙造，梁扶南三藏僧伽婆羅譯《解脫道論》〈五通品〉「天耳通的能起與修法」· 大正藏 T32n1648〔起 T32 0443a〕。段首〔T32 …〕＝大正藏頁·欄錨。
〔T32 0443a〕
問：天耳誰起？云何當起？答：八一切入。彼二一切入，於第四禪得自在，從自性耳起天耳界。復說云何色界於四禪得自在？是其能起。復說於四禪亦起。
問：云何當令起？答：初坐禪人如是修四如意足，以心得自在，入第四禪安詳出，次第依自性耳界，若遠聲作意聲相、或近聲作意聲相、若大聲作意大聲相、若細聲作意細聲相、若東方聲作意聲相，如是於一切方。彼坐禪人如是以修行心清白，以耳界清淨，令心行增長。彼坐禪人以天耳界清淨過人耳聞兩聲，所謂天聲、人聲，或遠或近。於是先師說：初坐禪人，先聞於自身眾生聲，從此復聞身外眾生聲，從此復聞依所住處眾生聲，如是次第作意增長。復說初坐禪人，不能如是先聞自身眾生聲。何以故？不能聞細聲，以自性耳非其境界。初坐禪人遠螺鼓等聲，彼聲依自性耳，以天耳智應作意於聲相，令起天耳智。或細聲或大聲、或遠聲或近聲，唯天耳應取。於是初坐禪人，不應作意於最可畏。何以故？於可受聲應說欲愛，於可畏聲應說驚怖耳畏智。彼成三事：小事、現在事、外事。若失自性耳，天耳界亦失。於是得聲聞自在，聞千世界聲；從彼緣覺最多；如來聞無數（天耳已竟）。
The canonical text stands in Chinese only. This edition renders the essence, the plain reading, the exposition and the apparatus into English — never the sūtra itself. Switch to 漢讀本 or 並行雙語 above to read it.
誰能起、怎樣起
問：天耳是誰起的？應當怎樣起？
答：八一切入。那二一切入，於第四禪得自在，從自性耳起天耳界。
又說：什麼是色界於四禪得自在？這就是它的能起。
又說：於四禪也起。
三說並列，論文不判其高下，也不合為一說。
修法：依自性耳界作意聲相
問：應當怎樣令它起？
答：初坐禪的人像這樣修四如意足，以心得自在，入第四禪、安詳而出，依次第依自性耳界：若是遠聲就作意聲相、或是近聲就作意聲相，若是大聲就作意大聲相、若是細聲就作意細聲相，若是東方的聲就作意聲相——像這樣於一切方都如此。
那坐禪人像這樣以修行心清白，以耳界清淨，令心行增長。
那坐禪人以天耳界清淨過人耳，聽聞兩種聲，就是天聲、人聲，或遠或近。
二說並存：先師之說與復說
在這件事上，先師說：初坐禪的人，先聽聞自身眾生的聲，從此再聽聞身外眾生的聲，從此再聽聞依所住處眾生的聲——像這樣次第作意增長。
又說：初坐禪的人不能像這樣先聞自身眾生的聲。為什麼？因為不能聞細聲，自性耳不是它的境界。
初坐禪的人取遠處螺鼓等聲，那聲是依自性耳的；以天耳智應當作意於聲相，令天耳智生起。或細聲、或大聲，或遠聲、或近聲，唯有天耳應當取。
二說一個從近而遠、一個從遠而近，論文並列而不判。
不應作意於最可畏
在這件事上，初坐禪的人不應當作意於最可畏的聲。
為什麼？在可受的聲上應說欲愛，在可畏的聲上應說驚怖耳畏智。「驚怖耳畏智」一語論文不更作解釋，這裡保留原語。
三事·失與不失·聞之遠近
他成就三事：小事、現在事、外事。
若失掉自性耳，天耳界也就失掉。
在這件事上，得自在的聲聞能聞千世界的聲；從他之上，緣覺最多；如來所聞則無數——天耳已竟。
Who Brings It Forth, and How?
Question: Who brings forth the divine ear? How should it be brought forth?
Answer: The eight kasiṇas. Those two kasiṇas: gaining mastery of the fourth jhāna, one brings forth the divine-ear element from the natural ear.
Another account says: What is it to gain mastery of the four jhānas in the form realm? This is what can bring it forth.
Another account says: It also arises in the four jhānas.
The treatise places these three accounts side by side. It neither ranks them nor combines them into one.
The Method: Adverting to the Sign of Sound on the Basis of the Natural-Ear Element
Question: How should one cause it to arise?
Answer: The beginning meditator cultivates the four bases of power in this way and gains mastery of mind. He enters the fourth jhāna and emerges calmly. Step by step, relying on the natural-ear element, if there is a distant sound he attends to the sign of sound; if a near sound, to the sign of sound; if a loud sound, to the sign of loud sound; if a subtle sound, to the sign of subtle sound; if a sound in the east, to the sign of sound. It is so in every direction.
Cultivating in this way, the meditator makes the mind clear and the ear element purified, and increases the mind’s activity.
With the divine-ear element purified and surpassing the human ear, he hears two kinds of sound—sounds of devas and sounds of human beings—whether distant or near.
Two Accounts: The Former Teachers and a Further Account
On this matter, the former teachers say that the beginning meditator first hears the sounds of beings within his own body, from there the sounds of beings outside the body, and from there the sounds of beings in the place where he lives. In this way he attends step by step and increases the range.
A further account says that a beginning meditator cannot first hear the sounds of beings within his own body in this way. Why? Because he cannot hear subtle sounds; they are not the object of the natural ear.
The beginning meditator instead takes the distant sound of a conch, drum, or the like. That sound depends on the natural ear. Through knowledge of the divine ear he should attend to the sign of sound, causing knowledge of the divine ear to arise. Whether the sound is subtle or loud, distant or near, it is the divine ear alone that should take it.
One account proceeds from near to far; the other from far to near. The treatise preserves both without deciding between them.
One Should Not Attend to What Is Most Frightening
In this matter, a beginning meditator should not attend to a sound that is most frightening.
Why? With a sound that can be received, sensual desire is spoken of; with a frightening sound, the phrase 驚怖耳畏智 is spoken of. The treatise does not explain or securely punctuate that phrase, so it is retained as written.
Three Objects, Loss and Nonloss, and the Range of Hearing
He accomplishes three objects: a small object, a present object, and an external object.
If the natural ear is lost, the divine-ear element is also lost.
Here a disciple who has attained mastery can hear the sounds of a thousand worlds. Beyond him, a solitary buddha hears the most; a Tathāgata hears without number. The divine ear is complete.
Shi Huijing · Waken · The Path of Freedom · Who Brings Forth the Divine Ear, and How It Is Cultivated · Vernacular · Summer 2026
三變說完，五通的第二門開始。這一門短，卻藏著本品最有意思的一處編排。
先把所見說在前頭：同一件事，論文給了兩個方向相反的次第，並且一個字的判語也不加。先師說：初坐禪人「先聞於自身眾生聲，從此復聞身外眾生聲，從此復聞依所住處眾生聲，如是次第作意增長」〔T32 443a23–25〕——由近而遠。緊接著：「復說初坐禪人，不能如是先聞自身眾生聲」〔T32 443a25–26〕，理由是「不能聞細聲，以自性耳非其境界」〔T32 443a26–27〕，所以要從「遠螺鼓等聲」〔T32 443a27–28〕起手——由遠而近。
兩說掉頭相對，論文只用「復說」二字把它們並在一起，不判、不合。可直接核實的差別，是起點與第二說所給的理由：先師說從自身聲起而逐次增長；復說明言自身聲細、非自性耳境界，所以從遠處螺鼓等聲起。第二說交代了為何避開自身細聲；第一說並沒有把「近」說成較易，也沒有另立一個抽象判準。因此本編只保留兩個相反次第及第二說的明文理由，不替二說歸納共同原則。
一門功夫，四次回到自性耳
這一門講的是「過人耳」，本段卻四次明出「自性耳」。
「從自性耳起天耳界」〔T32 443a13〕——起處是自性耳。「依自性耳界」〔T32 443a17〕——修時所依是自性耳界。「彼聲依自性耳」〔T32 443a28〕——所取的螺鼓之聲，也是依自性耳而得。末了：「若失自性耳，天耳界亦失」〔T32 443b04〕——失了自性耳，天耳界跟著失。
「自性耳」一語在這一小段裡出現四次，把整門從頭到尾串起來。
在這裡停下來問一句：一門講「過人耳」的功夫，為什麼要反覆明出自性耳？
就文本所能直接回答的，是天耳界與自性耳之間四重相連：從自性耳起、依自性耳界修、所取之聲依自性耳，自性耳失則天耳界亦失。可確定的是天耳界不離自性耳；至於二者在體性上如何成立，本段沒有另作界說。同樣，兩個次第都在這套依自性耳界而修的段落裡展開；除此之外，不替二說補上一個共同的難易原則。
順帶記下這一門的起手三說。「答：八一切入。彼二一切入，於第四禪得自在」〔T32 443a12–13〕、「復說云何色界於四禪得自在？是其能起」〔T32 443a14〕、「復說於四禪亦起」〔T32 443a14–15〕——三說並列，同樣不判。（首句「八一切入。彼二一切入」的句讀不可由本論自定，本編誌為待考、不代點。）加上前面那兩個次第，這一門短短一段之內，論文並存了五個說法而一次也沒有裁決。
作意聲相：從量到方
修法本身寫得很整齊：「初坐禪人如是修四如意足，以心得自在，入第四禪安詳出，次第依自性耳界」〔T32 443a15–17〕，然後是四對聲相——「若遠聲作意聲相、或近聲作意聲相、若大聲作意大聲相、若細聲作意細聲相」〔T32 443a17–19〕，末了「若東方聲作意聲相，如是於一切方」〔T32 443a19–20〕。
先按聲的量分（遠近、大細），再按聲的方分（東方乃至一切方）——由量而方，兩層。（大聲細聲二目下綴「大聲相」「細聲相」，而遠近二目只作「聲相」，字面不齊，照錄不代畫一。）
修成之後的驗相也只一句：「以耳界清淨，令心行增長」〔T32 443a20–21〕，然後「以天耳界清淨過人耳聞兩聲，所謂天聲、人聲，或遠或近」〔T32 443a21–22〕。兩聲：天聲、人聲。與標數相符。
不要去聽最可怕的
本門的誡只有一句，位置卻很顯眼：「於是初坐禪人，不應作意於最可畏」〔T32 443b01–02〕。
理由照樣自問自答：「何以故？於可受聲應說欲愛，於可畏聲應說驚怖耳畏智」〔T32 443b02–03〕。可受的聲會勾出欲愛，可畏的聲會勾出驚怖——一門新開的耳朵，兩頭都容易被聲音拉走。（「驚怖耳畏智」五字論文不更釋，句讀也未決，本編照錄不代考定。此句「受」字四本作「愛」，若從四本則「可愛→欲愛、可畏→驚怖」二對工整；本編從底本、誌而不改。）
值得留意的是這一誡與前面「不當速遠行」〔T32 442a15–16〕的呼應。前門怕的是身在空中而心生怖；此門怕的是耳開之後而心被聲牽。起變與天耳兩節都附了一條「初學不要先碰什麼」的誡——不是因為那些東西壞，是因為新得的能力還托不住強的所緣。
收尾：三事與三階
「彼成三事：小事、現在事、外事」〔T32 443b03–04〕——三目，與標數相符。這是本品五張「事」單中目數最少的一張（變九〔T32 443a09〕、天耳三、他心智八〔T32 443b27〕、憶宿命七〔T32 444a03〕、天眼五〔T32 444b12〕）。可核的是各門所列「事」數不同；本段不解釋天耳何以只列這三事，故不代補分類理由。
末句是那個貫串四門的三階：「於是得聲聞自在，聞千世界聲；從彼緣覺最多；如來聞無數」〔T32 443b04–06〕。他心智門作「知一千世界心」〔T32 443c01〕、天眼門作「見一千世間」〔T32 444b21〕，同式而換所緣；本門作「千世界」而彼二門作「一千」，字面小異，照錄不代畫一。
帶走三件：一個所見——同一件事並存兩個相反的次第（先師自自身聲逐次增長、復說從遠螺鼓等聲起），論文不判；第二說明說避開自身細聲的理由，第一說不出難易判準。一個讀法——見「復說」「於是先師說」，先按原文分列各說所明言的次第與理由，不替它們補共同原則。一處停問——一門講「過人耳」的功夫，為何四次回到自性耳？文本可答的是：起、修、所取與失都繫於自性耳；更進一步的體性關係，本段未釋。
天耳界不離自性耳。這是本段四句共同可證的範圍；不把它外推成其餘諸通的通則。
With the three transformations complete, the second of the five direct knowledges begins. The method is short, yet contains one of the chapter’s most revealing arrangements.
The central observation is this: the treatise gives two sequences for the same practice, pointing in opposite directions, and adds not one word of adjudication. The former teachers say that the beginning meditator “first hears the sounds of beings within his own body, from there the sounds of beings outside the body, and from there the sounds of beings in the place where he lives; in this way he attends step by step and increases the range” 〔T32 443a23–25〕—from near to far. Immediately afterward: “A further account says that a beginning meditator cannot first hear the sounds of beings within his own body in this way” 〔T32 443a25–26〕, because “he cannot hear subtle sounds; they are not the object of the natural ear” 〔T32 443a26–27〕. He therefore begins with “the distant sound of a conch, drum, or the like” 〔T32 443a27–28〕—from far to near.
The two accounts turn in opposite directions. The treatise merely sets them beside each other with “a further account says.” It neither decides nor combines them. What can be verified is the starting point and the reason supplied by the second account. The former teachers begin with sounds within the body and expand step by step. The further account explicitly says that sounds within the body are subtle and outside the natural ear’s object, so it begins with a distant conch or drum. The second account explains why it avoids the subtle internal sound; the first does not say that nearness is easier and gives no abstract criterion of difficulty. This edition therefore preserves the opposite sequences and the reason actually stated in the second. It does not invent a common principle to reconcile them.
One Method Returns Four Times to the Natural Ear
This knowledge is defined as surpassing the human ear, yet the short passage explicitly names the “natural ear” four times.
“One brings forth the divine-ear element from the natural ear” 〔T32 443a13〕: its arising begins there. “Relying on the natural-ear element” 〔T32 443a17〕: practice depends on it. “That sound depends on the natural ear” 〔T32 443a28〕: the conch or drum taken as object also comes through it. Finally, “If the natural ear is lost, the divine-ear element is also lost” 〔T32 443b04〕: when the natural ear is lost, the divine-ear element follows.
The expression “natural ear” occurs four times in this small passage, joining the method from beginning to end.
Pause here: why does a method for an ear “surpassing the human ear” repeatedly name the natural ear?
The text can directly establish a fourfold connection: the divine-ear element arises from the natural ear, cultivation relies upon the natural-ear element, the object-sound depends on the natural ear, and loss of the natural ear entails loss of the divine-ear element. What can be established is that the divine-ear element does not leave the natural ear behind. The passage does not separately define how the two exist in terms of essence. The two sequences likewise unfold within the same practice based on the natural-ear element. No additional law of relative difficulty is supplied.
The opening itself gives three accounts. “Answer: The eight kasiṇas. Those two kasiṇas: gaining mastery of the fourth jhāna” 〔T32 443a12–13〕; “a further account says: what is it to gain mastery of the four jhānas in the form realm? This is what can bring it forth” 〔T32 443a14〕; and “a further account says: it also arises in the four jhānas” 〔T32 443a14–15〕. The three stand side by side, again without judgment. The punctuation of “the eight kasiṇas; those two kasiṇas” cannot be settled from the treatise and remains marked for further study. Together with the two practice sequences, this one short passage preserves five accounts without adjudicating once.
Adverting to the Sign of Sound: From Measure to Direction
The practice itself is orderly: “The beginning meditator cultivates the four bases of power in this way, gains mastery of mind, enters the fourth jhāna, emerges calmly, and step by step relies on the natural-ear element” 〔T32 443a15–17〕. Four sound-conditions follow: “if there is a distant sound, he attends to the sign of sound; if a near sound, to the sign of sound; if a loud sound, to the sign of loud sound; if a subtle sound, to the sign of subtle sound” 〔T32 443a17–19〕. Last comes direction: “if a sound in the east, he attends to the sign of sound; it is so in every direction” 〔T32 443a19–20〕.
The passage divides first by the sound’s measure—far and near, loud and subtle—then by direction, from east to every direction. From measure to direction: two levels. Loud and subtle sounds are followed by “sign of loud sound” and “sign of subtle sound,” while far and near are followed only by “sign of sound.” The wording is not regularized.
The sign of accomplishment is a single sentence: “With the ear element purified, he increases the mind’s activity” 〔T32 443a20–21〕. Then, “with the divine-ear element purified and surpassing the human ear, he hears two kinds of sound—sounds of devas and sounds of human beings—whether distant or near” 〔T32 443a21–22〕. Two sounds: deva and human. The count agrees with the heading.
Do Not Listen First to What Is Most Frightening
The method has only one explicit warning, placed prominently: “In this matter, a beginning meditator should not attend to what is most frightening” 〔T32 443b01–02〕.
The reason again appears as the treatise’s own question and answer: “Why? With a sound that can be received, sensual desire is spoken of; with a frightening sound, 驚怖耳畏智 is spoken of” 〔T32 443b02–03〕. A sound that can be received may draw sensual desire; a frightening sound may draw fear. A newly opened ear can be pulled in either direction. The five-character sequence 驚怖耳畏智 is neither explained nor securely punctuated, and is retained. The base character 受, “received,” has the variant 愛, “loved,” in four witnesses. Under the latter, “lovable → sensual love” would parallel “frightening → fear.” This edition follows the base and records the variant.
The warning recalls “a beginning meditator should not travel far too quickly” 〔T32 442a15–16〕. There, the danger is fear while the body is in space. Here, it is the mind being seized by sound after the ear has opened. Both the transformation and divine-ear methods tell the beginner what not to meet first. The objects are not condemned; the newly acquired capacity cannot yet carry the strongest object without being displaced.
Closure: Three Objects and Three Ranges
“He accomplishes three objects: a small object, a present object, and an external object” 〔T32 443b03–04〕. A direct count gives three, agreeing with the heading. This is the shortest of the five object-lists in the chapter: transformation has nine 〔T32 443a09〕, the divine ear three, knowledge of others’ minds eight 〔T32 443b27〕, recollection of past lives seven 〔T32 444a03〕, and the divine eye five 〔T32 444b12〕. What can be verified is that each method has a different number of listed objects. The passage does not explain why the divine ear has only these three, so no rationale is supplied.
The closing sentence gives the three ranges that recur across the methods: “Here a disciple who has attained mastery can hear the sounds of a thousand worlds; beyond him, a solitary buddha hears the most; a Tathāgata hears without number” 〔T32 443b04–06〕. Knowledge of others’ minds says “knows the minds of one thousand worlds” 〔T32 443c01〕; the divine eye says “sees one thousand worlds” 〔T32 444b21〕. The frame is the same and the object changes. This passage has “a thousand worlds,” while the other two explicitly have “one thousand.” The slight difference is retained.
Carry away three things. One observation: two opposite sequences coexist. The former teachers begin with sounds within the body and expand; the further account begins with a distant conch or drum. The treatise does not decide. The second supplies a reason for avoiding subtle internal sound; the first supplies no rule of difficulty. One reading practice: when encountering “the former teachers say” or “a further account says,” first list each account’s stated sequence and reasons rather than inventing a common principle. One place to pause: why does a method for an ear surpassing the human ear return four times to the natural ear? The text establishes that arising, cultivation, object, and loss are tied to it. It does not explain the relationship further.
The divine-ear element does not leave the natural ear behind. That is the common range proved by four statements in this passage; it is not extended into a rule for the other direct knowledges.
Shi Huijing · Waken · The Path of Freedom · Who Brings Forth the Divine Ear, and How It Is Cultivated · Exposition · Summer 2026
考據Apparatus
全段定位 本段出自《解脫道論》卷第九〈五通品〉，承三變之散句〔T32 443a06–11〕而下，為五通之第二門天耳，並以行內夾註「（天耳已竟）」〔T32 443b06〕落其門界。底本二段〔T32 443a12–443b06〕。
一、科判定位
二段，前段答能起、後段答修法：
| 節 | 經文起訖逐字（各繫其錨） |
|---|---|
| 誰能起（第一段） | 「問：天耳誰起？云何當起？」〔T32 443a12〕…「復說於四禪亦起」〔T32 443a14–15〕 |
| 修法：依自性耳界（第二段） | 「問：云何當令起？」〔T32 443a15〕…「所謂天聲、人聲」〔T32 443a22〕 |
| 先師之說（第二段續） | 「於是先師說」〔T32 443a23〕…「如是次第作意增長」〔T32 443a25〕 |
| 復說（第二段續） | 「復說初坐禪人，不能如是先聞自身眾生聲」〔T32 443a25–26〕…「唯天耳應取」〔T32 443b01〕 |
| 不應作意於最可畏（第二段續） | 「不應作意於最可畏」〔T32 443b01–02〕…「驚怖耳畏智」〔T32 443b03〕 |
| 三事·失與不失·聞之遠近（第二段末） | 「彼成三事：小事、現在事、外事」〔T32 443b03–04〕…「（天耳已竟）」〔T32 443b06〕 |
單元界與問答界之相合：起於「問：天耳誰起？」而訖於門界夾註，一門之全。前段止於「（散句已竟）」〔T32 443a11〕，下段別起「問：他心智誰能起？」〔T32 443b07〕。段內無自答文中間切斷者。
全段定位錨
〔T32, 443a12–443b06〕
二、詞義與譯語（逐字各繫其錨）
| 名相 | 本段用法 | 章內接點（可核） |
|---|---|---|
| 能起之三說 | 「答：八一切入。彼二一切入，於第四禪得自在」〔T32 443a12–13〕、「復說云何色界於四禪得自在？是其能起」〔T32 443a14〕、「復說於四禪亦起」〔T32 443a14–15〕 | 三說並列，論文不判、不合一；本品他門同式者三——憶宿命「復說云何色界處？」〔T32 443c05〕、修變辯之三說〔T32 441c15–17〕 |
| 八一切入·二一切入 | 「答：八一切入。彼二一切入」〔T32 443a12–13〕 | 句讀未決（「彼二一切入」屬上屬下不可由本論自定），誌「待考」、不代點。品七「九行處為神通緣」自釋作「八一切入，及分別虛空一切入」〔T32 411b14〕 |
| 自性耳·自性耳界 | 「從自性耳起天耳界」〔T32 443a13〕、「依自性耳界」〔T32 443a17〕、「彼聲依自性耳」〔T32 443a28〕、「若失自性耳，天耳界亦失」〔T32 443b04〕 | 「自性耳」一語本段四出，前後貫串；天耳界之起與失俱繫於此。「性」字與受持變之「性水」「性地」〔T32 442b15·442b19〕僅記字面相涉，是否同義不代判 |
| 四對聲相 | 「若遠聲作意聲相」〔T32 443a17〕以下：遠／近、大／細，末以「若東方聲作意聲相，如是於一切方」〔T32 443a19–20〕收 | 二對四目而後及於方；大聲、細聲二目下綴「大聲相」「細聲相」而遠近二目唯作「聲相」，照錄不代畫一 |
| 兩聲 | 「過人耳聞兩聲」〔T32 443a22〕、「所謂天聲、人聲」〔T32 443a22〕 | 二目與標數相符 |
| 先師說 | 「於是先師說」〔T32 443a23〕：自身眾生聲→身外眾生聲→依所住處眾生聲〔T32 443a23–25〕 | 「先師」全論八見〔403c20·404a13·413a04·430b17·432a08·439a06·439c01·443a23〕；所指論文不出，不代判定 |
| 復說之相反次第 | 「復說初坐禪人，不能如是先聞自身眾生聲」〔T32 443a25–26〕，其故曰「不能聞細聲，以自性耳非其境界」〔T32 443a26–27〕，故「初坐禪人遠螺鼓等聲」〔T32 443a27–28〕 | 與先師說次第相反（先師從自身聲逐次增長、復說從遠螺鼓等聲起）；論文並存不判。復說明出避開自身細聲之理由；先師說不另出難易判準，不代補「近為易」 |
| 驚怖耳畏智 | 「於可受聲應說欲愛，於可畏聲應說驚怖耳畏智」〔T32 443b02–03〕 | 論文不更釋，句讀亦未決，誌「待考」、不代考定。「受」字有校記（見目三），四本作「愛」 |
| 三事 | 「彼成三事：小事、現在事、外事」〔T32 443b03–04〕 | 逐字實測三目，與標數相符。本品五門之「事」數各異：變九〔T32 443a09〕、天耳三、他心智八〔T32 443b27〕、憶宿命七〔T32 444a03〕、天眼五〔T32 444b12〕 |
| 聞之遠近三階 | 「於是得聲聞自在，聞千世界聲」〔T32 443b04–05〕、「從彼緣覺最多」〔T32 443b05〕、「如來聞無數」〔T32 443b06〕 | 三階同式者四門：他心智「若聲聞得自在，知一千世界心」〔T32 443b29–443c01〕、天眼「於是聲聞得自在，見一千世間」〔T32 444b20–21〕；憶宿命別作五階並前綴外道〔T32 444a06–07〕。本門作「千世界」而他心智、天眼作「一千世界」「一千世間」，字面不一，照錄不代畫一 |
三、校記與異讀
本段範圍內大正藏校記三處，均誌而不改；本文之讀一律依大正本：
| 錨 | 底本 | 異讀 | 見證 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 443a29 | 於（以天耳智應作意於聲相） | 作 | 【宋】【元】【明】【宮】 |
| 443b01 | 取（唯天耳應取） | 耳 | 【宋】【元】【明】【宮】 |
| 443b02 | 受（於可受聲應說欲愛） | 愛 | 【宋】【元】【明】【宮】 |
誌錄不判一事：443b02「於可受聲應說欲愛」之「受」，四本作「愛」——若從四本則作「於可愛聲應說欲愛」，與下句「於可畏聲應說驚怖」之「可畏」對「驚怖」同式（可愛對欲愛、可畏對驚怖）；從底本則此對不齊。並錄不判，本文從底本。
校本零命中一項：本段缺字（造字）零命中。夾註一處：「（天耳已竟）」〔T32 443b06〕，底本行內夾註，照錄。
四、論主引據
本段引據零命中：全段無「如佛說」「如世尊說」「如阿毘曇說」等引式。「於是先師說」〔T32 443a23〕標為先師之說而非經說，其所指論文不出，不代考定。查而無獲，如實記之。
五、譬喻·修辭
- 螺鼓之舉〔T32 443a27–28〕：「初坐禪人遠螺鼓等聲」——非譬而是所取之事；本品唯此一處出具體聲物，餘皆作遠近大細之泛稱。
- 四對之遞舉〔T32 443a17–19〕：遠／近、大／細二對，末及東方「如是於一切方」——由聲之量而及聲之方，二層而下。
- 自問自答之「何以故」〔T32 443a26·443b02〕：本段二出，一問先聞自身聲之不能、一問不應作意最可畏；二問皆設於誡人之處，與起變一節「何故」之例〔T32 442a16〕同式。
- 二說相反而並存〔T32 443a23–443b01〕：先師說自近而遠、復說自遠而近，論文不加一字判語，逕以「復說」二字並之。
六、章內互讀
- 前指：受持變末節先出天耳之用「以天耳聞梵天聲」〔T32 442c03–04〕而後於本門出其法；五通總標釋天耳作「天耳者越人耳義」〔T32 441a28〕；「性」字與「性水」「性地」〔T32 442b15·442b19〕僅字面相涉、不判同義；品七「八一切入，及分別虛空一切入」〔T32 411b14〕。
- 後指：他心智一門起於「問：他心智誰能起？」〔T32 443b07〕，其能起亦以一切入立〔T32 443b07–08〕；本品五門「事」數之列——他心智八〔T32 443b27〕、憶宿命七〔T32 444a03〕、天眼五〔T32 444b12〕；三階同式見他心智〔T32 443b29–443c01〕與天眼〔T32 444b20–21〕。
七、傳本
作者、譯者與傳本諸問題，本編不於考據內立說。
Location of the whole passage This unit comes from fascicle nine, Chapter on the Five Direct Knowledges, of the Path of Freedom. It follows the miscellaneous statements on the three transformations 〔T32 443a06–11〕 and treats the second of the five direct knowledges, the divine ear. Its boundary is marked by the inline annotation “(the divine ear is complete)” 〔T32 443b06〕. The base text comprises two paragraphs 〔T32 443a12–443b06〕.
1. Structural Location
The first paragraph answers who can bring it forth; the second answers how it is cultivated:
| Section | Textual limits, each with its anchor |
|---|---|
| Who can bring it forth (paragraph one) | “Question: Who brings forth the divine ear? How should it be brought forth?” 〔T32 443a12〕 … “a further account says it also arises in the four jhānas” 〔T32 443a14–15〕 |
| Method: relying on the natural-ear element (paragraph two) | “Question: How should one cause it to arise?” 〔T32 443a15〕 … “sounds of devas and sounds of human beings” 〔T32 443a22〕 |
| Account of the former teachers (continuation of paragraph two) | “On this matter, the former teachers say” 〔T32 443a23〕 … “in this way he attends step by step and increases the range” 〔T32 443a25〕 |
| Further account (continuation of paragraph two) | “A further account says that a beginning meditator cannot first hear the sounds of beings within his own body in this way” 〔T32 443a25–26〕 … “it is the divine ear alone that should take it” 〔T32 443b01〕 |
| One should not attend to what is most frightening (continuation of paragraph two) | “One should not attend to what is most frightening” 〔T32 443b01–02〕 … “fear, ear-awe, knowledge” 〔T32 443b03〕 |
| Three objects, loss and nonloss, range of hearing (end of paragraph two) | “He accomplishes three objects: a small object, a present object, and an external object” 〔T32 443b03–04〕 … “(the divine ear is complete)” 〔T32 443b06〕 |
The unit boundary coincides with a question-and-method boundary: it begins with “Question: Who brings forth the divine ear?” and ends with the inline annotation closing the method. The preceding paragraph closes with “(the miscellaneous statements are complete)” 〔T32 443a11〕. The next separately begins, “Question: Who can bring forth knowledge of others’ minds?” 〔T32 443b07〕. No answer is cut in the middle.
Anchor for the whole passage
〔T32, 443a12–443b06〕
2. Terms and Translation (Every Citation Anchored)
| Term | Use in this passage | Checkable connection within the treatise |
|---|---|---|
| Three accounts of what can bring it forth | “Answer: The eight kasiṇas. Those two kasiṇas: gaining mastery of the fourth jhāna” 〔T32 443a12–13〕; “a further account says: what is it to gain mastery of the four jhānas in the form realm? This is what can bring it forth” 〔T32 443a14〕; “a further account says it also arises in the four jhānas” 〔T32 443a14–15〕 | The three accounts stand side by side; the treatise neither adjudicates nor combines them. Parallel multiple accounts occur in the recollection section—“a further account says: what about the form-realm base?” 〔T32 443c05〕—and the three accounts on cultivating transformative discernment 〔T32 441c15–17〕 |
| Eight kasiṇas; those two kasiṇas | “Answer: The eight kasiṇas. Those two kasiṇas” 〔T32 443a12–13〕 | The punctuation is unresolved: the attachment of “those two kasiṇas” above or below cannot be settled from the treatise. Marked for further study; no segmentation is imposed. Chapter Seven explains “nine fields are conditions for direct knowledge” as “the eight kasiṇas and the discriminated space kasiṇa” 〔T32 411b14〕 |
| Natural ear; natural-ear element | “One brings forth the divine-ear element from the natural ear” 〔T32 443a13〕; “relying on the natural-ear element” 〔T32 443a17〕; “that sound depends on the natural ear” 〔T32 443a28〕; “if the natural ear is lost, the divine-ear element is also lost” 〔T32 443b04〕 | “Natural ear” occurs four times in this passage, joining its arising and loss. The character 性 also occurs in “nature of water” and “nature of earth” 〔T32 442b15·442b19〕. Only the verbal connection is noted; whether it carries the same sense is not decided |
| Four sound-pairs | “If there is a distant sound, he attends to the sign of sound” 〔T32 443a17〕, followed by distant / near and loud / subtle; finally, “if a sound in the east, he attends to the sign of sound; it is so in every direction” 〔T32 443a19–20〕 | Two pairs and four items lead into direction. Loud and subtle sounds are followed by “sign of loud sound” and “sign of subtle sound,” while distant and near have only “sign of sound.” The wording is retained without harmonization |
| Two kinds of sound | “Surpassing the human ear, he hears two kinds of sound” 〔T32 443a22〕, “sounds of devas and sounds of human beings” 〔T32 443a22〕 | A direct count gives two, agreeing with the announced number |
| Former teachers | “On this matter, the former teachers say” 〔T32 443a23〕: sounds of beings within one’s body → sounds outside the body → sounds of beings in the place where one lives 〔T32 443a23–25〕 | “Former teachers” occurs eight times in the treatise 〔403c20·404a13·413a04·430b17·432a08·439a06·439c01·443a23〕. The treatise does not identify them, and this edition does not supply an identity |
| Opposite sequence in the further account | “A further account says that a beginning meditator cannot first hear the sounds of beings within his own body in this way” 〔T32 443a25–26〕, because “he cannot hear subtle sounds; they are not the object of the natural ear” 〔T32 443a26–27〕. It therefore begins with “the distant sound of a conch, drum, or the like” 〔T32 443a27–28〕 | It runs opposite to the former teachers’ sequence (they proceed from sounds within the body outward; the further account begins with a distant conch or drum). The treatise preserves both without adjudication. The further account states why it avoids subtle internal sounds. The former-teacher account does not separately state a rule of difficulty; “near is easier” is not supplied |
| 驚怖耳畏智 | “With a sound that can be received, sensual desire is spoken of; with a frightening sound, 驚怖耳畏智 is spoken of” 〔T32 443b02–03〕 | The treatise gives no further explanation and the punctuation is unresolved. Marked for further study. The base character 受, “received,” has the variant 愛, “loved,” in four witnesses; see section 3 |
| Three objects | “He accomplishes three objects: a small object, a present object, and an external object” 〔T32 443b03–04〕 | A direct count gives three, agreeing with the announced number. The five object-lists in this chapter differ: transformation nine 〔T32 443a09〕, divine ear three, knowledge of others’ minds eight 〔T32 443b27〕, recollection seven 〔T32 444a03〕, and divine eye five 〔T32 444b12〕 |
| Three ranges of hearing | “A disciple who has attained mastery can hear the sounds of a thousand worlds” 〔T32 443b04–05〕; “beyond him, a solitary buddha hears the most” 〔T32 443b05〕; “a Tathāgata hears without number” 〔T32 443b06〕 | The same three-range frame occurs in four methods. Knowledge of others’ minds has “a disciple who has attained mastery knows the minds of one thousand worlds” 〔T32 443b29–443c01〕; the divine eye has “sees one thousand worlds” 〔T32 444b20–21〕. Recollection instead has five ranges preceded by non-Buddhist practitioners 〔T32 444a06–07〕. This method reads “a thousand worlds,” while the other two read “one thousand worlds”; the difference is retained |
3. Critical Notes and Variant Readings
The Taishō apparatus gives three notes in this passage. All are recorded without changing the body text, which follows the Taishō base reading:
| Anchor | Base text | Variant | Witnesses |
|---|---|---|---|
| 443a29 | 於 (in “through knowledge of the divine ear he should attend 於 the sign of sound”) | 作 | 【宋】【元】【明】【宮】 |
| 443b01 | 取 (in “it is the divine ear alone that should 取 it”) | 耳 | 【宋】【元】【明】【宮】 |
| 443b02 | 受 (in “with a sound that can be 受, sensual desire is spoken of”) | 愛 | 【宋】【元】【明】【宮】 |
One matter is recorded without adjudication: at 443b02 the base has 受, “received,” in “with a sound that can be received, sensual desire is spoken of.” Four witnesses have 愛, “loved.” Under the four-witness reading, “with a lovable sound, sensual love is spoken of” would parallel the next line’s “with a frightening sound, fear is spoken of” (lovable / sensual love; frightening / fear). Under the base this symmetry is absent. Both are recorded; the body follows the base.
One zero-hit check against the critical text: no missing-character or gaiji marker occurs. One inline annotation occurs: “(the divine ear is complete)” 〔T32 443b06〕, retained as such.
4. Authorities Cited by the Treatise
No scriptural citation formula occurs in this passage: there is no “as the Buddha said,” “as the Blessed One said,” “as the Abhidhamma says,” or comparable formula. “On this matter, the former teachers say” 〔T32 443a23〕 marks a teaching of former teachers, not a scriptural citation; the treatise does not identify them. The check otherwise returned no result, which is recorded as such.
5. Simile and Rhetoric
- Conch and drum 〔T32 443a27–28〕: “the distant sound of a conch, drum, or the like” is an object taken in practice, not a simile. It is the only concrete sounding object named in this chapter; elsewhere sounds are called only distant, near, loud, or subtle.
- Pairs in sequence 〔T32 443a17–19〕: distant / near and loud / subtle, followed by east and “every direction.” The sequence moves from the measure of sound to its direction, in two levels.
- The treatise’s “Why?” 〔T32 443a26·443b02〕 occurs twice. One asks why the beginner cannot hear the sounds within his body first; the other why he should not attend to what is most frightening. Both questions occur at points of warning, parallel to “Why?” in the section on bringing forth transformation 〔T32 442a16〕.
- Opposite accounts preserved together 〔T32 443a23–443b01〕: the former teachers proceed from within outward, the further account from a distant sound inward. The treatise adds no evaluative word and joins them only with “a further account says.”
6. Internal Cross-Reading
- Backward: the use of the divine ear appears earlier under determination-transformation, “with the divine ear he hears Brahmā’s sounds” 〔T32 442c03–04〕; the opening definition says, “the divine ear takes the sense of surpassing the human ear” 〔T32 441a28〕. The character 性 in “natural ear” is only verbally related to “nature of water” and “nature of earth” 〔T32 442b15·442b19〕; no common meaning is decided. Chapter Seven has “the eight kasiṇas and the discriminated space kasiṇa” 〔T32 411b14〕.
- Forward: the next method begins, “Question: Who can bring forth knowledge of others’ minds?” 〔T32 443b07〕; its opening likewise invokes the kasiṇas 〔T32 443b07–08〕. The later object-lists are eight for knowledge of others’ minds 〔T32 443b27〕, seven for recollection 〔T32 444a03〕, and five for the divine eye 〔T32 444b12〕. The parallel three-range frames occur for knowledge of others’ minds 〔T32 443b29–443c01〕 and the divine eye 〔T32 444b20–21〕.
7. Transmission
Questions concerning the author, translator, and transmission history are not adjudicated in this apparatus.
Shi Huijing · Waken · The Path of Freedom · Who Brings Forth the Divine Ear, and How It Is Cultivated · Apparatus · Summer 2026