解脫道論 求第二禪與初禪過患
求二禪，論文先講一頭笨牛。
山犢
山犢想去險遠處吃沒吃過的草、喝沒喝過的水——前足未立復舉後腳，蹉搖不安：新草沒吃到，只得再想依靠往昔飲食。比丘亦然：不修此法、不多學習，便想離覺觀而入二禪，結果既不能入二禪，也不能入初禪。
修初禪令心得自在
因此正文說，應修初禪令心得自在；接著列未食時、食後時、初夜、後夜，又列隨心所樂、隨欲久近、隨意無礙。其後連寫「為起入觀」、兩次「若從一時乃至多時」與「多入多出」；「為起入觀」的切分，以及前後兩組時間各自所連的項目，本段字面不明。在初禪得自在後，正文才說起第二禪而越於初禪。
本段所列的二禪準備
初禪自在後，本段依次說：觀初禪麁、第二禪細；於初禪見過患、於第二禪見功德；然後不作意和合初禪，不作意於覺、於觀，以從定生喜樂自在令心受持。
如是作意，不久覺觀滅；內信、心成一性、無覺無觀，從定生喜樂而入第二禪。
To seek the second jhāna, the treatise first speaks of a foolish calf.
The Mountain Calf
The mountain calf wishes to go to a steep and distant place, eat grass never eaten, and drink water never drunk. Before its front foot is set, it lifts its hind foot and staggers unsteadily. It gets no new grass and can only think of relying again on its former food. The bhikkhu is likewise: without cultivating this Dhamma or studying it much, he seeks to leave applied and sustained thought and enter the second jhāna. The result is that he can enter neither the second nor the first.
Cultivating the First Jhāna to Bring the Mind to Mastery
The body text therefore says that one should cultivate the first jhāna and bring the mind to mastery. It lists the time before eating, after eating, the first watch, and the last watch; then according to what the mind delights in, according to the desired length or brevity, and freely without obstruction. It continues with “for arising-entering-contemplating,” two occurrences of “from one occasion up to many occasions,” and “entering and emerging many times.” The segmentation of “for arising-entering-contemplating” and the item to which each measure of time attaches are unclear. Only after mastery of the first jhāna does the text say to arouse the second and go beyond the first.
The Preparation for the Second Jhāna Listed Here
After mastery of the first, the passage gives this sequence: contemplate the first jhāna as coarse and the second as fine; see faults in the first and qualities in the second; then do not attend to combining the first jhāna, do not attend to applied thought, and do not attend to sustained thought, and through mastery of joy and pleasure born of concentration cause the mind to uphold them.
Attending in this way, applied and sustained thought soon cease. Internal confidence, the mind becoming one in nature, absence of applied and sustained thought, and joy and pleasure born of concentration lead into the second jhāna.
Shi Huijing · Waken · The Path of Freedom · Seeking the Second Jhāna and the Faults of the First · 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》〈行門品〉「求第二禪與初禪過患」· 大正藏 T32n1648〔起 T32 0418a〕。段首〔T32 …〕＝大正藏頁·欄錨。
〔T32 0418a〕
此明求第二禪。思惟初禪過患、二禪功德，爾時坐禪人欲樂起第二禪已，於初禪身得自在。何以故？若於初禪未得自在，雖復思惟欲除覺觀、望得二禪，還復退失，遂不堪起第二禪定，亦復不能入於初禪。如世尊說：為諸比丘作山犢喻。山犢愚癡不知食處，未解行步，欲詣嶮遠。便自作念：「我今當往未甞至處，噉未甞草、飲未甞水。」前足未立復舉後脚，蹉搖不安莫能前進，遂不得至未甞至處，亦不得噉未甞食草，及不得飲未甞之水。更復思惟：「既不能去，政當資昔飲食。」如是比丘愚癡未達，不知所行處，不解離欲入於初禪，不修此法不多學習，輒自作念：「欲入第二禪。離於覺觀。」不解自安，復更思惟：「我不能得入第二禪離於覺觀，欲退入初禪離欲。」愚癡比丘，如彼山犢不解行步。是故應修初禪令心得自在，於未食時及食後時，初夜後夜隨心所樂，隨欲久近隨意無礙。為起入觀，若從一時乃至多時；多入多出，若從一時乃至多時，於彼初禪成得自在。得自在樂，起第二禪越於初禪。復更思惟：此初禪麁、第二禪細，於初禪見有過患、於第二禪見有功德。
〔T32 0418b〕
問：云何初禪過患？答：近五蓋怨，令覺觀動，身成懈怠、心成散亂，其一切法是為麁定，不任為神通證。既樂初禪不成勝分，是初禪過患，第二禪功德是其對治。已觀初禪過患，復見第二禪功德，是一切入相作意修行第二禪事，不作意和合初禪、不作意於覺、不作意於觀，以從定生喜樂自在，令心受持。彼坐禪人如是作意，不久覺觀成滅，以定所起喜樂自在令心安住。此明二禪四枝義。彼坐禪人覺觀滅故，成其內信，心成一性，無覺無觀，從定生喜樂入第二禪。是地一切入功德。覺觀滅者，以善分別。覺觀滅亦名斷。
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.
求第二禪之標目
這是說明求第二禪：思惟初禪的過患、二禪的功德。
那時坐禪人想樂於起第二禪，就已在初禪身得自在。為什麼？若於初禪還沒有得自在，雖然又思惟要除去覺觀、希望得二禪，仍舊會退失，於是既不堪能起第二禪定，也不能入於初禪。
佛說山犢喻
如世尊所說，為諸比丘作山犢之喻：
山犢愚癡，不知食處，還沒有學會行步，卻想到險遠之處去。牠便自己作念：我今天應當去未曾到過的地方，吃未曾吃過的草、喝未曾喝過的水。前腳還沒有站穩，又舉起後腳，蹉跌搖晃而不安，不能前進；於是既到不了未曾到過之處，也吃不到未曾吃過的草，更喝不到未曾喝過的水。牠又再思惟：既然去不成，就正該仍舊靠往昔的飲食吧。
比丘也是這樣：愚癡而未通達，不知所行之處，不了解離欲而入於初禪，不修這法、不多多學習，就自己作念：我要入第二禪、離於覺觀。他不了解怎樣安住自己，又再思惟：我不能得入第二禪、離於覺觀，那就退回初禪之離欲吧。
愚癡的比丘，就像那山犢不會行步。
修初禪令得自在
所以應當修初禪，使心達到自在。原文接著列出未食時、食後時、初夜、後夜，也列出隨心所樂、隨欲久近、隨意無礙。其後連寫：「為起入觀，若從一時乃至多時；多入多出，若從一時乃至多時。」可以確定的是，這裡有「為起入觀」、兩次「若從一時乃至多時」以及「多入多出」；但「為起入觀」怎樣切分，前後兩組時間各自修飾哪一項，本段仍不確定。末句說，他於初禪成就而得自在。
越初禪與麁細之思
得了自在之樂，才起第二禪而超越初禪。他又再思惟：這初禪是麁的、第二禪是細的；於初禪見到有過患，於第二禪見到有功德。
初禪過患
問：什麼是初禪的過患？答：它近於五蓋之怨，令覺觀動搖，身成懈怠、心成散亂，它的一切法都是麁定，不堪任作神通的證。既樂著初禪，就不成勝分——這是初禪的過患；第二禪的功德就是它的對治。
修第二禪的作意
已經觀了初禪的過患，又見了第二禪的功德，於是以這一切入之相作意，修行第二禪之事：不作意和合初禪，不作意於覺，不作意於觀；以從定所生的喜樂自在，令心受持。
覺觀滅與二禪成句
那位坐禪人這樣作意，不久覺觀就成滅，以定所起的喜樂自在令心安住。這是說明二禪四枝的義。
那位坐禪人因覺觀滅的緣故，成就他的內信，心成一性，無覺無觀，從定生喜樂而入第二禪——這是地一切入的功德。
覺觀滅
所謂覺觀滅，是以善而分別；覺觀滅也叫作斷。
The Heading on Seeking the Second Jhāna
This explains seeking the second jhāna: contemplating the faults of the first jhāna and the qualities of the second.
At that time, the meditator, wishing and delighting to arouse the second jhāna, has already gained bodily mastery of the first jhāna. Why? If he has not gained mastery of the first jhāna, then although he contemplates removing applied and sustained thought and hopes to gain the second jhāna, he will fall back and lose it. He will become unable to arouse the concentration of the second jhāna and also unable to enter the first.
The Buddha's Simile of the Mountain Calf
As the Blessed One said, giving the bhikkhus the simile of a mountain calf:
A foolish mountain calf does not know a feeding place and has not learned how to walk, yet wishes to go to a steep and distant place. It thinks to itself: “Today I shall go to a place never reached before, eat grass never eaten before, and drink water never drunk before.” Before its front foot is set, it raises its hind foot. It staggers and is unsteady, unable to advance. Thus it cannot reach the place never reached before, eat the grass never eaten before, or drink the water never drunk before. It thinks again: “Since I cannot go, I should just rely on my former food and drink.”
The bhikkhu is likewise. Foolish and not yet accomplished, he does not know the place of practice, does not understand entering the first jhāna through seclusion from sensual desire, does not cultivate this Dhamma, and does not study it much. Yet he immediately thinks, “I wish to enter the second jhāna and become separated from applied and sustained thought.” Not understanding how to settle himself, he thinks again, “I cannot enter the second jhāna and become separated from applied and sustained thought; I wish to fall back and enter the first jhāna, secluded from sensual desire.”
The foolish bhikkhu is like that mountain calf which does not understand how to walk.
Cultivating the First Jhāna to Gain Mastery
Therefore one should cultivate the first jhāna and bring the mind to mastery. The source then lists the time before eating, after eating, the first watch, and the last watch. It also lists according to what the mind delights in, according to the desired length or brevity, and freely without obstruction. It continues: “for arising-entering-contemplating, from one occasion up to many occasions; entering and emerging many times, from one occasion up to many occasions.” It is certain that the passage contains “for arising-entering-contemplating,” two occurrences of “from one occasion up to many occasions,” and “entering and emerging many times.” How the first expression is segmented and what each of the two time measures modifies remain uncertain. The final sentence says that mastery of the first jhāna is accomplished and gained.
Going Beyond the First Jhāna and Contemplating Coarse and Fine
Only after gaining the pleasure of mastery does one arouse the second jhāna and go beyond the first. One then thinks again: this first jhāna is coarse, while the second is fine; one sees faults in the first jhāna and qualities in the second.
Faults of the First Jhāna
Question: What are the faults of the first jhāna? Answer: It is close to the hostile five hindrances, which make applied and sustained thought move; the body becomes slothful and the mind distracted. All its qualities constitute coarse concentration and are not fit for the realization called 神通證. Delighting in the first jhāna, one does not form the division of excellence. These are the faults of the first jhāna; the qualities of the second jhāna are their antidote. The precise referent of 神通證 is not explained here.
Attention in Cultivating the Second Jhāna
Having contemplated the faults of the first jhāna and again seen the qualities of the second, one attends to the sign of the kasiṇa and cultivates the matter of the second jhāna. One does not attend to combining the first jhāna, does not attend to applied thought, and does not attend to sustained thought. Through mastery of the joy and pleasure born of concentration, one causes the mind to uphold them.
The Cessation of Applied and Sustained Thought and the Second-Jhāna Formula
When the meditator attends in this way, before long applied and sustained thought cease. Through mastery of the joy and pleasure arisen from concentration, he causes the mind to become settled. This explains the meaning of the four factors of the second jhāna.
Because applied and sustained thought have ceased, the meditator accomplishes internal confidence; the mind becomes one in nature; without applied or sustained thought, he enters the second jhāna with joy and pleasure born of concentration. This is the quality of the earth kasiṇa.
The Cessation of Applied and Sustained Thought
The cessation of applied and sustained thought is through skillful discrimination. Their cessation is also called cutting off.
Shi Huijing · Waken · The Path of Freedom · Seeking the Second Jhāna and the Faults of the First · Vernacular · Summer 2026
初禪的帳結清了，路要往上走。「此明求第二禪」〔T32 418a08〕起，論文講升進——「思惟初禪過患、二禪功德，爾時坐禪人欲樂起第二禪已，於初禪身得自在」〔T32 418a08–10〕，開宗兩句已藏全段綱領：思惟過患功德是動力，身得自在是資格。「何以故？」〔T32 418a10〕——論文自問一句，然後把不自在的下場全盤托出。而它開講的第一件事不是二禪多好，是一頭愚笨的小牛。動力人人有，資格未必人人有；先驗資格，再談動力，是本段的次第。
從段落結構看，前半自「此明求第二禪」起，經山犢喻、修初禪令自在，止於初禪麁與二禪細的思惟〔T32 418a08–29〕；後半自「問：云何初禪過患」起，列過患、二禪作意與成句，止於「覺觀滅亦名斷」〔T32 418b12〕。兩段各有自己的問答與收束，前後順序在底本上分明；兩段均須依底本原序逐句閱讀。
先把所見說在前頭：上不去的原因，是下面沒站穩。求二禪時，正文先說「於初禪身得自在」〔T32 418a09–10〕；若未得自在而思惟除覺觀、望得二禪，結果是「不堪起第二禪定，亦復不能入於初禪」〔T32 418a11–12〕，兩頭落空。山犢喻把這一次序寫成「前足未立復舉後脚」；答文最後據此說「是故應修初禪令心得自在」〔T32 418a23–24〕。
山犢之喻：兩頭落空的解剖
佛的譬喻把這個失敗講成了故事：「如世尊說：為諸比丘作山犢喻」〔T32 418a12–13〕——這是本門第二次由佛親自出場說喻（前為浴師），所說的卻是一個反面教材。山犢愚癡，不識食處、未解行步，卻想去險遠之地，心心念念「我今當往未甞至處，噉未甞草、飲未甞水」〔T32 418a14–15〕——沒到過的地方、沒吃過的草、沒喝過的水，三個「未甞」把嚮往寫得活靈活現（失敗句中又復三見，全段凡六）。結果是一幅笨拙的畫：「前足未立復舉後脚，蹉搖不安莫能前進」〔T32 418a15–16〕——前腳還沒站定就抬後腳，蹉搖踉蹌，寸步難行；「遂不得至未甞至處，亦不得噉未甞食草，及不得飲未甞之水」〔T32 418a16–17〕——三個「不得」對三個「未甞」，一項一項落空；回頭「政當資昔飲食」——還是吃老草。
比丘亦然：「不解離欲入於初禪，不修此法不多學習」〔T32 418a19–20〕，卻「輒自作念」要「欲入第二禪。離於覺觀」〔T32 418a20–21〕——初禪還沒修熟，就急著要離覺觀的二禪；「不解自安」，進退失據，心裡盤算「我不能得入第二禪離於覺觀，欲退入初禪離欲」〔T32 418a21–22〕——退也是打算好的，卻連退都退不成。
把山犢段與比丘段並讀，對應全在文面上。山犢「不知食處，未解行步」〔T32 418a13–14〕，比丘「不知所行處，不解離欲入於初禪」〔T32 418a19–20〕；山犢先作前往未至處、吃未嘗草、飲未嘗水之念，比丘則在不修、不多學習之下作入二禪、離覺觀之念。山犢前足未立便舉後腳，三件所求都未得到；比丘也明列兩項結果：不堪起第二禪定，又不能入於初禪。原文最後以「如彼山犢不解行步」〔T32 418a23〕將喻與法合起來，所說的條件、動作與結果都已逐項列明。
在此停問一處：為何不但上不去，連退路都沒了？原文沒有另寫一套心理機制，只說這位比丘「不修此法不多學習」，便強求入第二禪、離覺觀，結果既不能入第二禪，也不能退入初禪。「愚癡比丘，如彼山犢不解行步。是故應修初禪令心得自在」〔T32 418a23–24〕——喻收在一個「是故」上：先把初禪修至自在，再求第二禪。三個「未甞」寫足了嚮往，一個「前足未立」寫盡了實況——嚮往與腳下之間，隔著的正是自在。喻中的山犢失敗後「更復思惟」，比丘失敗後「復更思惟」；一牛一人的兩次思惟，在文面上相互照應。
本段所列的自在時與出入
正文接著列修初禪令心得自在時的時段與出入：「於未食時及食後時，初夜後夜隨心所樂，隨欲久近隨意無礙。為起入觀，若從一時乃至多時；多入多出，若從一時乃至多時」〔T32 418a24–27〕。所列時段是未食、食後、初夜、後夜；所列三個「隨」是隨心所樂、隨欲久近、隨意無礙。其後可確定有「為起入觀」、兩次「若從一時乃至多時」與「多入多出」；但「為起入觀」怎樣切分，前後兩組時間各自連到哪一項，本段字面不明。正文也沒有分別替三個「隨」另下定義。這一串結束後，才接「得自在樂，起第二禪越於初禪」〔T32 418a27–28〕。
這串自在語之後，論文才接初禪麁、第二禪細的思惟，並說於初禪見過患、於第二禪見功德〔T32 418a27–29〕。所以本段明載的先後是修初禪令心得自在、起第二禪越初禪、再作麁細與過患功德之思；各項依原文位置讀。
本段所列的二禪準備
自在既得，本段接著說：「復更思惟：此初禪麁、第二禪細，於初禪見有過患、於第二禪見有功德」〔T32 418a28–29〕。過患答文依序列出「近五蓋怨」「令覺觀動」「身成懈怠、心成散亂」「其一切法是為麁定，不任為神通證」「既樂初禪不成勝分」〔T32 418b01–03〕；這些項目都照原文次序保留，不把其中任何一項改寫成別的心理成因。末句「第二禪功德是其對治」〔T32 418b04〕只說二禪功德是上述過患的對治，本段沒有另外列出一張二禪功德清單。
答文的配列由近五蓋之怨開始，接著分說覺觀之動、身之懈怠與心之散亂，再把「一切法」判作麁定、不任神通證，末以樂初禪而不成勝分收束為初禪過患〔T32 418b01–04〕。第二禪功德在此只以「是其對治」承接這一串過患。
本段只就求第二禪列出次第：先於初禪得自在，再思惟「此初禪麁、第二禪細」，於初禪見過患、於第二禪見功德；其後「不作意和合初禪、不作意於覺、不作意於觀，以從定生喜樂自在，令心受持」〔T32 418b06–07〕。三句「不作意」與「令心受持」都是本段明載的二禪作意，應限於這一次轉入二禪的脈絡來讀。
三句否定各有明載的所對：第一句是不作意和合初禪，第二句是不作意於覺，第三句是不作意於觀；其後的肯定句則是「以從定生喜樂自在，令心受持」〔T32 418b07〕。原文沒有把覺與觀合成一項，也沒有省去「和合初禪」這一項；讀此作意時，四句都須保留，不能只摘要為泛稱的放下麁法。
覺觀滅，入二禪
「彼坐禪人如是作意，不久覺觀成滅，以定所起喜樂自在令心安住。此明二禪四枝義」〔T32 418b07–09〕。接著列二禪成句：「覺觀滅故，成其內信，心成一性，無覺無觀，從定生喜樂入第二禪。是地一切入功德」〔T32 418b10–12〕——內信、一性、無覺無觀、定生喜樂，各依原文照列；本段沒有用前文浴丸之手來解釋它們如何生起。末後又說：「覺觀滅者，以善分別。覺觀滅亦名斷」〔T32 418b12〕；其詳細料簡由下一單元承接。
就句序看，「如是作意」承前面的三句不作意與令心受持；其後才說「不久覺觀成滅」，再說定所起喜樂令心安住〔T32 418b07–09〕。內信、心成一性、無覺無觀與從定生喜樂則在下一成句並列〔T32 418b10–11〕。本段給出的只是這個前後次序；各名相的進一步解說，要到後續問答才展開。
二禪成句本身還有清楚的收束層次。先以「覺觀滅故」領起，接著說「成其內信，心成一性」，再以「無覺無觀」重申覺觀不在，最後說「從定生喜樂入第二禪」〔T32 418b11〕。句末另標「是地一切入功德」〔T32 418b11–12〕，把所得繫回本門。其後「覺觀滅者，以善分別。覺觀滅亦名斷」〔T32 418b12〕又連說「滅」與「斷」兩名；下一問才開始細釋覺觀滅。
收束
回到所見：先站穩，再抬腳。山犢前足未立便舉後腳，不能前進；比丘不修此法、不多學習，便求離覺觀，結果二禪不得、初禪亦不能入。論文因此教他先修初禪令心得自在，再於這一次求二禪的脈絡中觀初禪麁、二禪細，見過患與功德，依所列作意而行。這是本段明載的次第，不另擴成後文一切升進的通則。
The account of the first jhāna has closed, and the path now rises. Beginning with “This explains seeking the second jhāna” 〔T32 418a08〕, the treatise describes advancement: “Contemplating the faults of the first jhāna and the qualities of the second, at that time the meditator, wishing and delighting to arouse the second jhāna, has already gained bodily mastery of the first jhāna” 〔T32 418a08–10〕. These opening statements contain the outline of the whole passage: contemplation of fault and quality supplies the motive, while bodily mastery supplies the qualification. “Why?” 〔T32 418a10〕 asks the treatise, and then it fully sets out the result of lacking mastery. The first thing it teaches is not how good the second jhāna is, but the story of a foolish calf. Everyone may have a motive; not everyone has the qualification. Checking the qualification before discussing the motive is the sequence of this passage.
Structurally, the first half begins with “This explains seeking the second jhāna,” proceeds through the mountain-calf simile and the cultivation of mastery in the first jhāna, and ends with contemplating the coarseness of the first and fineness of the second 〔T32 418a08–29〕. The second begins, “Question: What are the faults of the first jhāna?”, gives the faults, attention to the second jhāna, and its formula, and ends, “The cessation of applied and sustained thought is also called cutting off” 〔T32 418b12〕. Each half has its own question and closure. The received order of both must be read sentence by sentence.
The main observation can be stated at once: one cannot go up because one has not stood securely below. In seeking the second jhāna, the body first “gains mastery of the first jhāna” 〔T32 418a09–10〕. If one has not gained mastery and yet contemplates removing applied and sustained thought in hope of the second, the result is that one “becomes unable to arouse the concentration of the second jhāna and also unable to enter the first” 〔T32 418a11–12〕. Both directions are lost. The mountain-calf simile writes this sequence as “before its front foot is set, it raises its hind foot,” and the passage concludes, “Therefore one should cultivate the first jhāna and bring the mind to mastery” 〔T32 418a23–24〕.
The Mountain-Calf Simile: Anatomy of Losing Both Directions
The Buddha tells the failure as a story: “As the Blessed One said, giving the bhikkhus the simile of a mountain calf” 〔T32 418a12–13〕. This is the second time in this field of practice that the Buddha personally gives a simile, after the bath attendant; here the simile is a negative example. A foolish mountain calf does not know a feeding place and has not learned how to walk, yet wishes to go to a steep and distant place. It keeps thinking, “Today I shall go to a place never reached before, eat grass never eaten before, and drink water never drunk before” 〔T32 418a14–15〕. The place never reached, grass never eaten, and water never drunk make the longing vivid through three occurrences of “never before”—and all three recur in the sentence of failure, six occurrences in the passage. The result is an awkward picture: “Before its front foot is set, it raises its hind foot. It staggers and is unsteady, unable to advance” 〔T32 418a15–16〕. It lifts the hind foot before the front is secure, staggers, and cannot move an inch. “Thus it cannot reach the place never reached before, eat the grass never eaten before, or drink the water never drunk before” 〔T32 418a16–17〕. Three instances of “cannot” answer the three instances of “never before,” each hope failing in turn. It turns back: “I should just rely on my former food and drink”—back to the old grass.
The bhikkhu is the same. He “does not understand entering the first jhāna through seclusion from sensual desire, does not cultivate this Dhamma, and does not study it much” 〔T32 418a19–20〕, yet “immediately thinks” that he wishes “to enter the second jhāna and become separated from applied and sustained thought” 〔T32 418a20–21〕. Before cultivating the first jhāna to familiarity, he hurries toward the second, without applied and sustained thought. He “does not understand how to settle himself” and is uncertain both forward and back, thinking, “I cannot enter the second jhāna and become separated from applied and sustained thought; I wish to fall back and enter the first jhāna, secluded from sensual desire” 〔T32 418a21–22〕. Even falling back is only a plan, and he cannot accomplish that either.
Read the calf and bhikkhu together; the correspondences are on the surface. The calf “does not know a feeding place and has not learned how to walk” 〔T32 418a13–14〕; the bhikkhu “does not know the place of practice and does not understand entering the first jhāna through seclusion from sensual desire” 〔T32 418a19–20〕. The calf first thinks of going to the unreached place, eating uneaten grass, and drinking undrunk water; the bhikkhu, without cultivating or studying much, thinks of entering the second jhāna and becoming separated from applied and sustained thought. The calf lifts its hind foot before its front is set and gains none of the three things it seeks. The bhikkhu also receives two explicit results: he cannot arouse the second-jhāna concentration and cannot enter the first. The source finally joins simile and Dhamma in, “like that mountain calf which does not understand how to walk” 〔T32 418a23〕. The conditions, actions, and results are all stated one by one.
Pause here: Why can he neither advance nor even retreat? The source gives no separate psychological mechanism. It says only that the bhikkhu “does not cultivate this Dhamma and does not study it much,” yet forces himself to enter the second jhāna and leave applied and sustained thought; consequently he can neither enter the second nor fall back into the first. “The foolish bhikkhu is like that mountain calf which does not understand how to walk. Therefore one should cultivate the first jhāna and bring the mind to mastery” 〔T32 418a23–24〕. The simile closes on “therefore”: cultivate the first jhāna to mastery before seeking the second. Three instances of “never before” fully express the longing; “before its front foot is set” fully expresses the fact underfoot. Mastery lies between longing and the next step. The calf thinks again after failing, and the bhikkhu thinks again after failing; their two rounds of thought correspond verbally.
The Times of Mastery and Entering and Emerging Listed Here
The text next lists the times and entering and emerging through which one brings the first jhāna to mastery: “At the time before eating and after eating, in the first and last watches, according to what the mind delights in, according to the desired length or brevity, freely without obstruction. For arising-entering-contemplating, from one occasion up to many occasions; entering and emerging many times, from one occasion up to many occasions” 〔T32 418a24–27〕. The times are before eating, after eating, the first watch, and the last watch. The three “according to” expressions are according to what the mind delights in, according to the desired length or brevity, and freely without obstruction. After them, the phrase “for arising-entering-contemplating,” two occurrences of “from one occasion up to many occasions,” and “entering and emerging many times” are all certain. How “for arising-entering-contemplating” is segmented and which item each measure of time attaches to are unclear. The source also gives no separate definition of the three “according to” expressions. Only after this series ends does it say, “Having gained the pleasure of mastery, one arouses the second jhāna and goes beyond the first” 〔T32 418a27–28〕.
After this series on mastery, the treatise turns to contemplating the coarseness of the first jhāna and the fineness of the second, seeing faults in the first and qualities in the second 〔T32 418a27–29〕. The sequence explicitly stated is thus: cultivate the first jhāna and bring the mind to mastery; arouse the second and go beyond the first; then contemplate coarse and fine, fault and quality. Each is read at its place in the source.
The Preparation for the Second Jhāna Listed Here
Once mastery is gained, the passage says, “One thinks again: this first jhāna is coarse, while the second is fine; one sees faults in the first jhāna and qualities in the second” 〔T32 418a28–29〕. The answer on faults lists in order: “close to the hostile five hindrances,” “make applied and sustained thought move,” “the body becomes slothful and the mind distracted,” “all its qualities constitute coarse concentration and are not fit for 神通證,” and “delighting in the first jhāna, one does not form the division of excellence” 〔T32 418b01–03〕. These are retained in their source order without recasting any as another psychological cause. The final statement, “the qualities of the second jhāna are their antidote” 〔T32 418b04〕, says only that the qualities of the second counter these faults; this passage provides no separate inventory of second-jhāna qualities.
The answer begins by being close to the hostile five hindrances, then separately states movement of applied and sustained thought, bodily sloth and mental distraction, and judges all the qualities to be coarse concentration unfit for 神通證. It closes the faults of the first with delight in that jhāna and failure to form the division of excellence 〔T32 418b01–04〕. The qualities of the second are introduced only as “their antidote,” taking up this series of faults.
This passage gives only the following sequence for seeking the second: first gain mastery of the first; then contemplate that the first is coarse and the second fine, seeing faults in the first and qualities in the second; afterward, “do not attend to combining the first jhāna, do not attend to applied thought, and do not attend to sustained thought; through mastery of joy and pleasure born of concentration, cause the mind to uphold them” 〔T32 418b06–07〕. The three instances of nonattention and the causing of the mind to uphold are the attention for entering the second explicitly given here, and should be read within this specific transition.
Each negative statement has an explicit object: first, not attending to combining the first jhāna; second, not attending to applied thought; third, not attending to sustained thought. The positive statement that follows is, “Through mastery of the joy and pleasure born of concentration, cause the mind to uphold them” 〔T32 418b07〕. The source neither combines applied and sustained thought into one item nor omits “combining the first jhāna.” All four statements must be retained; this attention cannot be reduced to the general phrase “letting go of coarse qualities.”
Applied and Sustained Thought Cease; Entry into the Second Jhāna
“When the meditator attends in this way, before long applied and sustained thought cease. Through mastery of the joy and pleasure arisen from concentration, he causes the mind to become settled. This explains the meaning of the four factors of the second jhāna” 〔T32 418b07–09〕. The second-jhāna formula follows: “Because applied and sustained thought have ceased, he accomplishes internal confidence; the mind becomes one in nature; without applied or sustained thought, he enters the second jhāna with joy and pleasure born of concentration. This is the quality of the earth kasiṇa” 〔T32 418b10–12〕. Internal confidence, becoming one in nature, absence of applied and sustained thought, and joy and pleasure born of concentration are all listed in the source order. The passage does not use the hand from the earlier bath-powder simile to explain how they arise. It ends, “The cessation of applied and sustained thought is through skillful discrimination. Their cessation is also called cutting off” 〔T32 418b12〕. Its detailed analysis is taken up by the next unit.
In sentence order, “attends in this way” continues the three instances of nonattention and the causing of the mind to uphold. Only then does the text say that applied and sustained thought shortly cease, followed by joy and pleasure arisen from concentration settling the mind 〔T32 418b07–09〕. Internal confidence, becoming one in nature, absence of applied and sustained thought, and joy and pleasure born of concentration are juxtaposed in the next formula 〔T32 418b10–11〕. This passage gives only that order; later questions unfold the terms further.
The second-jhāna formula has a clear sequence of closure. “Because applied and sustained thought have ceased” leads; “he accomplishes internal confidence, the mind becomes one in nature” follows; “without applied or sustained thought” restates their absence; and “with joy and pleasure born of concentration, he enters the second jhāna” concludes 〔T32 418b11〕. “This is the quality of the earth kasiṇa” 〔T32 418b11–12〕 separately ties the attainment back to this field of practice. Then “the cessation of applied and sustained thought is through skillful discrimination; their cessation is also called cutting off” 〔T32 418b12〕 gives the two names “cessation” and “cutting off” together; the next question begins their detailed explanation.
Conclusion
Return to the observation: set the foot before lifting it. The mountain calf raises its hind foot before the front is set and cannot advance. The bhikkhu does not cultivate or study the Dhamma much, yet seeks separation from applied and sustained thought, and can enter neither the second nor the first jhāna. The treatise therefore teaches him first to cultivate the first jhāna and bring the mind to mastery, then, within this particular transition to the second, contemplate the first as coarse and the second as fine, see fault and quality, and practice according to the stated attention. This is the sequence explicitly stated here; it is not enlarged into a universal law for every later advancement.
Shi Huijing · Waken · The Path of Freedom · Seeking the Second Jhāna and the Faults of the First · Exposition · Summer 2026
考據Apparatus
全段定位 本段出自《解脫道論》卷第五〈行門品〉之二，居卷界之後（卷首譯者題名在〔T32 418a06〕），以「此明求第二禪」標目起，先明求二禪必先於初禪得自在（引佛說山犢喻為證），次辨初禪之過患與二禪之功德，末出二禪成句並啟「覺觀滅」之釋。段末「覺觀滅亦名斷」〔T32 418b12〕之後，覺觀滅之料簡自「問」〔T32 418b12〕起另段，屬下一單元。
一、科判定位
本段標「問」者一（另有內嵌之「何以故？」〔T32 418a10〕一設問），餘皆敘語；問答與節次之界逐字可核：
| 節 | 經文起訖逐字（各繫其錨） |
|---|---|
| 標目與初禪自在 | 「此明求第二禪」〔T32 418a08〕…「亦復不能入於初禪」〔T32 418a12〕 |
| 佛說山犢喻 | 「如世尊說：為諸比丘作山犢喻」〔T32 418a12–13〕…「如彼山犢不解行步」〔T32 418a23〕 |
| 修初禪令自在 | 「是故應修初禪令心得自在」〔T32 418a23–24〕…「於彼初禪成得自在」〔T32 418a27〕 |
| 越初禪·麁細之思 | 「得自在樂，起第二禪越於初禪」〔T32 418a27–28〕…「於第二禪見有功德」〔T32 418a29〕 |
| 初禪過患 | 「問：云何初禪過患？」〔T32 418b01〕…「第二禪功德是其對治」〔T32 418b04〕 |
| 修二禪之作意 | 「已觀初禪過患」〔T32 418b04〕…「令心受持」〔T32 418b07〕 |
| 覺觀滅·二禪成句 | 「彼坐禪人如是作意」〔T32 418b07–08〕…「是地一切入功德」〔T32 418b11–12〕 |
| 覺觀滅之釋（逗起下段） | 「覺觀滅者，以善分別」〔T32 418b12〕…「覺觀滅亦名斷」〔T32 418b12〕 |
標目十六字之歸屬：段首「此明求第二禪。思惟初禪過患、二禪功德」十六字，大正藏出校記〔此明…功德〕十六字－【宮】〔T32 418a08〕；而前一單元段末〔T32 417c21〕之校記則曰宮本於「達分」下增此同十六字。二處校記相須，可知宮本係將此標目語自本段之首移置前段之末，餘本仍在本段之首。本文從底本，十六字仍屬本段。
全段定位錨
〔T32, 418a08–418b12〕
二、詞義與譯語（逐字各繫其錨）
| 名相 | 本段用法 | 章內接點（可核） |
|---|---|---|
| 此明（標目語） | 「此明求第二禪」〔T32 418a08〕、「此明二禪四枝義」〔T32 418b09〕 | 同式前見〔T32 413c18〕「此明因三行定心成」；本段二見，皆為編次之提示語而非義理之語 |
| 山犢 | 「為諸比丘作山犢喻」〔T32 418a12–13〕、「山犢愚癡不知食處」〔T32 418a13〕、「如彼山犢不解行步」〔T32 418a23〕 | 全論三見，皆在本段 |
| 政（政當資昔飲食） | 「既不能去，政當資昔飲食」〔T32 418a18〕 | 校記作政／正（見目三）；「政」通「正」，照字面保留 |
| 未甞 | 段內六見〔T32 418a14–17〕——犢念中三見（至處·草·水），三不得句中三見 | 照字面保留 |
| 為起入觀·一時乃至多時 | 「為起入觀，若從一時乃至多時；多入多出，若從一時乃至多時」〔T32 418a25–27〕 | 「為起入觀」的切分，以及前後兩組時量各自所連的項目，本段字面不明 |
| 神通證 | 「其一切法是為麁定，不任為神通證」〔T32 418b02–03〕 | 本段不自釋；五通之目在品 9〔T32 441a25 起〕，本段不預取 |
| 二禪四枝 | 「此明二禪四枝義」〔T32 418b09〕；四枝之目在本段之成句作內信、心成一性、無覺無觀、從定生喜樂〔T32 418b10–11〕 | 二禪之枝目後文明列作「內信、喜、樂、一心」〔T32 418c18–19〕；本段成句與後文列目之字面不全同，二者關係在本段不明 |
| 內信 | 「成其內信，心成一性」〔T32 418b10〕 | 本段不自釋，其料簡在下一單元；照字面保留 |
| 覺觀滅 | 「覺觀滅者，以善分別。覺觀滅亦名斷」〔T32 418b12〕 | 本段止於此二語，其料簡自下段起 |
三、校記與異讀
本段範圍內大正藏校記十一處（政／正、枝／支二條各以＊標其覆出），均誌而不改；本文之讀一律依大正本：
| 錨 | 底本 | 異讀 | 見證 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 418a08 | 此明…功德（十六字） | 〔－〕（宮本此處無，而移於前段之末） | 【宮】 |
| 418a08 | 禪（二禪功德） | 種 | 【宋】【元】【明】【宮】 |
| 418a16 | 得（遂不得至未甞至處） | 能 | 【宋】【元】【明】【宮】 |
| 418a18 | 政（政當資昔飲食） | 正 | 【宋】【元】【明】【宮】（一條＊） |
| 418a20 | 學習（不多學習） | 習學 | 【明】 |
| 418b01 | 令（令覺觀動） | 貧 | 【宋】【元】【明】【宮】 |
| 418b03 | 任（不任為神通證） | 住 | 【明】 |
| 418b03 | 成（既樂初禪不成勝分） | 勝 | 【明】 |
| 418b09 | 明（此明二禪四枝義） | 名 | 【明】 |
| 418b09 | 枝（二禪四枝） | 支 | 【宋】【元】【明】【宮】（一條＊） |
| 418b11 | 地（是地一切入功德） | 第 | 【明】 |
誌錄不判四事：
- 418a08 標目十六字之有無，實為宮本之移位（詳目一）。並錄不判，本文從底本。
- 418a08「二禪功德」之「禪」，四本作「種」——作「禪」則與上句「初禪過患」相對成文，作「種」則不成對。並錄不判，本文從底本。
- 418b01「令覺觀動」之「令」，四本作「貧」——作「令」則承「近五蓋怨」而言其所令，作「貧」則文義難通。並錄不判，本文從底本。
- 418b11「是地一切入功德」之「地」，明本作「第」——作「地」則承本品「地一切入」一門之結語（初禪之結亦作「是地一切入功德」〔T32 415a09〕），作「第」則不成語。並錄不判，本文從底本。
校本零命中二項：本段正文缺字零命中；夾註零命中。
四、論主引據
| 引語逐字 | 錨 | 論文所繫之義 |
|---|---|---|
| 「如世尊說：為諸比丘作山犢喻」（其喻自「山犢愚癡不知食處」至「亦不得噉未甞食草，及不得飲未甞之水」，並含犢之二念與合法之文） | 〔T32 418a12–23〕 | 證求二禪必先於初禪得自在。其文自「山犢愚癡不知食處」至「如彼山犢不解行步」凡一百七十一漢字（〔T32 418a13〕至〔T32 418a23〕），實測為品 8 諸引語中最長者（次長為浴師譬九十三漢字），「山犢」全論三見而皆在本段；所引之經論文不出經名，不代考定 |
五、譬喻·修辭
- 山犢喻之三段〔T32 418a13–23〕：先出喻（犢之愚癡·二念·蹉搖不進·三不得）〔T32 418a13–18〕、次合法（比丘之愚癡·二念·不解自安）〔T32 418a18–23〕、末以一句總收（「愚癡比丘，如彼山犢不解行步」〔T32 418a23〕）。喻與法逐節相對：犢之「便自作念」對比丘之「輒自作念」，犢之「更復思惟」對比丘之「復更思惟」，二念之位一一相當。
- 三不得之疊〔T32 418a16–17〕：「遂不得至未甞至處，亦不得噉未甞食草，及不得飲未甞之水」——與犢念中之未甞至處、未甞草、未甞水〔T32 418a14–15〕逐項回應，先立三願、後出三不得。
- 麁細之對〔T32 418a28–29〕：「此初禪麁、第二禪細」——承 08-09 喜樂差別之「麁喜，細樂」〔T32 416a22–23〕之對法，此處移用於二禪之相形。
- 不作意三句〔T32 418b06–07〕：「不作意和合初禪、不作意於覺、不作意於觀」——三句連下，以否定寫作意之所向。
六、章內互讀
- 前指：「成禪達分」〔T32 417c20–21〕與宮本移置之十六字〔T32 417c21〕（本段標目之所繫）；初禪之結語「是地一切入功德」〔T32 415a09〕；「麁喜，細樂」〔T32 416a22–23〕；五蓋名目〔T32 416b07–08〕；此明…式前見〔T32 413c18〕。
- 後指：覺觀滅之料簡自〔T32 418b12〕起（下一單元）；二禪之枝目「內信、喜、樂、一心」〔T32 418c18–19〕與其三善十相、二十三功德〔T32 418c20–21〕；二禪之引譬「如池生水」〔T32 418c23〕；五通之目見品 9〔T32 441a25 起〕。
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 begins part two of the Chapter on Fields of Practice in fascicle five of the Path of Freedom, after the fascicle boundary; the translator byline stands at 〔T32 418a06〕. It opens with the heading “This explains seeking the second jhāna.” First it establishes that one who seeks the second must already have mastery of the first, citing the Buddha's mountain-calf simile as evidence. It then distinguishes the faults of the first jhāna from the qualities of the second, gives the second-jhāna formula, and begins the explanation of “the cessation of applied and sustained thought.” After “The cessation of applied and sustained thought is also called cutting off” 〔T32 418b12〕, the analysis of their cessation begins with a separate “Question” at 〔T32 418b12〕 and belongs to the next unit.
1. Structural Location
The passage has one formally marked “Question,” together with the embedded question “Why?” 〔T32 418a10〕; the remainder is narrative. The boundaries can be checked word for word:
| Section | Verbatim limits of the source, each with its anchor |
|---|---|
| Heading and mastery of the first jhāna | “This explains seeking the second jhāna” 〔T32 418a08〕 … “also unable to enter the first jhāna” 〔T32 418a12〕 |
| The Buddha's mountain-calf simile | “As the Blessed One said, giving the bhikkhus the simile of a mountain calf” 〔T32 418a12–13〕 … “like that mountain calf which does not understand how to walk” 〔T32 418a23〕 |
| Cultivating the first jhāna to gain mastery | “Therefore one should cultivate the first jhāna and bring the mind to mastery” 〔T32 418a23–24〕 … “mastery of the first jhāna is accomplished and gained” 〔T32 418a27〕 |
| Going beyond the first; contemplating coarse and fine | “Having gained the pleasure of mastery, one arouses the second jhāna and goes beyond the first” 〔T32 418a27–28〕 … “sees qualities in the second jhāna” 〔T32 418a29〕 |
| Faults of the first jhāna | “Question: What are the faults of the first jhāna?” 〔T32 418b01〕 … “the qualities of the second jhāna are their antidote” 〔T32 418b04〕 |
| Attention in cultivating the second jhāna | “Having contemplated the faults of the first jhāna” 〔T32 418b04〕 … “causes the mind to uphold them” 〔T32 418b07〕 |
| Cessation of applied and sustained thought; the second-jhāna formula | “When the meditator attends in this way” 〔T32 418b07–08〕 … “This is the quality of the earth kasiṇa” 〔T32 418b11–12〕 |
| Explanation of the cessation of applied and sustained thought (introducing the next passage) | “The cessation of applied and sustained thought is through skillful discrimination” 〔T32 418b12〕 … “The cessation of applied and sustained thought is also called cutting off” 〔T32 418b12〕 |
The location of the sixteen-character heading: at the beginning of the passage, the sixteen characters are punctuated “此明求第二禪。思惟初禪過患、二禪功德” and covered by the Taishō note 〔此明…功德〕十六字－【宮】 at 〔T32 418a08〕. At the end of the preceding unit, 〔T32 417c21〕, another note says that the Palace edition adds these same sixteen characters after “the division of reaching.” Read together, the two notes show that the Palace edition moved the heading from the beginning of this passage to the end of the preceding one, while the other witnesses retain it here. The body follows the base text, and the sixteen characters remain part of the present passage.
Anchor for the whole passage
〔T32, 418a08–418b12〕
2. Terms and Translation (Every Citation Anchored)
| Term | Use in this passage | Checkable connection within the treatise |
|---|---|---|
| 此明, “this explains” (heading language) | “This explains seeking the second jhāna” 〔T32 418a08〕 and “This explains the meaning of the four factors of the second jhāna” 〔T32 418b09〕 | The same form occurs earlier in “This explains that through three practices the concentrated mind is accomplished” 〔T32 413c18〕. Both occurrences here are editorial signals of sequence rather than doctrinal statements |
| Mountain calf | “Giving the bhikkhus the simile of a mountain calf” 〔T32 418a12–13〕; “A foolish mountain calf does not know a feeding place” 〔T32 418a13〕; and “like that mountain calf which does not understand how to walk” 〔T32 418a23〕 | The expression occurs three times in the entire treatise, all in this passage |
| 政 (in “should just rely on former food and drink”) | “Since I cannot go, 政 I should rely on former food and drink” 〔T32 418a18〕 | The apparatus gives 政／正 (section 3). 政 is used in the sense of 正; the base form is retained |
| 未甞, “never before” | Six occurrences in the passage 〔T32 418a14–17〕: three in the calf's thought—place, grass, and water—and three in the corresponding statements of what it cannot gain | The base form is retained literally |
| For arising-entering-contemplating; from one occasion up to many occasions | “For arising-entering-contemplating, from one occasion up to many occasions; entering and emerging many times, from one occasion up to many occasions” 〔T32 418a25–27〕 | The segmentation of “for arising-entering-contemplating” and the item to which each of the two measures of time attaches are unclear here |
| 神通證 | “All its qualities constitute coarse concentration and are not fit for 神通證” 〔T32 418b02–03〕 | The expression is not explained here. The inventory of the five direct knowledges begins in Chapter Nine at 〔T32 441a25 onward〕 and is not imported into this passage |
| Four factors of the second jhāna | “This explains the meaning of the four factors of the second jhāna” 〔T32 418b09〕. The formula in this passage reads internal confidence, the mind becoming one in nature, no applied or sustained thought, and joy and pleasure born of concentration 〔T32 418b10–11〕 | Later the factors are explicitly listed as “internal confidence, joy, pleasure, and one-pointedness” 〔T32 418c18–19〕. The wording of the present formula and later list is not identical; their relation is not explained here |
| Internal confidence | “He accomplishes internal confidence; the mind becomes one in nature” 〔T32 418b10〕 | The expression is not explained here; its analysis occurs in the next unit. It is retained literally |
| Cessation of applied and sustained thought | “The cessation of applied and sustained thought is through skillful discrimination. The cessation of applied and sustained thought is also called cutting off” 〔T32 418b12〕 | This passage ends with these two expressions; their analysis begins in the next unit |
3. Critical Notes and Variant Readings
The Taishō apparatus gives eleven notes in this passage. The 政／正 and 枝／支 notes are each marked with an asterisk for repeated occurrences. All are recorded without altering the body, which follows the Taishō base text throughout:
| Anchor | Base text | Variant | Witnesses |
|---|---|---|---|
| 418a08 | 此明…功德 (sixteen characters) | 〔－〕 (absent here in the Palace edition and moved to the end of the preceding passage) | 【宮】 |
| 418a08 | 禪 (in “qualities of the second jhāna”) | 種 | 【宋】【元】【明】【宮】 |
| 418a16 | 得 (in “cannot reach the place never reached before”) | 能 | 【宋】【元】【明】【宮】 |
| 418a18 | 政 (in “should just rely on former food and drink”) | 正 | 【宋】【元】【明】【宮】 (one asterisked note) |
| 418a20 | 學習 (in “does not study it much”) | 習學 | 【明】 |
| 418b01 | 令 (in “make applied and sustained thought move”) | 貧 | 【宋】【元】【明】【宮】 |
| 418b03 | 任 (in “not fit for 神通證”) | 住 | 【明】 |
| 418b03 | 成 (in “delighting in the first jhāna, one does not form the division of excellence”) | 勝 | 【明】 |
| 418b09 | 明 (in “This explains the meaning of the four factors of the second jhāna”) | 名 | 【明】 |
| 418b09 | 枝 (in “four factors of the second jhāna”) | 支 | 【宋】【元】【明】【宮】 (one asterisked note) |
| 418b11 | 地 (in “This is the quality of the earth kasiṇa”) | 第 | 【明】 |
Four matters are recorded without adjudication:
- The presence or absence of the sixteen-character heading at 418a08 is a relocation in the Palace edition (section 1). Both locations are recorded; the body follows the base text.
- At 418a08, the base has 禪 in “qualities of the second jhāna,” while the four witnesses have 種. Reading 禪 forms a parallel with the preceding “faults of the first jhāna”; reading 種 does not. Both are recorded without adjudication; the body follows 禪.
- At 418b01, the base has 令 in “the hostile five hindrances make applied and sustained thought move,” while the four witnesses have 貧. Reading 令 gives the action caused by proximity to the hostile hindrances; 貧 is difficult in context. Both are recorded without adjudication; the body follows 令.
- At 418b11, the base has 地 in “This is the quality of the earth kasiṇa,” while the Ming edition has 第. Reading 地 continues the conclusion “This is the quality of the earth kasiṇa” used for the first jhāna in this field of practice 〔T32 415a09〕; 第 does not form an expression. Both are recorded without adjudication; the body follows 地.
Two zero-hit checks against the critical text: no missing-character or gaiji marker occurs in this passage, and no inline parenthetical annotation occurs.
4. Authorities Cited by the Treatise
| Verbatim citation | Anchor | Meaning assigned by the treatise |
|---|---|---|
| “As the Blessed One said, giving the bhikkhus the simile of a mountain calf”—the simile runs from “a foolish mountain calf does not know a feeding place” through “it cannot eat grass never eaten before or drink water never drunk before,” includes the calf's two thoughts, and is followed by its application to the bhikkhu | 〔T32 418a12–23〕 | Evidence that one who seeks the second jhāna must first gain mastery of the first. From “a foolish mountain calf does not know a feeding place” through “like that mountain calf which does not understand how to walk,” the passage has 171 Chinese characters, from 〔T32 418a13〕 through 〔T32 418a23〕, making it the longest citation in Chapter Eight by direct count; the next longest is the bath attendant's simile at ninety-three characters. “Mountain calf” occurs three times in the treatise, all here. The treatise does not name the cited scripture, and none is supplied |
5. Simile and Rhetoric
- Three movements of the mountain-calf simile 〔T32 418a13–23〕: first the simile—the calf's foolishness, two thoughts, staggering without advancing, and three failures 〔T32 418a13–18〕; then the application—the bhikkhu's foolishness, two thoughts, and inability to settle himself 〔T32 418a18–23〕; finally one sentence that gathers both, “The foolish bhikkhu is like that mountain calf which does not understand how to walk” 〔T32 418a23〕. Simile and Dhamma correspond section by section: the calf “thinks to itself” as the bhikkhu “immediately thinks”; the calf “thinks again” as the bhikkhu “thinks again.” The positions of the two thoughts correspond one by one.
- The layering of three failures 〔T32 418a16–17〕: “Thus it cannot reach the place never reached before, eat the grass never eaten before, or drink the water never drunk before.” These answer in order the unreached place, uneaten grass, and undrunk water in the calf's thought 〔T32 418a14–15〕. Three wishes are first established and three failures follow.
- The contrast of coarse and fine 〔T32 418a28–29〕: “This first jhāna is coarse, while the second is fine.” This continues the paired form “joy is coarse, pleasure subtle” from the distinction between joy and pleasure in 08-09 〔T32 416a22–23〕, now applied to comparison between two jhānas.
- Three statements of nonattention 〔T32 418b06–07〕: “do not attend to combining the first jhāna, do not attend to applied thought, and do not attend to sustained thought.” The three proceed in succession, stating through negation what attention is not directed toward.
6. Internal Cross-Reading
- Backward: “the division of reaching of the jhāna is formed” 〔T32 417c20–21〕 and the sixteen characters moved there in the Palace edition 〔T32 417c21〕, which belong to the present heading; the first-jhāna conclusion “This is the quality of the earth kasiṇa” 〔T32 415a09〕; “joy is coarse, pleasure subtle” 〔T32 416a22–23〕; the list of the five hindrances 〔T32 416b07–08〕; and the preceding 此明-form at 〔T32 413c18〕.
- Forward: the analysis of the cessation of applied and sustained thought begins at 〔T32 418b12〕 in the next unit; the four factors of the second jhāna—“internal confidence, joy, pleasure, and one-pointedness” 〔T32 418c18–19〕—and its three kinds of goodness, ten characteristics, and twenty-three qualities 〔T32 418c20–21〕; the second-jhāna simile “like a pool where water arises” 〔T32 418c23〕; and the inventory of the five direct knowledges in Chapter Nine from 〔T32 441a25 onward〕.
7. Transmission
This edition takes no position here on questions of authorship, translation history, or transmission.
Shi Huijing · Waken · The Path of Freedom · Seeking the Second Jhāna and the Faults of the First · Apparatus · Summer 2026