解脫道論 四諦譬喻、分別、數與一
譬喻門連下三組，每組四譬配四諦。而三組的取象不是隨手排的。
第一組在身外：苦如毒樹，集如種，滅如燒種，道如火。樹、種、燒、火，是一件事的四個環節，而人只是在旁邊看。
第二組把人放進去了：苦如此岸有苦有怖畏，集如流，滅如彼岸無苦無怖畏，道如能渡的船。第一組是看一棵樹，這一組是站在岸上。
第三組連岸也沒有了：苦如擔著擔子，集如取起擔子，滅如放下擔子，道如放下擔子的方法。只剩肩上那副擔子。
三組同一個構造，而所取之象步步向內。論文不說它是由遠而近排的；三組並排放著，那個方向自己就出來了。
分別門一起手就出一個要當心的名：四種諦——語諦、各各諦、第一義諦、聖諦。
又是四，可是這個四不是那個四。本品一路講的四諦是苦、集、滅、道；這裡的四種諦是「諦」這個字的四種用法。更該當心的是：「聖諦」在這一組裡只是四種之一——論文一路稱苦集滅道為四聖諦，到這一門卻把它降為一個並列項。
這裡有一把可以帶走的工具：遇到一個熟名忽然出現在一組陌生的並列裡，先停下來問它是不是還是原來那個意思。這一門若不先把兩個「四」分開，就會以為論文在給四聖諦另立四種。
數門是最難的一節。同一組苦集滅道，論文分四番重畫界線：前三番的「除」語依次加入愛、餘煩惱、一切不善；第四番仍列這三類，不再新增，卻另把三地善法列入集諦。論文隨後分別說明四類：愛以覓有氣味義、餘煩惱以有結使義、一切不善以可斷與令起有義、三地善法以令有義而歸集。
四番講完，論文給了一個總判：同一批法或入苦諦或入集諦，判準是相——有逼惱、憂、有為、有邊之相的成苦諦，有聚、因緣、著、和合之相的成集諦。
這八個相不是這裡新立的。翻回上一單元的相門後輪，一字不易。前門立的尺，後門逕拿來用；十一行不是十一件並列的事。
有一處值得自己去停。四番的界說一律作「於三地」，唯獨第二番作「於第三地」——這四個字全論只出現這一次，而且此處沒有校記。若是「三地」之誤，四番就完全同構；若不是，第二番量的就是另一個範圍。校本沒有把它當作異文處理，我們也就沒有校本可以依傍。本編照原字錄，不代為改。
最後一門忽然轉了個向：四諦以四行成一——以諦義、以如義、以法義、以空義。
前七門從句義、相、次第、略、譬喻、分別與數等不同方面觀察四諦；第八門則明說「四諦以四行成一」。
可核的是這一句明文；不據此推說前七門逐門愈細。
Under the simile approach, three sets follow one after another, each pairing four similes with the four truths. The images in these three sets are not arranged at random.
The first set lies outside oneself: suffering is like a poisonous tree, arising like a seed, cessation like burning the seed, and path like fire. Tree, seed, burning, and fire are four stages in one event, while the person merely watches from the side.
The second set puts the person into the scene: suffering is like this shore, where there is suffering and fear; arising like the current; cessation like the far shore, where there is neither suffering nor fear; and path like a boat that can cross. The first set is looking at a tree; in this one, the person stands on the shore.
The third set has no shore left: suffering is like carrying a burden, arising like taking up the burden, cessation like setting the burden down, and path like the method for setting it down. Only the burden on one’s shoulder remains.
All three sets have the same structure, but their chosen images move inward step by step. The treatise does not say that they are arranged from far to near; with the three sets placed side by side, that direction emerges on its own.
The analysis approach opens with a name that calls for care: four kinds of truth—truth of speech, particular truth, ultimate truth, and noble truth.
It is another four, but this four is not that four. The four truths discussed throughout this chapter are suffering, arising, cessation, and path; the four kinds of truth here are four uses of the word “truth.” More care is needed because “noble truth” is only one of the four in this set—throughout the treatise, suffering, arising, cessation, and path are called the four noble truths, yet in this approach “noble truth” is placed alongside the others as a single item.
Here is a tool to carry away: when a familiar name suddenly appears in an unfamiliar list, pause and ask whether it still means what it meant before. Unless the two “fours” are first kept apart in this approach, one may think the treatise is giving the four noble truths a new fourfold classification.
The number approach is the most difficult section. With the same group of suffering, arising, cessation, and path, the treatise redraws the boundary in four rounds: the first three “excluding” clauses successively add craving, the other defilements, and all unwholesome states; the fourth still lists these three classes and adds no new one, but separately places wholesome states of the three planes under the truth of arising. The treatise then explains the four classes in turn: craving belongs to arising by the meaning of seeking flavor; the other defilements by the meaning of having fetters; all unwholesome states by being abandonable and giving rise to becoming; and wholesome states of the three planes by bringing about becoming.
After the four rounds, the treatise gives a general determination: the same body of dhammas may fall under either the truth of suffering or the truth of arising, and character is the criterion. Those with the characters of oppression, grief, conditionedness, and boundedness become the truth of suffering; those with the characters of gathering, condition, attachment, and conjunction become the truth of arising.
These eight characters are not established anew here. Turn back to the latter round of the character approach in the preceding unit, and they are repeated without a single character changed. A ruler established in an earlier approach is taken up directly by a later one; the eleven approaches are not eleven separate things merely placed side by side.
There is one place worth pausing over for oneself. The definitions in all four rounds read “in the three planes,” except that the second round reads “in the third plane”—those four characters occur only once in the entire treatise, and there is no critical note here. If “in the third plane” is an error for “in the three planes,” all four rounds would be perfectly parallel; if not, the second round is measuring a different range. The critical edition does not treat it as a variant, so there is no critical reading for us to rely on. This edition records the original words as they stand and does not emend them.
The final approach suddenly turns in another direction: the four truths become one through four approaches—through the meaning of truth, the meaning of thusness, the meaning of dhamma, and the meaning of emptiness.
The first seven approaches examine the four truths from different sides: phrase-meaning, character, sequence, summary, simile, analysis, and number. The eighth, by contrast, explicitly says, “the four truths become one through four approaches.”
The explicit statement itself is what can be verified; it does not support the inference that the first seven approaches grow progressively finer from one to the next.
Shi Huijing · Waken · The Path of Freedom · Simile, Analysis, Number, and Unity of the Four Truths · 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》〈五方便品〉「四諦譬喻、分別、數與一」· 大正藏 T32n1648〔起 T32 0452c〕。段首〔T32 …〕＝大正藏頁·欄錨。
〔T32 0452c〕
問：云何以譬喻？答？如毒樹，如是苦可知。如種，如是集可知。如是燒種，如是滅可知。如火，如是道可知。如此岸有苦有怖畏，如是苦可知。如流，如是集可知。如彼岸無苦無怖畏，如是滅可知。如船能渡，如是道可知。如擔擔，如是苦可知。如取擔，如是集可知。如置擔，如是滅可知。如置擔方便，如是道可知。如是以譬喻可知。
〔T32 0453a〕
問：云何以分別可知？答：四種諦，語諦、各各諦、第一義諦、聖諦。於是說實語非不實，是謂語諦。於各各諦大入諸見，此謂各各諦。彼諦比丘妄語愚癡法，彼不妄語愚癡法是諦。泥洹者是第一義諦。是聖人所修行，是聖諦。於此所樂聖諦。如是以分別可知。
問：云何以數可知。答：除愛，於三地善不善無記法是苦諦；愛是集諦；斷彼是滅諦；八分道是道諦。復次除愛，餘煩惱，於第三地善不善無記法是苦諦；愛及餘煩惱是集諦；斷彼是滅諦；道者是道諦。復次除愛，餘煩惱一切不善，於三地善有記法是苦諦；愛及與煩惱一切不善是集諦；斷彼是滅諦；道是道諦。復次除愛與煩惱及一切不善，於三地不善、於三地無記法是苦諦；愛及餘煩惱及一切不善，於三地善此集諦；斷彼是滅諦；道是道諦。於是覓有氣味義是愛，集有結使義，餘煩惱是集；以可斷義、以令起有義，一切不善是集；以令有義，於三地善法是集。於是愛及餘煩惱是集，一切不善於三地及善，或苦諦或集諦，逼惱、憂、有為有邊相，故成苦諦。聚因緣、著和合相故，成集諦。如是以數可知。
問：云何以一可知？答：此四諦以四行成一，以諦義、以如義、以法義、以空義。如是以一可知。
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.
第五門：從譬喻看
問：怎樣從譬喻看？
答（此處底本之標點作問號而不作冒號，照錄）：
第一組——如毒樹，如是苦可知。如種，如是集可知。如是燒種，如是滅可知。如火，如是道可知。
第二組——如此岸有苦有怖畏，如是苦可知。如流，如是集可知。如彼岸無苦無怖畏，如是滅可知。如船能渡，如是道可知。
第三組——如擔擔，如是苦可知。如取擔，如是集可知。如置擔，如是滅可知。如置擔的方便，如是道可知。
這樣，從譬喻看，可知。
三組各四譬，逐組逐諦相對，合十二。第三譬之首作「如是燒種」，而其餘十一譬皆以「如」逕領其象，此一譬多一「是」字。這裡照錄，不代為齊。
第六門：從分別看
問：怎樣從分別看？
答：四種諦——語諦、各各諦、第一義諦、聖諦。
在這件事上：說實語而非不實，這叫作語諦。
在各各諦上大入諸見，這叫作各各諦。那諦，比丘妄語愚癡法；他不妄語愚癡法，是諦。
泥洹，是第一義諦。
是聖人所修行的，是聖諦。在此所樂的，是聖諦。
這樣，從分別看，可知。
此處之「四種諦」與本品所論之「四聖諦」同名為四而所指不同；且「聖諦」在此為四種諦之一。這裡照錄，不代為會通。
第七門：從數看
問：怎樣從數看？
答：
第一番——除掉愛，於三地的善、不善、無記法是苦諦；愛是集諦；斷那個是滅諦；八分道是道諦。
第二番——再者：除掉愛與其餘煩惱，於第三地的善、不善、無記法是苦諦；愛以及其餘煩惱是集諦；斷那個是滅諦；道是道諦。
第三番——再者：除掉愛、其餘煩惱、一切不善，於三地的善有記法是苦諦；愛以及與煩惱、一切不善是集諦；斷那個是滅諦；道是道諦。
第四番——再者：除掉愛與煩惱以及一切不善，於三地的不善、於三地的無記法是苦諦；愛以及其餘煩惱以及一切不善，於三地的善，此是集諦；斷那個是滅諦；道是道諦。
四番之中，第二番作「於第三地」而其餘三番作「於三地」；「於第三地」四字全論唯此一見。這裡照原字錄，不代為改。
四類各繫其義，末了以相為判
在這件事上：覓有氣味的義，是愛；集有結使的義，其餘煩惱是集；以可斷的義、以令起有的義，一切不善是集；以令有的義，於三地的善法是集。
在這件事上：愛以及其餘煩惱是集；一切不善、於三地以及善，或是苦諦、或是集諦——以逼惱、憂、有為、有邊之相的緣故成苦諦，以聚、因緣、著、和合之相的緣故成集諦。
這樣，從數看，可知。
末段之四相與二相，正是前文相門所立之十六相中苦、集二諦之四相。這裡照錄。
第八門：從一看
問：怎樣從一看？
答：此四諦以四行成一——以諦的義、以如的義、以法的義、以空的義。
這樣，從一看，可知。
前七門從不同方面觀察四諦；此門明說四諦以四行成一。這裡照錄。
Fifth Approach: Simile
Question: How through simile?
Answer (here the base text uses a question mark rather than a colon; it is recorded as it stands):
First group—Like a poisonous tree: so suffering can be known. Like a seed: so arising can be known. Like this burning of the seed: so cessation can be known. Like fire: so the path can be known.
Second group—Like this shore, where there is suffering and fear: so suffering can be known. Like a current: so arising can be known. Like the far shore, where there is no suffering and no fear: so cessation can be known. Like a boat that can cross: so the path can be known.
Third group—Like bearing a burden: so suffering can be known. Like taking up a burden: so arising can be known. Like setting down a burden: so cessation can be known. Like the means of setting down a burden: so the path can be known.
Thus it can be known through simile.
The three groups have four similes each. Within each group, they correspond truth by truth, making twelve in all. The third simile begins “like this burning of the seed,” whereas each of the other eleven leads directly into its image with “like”; this simile has the one extra source character “this.” This is recorded here as it stands; this edition does not make the wording uniform.
Sixth Approach: Analysis
Question: How through analysis?
Answer: Four kinds of truth—truth of speech, particular truth, ultimate truth, and noble truth.
Here, speaking truth rather than falsehood is called truth of speech.
In regard to particular truths, deeply entering into the various views is called particular truth. As for that truth, a bhikkhu speaks falsely of a deluded dhamma; when he does not speak falsely of a deluded dhamma, it is truth.
Nibbāna is ultimate truth.
What noble persons practice is noble truth. What they delight in here is noble truth.
Thus it can be known through analysis.
The “four kinds of truth” here and the “four noble truths” discussed in this chapter are both groups of four, but they refer to different things; moreover, “noble truth” is one of the four kinds here. This is recorded here as it stands; this edition does not reconcile them.
Seventh Approach: Number
Question: How through number?
Answer:
First round—Excluding craving, wholesome, unwholesome, and indeterminate dhammas in the three planes are the truth of suffering; craving is the truth of arising; abandoning that is the truth of cessation; the eightfold path is the truth of the path.
Second round—Further: excluding craving and the other defilements, wholesome, unwholesome, and indeterminate dhammas in the third plane are the truth of suffering; craving and the other defilements are the truth of arising; abandoning that is the truth of cessation; the path is the truth of the path.
Third round—Further: excluding craving, the other defilements, and all unwholesome states, wholesome determinate dhammas in the three planes are the truth of suffering; craving, the defilements, and all unwholesome states are the truth of arising; abandoning that is the truth of cessation; the path is the truth of the path.
Fourth round—Further: excluding craving, the defilements, and all unwholesome states, unwholesome dhammas in the three planes and indeterminate dhammas in the three planes are the truth of suffering; craving, the other defilements, all unwholesome states, and the wholesome in the three planes—these are the truth of arising; abandoning that is the truth of cessation; the path is the truth of the path.
Among the four rounds, the second reads “in the third plane,” whereas the other three read “in the three planes”; the four-character phrase “in the third plane” occurs only once in the entire treatise. This is recorded here in the source wording; this edition does not alter it.
Four Classes Receive Their Meanings; Character Decides at the End
Here, seeking flavor is the meaning of craving; arising has the meaning of having fetters, and the other defilements are arising; by the meaning of being abandonable and by the meaning of causing becoming to arise, all unwholesome states are arising; by the meaning of bringing about becoming, wholesome dhammas in the three planes are arising.
Here, craving and the other defilements are arising. All unwholesome and wholesome states in the three planes may be either the truth of suffering or the truth of arising—because of the characters of oppression, grief, conditionedness, and boundedness, they become the truth of suffering; because of the characters of gathering, conditionality, attachment, and conjunction, they become the truth of arising.
Thus it can be known through number.
The four characters and the two characters at the end are precisely, within the sixteen characters established by the preceding character approach, the four characters of the two truths of suffering and arising. They are recorded here as they stand.
Eighth Approach: Unity
Question: How through unity?
Answer: These four truths become one through four approaches—through the meaning of truth, through the meaning of thusness, through the meaning of dhamma, and through the meaning of emptiness.
Thus it can be known through unity.
The preceding seven approaches examine the four truths from different aspects; this approach explicitly says that the four truths become one through four approaches. This is recorded here as it stands.
Shi Huijing · Waken · The Path of Freedom · Simile, Analysis, Number, and Unity of the Four Truths · Vernacular · Summer 2026
先把所見說在前頭：譬喻門連下三組，每組四譬配四諦。而三組的取象不是隨手排的——第一組在身外（毒樹、種、燒種、火），第二組在所處之境（此岸、流、彼岸、船），第三組落在自己身上（擔擔、取擔、置擔、置擔的方便）。三組十二譬，一組比一組近；末一組落在自己肩上。
三組十二配
第一組：「毒樹，如是苦可知。如種，如是集可知。如是燒」〔T32 452c26〕「種，如是滅可知。如火，如是道可知」〔T32 452c27〕。
苦如毒樹，集如種，滅如燒種，道如火。四譬同出一個場面——樹、種、燒、火，是一件事的四個環節。
第二組：「種，如是滅可知。如火，如是道可知。如此岸有」〔T32 452c27〕「苦有怖畏，如是苦可知。如流，如是集可知」〔T32 452c28〕；「如彼岸無苦無怖畏，如是滅可知。如船能」〔T32 452c29〕「渡，如是道可知」〔T32 453a01〕。
苦如此岸，集如流，滅如彼岸，道如能渡的船。這一組把人放進去了——第一組是看一棵樹，這一組是站在岸上。
第三組：「渡，如是道可知。如擔擔，如是苦可知。如取」〔T32 453a01〕「擔，如是集可知。如置擔，如是滅可知。如置擔」〔T32 453a02〕「方便，如是道可知」〔T32 453a03〕。
苦如擔著擔子，集如取起擔子，滅如放下擔子，道如放下擔子的方法。這一組連岸也沒有了，只剩肩上那副擔子。
三組同一個構造，而所取之象步步向內。可核的只有這三類象本身——論文不說它是由遠而近排的，本編也不代論文立說；只把三組並排放著，讓讀者自己看那個方向。
（順帶記一件字面上的小事：十二譬之標一律以「如」領其象，唯第三譬作「如是燒種」而多一個「是」字〔T32 452c26〕。照錄不代齊。又：本段第一問之「答」字後，底本的標點作問號而不作冒號〔T32 452c25〕。照錄不代改。）
讀法：一名二義要當心
分別門一起手就出一個要當心的名：「以分別可知？答：四種諦，語諦、各各諦、第一」〔T32 453a04〕「義諦、聖諦」〔T32 453a05〕。
「四種諦」——又是四，可是這個四不是那個四。
本品從頭到這裡講的四諦是苦、集、滅、道；而這裡的四種諦是語諦、各各諦、第一義諦、聖諦。二者同名為「四」而所指全不相干。
更該當心的是：「聖諦」在這一組裡只是四種之一。論文一路稱苦集滅道為「四聖諦」，到這一門卻把「聖諦」降為一個並列項——「是聖人所修行，是聖」〔T32 453a08〕「諦」〔T32 453a09〕。
（「四種諦」三字全論只出現這一次。）
本段交出的讀法就在這裡：遇到一個熟名忽然出現在一組陌生的並列裡，先停下來問它是不是還是原來那個意思。這一門若不先把兩個「四」分開，讀者會以為論文在給四聖諦另立四種，其實它是在給「諦」這個字分四種用法。
本編照錄不代會通。
數門：前三番擴大所除，第四番另列三地善法
數門是本段最難的一節。同一組苦集滅道，論文分四番重畫界線：前三番的「除」語依次加入愛、餘煩惱、一切不善；第四番的除語仍列這三類，不再增加，卻另把三地善法列入集諦。
第一番除愛：「答：除愛，於三地善不善無記法是苦諦；愛是」〔T32 453a11〕集諦。
第二番除愛與其餘煩惱：「愛，餘煩惱，於第三地善不善無記法是苦諦；」〔T32 453a13〕。
第三番再除一切不善：「斷彼是滅諦；道是道諦。復次除愛，餘煩惱一切不善，於三地善有」——見〔T32 453a15〕。
第四番的除語仍列愛、煩惱與一切不善：「斷彼是滅諦；道是道諦。復次除愛與煩惱及」〔T32 453a17〕「一切不善，於三地不善、於三地無記法是苦」〔T32 453a18〕諦；其後另說三地善法為集諦〔T32 453a19〕。
因此四番不能寫成四次等幅遞加：可核的是前三番擴大所除，第四番重列同三類並另納三地善法於集諦。
而論文隨後分別說明四類何以歸集：「諦；愛及餘煩惱及一切不善，於三地善此集」〔T32 453a19〕「諦；斷彼是滅諦；道是道諦。於是覓有氣味義」〔T32 453a20〕「是愛，集有結使義，餘煩惱是集；以可斷義、」〔T32 453a21〕「以令起有義，一切不善是集；以令有義，於三」〔T32 453a22〕「地善法是集」〔T32 453a23〕：覓有氣味義說愛，有結使義說餘煩惱，可斷與令起有義說一切不善，令有義說三地善法。
四類，各繫其義；不把它硬配成四輪各新增一類。
末了以相為判——而那把尺是前一單元的
四番講完，論文給了一個總判：「善於三地及善，或苦諦或集諦，逼惱、憂、有為」〔T32 453a24〕「有邊相，故成苦諦。聚因緣、著和合相故，成集」〔T32 453a25〕「諦」〔T32 453a26〕。
同一批法，或入苦諦或入集諦——判準是相：有逼惱、憂、有為、有邊之相的成苦諦，有聚、因緣、著、和合之相的成集諦。
這八個相不是這裡新立的。翻回上一個單元的相門後輪：「復次苦者逼惱相、憂相、有為」〔T32 452c11〕「相、有邊相，集者聚相、因緣相、和合相、著相」〔T32 452c12〕——一字不易。
論文在這裡逕用前一門所立的尺來判本門的難處，而不再自立。十一行不是十一件並列的事，前門立的東西後門要用。這一層若不回頭看，數門末段那八個字就會被讀成臨時湊的理由。
停一下：四番之中，有一番的字不一樣
現在停在一個字上。
四番的界說一律作「於三地」——第一番「於三地善不善無記法」〔T32 453a11〕，第三番「於三地善有記法」，第四番「於三地不善、於三地無記法」。
唯獨第二番作「於第三地」〔T32 453a13〕。
（「於第三地」四字全論只出現這一次；而「於三地」全論九見，本段就佔七見。）
停下來問一句：這是同一套算法嗎？
若「第三地」是「三地」之誤，四番在這個詞上同構；若不是，那第二番量的就是另一個範圍。
可核的只有三件：四番中唯此一番作「第三地」；此語全論一見；此處無校記。沒有校記這一點尤其要記著——校本沒有把它當作異文處理，所以我們也沒有校本可以依傍。
本編照原字錄，不代為改。
第八門明說「四行成一」
十一行走到第八門，忽然轉了個向：「諦。如是以數可知。問：云何以一可知？答：此」〔T32 453a26〕「四諦以四行成一，以諦義、以如義、以法義、以」〔T32 453a27〕「空義。如是以一可知」〔T32 453a28〕。
四諦以四行成一。以諦的義、如的義、法的義、空的義——四個角度看，這四諦是一。
前七門從句義、相、次第、略、譬喻、分別與數等不同方面觀察四諦；第八門則明說「四諦以四行成一」。
（「四行成一」四字全論只出現這一次。）
可核的是本門這一句明文，不據此推說前七門必然逐門愈細，亦不代論文說其故。
帶走三件：一個所見——譬喻門三組十二配，三組取象步步向內：第一組在身外（毒樹·種·燒種·火），第二組在所處之境（此岸·流·彼岸·船），第三組落在自己肩上（擔擔·取擔·置擔·置擔方便）。一個讀法——一名二義要當心：本段之「四種諦」〔T32 453a04〕與本品所論之四聖諦同名為四而所指不相干，且「聖諦」在此降為並列項之一；遇熟名忽入陌生之列，先停下來問它還是不是原意。一處停問——數門四番之界說，三番作「於三地」而唯第二番作「於第三地」〔T32 453a13，全論唯一見，且此處無校記〕：這是同一套算法嗎？ 本編照原字錄，不代為改。
還有兩件小事該記著：數門末段以「逼惱、憂、有為、有邊相」與「聚、因緣、著、和合相」為判，而這八個相一字不易地出自上一單元的相門後輪〔T32 452c11–452c12〕——前門立的尺，後門逕拿來用；第八門一句明作「四諦以四行成一」，可核者止於此句。
Let the central observation come first: the simile approach runs through three sets, each with four similes corresponding to the four truths. The imagery of the three sets is not arranged at random—the first lies outside oneself (poisonous tree, seed, burning the seed, fire); the second lies in the setting one inhabits (this shore, current, far shore, boat); the third comes to rest on oneself (carrying a burden, taking up the burden, setting down the burden, the method for setting it down). Three sets and twelve similes: each set comes closer, and the last lands on one’s own shoulder.
Three Sets, Twelve Correspondences
The first set: “Like a poisonous tree: thus suffering may be known. Like a seed: thus arising may be known. Like this burned” 〔T32 452c26〕 “seed: thus cessation may be known. Like fire: thus the path may be known” 〔T32 452c27〕.
Suffering is like a poisonous tree, arising like a seed, cessation like burning the seed, and path like fire. All four similes come from a single scene—tree, seed, burning, and fire are four stages of one event.
The second set: “Seed: thus cessation may be known. Like fire: thus the path may be known. Like this shore, where there is” 〔T32 452c27〕 “suffering and fear: thus suffering may be known. Like a current: thus arising may be known” 〔T32 452c28〕; “like the far shore, where there is no suffering and no fear: thus cessation may be known. Like a boat that can” 〔T32 452c29〕 “carry one across: thus the path may be known” 〔T32 453a01〕.
Suffering is like this shore, arising like the current, cessation like the far shore, and path like the boat that can carry one across. This set puts the person into the scene—the first set looks at a tree; in this one, the person stands on the shore.
The third set: “Carry one across: thus the path may be known. Like carrying a burden: thus suffering may be known. Like taking up” 〔T32 453a01〕 “a burden: thus arising may be known. Like setting down a burden: thus cessation may be known. Like the” 〔T32 453a02〕 “method for setting down a burden: thus the path may be known” 〔T32 453a03〕.
Suffering is like carrying a burden, arising like taking up the burden, cessation like setting down the burden, and path like the method for setting it down. In this set even the shore has disappeared; only the burden on one’s shoulder remains.
All three sets have the same structure, but their chosen images move inward step by step. Only these three classes of image can be verified—the treatise does not say that they are arranged from far to near, and this edition does not make that claim on the treatise’s behalf. It simply places the three sets side by side and lets the reader see the direction.
(One small literal detail in passing: all twelve simile labels introduce their image with “like”; only the third reads “like this burned seed,” with one additional character translated “this” 〔T32 452c26〕. It is recorded as it stands and not made uniform. Also, after “Answer” in the first question of this passage, the base has a question mark rather than a colon 〔T32 452c25〕. It is recorded as it stands and not changed.)
Reading Practice: Beware One Familiar Name with Two Meanings
The analysis approach opens with a name that calls for care: “known through analysis? Answer: four kinds of truth: truth of speech, particular truth, ultimate” 〔T32 453a04〕 “truth, noble truth” 〔T32 453a05〕.
“Four kinds of truth”—four again, but this four is not that four.
The four truths discussed from the beginning of this chapter to this point are suffering, arising, cessation, and path. The four kinds of truth here are truth of speech, particular truth, ultimate truth, and noble truth. Both are fourfold, but they refer to entirely different things.
Still more care is needed because “noble truth” is only one of the four in this set. The treatise has called suffering, arising, cessation, and path the “four noble truths” throughout, but in this approach it places “noble truth” as one coordinate item: “What noble ones cultivate is the noble” 〔T32 453a08〕 “truth” 〔T32 453a09〕.
(The three-character phrase rendered “four kinds of truth” occurs only once in the entire treatise.)
The reading practice offered by this passage is precisely this: when a familiar name suddenly appears in an unfamiliar parallel list, stop first and ask whether it still has its original meaning. Unless the two “fours” are first kept apart in this approach, a reader may think that the treatise is giving the four noble truths another fourfold classification. In fact, it is distinguishing four uses of the word “truth.”
This edition records the wording as it stands and does not reconcile the two on the treatise’s behalf.
Number: The First Three Rounds Expand What Is Excluded; the Fourth Separately Lists Wholesome Dhammas of the Three Planes
The number approach is the most difficult section of this passage. With the same set of suffering, arising, cessation, and path, the treatise redraws the boundary in four rounds: in the first three, the formula of exclusion successively adds craving, the other defilements, and all unwholesome states; in the fourth, the exclusion still lists these same three classes and adds no further one, but it separately places wholesome dhammas of the three planes under the truth of arising.
The first round excludes craving: “Answer: excluding craving, wholesome, unwholesome, and indeterminate dhammas in the three planes are the truth of suffering; craving is” 〔T32 453a11〕 the truth of arising.
The second round excludes craving and the other defilements: “Craving and the other defilements: wholesome, unwholesome, and indeterminate dhammas in the third plane are the truth of suffering” 〔T32 453a13〕.
The third round further excludes all unwholesome states: “Their abandonment is the truth of cessation; the path is the truth of the path. Again, excluding craving, the other defilements, and all unwholesome states, wholesome and determinate dhammas in the three planes are” —see 〔T32 453a15〕.
The fourth round’s exclusion still lists craving, defilements, and all unwholesome states: “Their abandonment is the truth of cessation; the path is the truth of the path. Again, excluding craving, defilements, and” 〔T32 453a17〕 “all unwholesome states, unwholesome dhammas in the three planes and indeterminate dhammas in the three planes are the suffering” 〔T32 453a18〕 truth; afterward it separately says that wholesome dhammas in the three planes are the truth of arising 〔T32 453a19〕.
The four rounds therefore cannot be written as four equal expansions: what can be verified is that the first three expand what is excluded, while the fourth repeats the same three classes and separately includes wholesome dhammas of the three planes under the truth of arising.
The treatise then separately explains why each of four classes belongs to arising: “truth; craving, the other defilements, all unwholesome states, and wholesome dhammas in the three planes—this is the arising” 〔T32 453a19〕 “truth; their abandonment is the truth of cessation; the path is the truth of the path. Here, the meaning of seeking flavor” 〔T32 453a20〕 “is craving; arising has the meaning of having fetters, and the other defilements are arising; by the meaning of being abandonable and” 〔T32 453a21〕 “by the meaning of giving rise to becoming, all unwholesome states are arising; by the meaning of making becoming, wholesome dhammas in the three” 〔T32 453a22〕 “planes are arising” 〔T32 453a23〕. The meaning of seeking flavor explains craving; the meaning of having fetters explains the other defilements; being abandonable and giving rise to becoming explain all unwholesome states; and making becoming explains wholesome dhammas in the three planes.
Each of the four classes is tied to its own meaning; they are not to be forced into four rounds in which each round adds one new class.
Character Decides at the End—and the Ruler Comes from the Previous Unit
After the four rounds, the treatise gives a general determination: “Unwholesome states in the three planes and wholesome states may be either the suffering truth or the arising truth. Oppression, grief, and conditionedness” 〔T32 453a24〕 “and boundedness make them the suffering truth. Gathering, condition, attachment, and conjunction make them the arising” 〔T32 453a25〕 “truth” 〔T32 453a26〕.
The same body of dhammas may fall under either the truth of suffering or the truth of arising—character is the criterion: the characters of oppression, grief, conditionedness, and boundedness make them the truth of suffering; the characters of gathering, condition, attachment, and conjunction make them the truth of arising.
These eight characters are not newly established here. Turn back to the latter round of the character approach in the preceding unit: “Further, suffering has the character of oppression, the character of grief, and the character of being conditioned” 〔T32 452c11〕 “and the character of being bounded; arising has the character of gathering, the character of condition, the character of conjunction, and the character of attachment” 〔T32 452c12〕—not a single character is changed.
Here the treatise directly uses the ruler established in the preceding approach to decide the difficult point in the present one, without establishing another ruler. The eleven approaches are not eleven things merely placed side by side; what an earlier approach establishes is used by a later one. Unless one looks back, the eight characters at the end of the number approach may seem like reasons assembled for the moment.
Pause: One of the Four Rounds Uses Different Wording
Now pause over a single character.
The boundary statement in the four rounds regularly reads “in the three planes”: the first says “wholesome, unwholesome, and indeterminate dhammas in the three planes” 〔T32 453a11〕, the third “wholesome and determinate dhammas in the three planes,” and the fourth “unwholesome dhammas in the three planes, indeterminate dhammas in the three planes.”
Only the second round reads “in the third plane” 〔T32 453a13〕.
(The four-character expression rendered “in the third plane” occurs only once in the entire treatise, whereas “in the three planes” occurs nine times in the entire treatise, seven of them in this passage.)
Pause and ask one question: is this the same method of calculation?
If “the third plane” is an error for “the three planes,” the four rounds are structurally alike at this term. If it is not, the second round measures a different scope.
Only three things can be verified: this is the only one of the four rounds that reads “in the third plane”; the phrase occurs only once in the entire treatise; and there is no critical note here. The absence of a critical note especially needs to be remembered—the critical edition did not treat this as a variant, so there is no critical reading on which we can rely.
This edition records the original wording and does not alter it on the treatise’s behalf.
The Eighth Approach Explicitly Says “Four Approaches Become One”
When the eleven approaches reach the eighth, the direction suddenly changes: “truth. Thus it can be known through number. Question: How may it be known through unity? Answer: These” 〔T32 453a26〕 “four truths become one through four approaches: through the meaning of truth, the meaning of thusness, the meaning of dhamma, and the meaning of” 〔T32 453a27〕 “emptiness. Thus it can be known through unity” 〔T32 453a28〕.
The four truths become one through four approaches. Seen from four angles—the meaning of truth, of thusness, of dhamma, and of emptiness—the four truths are one.
The first seven approaches examine the four truths through phrase-meaning, character, sequence, summary, simile, analysis, and number. The eighth then explicitly says, “the four truths become one through four approaches.”
(The four-character phrase rendered “four approaches become one” occurs only once in the entire treatise.)
What can be verified is this explicit sentence in the present approach. It does not warrant claiming that the preceding seven approaches necessarily grow progressively more refined, nor does this edition supply the treatise’s reason for it.
Carry away three things. One observation: the simile approach has three sets and twelve correspondences, and the imagery of the three sets moves inward step by step: the first lies outside the body (poisonous tree · seed · burning the seed · fire), the second in one’s surroundings (this shore · current · far shore · boat), and the third on one’s own shoulder (carrying a burden · taking up the burden · setting down the burden · the method for setting it down). One reading practice: beware one name with two meanings. The “four kinds of truth” in this passage 〔T32 453a04〕 and the four noble truths discussed in this chapter are both called “four” but refer to different things, and “noble truth” here becomes one coordinate item; when a familiar name suddenly enters an unfamiliar list, stop first and ask whether it still has its original meaning. One place to pause: in the four boundary statements of the number approach, three read “in the three planes,” but only the second reads “in the third plane” 〔T32 453a13; the only occurrence in the entire treatise, with no critical note here〕: is this the same method of calculation? This edition records the original wording and does not alter it on the treatise’s behalf.
Remember two smaller matters as well. At the end of the number approach, the characters of “oppression, grief, conditionedness, and boundedness” and “gathering, condition, attachment, and conjunction” supply the criterion, and these eight characters come without a single change from the latter round of the character approach in the preceding unit 〔T32 452c11–452c12〕—a ruler established in an earlier approach is taken up directly by a later one. The eighth approach expressly says that “four approaches become one”; what can be verified goes no farther than that sentence.
Shi Huijing · Waken · The Path of Freedom · Simile, Analysis, Number, and Unity of the Four Truths · Exposition · Summer 2026
考據Apparatus
全段定位 本段出自《解脫道論》卷第十一〈五方便品〉之二，續聖諦方便十一行之第五至第八（譬喻·分別·數·一）。底本四段〔T32 452c25–453a28〕：譬喻門三組十二配、分別門四種諦、數門四番遞移、一門四行成一。
一、科判定位
四段而成四節，一節一問：
| 節 | 經文起訖逐字（各繫其錨） |
|---|---|
| 第五門·譬喻 | 「邪見門。如是以略可知。問：云何以譬喻？答？如」〔T32 452c25〕…「方便，如是道可知。如是以譬喻可知」〔T32 453a03〕 |
| 第六門·分別 | 「方便，如是道可知。如是以譬喻可知。問：云何」〔T32 453a03〕…「樂聖諦。如是以分別可知」〔T32 453a09〕 |
| 第七門·數 | 「樂聖諦。如是以分別可知。問：云何以數可」〔T32 453a09〕…「諦。如是以數可知」〔T32 453a26〕 |
| 第八門·一 | 「諦。如是以數可知。問：云何以一可知？答：此」〔T32 453a26〕…「空義。如是以一可知」〔T32 453a28〕 |
單元界與問答界之相合：起於譬喻門之問而訖於一門之收，段內四問四答〔452c25·453a03·453a09·453a26〕，無自答文中間切斷者。其前為略門之末〔T32 452c25〕，其後即「問：云何以種種可知？」〔T32 453a28〕，屬 11-18。本段四問。
全段定位錨
〔T32, 452c25–453a28〕
二、詞義與譯語（逐字各繫其錨）
| 名相 | 本段用法 | 章內接點（可核） |
|---|---|---|
| 譬喻門之三組 | 「邪見門。如是以略可知。問：云何以譬喻？答？如」〔T32 452c25〕「毒樹，如是苦可知。如種，如是集可知。如是燒」〔T32 452c26〕；「種，如是滅可知。如火，如是道可知。如此岸有」〔T32 452c27〕；「渡，如是道可知。如擔擔，如是苦可知。如取」〔T32 453a01〕 | 三組各四譬，逐組逐諦相對，合十二配。第一組取外物（毒樹·種·燒種·火），第二組取處境（此岸·流·彼岸·船），第三組取自身之動作（擔擔·取擔·置擔·置擔方便）。「毒樹」全論二見（434b15·452c26）；本段「擔」五見〔453a01（二見）·453a02（三見）〕 |
| 一譬多一字 | 「毒樹，如是苦可知。如種，如是集可知。如是燒」〔T32 452c26〕「種，如是滅可知」〔T32 452c27〕 | 十二譬之標皆以「如」領其象，唯第三譬作「如是燒種」而多一「是」字——照錄不代齊 |
| 答之標點 | 「邪見門。如是以略可知。問：云何以譬喻？答？如」〔T32 452c25〕 | 底本此處「答」後之標點作問號而不作冒號——照錄不代改 |
| 四種諦 | 「以分別可知？答：四種諦，語諦、各各諦、第一」〔T32 453a04〕「義諦、聖諦」〔T32 453a05〕 | 「四種諦」全論唯此一見〔453a04〕；「語諦」全論二見〔453a04·453a05〕、「各各諦」全論三見〔453a04·453a06（二見）〕、「第一義諦」全論二見〔453a04·453a08〕。此四種諦與本品所論之四聖諦同名為四而所指不同，且「聖諦」在此為四種諦之一——照錄不代會通 |
| 數門四番 | 「知。」〔T32 453a10〕「答：除愛，於三地善不善無記法是苦諦；愛是」〔T32 453a11〕；「集諦；斷彼是滅諦；八分道是道諦。復次除」〔T32 453a12〕；「斷彼是滅諦；道是道諦。復次除愛與煩惱及」〔T32 453a17〕 | 四番各出苦·集·滅·道之屬。前三番之除語依次加入愛、餘煩惱、一切不善；第四番仍列同三類，不再新增，而另將三地善法列入集諦〔453a19〕。本段「復次」三見〔453a12·453a15·453a17〕，各領一番 |
| 於第三地 | 「愛，餘煩惱，於第三地善不善無記法是苦諦；」〔T32 453a13〕 | 「於第三地」全論唯此一見〔453a13〕；而「於三地」全論九見（445a19·445b09·453a11·453a15·453a18（二見）·453a19·453a22·453a24），本段七見。四番之中唯第二番作「於第三地」，餘三番作「於三地」——照原字錄，不代改 |
| 四相與二相之回指 | 「善於三地及善，或苦諦或集諦，逼惱、憂、有為」〔T32 453a24〕「有邊相，故成苦諦。聚因緣、著和合相故，成集」〔T32 453a25〕「諦」〔T32 453a26〕 | 苦之四相（逼惱·憂·有為·有邊）與集之四相（聚·因緣·著·和合）正是相門後輪十六相中之二諦四相〔T32 452c11–452c12〕——本段逕以前門之相為判準而不再自立 |
| 四行成一 | 「諦。如是以數可知。問：云何以一可知？答：此」〔T32 453a26〕「四諦以四行成一，以諦義、以如義、以法義、以」〔T32 453a27〕「空義。如是以一可知」〔T32 453a28〕 | 「四行成一」全論唯此一見〔453a27〕。前七門從不同方面觀察四諦；本門明說以諦義、如義、法義、空義四行成一。照錄不代說其故 |
三、校記與異讀
本段範圍內大正藏校記二處，均誌而不改，本文一律依大正本：
| 錨 | 底本 | 異讀 | 見證 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 453a01 | 渡（如船能渡） | 度 | 【宋】【元】【明】【宮】 |
| 453a12 | 八（八分道是道諦） | 入 | 【宮】 |
誌錄不判二事：
- 453a12「八分道是道諦」之「八」，宮本作「入」——若從宮本則作「入分道」而失其數；而本品前文之道諦正作「此八正分道」〔T32 452b12〕，與底本之讀相貫。並錄不判，本文從底本。
- 453a01「如船能渡」之「渡」，四本作「度」——二字於此義通而形異；本段第二組之譬正以渡水為象。並錄不判，本文從底本。
校本零命中一項：本段缺字零命中、夾註零命中；範圍內無校本已改正文者，故本段讀者三層之字面與大正本全同。
四、論主引據
本段引據零命中：全段無「如佛所說」「如世尊說」「如阿毘曇說」等引式，亦無稱引尊者之語，亦無異說。查而無獲，如實記之。
五、譬喻·修辭
- 三組十二配〔T32 452c25–453a03〕：一組四譬而四譬各配一諦，三組同構而所取之象各為一類——外物·處境·自身之動作。本段「如是」十八見、「可知」二十一見，其十二為譬與所譬對配之收語。
- 取象由遠而近〔T32 452c26–453a03〕：毒樹與火在身外，此岸彼岸與船是所處之境，而擔擔、取擔、置擔則是自身之所為——末組落在自己肩上。可核者唯其取象之類，論文不作此分。
- 逐項分比之體：與 11-09 之王與菴羅果十一配〔T32 449b26–449c08〕、11-11 之穀種十環〔T32 450b21–450b28〕、11-16 之明了醫四配〔T32 452c17–452c20〕同體——本品四大譬皆不作一次總比而作逐項分比。
- 四番之界線〔T32 453a11–453a20〕：前三番之除語逐次加入一類，第四番重列同三類並另納三地善法於集諦；末段以相為判（逼惱憂有為有邊相成苦諦·聚因緣著和合相成集諦）〔T32 453a24–453a26〕。
- 四行成一〔T32 453a26–453a28〕：本門明說四諦以諦義、如義、法義、空義四行成一；不據此推說前七門逐門愈細。
六、章內互讀
- 前指：本段承略門之末〔T32 452c25〕而續十一行之第五至第八；末段所用之苦四相與集四相，正出相門後輪〔T32 452c11–452c12〕；「八分道」〔T32 453a12〕承總說之「此八正分道」〔T32 452b12〕。
- 後指：本段訖於一門之收，其後即「空義。如是以一可知。問：云何以種種可知？」〔T32 453a28〕，屬 11-18；十一行之餘三行（種種·次第廣·相攝）在其中；聖諦方便收於〔T32 453b27〕。
- 同名而異指：本段之「四種諦」〔T32 453a04〕與本品所論之四聖諦同名為四而所指不同——照錄不代會通。
- 卷／品次：本段在卷第十一〈五方便品〉之二（卷十一開 452a02、品題「2 五方便品之二」〔T32 452a06〕）。
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 passage comes from fascicle eleven, Part Two of the Chapter on Five Means in the Path of Freedom, and continues the fifth through eighth of the eleven approaches under the method concerning the noble truths (simile, analysis, number, and unity). The base text has four paragraphs 〔T32 452c25–453a28〕: three sets of twelve correspondences in the simile approach, four kinds of truth in the analysis approach, four successive shifts in the number approach, and four approaches becoming one in the unity approach.
1. Structural Location
Four paragraphs form four sections, one question in each:
| Section | Verbatim textual limits, each with its anchor |
|---|---|
| Fifth approach · Simile | “the wrong-view approach. Thus it may be known in summary. Question: How by simile? Answer? Like” 〔T32 452c25〕 … “the method: thus the path may be known. Thus it may be known by simile” 〔T32 453a03〕 |
| Sixth approach · Analysis | “the method: thus the path may be known. Thus it may be known by simile. Question: How” 〔T32 453a03〕 … “delights in noble truth. Thus it may be known through analysis” 〔T32 453a09〕 |
| Seventh approach · Number | “delights in noble truth. Thus it may be known through analysis. Question: How may it be” 〔T32 453a09〕 … “truth. Thus it may be known through number” 〔T32 453a26〕 |
| Eighth approach · Unity | “truth. Thus it may be known through number. Question: How may it be known as one? Answer: these” 〔T32 453a26〕 … “the meaning of emptiness. Thus it may be known as one” 〔T32 453a28〕 |
Agreement between the unit and question-and-answer boundaries: The unit begins with the question for the simile approach and ends with the close of the unity approach. Within it are four questions and four answers 〔452c25·453a03·453a09·453a26〕; none is cut in the middle of its own answer. Before it is the end of the summary approach 〔T32 452c25〕; immediately after it comes “Question: How may it be known through diversity?” 〔T32 453a28〕, which belongs to 11-18. This passage has four questions.
Locator for the whole passage
〔T32, 452c25–453a28〕
2. Terms and Translation (each verbatim citation carries its anchor)
| Term | Use in this passage | Verifiable internal connection |
|---|---|---|
| Three sets in the simile approach | “the wrong-view approach. Thus it may be known in summary. Question: How by simile? Answer? Like” 〔T32 452c25〕 “a poisonous tree: thus suffering may be known. Like a seed: thus arising may be known. Like this burned” 〔T32 452c26〕; “seed: thus cessation may be known” 〔T32 452c27〕; “cross: thus the path may be known. Like carrying a burden: thus suffering may be known. Like taking” 〔T32 453a01〕 | Each of the three sets has four similes, with every simile in each set corresponding to one truth, for twelve correspondences in all. The first set takes external objects (poisonous tree · seed · burned seed · fire), the second takes circumstances (this shore · current · far shore · boat), and the third takes actions of one’s own (carrying a burden · taking up a burden · setting down a burden · the method for setting down a burden). “Poisonous tree” occurs twice in the whole treatise (434b15·452c26); the character 擔 (“burden/carry”) occurs five times in this passage 〔453a01 (twice) · 453a02 (three times)〕 |
| One simile has one extra character | “a poisonous tree: thus suffering may be known. Like a seed: thus arising may be known. Like this burned” 〔T32 452c26〕 “seed: thus cessation may be known” 〔T32 452c27〕 | All twelve simile labels introduce their image with 如 (“like”); only the third is written 如是燒種 and contains one extra 是 (“this”)—recorded as it stands, not made uniform |
| Punctuation after “Answer” | “the wrong-view approach. Thus it may be known in summary. Question: How by simile? Answer? Like” 〔T32 452c25〕 | In the base text, “Answer” is followed by a question mark rather than a colon—recorded as it stands, not changed |
| Four kinds of truth | “known through analysis? Answer: four kinds of truth: truth of speech, particular truth, ultimate” 〔T32 453a04〕 “truth, noble truth” 〔T32 453a05〕 | “Four kinds of truth” occurs only once in the whole treatise 〔453a04〕; “truth of speech” occurs twice 〔453a04·453a05〕, “particular truth” three times 〔453a04·453a06 (twice)〕, and “ultimate truth” twice 〔453a04·453a08〕. These four kinds of truth and the four noble truths discussed in this chapter are both fourfold but refer to different things, and “noble truth” here is one of the four kinds of truth—recorded without harmonizing them |
| Four rounds in the number approach | “known.” 〔T32 453a10〕 “Answer: Excluding craving, wholesome, unwholesome, and indeterminate dhammas in the three planes are the truth of suffering; craving is” 〔T32 453a11〕; “the truth of arising; abandoning it is the truth of cessation; the eightfold path is the truth of the path. Again, excluding” 〔T32 453a12〕; “abandoning that is the truth of cessation; the path is the truth of the path. Again, excluding craving and defilements and” 〔T32 453a17〕 | Each of the four rounds sets out what belongs to suffering, arising, cessation, and path. The exclusion formula in the first three successively adds craving, the remaining defilements, and all unwholesome states; the fourth still lists the same three classes and adds no new one, but separately places wholesome dhammas in the three planes under the truth of arising 〔453a19〕. “Again” occurs three times in this passage 〔453a12·453a15·453a17〕, each introducing one round |
| “In the third plane” | “craving and the remaining defilements; in the third plane, wholesome, unwholesome, and indeterminate dhammas are the truth of suffering;” 〔T32 453a13〕 | “In the third plane” occurs only once in the whole treatise 〔453a13〕, while “in the three planes” occurs nine times (445a19·445b09·453a11·453a15·453a18 (twice)·453a19·453a22·453a24), seven of them in this passage. Of the four rounds, only the second reads “in the third plane”; the other three read “in the three planes”—recorded in the source wording, not changed |
| Backward reference to two tetrads of characteristics | “unwholesome dhammas in the three planes and wholesome dhammas, either the truth of suffering or the truth of arising: oppression, grief, and conditionedness” 〔T32 453a24〕 “and boundedness; therefore they constitute the truth of suffering. Gathering, condition, attachment, and conjunction; therefore they constitute the truth of arising” 〔T32 453a25〕 “truth” 〔T32 453a26〕 | The four characteristics of suffering (oppression · grief · conditionedness · boundedness) and the four of arising (gathering · condition · attachment · conjunction) are precisely the characteristics of these two truths in the latter cycle of sixteen characteristics under the characteristics approach 〔T32 452c11–452c12〕—this passage directly uses the characteristics from the preceding approach as its criterion and does not establish them anew |
| Four approaches become one | “truth. Thus it may be known through number. Question: How may it be known as one? Answer: these” 〔T32 453a26〕 “four truths become one through four approaches: through the meaning of truth, through the meaning of thusness, through the meaning of dhamma, through the” 〔T32 453a27〕 “meaning of emptiness. Thus it may be known as one” 〔T32 453a28〕 | “Four approaches become one” occurs only once in the whole treatise 〔453a27〕. The preceding seven approaches examine the four truths from different aspects; this approach explicitly says they become one through the four approaches of truth, thusness, dhamma, and emptiness. It is recorded as stated, without supplying the reason |
3. Critical Notes and Variant Readings
Within this passage the Taishō apparatus gives two notes. Both are recorded without emendation, and the body follows the Taishō base throughout:
| Anchor | Base text | Variant | Witnesses |
|---|---|---|---|
| 453a01 | 渡 (“cross,” in “as a boat can carry one across”) | 度 (an alternate graph for “cross”) | 【宋】【元】【明】【宮】 |
| 453a12 | 八 (“eight,” in “the eightfold path is the truth of the path”) | 入 (“enter”) | 【宮】 |
Two matters are recorded without adjudication:
- At 453a12, the base “eight” in “the eightfold path is the truth of the path” is “enter” in the Palace witness. If the Palace reading were followed, it would read “enter-factor path” and lose its number; yet earlier in this chapter the truth of the path is expressly “this eightfold right path” 〔T32 452b12〕, which coheres with the base reading. The two are recorded together without decision, and the body follows the base.
- At 453a01, the base uses 渡 and all four witnesses use 度 in “as a boat can carry one across.” The two graphs have the same sense here but differ in form; the second set of similes takes crossing water as its image. The two are recorded together without decision, and the body follows the base.
One zero-hit collation check: No missing-character marker and no inline annotation occurs in this passage; within this range no collational correction has been incorporated into the body text, so the wording of the three reader layers agrees throughout with the Taishō base.
4. Authorities Cited by the Treatise
No source citation occurs in this passage: there is no formula such as “as the Buddha said,” “as the Blessed One said,” or “as the Abhidhamma says”; no statement by a named elder; and no alternative account. The search found none, and that result is recorded as such.
5. Simile and Rhetoric
- Three sets, twelve correspondences 〔T32 452c25–453a03〕: each set has four similes, and each of its four similes corresponds to one truth. The three sets have the same structure, but each draws its imagery from a different class—external objects · circumstances · actions of one’s own. “Thus” occurs 18 times in this passage, and “may be known” 21 times; in 12 cases, the paired expressions close a correspondence between the simile and what it represents.
- The imagery moves from far to near 〔T32 452c26–453a03〕: the poisonous tree and fire are outside the body; this shore, the far shore, and the boat belong to one’s situation; carrying a burden, taking it up, and setting it down are actions of one’s own—the final set lands on one’s own shoulder. Only these classes of imagery can be verified; the treatise itself does not make this division.
- The form of item-by-item comparison: the same form appears in the 11 correspondences of the king and mango fruit in 11-09 〔T32 449b26–449c08〕, the 10 links of the grain seed in 11-11 〔T32 450b21–450b28〕, and the 4 correspondences of the discerning physician in 11-16 〔T32 452c17–452c20〕—none of the chapter’s four major similes makes one general comparison; each compares item by item.
- The boundaries of the four rounds 〔T32 453a11–453a20〕: the exclusion formula in the first three successively adds one class; the fourth repeats the same three classes and separately places wholesome dhammas of the three planes under the truth of arising. The final passage uses characteristics as its criterion (oppression, grief, conditionedness, and boundedness constitute suffering; gathering, condition, attachment, and conjunction constitute arising) 〔T32 453a24–453a26〕.
- Four approaches become one 〔T32 453a26–453a28〕: this approach explicitly says that the four truths become one through the four approaches of truth, thusness, dhamma, and emptiness; it does not use this statement to infer that the preceding seven approaches become progressively finer.
6. Internal Cross-Reading
- Backward: this passage continues from the end of the summary approach 〔T32 452c25〕 with approaches five through eight of the eleven. The four characteristics of suffering and four of arising used at the end come directly from the latter cycle of the characteristics approach 〔T32 452c11–452c12〕; “the eightfold path” 〔T32 453a12〕 carries forward “this eightfold right path” in the general account 〔T32 452b12〕.
- Forward: this passage ends with the close of the unity approach. Immediately afterward comes “the meaning of emptiness. Thus it may be known as one. Question: How may it be known through diversity?” 〔T32 453a28〕, which belongs to 11-18. The remaining three of the eleven approaches—diversity, extended sequence, and inclusion—are contained there; the method concerning the noble truths closes at 〔T32 453b27〕.
- Same name, different referent: the “four kinds of truth” here 〔T32 453a04〕 and the four noble truths discussed in this chapter are both called four but refer to different things—recorded without harmonizing them.
- Fascicle and chapter: this passage lies in fascicle eleven, Part Two of the Chapter on Five Means (fascicle eleven opens at 452a02, and the chapter title reads “2 Chapter on Five Means, Part Two” 〔T32 452a06〕).
7. Transmission
Questions concerning the author, translator, and textual transmission are not given a position in this apparatus.
Shi Huijing · Waken · The Path of Freedom · Simile, Analysis, Number, and Unity of the Four Truths · Apparatus · Summer 2026