解脫道論 青、黃一切入

This unit places the blue-green and yellow sections side by side. In preparing each maṇḍala, both expressly say to “surround its outside with a different color.”

Shared Specifications for the Blue-Green and Yellow Maṇḍalas

For blue-green, a maṇḍala-flower is made on cloth, a board, or a wall with the blue-green color of the 阿多思 flower. For yellow, it is made with the yellow color of the 迦尼羅 flower. Both permit a triangular or quadrangular form and expressly place “a different color around the outside,” then form the blue-green or yellow sign and acquire it through three modes. The source supplies only specifications and sequence. It does not say that the different color necessarily gives the object a boundary or makes the mind abide; no such causal account is added.

Five Benefits and Unresolved Division

Both sections announce “five differing benefits,” but the wording that follows is not clearly divided into five. “Pure liberation” and “overcoming entry” are also not defined in this unit. The names and phrases are retained in their original order, without forcing a fivefold allocation or supplying definitions.

The two sections share a sequence while differing repeatedly in wording: 為相／是相, 不如／非如, and 離亂／除亂, among others. These differences can be checked directly, but this unit cannot determine whether they change the meaning.

---

Shi Huijing · Waken · The Path of Freedom · The Blue-Green and Yellow Kasiṇas · Doorway · Summer 2026

The Blue-Green Kasiṇa

Seven Questions Together

Question: What is the blue-green kasiṇa? How is it cultivated? What is its characteristic? What is its function? What is its basis? What are its benefits? How is its sign acquired?

Meaning, Cultivation, Characteristic, Function, and Basis

Answer: The mind is directed to the blue-green sign—this is called the blue-green kasiṇa. Cultivation is that mind’s abiding without disturbance—this is called cultivation.

Directing the mind to the blue-green sign is its characteristic; not removing the perception of blue-green is its function; and attending without a second is its basis.

Five Differing Benefits

The source first announces “five differing benefits,” but what follows is not clearly divided into five items. Its ascertainable order is: “with the mind’s object-following in the blue-green kasiṇa, one attains pure liberation”; “one attains the blue-green overcoming entry, like a blue-green flower”; and “the mind sustains it, enabling the transformation of various blue-green colors.” The source does not clarify how “the mind’s object-following” connects to “attains pure liberation,” which item “like a blue-green flower” belongs to, or whether “the mind sustains it” and “enabling the transformation of various blue-green colors” should be divided. These uncertainties are preserved without forcing the wording into five items.

One who cultivates the blue-green kasiṇa sees blue-green everywhere.

Acquiring the Sign: Experienced and New Meditators

As for how its sign is acquired: the blue-green-kasiṇa sign may be acquired at a prepared place or at a naturally occurring place. An experienced meditator acquires the sign at an unprepared place.

That meditator sees everywhere a blue-green flower, blue-green cloth, or another blue-green color, which constantly appears before the eyes. The source then says, “Following whether one delights or does not delight, one immediately sees the counterpart blue-green sign arise.” How “following whether one delights or does not delight” connects to the latter clause is grammatically unclear. What can be established is that the passage says the counterpart blue-green sign can arise. No referent is assigned here to “delights/does not delight,” and the possible readings are not merged into a new statement. This is unlike the case of a new meditator.

A new meditator acquires the sign at a prepared place and cannot acquire it at an unprepared place.

The Means of Cultivating the Blue-Green Kasiṇa

The means of cultivating the blue-green kasiṇa are these. On cloth, a board, or a wall, the meditator uses the blue-green color of the flower named 阿多思 and with this color makes a maṇḍala-flower, either triangular or quadrangular, surrounding its outside with a different color.

There the meditator forms the blue-green sign and acquires it in three modes: through balanced observation, through skillful means, and through freedom from disturbance. The remaining matters are as explained in full at the beginning.

(The blue-green kasiṇa is concluded.)

The Yellow Kasiṇa

Seven Questions Together

Question: What is the yellow kasiṇa? How is it cultivated? What is its characteristic? What is its function? What is its basis? What are its benefits? How is the sign acquired?

Meaning, Cultivation, Characteristic, Function, and Basis

Answer: The mind is directed to the yellow sign—this is called the yellow kasiṇa. Cultivation is that mind’s abiding without disturbance—this is called cultivation.

Directing the mind to the yellow kasiṇa is its characteristic; not removing the perception of yellow is its function; and attending without a second is its basis.

Five Differing Benefits

The source first announces “five differing benefits,” but what follows is not clearly divided into five items. Its ascertainable order is: “with the mind following in the yellow kasiṇa, one attains pure liberation”; “one attains the yellow overcoming entry—attending”; and “like golden flowers, various yellow colors.” The source does not clarify how “the mind following” connects to “attains pure liberation,” whether “attending” continues the preceding phrase or begins the following one, or how “like golden flowers, various yellow colors” is distributed among the five announced benefits. These uncertainties are preserved without forcing the wording into five items.

One who cultivates the yellow kasiṇa sees yellow everywhere.

Acquiring the Sign: Experienced and New Meditators

As for how that sign is acquired: in directly acquiring the yellow kasiṇa, one acquires the yellow sign at either a self-prepared place or a naturally occurring place. Here the sign is acquired at an unprepared place.

That meditator sees everywhere a yellow flower, yellow cloth, or another yellow color, and from then on sees it constantly. The source then says, “Following delight or non-delight, one immediately sees the counterpart yellow sign arise.” How “following delight or non-delight” connects to the latter clause is grammatically unclear. What can be established is that the passage says the counterpart yellow sign can arise. No referent is assigned here to “delight/non-delight,” and the possible readings are not merged into a new statement. This is unlike the case of a new meditator.

A new meditator acquires the sign at an already prepared place and cannot do so at an unprepared place.

The Means of Cultivating the Yellow Kasiṇa

The means of cultivating the yellow kasiṇa are these. On cloth, a board, or a wall, the meditator uses the yellow color of the flower named 迦尼羅 to make a maṇḍala-flower, either triangular or quadrangular, surrounding its outside with a different color.

There the meditator forms the yellow sign and acquires it in three modes: through balanced observation, through skillful means, and through the removal of disturbance. The remaining matters are as explained in full at the beginning.

(The yellow kasiṇa is concluded.)

---

Shi Huijing · Waken · The Path of Freedom · The Blue-Green and Yellow Kasiṇas · Vernacular · Summer 2026

With the sections on the four great elements complete, the four color sections begin. This unit gathers two in succession—blue-green and yellow. Their sequence of topics is the same, but their wording differs in many places. The preparations for both the blue-green and yellow maṇḍala explicitly say to surround the outside with a different color. Each first lists cloth, board, or wall as the prepared surface; then the flower-color to be used and the triangular or quadrangular shape of the maṇḍala-flower; then states that another color surrounds the outside. The source lists these steps without explaining the function of the outer color.

Blue-Green: Seven Questions, Five Benefits, and a Maṇḍala of Flower-Color

“Question: What is the blue-green kasiṇa? How is it cultivated? What is its characteristic? What is its function? What is its basis? What are its benefits? How is its sign acquired? Answer: The mind is directed to the blue-green sign—this is called the blue-green kasiṇa. Cultivation is that mind’s abiding without disturbance—this is called cultivation. Directing the mind to the blue-green sign is its characteristic, not removing the perception of blue-green is its function, and attending without a second is its basis” 〔T32 423a20–23〕. There are seven opening questions: blue-green kasiṇa, cultivation, characteristic, function, basis, benefits, and acquiring the sign. The character 修, “cultivation,” has a variant. This unit cannot determine whether the variation changes the meaning. “Attending without a second” is not explained here, so the source term is retained without supplementation.

The benefits passage reads: “Five differing benefits: with the mind’s object-following in the blue-green kasiṇa, one attains pure liberation; one attains the blue-green overcoming entry, like a blue-green flower; the mind sustains it, enabling the transformation of various blue-green colors. One who cultivates the blue-green kasiṇa sees blue-green everywhere” 〔T32 423a24–26〕. The source explicitly announces five benefits, yet what follows is not clearly separated into five items. The connection between “the mind’s object-following” and “attains pure liberation,” the attachment of “like a blue-green flower,” and whether “the mind sustains it” and “enabling the transformation of various blue-green colors” are separate cannot be determined from the sentence. The wording is therefore preserved in its original order without forcing five divisions or supplying definitions for “pure liberation” and “overcoming entry.” The final statement does directly establish that one cultivating the blue-green kasiṇa sees blue-green everywhere.

The count of seven can be checked directly from the question: blue-green kasiṇa, how cultivated, what characteristic, what function, what basis, what benefits, and how its sign is acquired 〔T32 423a20–21〕. The answer proceeds through “basis,” separately introduces “benefits” with “concerning benefits” 〔T32 423a23–24〕, and after the benefits separately introduces “how its sign is acquired” 〔T32 423a26〕. Benefits and acquiring the sign are therefore not one question and cannot be merged to make six. The yellow section likewise begins with the same seven items 〔T32 423b08–09〕 and separately introduces both “concerning benefits” and “as for how that sign is acquired” in the answer 〔T32 423b11–14〕.

Acquiring the sign follows the experienced-new pattern: “The blue-green-kasiṇa sign may be acquired at a prepared place or at a naturally occurring place; an experienced meditator acquires the sign at an unprepared place” 〔T32 423a27–28〕. Both a prepared and a naturally occurring place are possible, while the experienced meditator acquires the sign at an unprepared place. “That meditator sees everywhere a blue-green flower, blue-green cloth, or another blue-green color, which constantly appears before the eyes. Following whether one delights or does not delight, one immediately sees the counterpart blue-green sign arise” 〔T32 423a28–423b01〕. Blue-green flowers, cloth, other blue-green color, and constant appearance before the eyes are explicit. But the syntax linking “following whether one delights or does not delight” with “one immediately sees the counterpart blue-green sign arise” is unclear. Only the arising of the counterpart blue-green sign is retained. The sentence cannot determine the referent of delight or non-delight, establish a threshold for the arising of the sign, or supply a progression. A new meditator “acquires the sign at a prepared place and cannot acquire it at an unprepared place” 〔T32 423b02〕, an express restriction. The preparation is described as follows: “On cloth, a board, or a wall, use the blue-green color of the flower named 阿多思; with this color make a maṇḍala-flower, either triangular or quadrangular, and surround its outside with a different color” 〔T32 423b03–05〕. The treatise does not identify what flower 阿多思 denotes. The shapes are expressly triangular and quadrangular, and a different color is expressly placed around the outside. The sign is then acquired through balanced observation, skillful means, and freedom from disturbance, followed by “the remaining matters are as explained in full at the beginning” and the parenthetical completion note 〔T32 423b05–07〕.

Preparing the Blue-Green and Yellow Maṇḍalas: A Different Color Around the Outside

The blue-green instructions proceed in this order: cloth, board, or wall as three possible surfaces; the blue-green color of the 阿多思 flower; a maṇḍala-flower made in that color; either a triangular or a quadrangular shape; a different color around the outside; formation of the blue-green sign there; then acquiring the sign through three modes 〔T32 423b03–06〕. The yellow instructions proceed in this order: cloth, board, or wall; the yellow color of the 迦尼羅 flower; a maṇḍala-flower in that color; either triangular or quadrangular; a different color around the outside; formation of the yellow sign there; and then three modes of acquiring the sign 〔T32 423b20–23〕. Both place “a different color around the outside” after the shape and before forming the sign in the section’s own color. This shared sequence can be checked directly.

Only specifications and order can be established from this unit. Both sections list cloth, board, and wall; each uses the color of a named flower; each permits a triangle or quadrangle; and each prescribes a different color around the outside. The source does not say that the inner color thereby prevents the object from becoming disturbed, that the outer color thereby creates a boundary, or that without the ring the mind would have nowhere to settle. Such causal or psychological explanations cannot be supplied on the treatise’s behalf. The blue-green section says, “there form the blue-green sign,” while the yellow says, “there form the yellow sign.” The blue-green triad ends with “freedom from disturbance”; the yellow with “removal of disturbance.” Shared specifications and verbal differences are both retained according to their own sentences.

The restriction on the new meditator is likewise preserved separately in each section. Blue-green says, “A new meditator acquires the sign at a prepared place and cannot acquire it at an unprepared place—the means of cultivating the blue-green kasiṇa” 〔T32 423b01–03〕. Yellow says, “A new meditator acquires the sign at an already prepared place and cannot do so at an unprepared place—the means of cultivating the yellow kasiṇa” 〔T32 423b18–20〕. One says “prepared place,” the other “already prepared place”; one uses the noun 人, “person,” after “new meditator,” the other 者, “one.” These differences cannot be erased for symmetry. After the preparation, blue-green says “there form the blue-green sign,” while yellow says “at that place form the yellow sign.” Both then list balanced observation, skillful means, and a third mode, but one has 離亂, “freedom from disturbance,” and the other 除亂, “removal of disturbance.” Both end with “the remaining matters are as explained in full at the beginning” and a parenthetical completion note.

The experienced-meditator sentences must also be preserved one section at a time. Blue-green says first “which constantly appears before the eyes,” then “following whether one delights or does not delight, one immediately sees the counterpart blue-green sign arise.” Yellow says first “from then on sees it constantly,” then “following delight or non-delight, one immediately sees the counterpart yellow sign arise.” Both unresolved phrases stand between “constantly sees” and “immediately sees the counterpart sign arise,” but their position alone does not determine their grammatical function. The exposition identifies the structure without assigning “delight/non-delight” to the object, the mind, a selection, or an outcome.

Yellow and the Method of Reading: Attend to Differences Within a Parallel Structure

“Question: What is the yellow kasiṇa? How is it cultivated? What is its characteristic? What is its function? What is its basis? What are its benefits? How is the sign acquired? Answer: The mind is directed to the yellow sign—this is called the yellow kasiṇa. Cultivation is that mind’s abiding without disturbance—this is called cultivation. Directing the mind to the yellow kasiṇa is its characteristic, not removing the perception of yellow is its function, and attending without a second is its basis” 〔T32 423b08–11〕. Seven questions are again listed, and the answer again proceeds through meaning, cultivation, characteristic, function, basis, benefits, and acquiring the sign. The benefits passage says: “Five differing benefits: with the mind following in the yellow kasiṇa, one attains pure liberation; one attains the yellow overcoming entry—attending; like golden flowers, various yellow colors; one who cultivates the yellow kasiṇa sees yellow everywhere” 〔T32 423b12–14〕. Five are announced but the wording is not clearly divided into five. The connection of “the mind following,” the attachment of “attending,” and the internal division of “like golden flowers, various yellow colors” cannot be determined from the sentence. No forced division or numerical assignment is made. The Gong witness omits the ten characters meaning “one who cultivates the yellow kasiṇa sees yellow everywhere”; the variant is recorded without decision.

Acquiring the sign allows two settings, while the experienced acquire it at an unprepared place: “In directly acquiring the yellow kasiṇa, one acquires the yellow sign at either a self-prepared place or a naturally occurring place; here the sign is acquired at an unprepared place” 〔T32 423b14–16〕. “The meditator sees everywhere a yellow flower, yellow cloth, or another yellow color, and from then on sees it constantly. Following delight or non-delight, one immediately sees the counterpart yellow sign arise. This is unlike a new meditator” 〔T32 423b16–18〕. How “following delight or non-delight” attaches to the following phrase is unresolved; only the arising of the counterpart yellow sign is retained, without assigning a referent to delight or non-delight. The new meditator acquires the sign at an already prepared place and cannot do so at an unprepared place 〔T32 423b18–20〕. The preparation is: “On cloth, a board, or a wall, use the yellow color of the flower named 迦尼羅 to make a maṇḍala-flower, either triangular or quadrangular, and surround its outside with a different color” 〔T32 423b20–22〕. This unit does not identify the 迦尼羅 flower. The character 尼 has a variant 尼迦, and this unit cannot determine whether the difference changes the meaning. The section closes with the three modes—its third is “removal of disturbance,” one character different from blue-green’s “freedom from disturbance”—the reference back, and its parenthetical note 〔T32 423b21–23〕.

Although the two sections have the same sequence, their wording differs in many places: blue-green says “Directing the mind to the blue-green sign is its characteristic,” yellow “Directing the mind to the yellow kasiṇa is its characteristic”; blue-green has “the mind’s object-following,” yellow “the mind following”; blue-green has “constantly appears before the eyes,” yellow “from then on sees it constantly”; the boundary phrases differ by 不如／非如; one new meditator acquires the sign at a “prepared place,” the other at an “already prepared place”; the final mode is “freedom from disturbance” in one and “removal of disturbance” in the other. These six differences are facts of the base text, but this unit cannot determine whether each changes meaning. The yellow section also has two Gong omissions, of ten and seven characters, where the blue-green section contains parallel wording. This unit likewise cannot use them to determine how the meaning should be altered.

Concluding Focus

Return to what is seen: both the blue-green and yellow sections expressly say to surround the outside with a different color, but neither explains the causal function of this specification. Three matters remain: one procedure—cloth, board, or wall; the corresponding flower-color; a maṇḍala-flower; triangle or quadrangle; another color around the outside; formation of the blue-green or yellow sign; and the three modes of acquiring it; one unresolved point—both sections announce five benefits but do not clearly divide what follows into five, while “pure liberation” and “overcoming entry” remain only names in their sentences; and one set of verbal differences—“is its characteristic” in two forms, “unlike/not like,” and “freedom from/removal of disturbance.” The grammar of “following whether one delights or does not delight” in the two experienced-meditator passages also remains unresolved. With blue-green and yellow complete, the red, white, and light sections begin in the next unit.

---

Shi Huijing · Waken · The Path of Freedom · The Blue-Green and Yellow Kasiṇas · Exposition · Summer 2026