解脫道論 兇惡逐、無因緣與本取
念死八行的前三行，在本段各有一問一答，不把三段另併成一套例外分類。
兇惡逐一段說被殺人赴殺處、兇惡人拔刀隨後，問何時當死、哪一步當死；又列去必死、住必死、坐必死、眠必死，末說當修念死。
無因緣一段說，生者不能藉任何因緣或方法免死；又舉日月出而無因緣、無方便能令不沒，末說如是修念死。原句「以生」與「能令」的連屬未明；「能」四本又作「能念」，句法與異讀並錄不判。
本取一段依次列王、仙人、聲聞、緣覺、如來皆入死法，最後問：「何況於我少時壽命，不當入死法？」前三列出若干人名，後兩列只出類名；原文不說詳略的原因，所以只存名單、共同收語與反問。
三行各按自身問答成立，不另補共同心理機制。
The first three of the eight modes each receive their own question and answer. They are not merged into a separate classification of exceptions.
The violent-pursuit passage describes a condemned person going to the place of killing, a violent man following with a drawn sword, the questions “when shall I die?” and “on which step shall I die?”, and four certainties: if I go, stand, sit, or sleep, I will die. It concludes that mindfulness of death should be cultivated.
The absence-of-means passage says that one who has been born cannot escape death through any cause or means and gives the sun and moon, which cannot be made not to set after rising. The attachment of 以生 to 能令 is unclear, and four witnesses read 能念 for 能. Syntax and variant remain undecided.
The “taking the former” passage successively lists kings, sages, disciples, independently awakened persons, and Tathāgatas as all entering the law of death, then asks: “How much more shall I, whose life span is brief, not enter the law of death?” The first three groups include personal names; the last two only class names. The source does not explain the difference in detail, so only the lists, shared conclusion, and final question remain.
Each mode stands by its own question and answer. No common psychological mechanism is added.
Shi Huijing · Waken · The Path of Freedom · Pursuit by a Violent Man, No Means, and Taking the Former · 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〉「兇惡逐、無因緣與本取」· 大正藏 T32n1648〔起 T32 0432a〕。段首〔T32 …〕＝大正藏頁·欄錨。
〔T32 0432a〕
問曰：云何以兇惡逐修行念死？答曰：如被殺人將往殺處，以兇惡人拔刀隨逐。彼見兇惡人拔刀隨後，如是思惟：此人殺我，何時我當死？我行一一步，於何步當死？我去必死，我住必死，我坐必死，我眠必死。如是坐禪人以兇惡人逐故，當修念死。
問曰：云何以無因緣故修念死？答曰：無因緣無方便以生能令不死，如日月出無因緣無方便能令不沒，如是無因緣故修念死。
問曰：云何以本取故修念死？答曰：彼先多財王、大乘王、大神力大善見王、頂生王等，彼一切王皆入死法。復次昔諸仙人，大神通大神力，毘沙蜜多闍摩達梨仙人身出水火，復入死法。復次先聲聞，有大智慧有大神通有大神力，舍利弗、目犍連等，彼入死法。復次諸緣覺人，自生無師，一切功德成就，亦入死法。復次諸如來、應供、正覺，無量無上明行具足，到功德彼岸，亦入死法。何況於我少時壽命，不當入死法？如是以先取故修念死。
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.
以兇惡逐修念死
問曰：如何以兇惡逐而修行念死？
答曰：如被殺之人將往殺處，以兇惡人拔刀隨逐。他見兇惡人拔刀隨在身後，這樣思惟：這人殺我，何時我當死？我行一一步，於哪一步當死？我去必死，我住必死，我坐必死，我眠必死。
這樣坐禪人以兇惡人逐的緣故，當修念死。
以無因緣修念死
問曰：如何以無因緣的緣故修念死？
答曰：沒有任何因緣或方法，能使已經出生的人不死；就像日月既已升起，也沒有任何因緣或方法能使它們不落。大正本原句作「無因緣無方便以生能令不死」，其中「以生」與「能令」如何連屬未明；「能」四本又作「能念」。確定可知的是：生者不能藉任何因緣或方法免死，但上述句法與異讀仍並錄不判。正因如此，應以「無因緣」修念死。
以本取修念死
問曰：如何以本取的緣故修念死？
答曰：那先前的多財王、大乘王、大神力大善見王、頂生王等，那一切王皆入死法。
再者，昔日諸仙人，大神通、大神力，毘沙蜜多、闍摩達梨仙人身出水火，也入死法。
再者，先前的聲聞，有大智慧、有大神通、有大神力，舍利弗、目犍連等，他們入死法。
再者，諸緣覺人，自生無師，一切功德成就，也入死法。
再者，諸如來、應供、正覺，無量無上，明行具足，到功德的彼岸，也入死法。
何況於我這少時的壽命，不當入死法？——這樣以先取的緣故修念死。
Cultivating Mindfulness of Death Through Violent Pursuit
Question: How is mindfulness of death cultivated through violent pursuit?
Answer: It is like a person condemned to death being led to the place of killing while a violent man follows with a drawn sword. Seeing the violent man following behind with the sword, the condemned person reflects: “This man will kill me. When shall I die? As I take each step, on which step shall I die? If I go I will certainly die; if I stand I will certainly die; if I sit I will certainly die; if I sleep I will certainly die.”
Thus a meditator should cultivate mindfulness of death through being pursued by a violent man.
Cultivating Mindfulness of Death Through Absence of a Cause or Means
Question: How is mindfulness of death cultivated through absence of a cause?
Answer: No cause and no means can make one who has been born not die, just as no cause and no means can make the sun and moon, once risen, not set. The source reads 無因緣無方便以生能令不死, and how 以生 attaches to 能令 remains unclear. Four witnesses moreover read 能念 for 能. What is certain is that one who has been born cannot avoid death through any cause or means; the syntax and variant remain undecided. Therefore mindfulness of death is cultivated through absence of a cause.
Cultivating Mindfulness of Death Through Taking the Former
Question: How is mindfulness of death cultivated through “taking the former” (本取)?
Answer: The former kings Duocai (多財), Dacheng (大乘), Great-Powered Dashanjian (大神力大善見), Dingsheng (頂生), and others—all those kings entered the law of death.
Furthermore, sages of old had great supernormal power and great might. The sages Pishamidu (毘沙蜜多) and Shemadali (闍摩達梨) produced water and fire from their bodies, yet they too entered the law of death.
Furthermore, earlier disciples possessed great wisdom, great supernormal power, and great might. Shelifu (舍利弗), Mujianlian (目犍連), and others entered the law of death.
Furthermore, independently awakened persons, self-arisen without a teacher and accomplished in all virtues, also entered the law of death.
Furthermore, the Tathāgatas—worthy of offerings and rightly awakened, immeasurable and unsurpassed, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, having reached the far shore of virtue—also entered the law of death.
How much more shall I, whose life span is so brief, not enter the law of death? Thus mindfulness of death is cultivated through “taking what came before” (先取). The question has 本取 and the conclusion 先取; the two expressions are not regularized.
Shi Huijing · Waken · The Path of Freedom · Pursuit by a Violent Man, No Means, and Taking the Former · Vernacular · Summer 2026
本段解說八行中的前三行，每行各有一問一答。可直接核對的三項是：兇惡逐以被殺人、拔刀隨逐、何步當死與去住坐眠必死來修念死；無因緣以生者無因緣無方便能令不死及日月必沒之喻來修；本取依次列王、仙人、聲聞、緣覺、如來皆入死法，最後問「何況於我少時壽命」。原文沒有把三項總括為時間、方法、身分三類，也沒有另說它們共同在取消某個「唯獨我」的例外，故只依三段各自的指示講解。
兇惡逐：何步當死
「問曰：云何以兇惡逐修行念死？答曰：如被殺人將往殺處，以兇惡人拔刀隨逐。彼見兇惡人拔刀隨後，如是思惟：此人殺我，何時我當死？我行一一步，於何步當死？」〔T32 432a10–14〕——被殺人被帶往殺處，兇惡人拔刀隨後；所念的兩問是何時當死、哪一步當死。「我去必死，我住必死，我坐必死，我眠必死。如是坐禪人以兇惡人逐故，當修念死」〔T32 432a14–16〕——去、住、坐、眠四項各繫「必死」，末句明說以兇惡人逐故當修念死。此行三處用字有兇惡人逐／兇惡逐之別，保留不畫一；除此之外，不另補旁觀轉主觀或每一姿勢作提示的心理機制。
無因緣：無法可免
「問曰：云何以無因緣故修念死？答曰：無因緣無方便以生能令不死，如日月出無因緣無方便能令不沒，如是無因緣故修念死」〔T32 432a16–19〕——答句可確定說生者不能藉任何因緣或方法免死，再以日月出而無因緣、無方便能令不沒為喻，末收「如是無因緣故修念死」。原句「以生」與「能令」如何連屬未明；「能」四本又作「能念」，句法與異讀並錄不判。此段只給這個陳述與日月之喻，不把它擴成一條跨三行的普遍律則。
本取：無人可免
「問曰：云何以本取故修念死？答曰：彼先多財王、大乘王、大神力大善見王、頂生王等，彼一切王皆入死法。復次昔諸仙人，大神通大神力，毘沙蜜多闍摩達梨仙人身出水火，復入死法。復次先聲聞，有大智慧有大神通有大神力，舍利弗、目犍連等，彼入死法。復次諸緣覺人，自生無師，一切功德成就，亦入死法。復次諸如來、應供、正覺，無量無上明行具足，到功德彼岸，亦入死法」〔T32 432a19–28〕——王、仙人、聲聞、緣覺、如來五重遞舉，自第二重起以「復次」領起（凡四見）、各以「入死法」三字收（此行問作「本取」而收作「先取」，一行二名，保留不強行畫一；諸王二仙之名論文不更釋，仍不能確定）。
逐列看，本段先列諸王並說「一切王皆入死法」；第一個「復次」列昔諸仙人及身出水火，收「復入死法」；第二個列先聲聞及大智慧、大神通、大神力，收「彼入死法」；第三個列緣覺、自生無師、一切功德成就，收「亦入死法」；第四個列如來、應供、正覺、無量無上明行具足、到功德彼岸，也收「亦入死法」。五個收語字面略異而義句同列，原文未把各列功德分配成免死與否的理論，只反覆說入死法。此行問作「本取」，末句收作「先取」，兩名都保留，不強行畫一；本段沒有解釋兩名之間的差別，五列次序也照原文保存。
在此停問一處：五列之中為何前三列出人名，後兩列只出類名？原文沒有回答。可實測的是王列出多財、大乘、大善見、頂生，末有「等」；仙人列毘沙蜜多、闍摩達梨；聲聞列舍利弗、目犍連，亦有「等」；緣覺與如來不出個別名字。五列都以入死法收束，最後作：「何況於我少時壽命，不當入死法？如是以先取故修念死」〔T32 432a28–29〕。因此只保留名單、共同收語與最後反問，不把名字遞減解成身分愈高、愈無須點名，亦不說某一類名已包括所有個體。
收束
三行各自收束：兇惡逐以「當修念死」收，無因緣以「如是無因緣故修念死」收，本取以「如是以先取故修念死」收。帶走三項明文：何時與何步當死及四項必死；生者無因緣無方便能令不死與日月不沒之喻；五列皆入死法並以「何況於我」反問。三項並列即可，不另造共同的例外分類，也不替名單詳略補作者用意。
This unit explains the first three of the eight modes, one question and answer for each. Three points can be checked directly. Violent pursuit uses a condemned person, a drawn sword following behind, uncertainty about which step brings death, and certain death whether going, standing, sitting, or sleeping. Absence of a cause uses the statement that one who is born has no cause or means by which not to die, together with the sun and moon that cannot be made not to set. Taking the former successively lists kings, sages, disciples, independently awakened persons, and Tathāgatas as entering the law of death, ending with “how much more I, whose life span is brief.” The source does not group these as three abstract categories of time, means, and status or say that they collectively remove an “only I” exception. Each is therefore explained through its own instructions.
Violent Pursuit: On Which Step Shall I Die?
The source asks how mindfulness of death is cultivated through violent pursuit and answers: “It is like a person condemned to death being led to the place of killing while a violent man follows with a drawn sword. Seeing the violent man following behind, the person reflects: ‘This man will kill me. When shall I die? As I take each step, on which step shall I die?’” 〔T32 432a10–14〕. The condemned person is led toward death while the violent man follows with a sword. The two questions concern the time of death and the step on which death occurs. It continues: “If I go I will certainly die; if I stand I will certainly die; if I sit I will certainly die; if I sleep I will certainly die. Thus a meditator should cultivate mindfulness of death through being pursued by a violent man” 〔T32 432a14–16〕. Going, standing, sitting, and sleeping each take “will certainly die.” The source uses three slightly different forms for this mode—兇惡人逐 and 兇惡逐—and they remain unregularized. No psychological mechanism of shifting from an observer to oneself or using every posture as a prompt is added.
Absence of a Cause: No Means of Escape
The question and answer say: “How is mindfulness of death cultivated through absence of a cause? No cause and no means can make one who has been born not die, just as no cause and no means can make the sun and moon, once risen, not set. Thus mindfulness of death is cultivated through absence of a cause” 〔T32 432a16–19〕. The answer certainly says that one who is born cannot avoid death by any cause or means, and the sun-and-moon simile says that what rises cannot be made not to set. How 以生 attaches to 能令 is unclear; four witnesses read 能念 for 能. The syntax and variant remain undecided. This section gives only its statement and simile; it is not enlarged into a universal law spanning all three modes.
Taking the Former: None of the Five Groups Escapes
The third question asks how mindfulness of death is cultivated through 本取. The answer lists: former kings Duocai, Dacheng, Great-Powered Dashanjian, Dingsheng, and others, all entering the law of death; sages of old with great power, Pishamidu and Shemadali, producing water and fire from their bodies and entering the law of death; earlier disciples with great wisdom and power, Shelifu, Mujianlian, and others entering the law of death; independently awakened persons, self-arisen without a teacher and accomplished in all virtues, entering the law of death; and Tathāgatas, worthy of offerings and rightly awakened, immeasurable and unsurpassed, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, having reached the far shore of virtue, entering the law of death 〔T32 432a19–28〕. Five groups occur in sequence. Beginning with the second, four instances of “furthermore” introduce the groups, and each concludes with “enter the law of death.” The question calls the mode 本取 while the conclusion calls it 先取; both remain without forced regularization. The names of kings and sages receive no further explanation.
Read group by group, the kings conclude “all kings entered the law of death.” The first “furthermore” names ancient sages and bodily production of water and fire, concluding “again entered the law of death.” The second names earlier disciples and their wisdom and powers, concluding “they entered the law of death.” The third names independently awakened persons and their accomplishment, concluding “also entered the law of death.” The fourth names Tathāgatas and their epithets, again concluding “also entered the law of death.” The five conclusions vary slightly in wording while making the same repeated statement. The source does not turn the group-specific virtues into a theory of exemption or non-exemption. The two forms 本取 and 先取 remain visible, and the order of the groups is retained without additional explanation.
One question may remain: Why do the first three groups give personal names, while the final two give only class names? The source does not answer. The kings name Duocai, Dacheng, Dashanjian, and Dingsheng, followed by “and others”; the sages name Pishamidu and Shemadali; the disciples name Shelifu and Mujianlian, also followed by “and others.” The independently awakened and Tathāgata groups name no individuals. All five conclude in entering the law of death and culminate in: “How much more shall I, whose life span is brief, not enter the law of death? Thus mindfulness of death is cultivated through 先取” 〔T32 432a28–29〕. The lists, common conclusion, and final question remain. The decreasing number of names is not interpreted as rising status or class names encompassing every individual.
Conclusion
Each mode has its own concluding formula. Violent pursuit ends “one should cultivate mindfulness of death”; absence of a cause ends “thus cultivate mindfulness of death through absence of a cause”; taking the former ends “thus cultivate mindfulness of death through 先取.” Three explicit points remain: uncertainty about time and step together with four certainties of death; the born person and the sun-and-moon simile; and five groups entering the law of death followed by “how much more I.” Their juxtaposition is sufficient. No common exception-category or inferred authorial intention is added.
Shi Huijing · Waken · The Path of Freedom · Pursuit by a Violent Man, No Means, and Taking the Former · Exposition · Summer 2026
考據Apparatus
全段定位 本段出自《解脫道論》卷第七〈行門品〉之四，接前段所列八行之目〔T32 432a08–10〕而下，逐一釋其前三行：兇惡逐、無因緣、本取。底本三段，各為一行之問答〔T32 432a10–29〕。
一、科判定位
三段三問，行與段相合：
| 節 | 經文起訖逐字（各繫其錨） |
|---|---|
| 兇惡逐（第一段） | 「問曰：云何以兇惡逐修行念死？」〔T32 432a10–11〕…「當修念死」〔T32 432a16〕 |
| 無因緣（第二段） | 「問曰：云何以無因緣故修念死？」〔T32 432a16–17〕…「如是無因緣故修念死」〔T32 432a18–19〕 |
| 本取（第三段） | 「問曰：云何以本取故修念死？」〔T32 432a19–20〕…「如是以先取故修念死」〔T32 432a28–29〕 |
三段各以「如是…修念死」收，與八行之標一一相承。
全段定位錨
〔T32, 432a10–29〕
二、詞義與譯語（逐字各繫其錨）
| 名相 | 本段用法 | 章內接點（可核） |
|---|---|---|
| 兇惡逐·兇惡人逐 | 標作「如兇惡人逐」〔T32 432a08–09〕、問作「以兇惡逐」〔T32 432a11〕、收作「以兇惡人逐故」〔T32 432a15–16〕 | 同一行三處用字不一（兇惡人逐／兇惡逐／兇惡人逐）；照錄不代畫一 |
| 四必死 | 「我去必死，我住必死，我坐必死，我眠必死」〔T32 432a14–15〕 | 去·住·坐·眠四威儀各繫一「必死」；「以」字有校記（見目三），明本作「此」 |
| 無因緣無方便 | 「無因緣無方便以生能令不死」〔T32 432a17–18〕 | 「能」字有校記（見目三），四本作「能念」；作「能令不死」則語順，作「能念令不死」則義晦。二讀並錄不判 |
| 本取·先取 | 問作「以本取故」〔T32 432a19〕、收作「以先取故」〔T32 432a28–29〕 | 一行之內二名並用（本取／先取），而八行之標作「以本取」〔T32 432a09〕；照錄不代畫一 |
| 四王 | 多財王·大乘王·大神力大善見王·頂生王〔T32 432a20–21〕 | 四王之名論文不更釋，不代考定；末綴「等」字，其數不盡於四，照錄不代配數 |
| 二仙人 | 毘沙蜜多·闍摩達梨〔T32 432a22–23〕 | 二名各全論唯一處；「昔諸」二字有校記（見目三），四本作「先」。二仙之事論文唯出「身出水火」一語，不代考定 |
| 二聲聞 | 舍利弗·目犍連〔T32 432a24–25〕 | 「犍」字有校記（見目三），四本作「揵」。「大德舍利弗」別見〔T32 446a01〕 |
| 五列 | 王〔T32 432a20〕→仙人〔T32 432a21–22〕→聲聞〔T32 432a23〕→緣覺〔T32 432a25〕→如來〔T32 432a26–27〕 | 自第二列起以「復次」領起，各以「入死法」收；出名數依次為四、二、二、零、零，原文不說詳略原因，不代補作者用意 |
| 何況於我 | 「何況於我少時壽命，不當入死法？」〔T32 432a28〕 | 五重既畢，以反問收之——由他及己，一段之樞 |
三、校記與異讀
本段範圍內大正藏校記四處，均誌而不改；本文之讀一律依大正本：
| 錨 | 底本 | 異讀 | 見證 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 432a12 | 以（以兇惡人拔刀隨逐） | 此 | 【明】 |
| 432a17 | 能（能令不死） | 能念 | 【宋】【元】【明】【宮】 |
| 432a21 | 昔諸（復次昔諸仙人） | 先 | 【宋】【元】【明】【宮】 |
| 432a24 | 犍（舍利弗、目犍連等） | 揵 | 【宋】【元】【明】【宮】 |
誌錄不判二事：
- 432a17「以生能令不死」之「能」，四本作「能念」——作「能令不死」則語順，作「能念令不死」則義晦；並錄不判，本文從底本。
- 432a21「復次昔諸仙人」之「昔諸」，四本作「先」——作「昔諸仙人」與下文「復次先聲聞」〔T32 432a23〕異其領字，作「先仙人」則二重同式。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
本段無標為佛語或他說之引據，查無所獲。所舉諸王、仙人、聲聞之名皆為論主自舉之例而不標所出，不代考定。
五、譬喻·修辭
- 兇惡人拔刀之喻〔T32 432a11–15〕：如被殺人將往殺處而兇惡人拔刀隨後——喻之所取在隨逐不離，與不知何步當死；下繫四威儀之四「必死」，以喻起而以自問收。
- 日月不沒之喻〔T32 432a18〕：如日月出而無因緣、無方便能令其不沒——以天象之必沒喻生之必死；一句而止，本論取譬之最簡者。
- 五列與共同收語〔T32 432a20–27〕：王·仙人·聲聞·緣覺·如來依次列出，人名數為四、二、二、零、零，末皆繫「入死法」。原文不說名字數遞減的理由，不據此判身分高下或類名涵攝。
- 由他及己之反問〔T32 432a28〕：五重既畢，以「何況於我少時壽命，不當入死法」收——不更立論而以一問結之。
六、章內互讀
- 前指：念死總說與八行之標 08-47〔T32 431c13–432a10〕；「大德舍利弗所說」〔T32 446a01〕。
- 後指：身多屬、壽命無力與遠分別自「問曰：云何以身多屬故修念死？」〔T32 432a29–432b01〕起（08-49）——八行之第四至第六在彼。
七、傳本
作者、譯者與傳本諸問題，本編不於考據內立說。
Location of the whole passage. This unit comes from fascicle seven, “The Practice Chapter, Part Four,” of The Path of Freedom. It follows the heading of eight modes at 〔T32 432a08–10〕 and explains the first three: pursuit by a violent man, absence of a cause, and taking the former. The source has three paragraphs, one question and answer for each mode 〔T32 432a10–29〕.
I. Structural Location
The three modes coincide with the three source paragraphs:
| Section | Verbatim span in translation, with anchor |
|---|---|
| Violent pursuit, first paragraph | “Question: How is mindfulness of death cultivated through violent pursuit?” 〔T32 432a10–11〕 … “one should cultivate mindfulness of death” 〔T32 432a16〕 |
| Absence of a cause, second paragraph | “Question: How is mindfulness of death cultivated through absence of a cause?” 〔T32 432a16–17〕 … “thus mindfulness of death is cultivated through absence of a cause” 〔T32 432a18–19〕 |
| Taking the former, third paragraph | “Question: How is mindfulness of death cultivated through 本取?” 〔T32 432a19–20〕 … “thus mindfulness of death is cultivated through 先取” 〔T32 432a28–29〕 |
Each paragraph ends with its own “thus … cultivate mindfulness of death” formula, directly taking up one member of the eight-mode heading.
Anchor for the whole passage
〔T32, 432a10–29〕
II. Terms and Renderings, Each Anchored to the Source
| Term | Use in this passage | Verifiable connection within the chapter |
|---|---|---|
| 兇惡逐 · 兇惡人逐 | The heading has 兇惡人逐 〔T32 432a08–09〕, the question 兇惡逐 〔T32 432a11〕, and the conclusion 兇惡人逐 〔T32 432a15–16〕 | One mode has three occurrences in two forms. They are recorded without regularization. |
| Four certainties of death | “If I go I will certainly die; if I stand I will certainly die; if I sit I will certainly die; if I sleep I will certainly die” 〔T32 432a14–15〕 | Going, standing, sitting, and sleeping each receive “certainly die.” 以 earlier in the simile has a critical note. |
| No cause and no means | “No cause and no means can make one who has been born not die” 〔T32 432a17–18〕 | 能 has a critical note; four witnesses read 能念. With 能 the syntax is smoother; with 能念 the sentence remains obscure. Both are recorded. |
| 本取 · 先取 | The question uses 本取 at 〔T32 432a19〕 and the conclusion 先取 at 〔T32 432a28–29〕 | The heading also has 本取 at 〔T32 432a09〕. Two names occur in one mode and are not regularized. |
| Four named kings | Duocai, Dacheng, Great-Powered Dashanjian, Dingsheng 〔T32 432a20–21〕 | The source gives no further explanation of the names. The list ends “and others,” so the class is not exhausted by the four. |
| Two named sages | Pishamidu and Shemadali 〔T32 432a22–23〕 | Each name occurs only here in the treatise. “Sages of old” has a critical note. The source says only that they produced water and fire from their bodies; no external identification is supplied. |
| Two named disciples | Shelifu and Mujianlian 〔T32 432a24–25〕 | The graph 犍 has a critical note. The phrase “Venerable Shelifu” occurs elsewhere at 〔T32 446a01〕. |
| Five groups | Kings 〔T32 432a20〕, sages 〔T32 432a21–22〕, disciples 〔T32 432a23〕, independently awakened persons 〔T32 432a25〕, Tathāgatas 〔T32 432a26–27〕 | Beginning with the second, four “furthermore” clauses introduce the groups, each ending in entering the law of death. The numbers of named individuals are four, two, two, zero, zero. The source does not explain the detail and no authorial intention is supplied. |
| How much more I | “How much more shall I, whose life span is brief, not enter the law of death?” 〔T32 432a28〕 | After five groups, the mode ends in a question moving from others to oneself. |
III. Critical Notes and Variant Readings
Four critical notes occur in this span. All are recorded while the text follows the Taishō reading:
| Anchor | Base reading | Variant | Witnesses |
|---|---|---|---|
| 432a12 | 以 in “with a violent man following with a drawn sword” | 此 | 【明】 |
| 432a17 | 能 in “can make one not die” | 能念 | 【宋】【元】【明】【宮】 |
| 432a21 | 昔諸 in “sages of old” | 先 | 【宋】【元】【明】【宮】 |
| 432a24 | 犍 in 目犍連 | 揵 | 【宋】【元】【明】【宮】 |
Two matters remain undecided:
- At 432a17 four witnesses read 能念 for 能 in 無因緣無方便以生能令不死. 能令 gives the smoother sequence; 能念令 is obscure. Both remain, while the text follows the base.
- At 432a21 four witnesses read 先 for 昔諸 in “furthermore, sages of old.” 昔諸 differs from “earlier disciples” at 〔T32 432a23〕, while 先 would make the introductions more parallel. Both are recorded; the base is followed.
There are no missing-character or inline-note hits in this unit.
IV. Authorities Cited by the Treatise
No statement here is marked as a quotation from the Buddha or another teacher. The named kings, sages, and disciples are examples supplied by the treatise without cited sources; none is assigned.
V. Similes and Rhetorical Forms
- Violent man with a drawn sword 〔T32 432a11–15〕: a condemned person is led to the place of killing while a violent man follows with a sword. The explicit points are unrelenting pursuit and uncertainty about which step brings death, followed by four certainties of death.
- Sun and moon cannot be made not to set 〔T32 432a18〕: once the sun and moon rise, no cause or means can make them not set; this is placed beside the born person’s inability to escape death. The simile is one sentence and ends there.
- Five groups and a shared conclusion 〔T32 432a20–27〕: kings, sages, disciples, independently awakened persons, and Tathāgatas appear in order. The counts of named persons are four, two, two, zero, zero, and each group is joined to entering the law of death. The source does not explain the decreasing detail or use it to rank the groups.
- Question moving from others to oneself 〔T32 432a28〕: after the five groups, “How much more I, whose life span is brief?” closes the examples without another argument.
VI. Cross-References Within the Chapter
- Backward: the overview and heading of eight modes, 08-47 〔T32 431c13–432a10〕; “Venerable Shelifu taught” at 〔T32 446a01〕.
- Forward: the fourth through sixth modes—body belonging to many, life span without power, long-distant differentiation—begin with the question at 〔T32 432a29–432b01〕 in 08-49.
VII. Transmission
This edition takes no position here on questions concerning the author, translator, or textual transmission.
Shi Huijing · Waken · The Path of Freedom · Pursuit by a Violent Man, No Means, and Taking the Former · Apparatus · Summer 2026