清淨道論 白話全本 · 冊15Visuddhimagga · Complete Vernacular · Vol. 15
十二處——眼耳鼻舌身意與色聲香味觸法The Twelve Sense Bases—Eye, Ear, Nose, Tongue, Body, and Mind; Visible Form, Sound, Odor, Taste, Touch, and Phenomena
全文五層 →Full five layers →本單元白話為本編自巴利原典之譯疏（tr. mine）；底本事項詳本單元考據。
§1 十二處之列與六門決擇之偈 〔CSCD §510〕
十五、處界釋
處之廣說之論
「諸處」——就是十二處：眼處、色處、耳處、聲處、鼻處、香處、舌處、味處、身處、觸處、意處、法處。其中——
依義、依相、依爾所，依次第、依略與廣， 又同樣依應見——應當了知決擇之法¹。
§2 逐處之別義——十二名之語釋 〔CSCD §510〕
其中，先說別義²：見故為眼——意思是它味著色、並且使色顯明。現色故為色——意思是它在轉為顏色之變異的時候，把心中的情狀顯示出來。聞故為耳。發故為聲——意思是它被發出。嗅故為鼻。薰故為香——意思是它指示自己的所依。喚命故為舌。有情嘗它故為味——意思是他們味著它。可厭的諸有漏法的來處故為身；「來處」就是生起之處。被觸故為觸。知故為意。持自己的相故為法。
§3 通義之三釋——努力・伸展・引長 〔CSCD §511〕
而通義則應當這樣了知：由於努力，由於伸展所來者，並且由於引長者之所引，所以叫作「處」。因為在眼與色等等之上，以那一一者為門、為所緣的心與心所諸法，以各自領納等等的作用而努力——就是說，它們起來、勤作、精勤。而這些〔眼與色等等〕把那些成為「來」的諸法伸展開來——就是說，使它們廣大。並且，只要這在無始的輪迴之中轉起的、極其長遠的輪迴之苦還不還滅，它們就一直引導著它——就是說，使它轉起。這樣，這一切法就由於努力、由於伸展所來者、並且由於引長者之所引，而被稱為「處」、「處」。
§4 處之五義——住處・鑛・會處・生地・因 〔CSCD §512〕
此外，還應當依住處之義、鑛之義、會處之義、生地之義、因之義而了知「處」。因為在世間，於「自在天之處、婆藪提婆之處」這樣等等之中，住處被稱為「處」；於「金之處、銀之處」這樣等等之中，是鑛。而在教中，於「諸飛鳥依止那可意之處」這樣等等之中，是會處；於「南方是諸牛之處」這樣等等之中，是生地；於「凡有其因時，他就在那裡那裡達到能作證」這樣等等之中，是因。
而在眼等等之上，那一一的心與心所諸法也因為其轉起繫屬於它而住著，所以眼等等就是它們的住處。並且它們在眼等等之中密集，因為依止它、以它為所緣，所以眼等等就是它們的鑛。而眼等等是它們的會處，因為在這裡那裡依所依、依門、依所緣而集會。眼等等是它們的生地，因為以它為依止、為所緣而正在那裡生起。眼等等是它們的因，因為在它們沒有的時候〔心與心所〕也就沒有。這樣，依住處之義、鑛之義、會處之義、生地之義、因之義——由這些理由，這些法也被稱為「處」、「處」。
所以，依如上所說的義：它既是眼、又是處，所以是眼處……乃至（廣說如前）……它們既是法、又是處，所以是法處——先應當這樣在這裡依義了知決擇之法。
§5 相與爾所——何以立十二 〔CSCD §513〕
「依相」——在這裡還應當依眼等等之相了知決擇之法。而它們的那些相，就應當依蘊之解釋中所說的方法來了知³。
「依爾所」——就是依其為那麼多。所說的是這個：如果有人問——眼等等也就是法而已，既然這樣，為什麼不只說「法處」，卻說十二處呢？〔那麼答：〕由於六識身的生起之門與所緣的確定之故——這裡由於六識身依門性、依所緣性而得確定，它們的這種差別才成立，所以說了十二。因為對於眼識路所攝的識身而言，唯有眼處是其生起之門，唯有色處是其所緣；其餘的對其餘的也是這樣。而對於第六〔識身〕，唯有名為有分意⁴的意處之一分才是其生起之門，唯有不共的法處才是其所緣。這樣，由於六識身的生起之門與所緣的確定，就說了十二——在這裡就應當這樣依爾所了知決擇之法。
§6 次第——說次第之所以 〔CSCD §514〕
「依次第」——在這裡，於前面所說的生次第等等之中，也唯有說次第是相應的。因為在內處之中，眼處由於其境是有見有對的⁵而明顯，所以先說了；此後才是其境為無見有對的耳處等等。或者，由於能作見無上與聞無上⁶之因而多所饒益，內處之中就先說了眼處與耳處，此後才是鼻處等等三者；而意處在最後，因為它也是那五者的行境。至於外處之中的色處等等，則由於是眼處等等的行處，就分別安插在那一一者之間。此外，也應當依識生起之因的確定來了知它們的這個次第。因為說了這個：「緣於眼與諸色，眼識生起……乃至（廣說如前）……緣於意與諸法，意識生起。」在這裡就應當這樣依次第了知決擇之法。
§7 略與廣——名色與無量之分 〔CSCD §515〕
「依略與廣」——先說依略：由於意處與法處的一分被「名」所攝、其餘諸處被「色」所攝，所以十二處也就唯是名色而已。而依廣：內處之中先說眼處，它依種類唯是眼淨色而已，但依緣、依趣、依部類、依人的差別，則有無量的差別；耳處等等四者也是這樣。意處依善、不善、異熟、唯作識的差別而有八十九種差別，又有一百二十一種差別⁷；而依所依、依行道等等的差別，則有無量的差別。色、聲、香、味諸處依不同分之緣等等的差別而有無量的差別。觸處依地界、火界、風界而有三種差別，依緣等等的差別而有多種差別。法處依受蘊、想蘊、行蘊、細色⁸與涅槃的自性的種種差別而有多種差別。就應當這樣依略與廣了知決擇之法。
§8 應見——不來不出・無動作・空村與六生物 〔CSCD §516〕
「依應見」——而在這裡，一切有為的處都應當依不來、依不出而見。因為它們在生起之前並不從什麼地方來，在壞滅之後也不往什麼地方去；而是在生起之前未得其自性，在壞滅之後其自性已壞，在前際與後際的中間，由於其轉起繫屬於緣，就不自在地轉起。所以應當依不來、依不出而見。同樣，也應當依無動作、依無營為而見。因為眼與色等等並不會這樣想：「啊，但願在我們的和合之中生起名為識的東西吧！」它們也不為了使識生起而以門性、以所依性或以所緣性作動作，不從事營為；而是這樣的法性：在眼與色等等的和合之中，眼識等等就出生了。所以應當依無動作、依無營為而見。此外，內〔六處〕應當看作像空村一樣，因為它們沒有常、淨、樂、我之性；外〔六處〕像破村的賊，因為它們是內〔六處〕的加害者。因為說了這個：「諸比丘，眼為可意與不可意的諸色所害。」——如是廣說。此外，內〔六處〕應當看作像六種生物⁹，外〔六處〕像它們的行處。在這裡就應當這樣依應見了知決擇之法。
這就先是諸處之廣說之門。
註
¹ 決擇（vinicchaya）：本論釋一法門之體裁——立數門而逐門定其義，門盡而其法門乃決。本篇之六門即義、相、爾所、次第、略廣、應見，逐門之末皆以「應當了知決擇之法」收。
² 別義・通義（visesato・avisesato）：釋名之二層——先就十二名各釋其別（本節），次通於十二名而總釋「處」之一義（下二節）。
³ 相：眼等之相、味、現起、近因，於本論〈蘊〉之品逐一已立；六門之中唯此一門論不自出其說，而迴指彼品。
⁴ 有分（bhavaṅga）：一期生命相續之基流；第六識身即以此有分意為其生起之門，故論言其為「意處之一分」而非意處之全。
⁵ 有見有對・無見有對（sanidassana-sappaṭigha・anidassana-sappaṭigha）：色境可見而有質礙，故為有見有對；聲、香、味、觸不可見而有質礙，故為無見有對。
⁶ 見無上・聞無上（dassanānuttariya・savanānuttariya）：所見與所聞之中最上者；論以眼耳二處能作此二之因而多所饒益，故於內處先說。
⁷ 八十九與一百二十一：意處依善、不善、異熟、唯作之別為八十九，出世間諸識更依五禪而開則為一百二十一；其全列在本論〈蘊〉之品。
⁸ 細色（sukhumarūpa）：色之微細而非五根所取者；與受、想、行三蘊及涅槃並為法處所攝。
⁹ 六生物（cha pāṇakā）：六類異趣之生物各奔其行處之譬；論於此唯出其名而不廣說其事。
The vernacular of this unit is this edition’s own rendering-with-exposition from the Pāli original (tr. mine); see this unit’s apparatus for the base-text particulars.
§1 The List of the Twelve Bases and the Verse on the Six Modes of Analysis 〔CSCD §510〕
Fifteen: Exposition of the Bases and Elements
Detailed Discussion of the Bases
“The bases” are the twelve bases: the eye base, visible-form base, ear base, sound base, nose base, odor base, tongue base, taste base, body base, touch base, mind base, and phenomena base. Of these—
By meaning, characteristic, extent, and order, by brief and detailed treatment, And likewise by how they should be seen—the analysis should be understood.¹
§2 The Distinctive Meaning of Each Base—Explanation of the Twelve Names 〔CSCD §510〕
Here, first, as to their distinctive meanings: it is the eye because it sees—that is, it relishes visible form and makes it manifest. It is visible form because it displays form—that is, when it undergoes alteration in color, it reveals the condition within the mind. It is the ear because it hears. It is sound because it is uttered—that is, because it is emitted. It is the nose because it smells. It is odor because it makes fragrant—that is, it indicates its own basis. It is the tongue because it summons life. It is taste because beings taste it—that is, they relish it. It is the body because it is the place of arrival for the contemptible influx-tainted phenomena; “place of arrival” means a place of arising. It is touch because it is touched. It is mind because it knows. They are phenomena because they bear their own characteristics.
§3 Three Explanations of the Common Meaning—Effort, Extension, and Prolongation 〔CSCD §511〕
The common meaning should be understood as follows: because of effort, because they extend what has come, and because they lead onward what has become prolonged, they are called “bases.” For on each of eye, visible form, and the rest, the phenomena of mind and mental factors that take that particular thing as door and object exert themselves through their respective functions of experiencing and so forth—that is, they arise, labor, and strive. And these [beginning with eye and visible form] extend those phenomena that have come—that is, they make them expand. Moreover, so long as this exceedingly protracted suffering proceeding in beginningless saṃsāra has not subsided, they continue to lead it onward—that is, they cause it to proceed. Thus, because of effort, because of extending what has come, and because of leading onward what is prolonged, all these phenomena are called “bases,” “bases.”
§4 Five Meanings of Base—Abode, Mine, Meeting Place, Place of Birth, and Cause 〔CSCD §512〕
Furthermore, “base” should be understood in the senses of abode, mine, meeting place, place of birth, and cause. For in the world, in such expressions as “the abode of Īśvara” and “the abode of Vāsudeva,” an abode is called a “base”; in such expressions as “a gold mine” and “a silver mine,” it is a mine. In the teaching, in such expressions as “birds resort to that delightful place,” it is a meeting place; in such expressions as “the southern region is the place of birth of cattle,” it is a place of birth; and in such expressions as “whenever a cause is present, there and there he reaches the capacity for direct realization,” it is a cause.
The phenomena of mind and mental factors occurring on each one of eye and the rest also dwell there because their occurrence depends on it; hence eye and the rest are their abodes. They are concentrated in eye and the rest because they depend on them and take them as objects; hence eye and the rest are their mines. Eye and the rest are their meeting places because they meet there and there by way of basis, door, and object. Eye and the rest are their places of birth because they are arising there in dependence on them and with them as objects. Eye and the rest are their causes because when these are absent, [mind and mental factors] are absent too. Thus, in the senses of abode, mine, meeting place, place of birth, and cause, these phenomena are also called “bases,” “bases.”
Therefore, according to the meaning stated above: it is both eye and a base, hence the eye base … and so on as before … they are both phenomena and a base, hence the phenomena base. The analysis here should first be understood in this way according to meaning.
§5 Characteristic and Extent—Why Twelve Are Established 〔CSCD §513〕
“By characteristic”: here the analysis should also be understood according to the characteristics of eye and the rest. Their characteristics should be understood by the method stated in the exposition of the aggregates.³
“By extent” means according to their being precisely this many. What is meant is this: if someone asks, “Eye and the rest are themselves merely phenomena; if so, why, instead of stating only the ‘phenomena base,’ are twelve bases stated?” [The answer is:] because the doors of arising and the objects of the six groups of consciousness must be determined. Here the distinction among the six groups of consciousness is established through their determination by door and by object, and so twelve are stated. For the group of consciousness included in the eye-consciousness process has only the eye base as its door of arising and only the visible-form base as its object; the same applies respectively to the others. For the sixth [group of consciousness], only one portion of the mind base called the life-continuum mind⁴ is its door of arising, and only the phenomena base not shared with the others is its object. Thus, because the doors of arising and the objects of the six groups of consciousness are determined, twelve are stated. The analysis here should be understood in this way by extent.
§6 Order—Why This Sequence Is Taught 〔CSCD §514〕
“By order”: here, among the orders of arising and so forth stated earlier, only the order of teaching is appropriate. Among the internal bases, the eye base is stated first because its object is visible and resistant⁵ and is therefore evident; afterward come the ear base and the rest, whose objects are invisible and resistant. Or else the eye base and ear base are stated first among the internal bases because they are highly beneficial as causes for the unsurpassed in seeing and the unsurpassed in hearing;⁶ the three beginning with the nose base come afterward. The mind base comes last because it is also the range of those five. As for the external bases beginning with the visible-form base, each is inserted immediately after the corresponding eye base and the rest because it is that base’s range. This order should also be understood through the determination of the causes for the arising of consciousness. For it is said: “Dependent on the eye and visible forms, eye-consciousness arises … and so on as before … dependent on the mind and phenomena, mind-consciousness arises.” The analysis here should be understood in this way according to order.
§7 In Brief and in Detail—Name-and-Form and Its Measureless Divisions 〔CSCD §515〕
“In brief and in detail”: first, in brief, because the mind base and one part of the phenomena base are included in “name,” while the remaining bases are included in “form,” the twelve bases are merely name-and-form. In detail, among the internal bases, first the eye base is only eye-sensitivity by kind, but it has measureless divisions according to condition, destination, class, and person; the same applies to the four beginning with the ear base. The mind base is divided into eighty-nine kinds, and also into one hundred and twenty-one kinds,⁷ according to the divisions of wholesome, unwholesome, resultant, and functional consciousness; according to basis, mode of progress, and so forth, it has measureless divisions. The visible-form, sound, odor, and taste bases have measureless divisions according to diversity of conditions and so forth. The touch base has three divisions according to the earth, fire, and air elements, and many divisions according to conditions and so forth. The phenomena base has many divisions according to the varied intrinsic natures of the feeling aggregate, perception aggregate, formations aggregate, subtle materiality,⁸ and nibbāna. The analysis should be understood in this way in brief and in detail.
§8 How They Should Be Seen—No Coming or Going, No Agency, the Empty Village, and the Six Creatures 〔CSCD §516〕
“By how they should be seen”: here, all conditioned bases should be seen as neither coming nor going. Before arising they do not come from anywhere, and after dissolution they do not go anywhere. Before arising they have not acquired their intrinsic nature; after dissolution their intrinsic nature has broken apart. Between the prior and later limits, because their occurrence depends on conditions, they proceed without mastery. Therefore they should be seen as neither coming nor going. Likewise, they should be seen as without agency and without undertaking. Eye, visible form, and the rest do not think: “Oh, may something called consciousness arise through our conjunction!” Nor, in order to make consciousness arise, do they perform an action or undertake an activity by acting as door, basis, or object. Rather, this is the nature of phenomena: when eye, visible form, and the rest come together, eye-consciousness and the rest are born. Therefore they should be seen as without agency and without undertaking. Furthermore, the internal [six bases] should be regarded as an empty village because they lack the nature of permanence, purity, pleasure, and self; the external [six bases] as village-raiding bandits because they injure the internal [bases]. For it is said: “Bhikkhus, the eye is assailed by agreeable and disagreeable visible forms”—and so on in detail. Furthermore, the internal [six bases] should be regarded as the six creatures,⁹ and the external [six bases] as their respective ranges. The analysis here should be understood in this way according to how they should be seen.
This, then, is the doorway to the detailed discussion of the bases.
Notes
¹ Analysis (vinicchaya): the treatise’s format for explaining a doctrinal scheme—it establishes a set of modes and determines the meaning through each in turn; once the modes are exhausted, the scheme has been analyzed. This unit’s six modes are meaning, characteristic, extent, order, brief and detailed treatment, and how they should be seen. Each closes with “the analysis should be understood.”
² Distinctive and common meanings (visesato・avisesato): two levels of explaining names—first the distinct meaning of each of the twelve names (this section), then the single meaning of “base” common to all twelve (the next two sections).
³ Characteristic: the characteristic, function, manifestation, and proximate cause of eye and the rest were individually established in the treatise’s chapter on the aggregates. Of the six modes, this alone is not explained anew here but refers the reader back to that chapter.
⁴ Life-continuum (bhavaṅga): the basal flow of continuity through a single life. The sixth group of consciousness takes this life-continuum mind as its door of arising; hence the treatise calls it “one portion of the mind base,” not the whole mind base.
⁵ Visible and resistant; invisible and resistant (sanidassana-sappaṭigha・anidassana-sappaṭigha): the visible-form object can be seen and offers resistance, and so is visible and resistant; sound, odor, taste, and touch cannot be seen but offer resistance, and so are invisible and resistant.
⁶ The unsurpassed in seeing and hearing (dassanānuttariya・savanānuttariya): what is highest among things seen and heard. Because the eye and ear bases can serve as causes for these two unsurpassed things and are especially beneficial, they are stated first among the internal bases.
⁷ Eighty-nine and one hundred and twenty-one: the mind base is eighty-ninefold according to the divisions of wholesome, unwholesome, resultant, and functional; when supramundane consciousnesses are further divided according to the five absorptions, it is one hundred and twenty-onefold. The complete enumeration occurs in the treatise’s chapter on the aggregates.
⁸ Subtle materiality (sukhumarūpa): materiality that is subtle and cannot be apprehended by the five faculties; together with the feeling, perception, and formations aggregates and nibbāna, it is included in the phenomena base.
⁹ The six creatures (cha pāṇakā): the simile of six kinds of creatures, each running toward its own range. The treatise gives only its name here and does not relate the episode in detail.
十八界The Eighteen Elements
全文五層 →Full five layers →本單元白話為本編自巴利原典之譯疏（tr. mine）；底本事項詳本單元考據。
§1 十八界之列與決擇之偈 〔CSCD §517〕
界之廣說之論
「其次是諸界」——就是十八界：眼界、色界、眼識界、耳界、聲界、耳識界、鼻界、香界、鼻識界、舌界、味界、舌識界、身界、觸界、身識界、意界、法界、意識界。其中——
依義、依相等等，依次第、依爾所與算， 又依緣、依應見——應當了知決擇之法¹。
§2 界之語義——荷擔與安置 〔CSCD §517〕
其中，「依義」——見故為眼；現色故為色；眼之識為眼識——先依這樣等等的方法，應當依眼等等的別義了知決擇之法。而依通義：它施設，它被持，它是施設之法，由它而被施設，或者在它之中被安置——所以叫作「界」²。因為世間的諸界，在成為因而得確定以後，就像金銀等等的礦施設金銀等等一樣，施設種種的輪迴之苦。並且就像重擔為擔者所持一樣，它們為有情所持——意思是被荷擔著。而它唯是苦的施設而已，因為它不自在。並且以這些為作具，輪迴之苦就為有情所隨施設；而這樣被施設了的〔苦〕，也就在這些〔界〕之中被持——意思是被安置。這樣，眼等等之中的每一法都依其所應而施設、被持等等——依這樣的義而稱為「界」。
§3 界名之三比與「唯無命」之義 〔CSCD §518〕
此外，正如外道所謂的「我」依自性是不存在的，這些卻不是那樣：它們持著自己的自性，所以是「界」。又如在世間，雌黃、雄黃³等等種種山石之分被稱為「界」，這些也同樣像那些界一樣是「界」；因為這些智與所知之分也是種種的。或者，正如對於名為身體的總聚的諸分——對於那些為互不同分之相所限的津液、血液等等——有「界」之名，也應當知道：對於這些名為五蘊的自體之諸分，同樣有「界」之名；因為這些眼等等也是為互不同分之相所限的。此外，「界」這個詞唯是無命者的稱謂。因為世尊在「比丘啊，這個人是六界的」這樣等等之中，正是為了根除命者之想而作了界之教說。
所以，依如上所說的義：它既是眼、又是界，所以是眼界……乃至（廣說如前）……它既是意識、又是界，所以是意識界。先應當這樣在這裡依義了知決擇之法。
§4 相等與次第——因果之次 〔CSCD §519〕
「依相等等」——在這裡還應當依眼等等的相等等了知決擇之法。而它們的那些相等等，就應當依蘊之解釋中所說的方法來了知⁴。
「依次第」——在這裡，於前面所說的生次第等等之中，也唯有說次第是相應的。而這個〔說次第〕是依因與果的前後確定而說的：眼界與色界這二者是因，眼識界是果。一切處都是這樣。
§5 爾所之量——他處所說諸界皆攝於十八 〔CSCD §520〕
「依爾所」——就是依其為那麼多。所說的是這個：在經與論的這裡那裡，還見到「光界、淨界、空無邊處界、識無邊處界、無所有處界、非想非非想處界、想受滅界」，「欲界、瞋恚界、害界、出離界、無瞋界、無害界」，「樂界、苦界、喜界、憂界、捨界、無明界」，「發勤界、精勤界、勇猛界」⁵，「劣界、中界、勝界」，「地界、水界、火界、風界、空界、識界」，「有為界、無為界」，「世間是多界、異界」這樣等等的其他諸界。既然這樣，如果有人問：為什麼不依這一切而作限定，卻唯作「十八」這樣的限定呢？〔那麼答：〕因為一切自性上實有的界都包含在其中。
因為光界就是色界；而淨界則是繫屬於色等等的。為什麼呢？因為它是淨相之故。因為淨界就是淨相，而那是離了色等等就不存在的。或者，作為善異熟之所緣的色等等就是淨界——所以它唯是色等等而已。在空無邊處界等等之中，心就是意識界，其餘的是法界。而想受滅界依自性是不存在的，因為它唯是二界之滅而已。
欲界或者唯是法界。如所說的：「其中，什麼是欲界呢？與欲相應的思、尋、邪思惟。」或者也就是十八界。如所說的：「下以無間地獄為邊際，上把他化自在天諸天包含在內，在這中間所行、所攝的蘊、界、處——色、受、想、行、識，這就叫作欲界。」
出離界就是法界；而由於有「一切善法都是出離界」這樣的話，所以它也就是意識界。瞋恚、害、無瞋、無害、樂、苦、喜、憂、捨、無明、發勤、精勤、勇猛諸界，就是法界。
劣、中、勝諸界唯是十八界而已。因為劣的眼等等是劣界，中的與勝的〔眼等等〕就是中界與勝界。而依究竟義⁶：不善的法界與意識界是劣界；世間的善與無記二者，以及眼界等等，是中界；而出世間的法界與意識界是勝界。
地界、火界、風界就是觸界；水界與空界就是法界。識界就是眼識界等等七識界的略攝。
十七界與法界的一分是有為界；而無為界就是法界的一分。至於「多界異界的世間」，唯是十八界的差別而已。這樣，由於一切自性上實有的界都包含在其中，就唯說了十八。
§6 破命者想與應機而說之偈 〔CSCD §521〕
此外，為了根除那些於以識知為自性的識上作命者之想的人的〔那個〕想，也就唯說了十八。因為有些有情於以識知為自性的識上作命者之想；世尊向他們顯示了那〔識〕依眼界、耳界、鼻界、舌界、身界、意界與意識界的差別而有多種⁷，並且由於其轉起繫屬於眼與色等等之緣而是無常的——世尊想要根除他們長夜隨眠的命者之想，就顯示了十八界。還有什麼呢？同樣也是依所化者的意樂。凡是以這不太略也不太廣的教說而堪受教化的有情，依他們的意樂，也就唯顯示了十八。
因為祂以略與廣的方法， 隨其所宜而那樣那樣地顯示法； 於是所化有情心中的闇，為正法的威光所摧， 剎那之間便歸於消滅。
在這裡就應當這樣依爾所了知決擇之法。
§7 算與緣——十八界之法數與緣之分 〔CSCD §522–523〕
「依算」——先說眼界，它依種類、依眼淨色而唯稱之為一法；耳、鼻、舌、身、色、聲、香、味諸界也同樣，依耳淨色等等〔而稱之為一法〕；而觸界依地、火、風而稱之為三法。眼識界依善異熟與不善異熟而稱之為二法，耳、鼻、舌、身識界也同樣。而意界依五門轉向與善異熟、不善異熟的領受⁸而稱之為三法。法界依三無色蘊、十六細色與無為界而稱之為二十法。意識界依其餘的善、不善、無記識而稱之為七十六法。在這裡也應當這樣依算了知決擇之法。
「依緣」——而在這裡，先說眼界，它依不相應緣、前生緣、有緣、不離緣、依止緣、根緣⁹，以六種緣而為眼識界之緣；色界依前生緣、有緣、不離緣、所緣緣，以四種緣而為〔其〕緣。耳界、聲界等等對於耳識界等等也是這樣。而轉向意界依無間緣、等無間緣、無緣、離緣、無間親依止緣，以五種緣而為它們五者之緣；那五者也〔同樣〕為領受意界之緣。同樣，領受意界為推度意識界之緣，它為確定意識界之緣，確定意識界為速行意識界之緣。而速行意識界對於無間的速行意識界，則以那五種緣加上習行緣，以六種緣而為其緣。這先是五門之中的方法。
而在意門，有分意識界為轉向意識界〔之緣〕，轉向意識界為速行意識界之緣——都以前面的五種緣而為緣。至於法界，則依俱生緣、相互緣、依止緣、相應緣、有緣、不離緣等等，以多種方式而為那七識界之緣。而眼界等等以及一分法界，也依所緣緣等等而為一分意識界之緣。並且對於眼識界等等，不僅眼與色等等是緣，光等等也是。所以先師們¹⁰說——
「緣於眼、色、光與作意，眼識生起。緣於耳、聲、空隙與作意，耳識生起。緣於鼻、香、風與作意，鼻識生起。緣於舌、味、水與作意，舌識生起。緣於身、觸、地與作意，身識生起。緣於有分意、法與作意，意識生起。」
這裡所說的是略；而緣的差別的廣說，將在緣起之解釋中顯明——在這裡也應當這樣依緣了知決擇之法。
§8 應見——鼓鏡甘蔗鑽木諸譬 〔CSCD §524〕
「依應見」——意思是在這裡還應當依應見了知決擇之法。因為一切有為的界都應當依離前際後際、依空無常淨樂我之性、依其轉起繫屬於緣而見。
而在這裡特別是：眼界應當看作像鼓面，色界像桴，眼識界像聲。同樣，眼界像鏡面，色界像臉，眼識界像臉的影像。或者，眼界像甘蔗與胡麻，色界像榨機的輪與杆，眼識界像蔗汁與麻油。同樣，眼界像下鑽木，色界像上鑽木，眼識界像火。耳界等等也是這個方法。
而意界應當依其所應，看作像眼識界等等的先行者與隨行者。
法界之中的受蘊應當看作像箭、像刺。想蘊與行蘊像因受之箭與刺的相應而成的病人；或者，凡夫的想像空拳¹¹，因為它產生希求之苦；〔又〕像林中之鹿，因為它取不如實之相。諸行像把人投入炭火坑的人，因為它們把〔人〕投入結生。生像為王之人所追的賊，因為苦隨逐著它；〔又〕像毒樹的種子，因為它是帶來一切不利的蘊相續之因。色應當看作像剃刀輪，因為它是種種禍之相。而無為界應當依不死、依寂靜、依安穩而見¹²。為什麼呢？因為它是那帶來一切不利者的對治。
意識界應當看作：像林中之猿，因為它於諸所緣沒有確定；像劣馬，因為它難調；像擲向空中的杖，因為它隨處墮落；像舞臺上的伶人，因為它與貪、瞋等等種種煩惱之裝相應。
於為令善人歡喜而造的《清淨道論》中
慧之修習之章裡
名為處界之解釋的
第十五品〔已竟〕。
註
¹ 決擇（vinicchaya）：本論釋一法門之體裁——立數門而逐門定其義，門盡而其法門乃決。本篇之七門即義、相等、次第、爾所、算、緣、應見，逐門之末皆以「應當了知決擇之法」收。前一單元之十二處立六門，其目與此相承而不全同。
² 施設・被持（vidahati・dhīyate）：「界」之通義所本之二語——界施設輪迴之苦，而所施設之苦又為界所持、所安置。
³ 雌黃・雄黃（haritāla・manosila）：山石之中所出、色相各異之礦；論以其種種而喻諸界之雜多。
⁴ 相等等（lakkhaṇādi）：即相、味、現起、近因四事。十八界之四事於本論〈蘊〉之品逐一已立，本篇迴指彼品而不重出——與前一單元之相門同式。
⁵ 發勤界・精勤界・勇猛界（ārambhadhātu・nikkamadhātu・parakkamadhātu）：三者皆精進之異名而所取之義有別；本篇唯舉其名，而下文判其攝於法界。三名之漢讀本編作如上。
⁶ 究竟義（nippariyāyena）：不假方便而直就法之自體說；與「方便義」相對。上文之劣中勝三界為方便義之判，此下為究竟義之判。
⁷ 依眼界等等之差別而有多種：本句之列逐字作眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意界與意識界；所顯之義則在識之非一。
⁸ 五門轉向・領受・推度・確定・速行（pañcadvārāvajjana・sampaṭicchana・santīraṇa・voṭṭhabbana・javana）：五門心路之次第諸位；其全說在本論〈蘊〉之品。
⁹ 不相應緣等等：本篇所舉之不相應、前生、有、不離、依止、根、所緣、無間、等無間、無、離、無間親依止、習行、俱生、相互、相應諸緣，皆二十四緣之目；論自陳其廣說不在本篇而在〈緣起〉之品。
¹⁰ 先師（pubbācariyā）：論所引之前代阿闍梨之說；本篇唯此一處，論引之而不加判。
¹¹ 空拳（rittamuṭṭhi）：空無所有之拳；論以之喻凡夫之想能生希求之苦。
¹² 不死・寂靜・安穩：論以此三而見無為界，其所以即在其為「帶來一切不利者之對治」。
The vernacular of this unit is this edition’s own rendering-with-exposition from the Pāli original (tr. mine); see this unit’s apparatus for the base-text particulars.
§1 The List of the Eighteen Elements and the Verse on Analysis 〔CSCD §517〕
Detailed Discussion of the Elements
“Next, the elements” are the eighteen elements: the eye element, visible-form element, eye-consciousness element, ear element, sound element, ear-consciousness element, nose element, odor element, nose-consciousness element, tongue element, taste element, tongue-consciousness element, body element, touch element, body-consciousness element, mind element, phenomena element, and mind-consciousness element. Of these—
By meaning, characteristic and the rest, order, extent and enumeration, And then by conditions and how they should be seen—the analysis should be understood.¹
§2 The Meaning of Element—Bearing a Burden and Depositing 〔CSCD §517〕
Here, “by meaning”: it is the eye because it sees; it is visible form because it displays form; the consciousness of the eye is eye-consciousness. First, by this method and so forth, the analysis should be understood according to the distinctive meanings of eye and the rest. As to the common meaning: it arranges, it is borne, it is an arranging, through it something is arranged, or in it something is deposited—thus it is an “element.”² For after being determined as causes, the elements of the world arrange the manifold suffering of saṃsāra, just as mines of gold, silver, and the rest arrange gold, silver, and the rest. And as a burden is borne by bearers, so they are borne by beings—that is, they are carried as burdens. It is only an arranging of suffering, because it proceeds without mastery. And with these as instruments, the suffering of saṃsāra is correspondingly arranged by beings; suffering thus arranged is also borne within these—that is, deposited in them. In this way each phenomenon among eye and the rest, as applicable, arranges, is borne, and so forth. From these meanings it is called an “element.”
§3 Three Comparisons for the Name Element and the Meaning “Merely Lifeless” 〔CSCD §518〕
Furthermore, unlike the “self” spoken of by other sectarians, which does not exist by intrinsic nature, these do bear their own intrinsic nature; hence they are elements. Again, just as the various kinds of mountain stone in the world, such as orpiment and realgar,³ are called “elements,” so these are elements like those elements, because these divisions of knowledge and what is known are likewise varied. Or just as the parts of the aggregate called a body—fluids, blood, and the rest, each delimited by a characteristic dissimilar to the others—are called “elements,” so it should be understood that the parts of the individuality called the five aggregates are also called “elements,” since eye and the rest are each delimited by characteristics dissimilar to one another. Moreover, the word “element” is a designation for what is merely lifeless. For in such statements as “Bhikkhu, this person has six elements,” the Blessed One gave the teaching on elements precisely in order to eradicate the notion of a living principle.
Therefore, according to the meaning stated above, it is both eye and an element, hence the eye element … and so on as before … it is both mind-consciousness and an element, hence the mind-consciousness element. The analysis here should first be understood in this way according to meaning.
§4 Characteristic and the Rest, and Order—The Sequence of Cause and Effect 〔CSCD §519〕
“By characteristic and the rest”: here the analysis should also be understood according to the characteristic and the rest of eye and the others. Their characteristics and the rest should be understood by the method stated in the exposition of the aggregates.⁴
“By order”: here too, among the orders of arising and so forth stated earlier, only the order of teaching is appropriate. This [order of teaching] is stated by determining the before and after of cause and effect: the eye element and visible-form element are causes, and the eye-consciousness element is the effect. It is the same in every case.
§5 Their Extent—Every Element Taught Elsewhere Is Included in the Eighteen 〔CSCD §520〕
“By extent” means according to their being precisely this many. What is meant is this: elsewhere in the discourses and treatises there are also found “the luminosity element, beautiful element, infinite-space-base element, infinite-consciousness-base element, nothingness-base element, neither-perception-nor-non-perception-base element, and cessation-of-perception-and-feeling element”; “the sensuality element, ill-will element, harmfulness element, renunciation element, non-ill-will element, and harmlessness element”; “the pleasure element, pain element, joy element, grief element, equanimity element, and ignorance element”; “the element of initiation, element of launching forth, and element of advancing”;⁵ “the inferior element, middle element, and superior element”; “the earth element, water element, fire element, air element, space element, and consciousness element”; “the conditioned element and unconditioned element”; and such other elements as “the world of many and diverse elements.” If so, one may ask, “Why is the limit not established according to all of these, but established as precisely eighteen?” [The answer is:] because every element that really exists by intrinsic nature is included within them.
For the luminosity element is simply the visible-form element. The beautiful element is connected with visible form and the rest. Why? Because it is a beautiful sign. The beautiful element is the beautiful sign, and that does not exist apart from visible form and the rest. Or visible form and the rest as objects of wholesome resultants are the beautiful element; hence it is simply visible form and the rest. Among the elements of the infinite-space base and the rest, the mind is the mind-consciousness element and the remainder is the phenomena element. The cessation-of-perception-and-feeling element does not exist by intrinsic nature, since it is only the cessation of two elements.
The sensuality element may be only the phenomena element. As it is said: “Therein, what is the sensuality element? Thought associated with sensuality, applied thought, and wrong intention.” Or it may be all eighteen elements. As it is said: “With the Avīci hell as its lower boundary and the devas wielding power over others’ creations included at the upper boundary, the aggregates, elements, and bases—form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness—that occur and are included between these: this is called the sensuality element.”
The renunciation element is the phenomena element; and because it is said that “all wholesome phenomena are the renunciation element,” it is also the mind-consciousness element. The elements of ill will, harmfulness, non-ill-will, harmlessness, pleasure, pain, joy, grief, equanimity, ignorance, initiation, launching forth, and advancing are the phenomena element.
The inferior, middle, and superior elements are simply the eighteen elements. Inferior eye and the rest are the inferior element; those that are middle and superior are the middle and superior elements. In the ultimate sense,⁶ the unwholesome phenomena element and mind-consciousness element are inferior; the mundane wholesome and indeterminate elements, together with the eye element and the rest, are middle; and the supramundane phenomena element and mind-consciousness element are superior.
The earth, fire, and air elements are the touch element; the water and space elements are the phenomena element. The consciousness element is a brief designation for the seven consciousness elements beginning with eye-consciousness.
The seventeen elements and one part of the phenomena element are the conditioned element; the unconditioned element is one part of the phenomena element. As for “the world of many and diverse elements,” it is only the differentiation of the eighteen elements. Thus, because every element that really exists by intrinsic nature is included within them, only eighteen are stated.
§6 Eradicating the Notion of a Living Principle and the Verse on Teaching According to Disposition 〔CSCD §521〕
Furthermore, only eighteen are stated in order to eradicate the notion held by those who conceive a living principle in consciousness, whose nature is cognizing. Some beings conceive a living principle in consciousness, whose nature is cognizing. To them the Blessed One showed that [consciousness] is manifold according to the distinctions of the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind elements and the mind-consciousness element,⁷ and that it is impermanent because its occurrence depends on conditions beginning with eye and visible form. Wishing to eradicate the notion of a living principle that had lain dormant in them throughout the long night, the Blessed One showed the eighteen elements. And what else? He likewise did so according to the dispositions of those to be guided. For beings capable of being guided through a teaching neither too brief nor too detailed, he showed only the eighteen in accordance with their dispositions.
Because by methods both brief and detailed, He shows the Dhamma in whatever way is fitting; The darkness within the hearts of those to be guided, struck by the radiance of true Dhamma, In a single moment comes to dissolution.
The analysis here should be understood in this way by extent.
§7 Enumeration and Conditions—The Number of Phenomena in the Eighteen Elements and Their Conditional Relations 〔CSCD §522–523〕
“By enumeration”: first, the eye element is counted as only one phenomenon by kind, namely eye-sensitivity. The ear, nose, tongue, body, visible-form, sound, odor, and taste elements are likewise counted as one phenomenon each, beginning with ear-sensitivity. The touch element is counted as three phenomena, according to earth, fire, and air. The eye-consciousness element is counted as two phenomena, wholesome resultant and unwholesome resultant; the same applies to the ear-, nose-, tongue-, and body-consciousness elements. The mind element is counted as three phenomena: five-door adverting and wholesome-resultant and unwholesome-resultant receiving.⁸ The phenomena element is counted as twenty phenomena: the three immaterial aggregates, sixteen kinds of subtle materiality, and the unconditioned element. The mind-consciousness element is counted as seventy-six phenomena, according to the remaining wholesome, unwholesome, and indeterminate consciousnesses. The analysis here should be understood in this way by enumeration.
“By conditions”: here, first, the eye element conditions the eye-consciousness element in six ways—by dissociation, prenascence, presence, nondeparture, support, and faculty conditions;⁹ the visible-form element conditions it in four ways—by prenascence, presence, nondeparture, and object conditions. The ear and sound elements condition ear-consciousness, and so forth, in the same way. The adverting mind element conditions those five consciousness elements in five ways—by proximity, contiguity, absence, disappearance, and proximity decisive support conditions; those five likewise condition the receiving mind element. In the same way, the receiving mind element conditions the investigating mind-consciousness element; that conditions the determining mind-consciousness element; and the determining mind-consciousness element conditions the impulsion mind-consciousness element. An impulsion mind-consciousness element conditions the immediately following impulsion mind-consciousness element in six ways, by adding repetition condition to those five. This is first the method at the five doors.
At the mind door, the life-continuum mind-consciousness element conditions the adverting mind-consciousness element, and the adverting mind-consciousness element conditions the impulsion mind-consciousness element—each by the preceding five conditions. As for the phenomena element, it conditions the seven consciousness elements in many ways, by conascence, mutuality, support, association, presence, nondeparture, and so forth. The eye element and the rest, together with one part of the phenomena element, also condition part of the mind-consciousness element by object condition and so forth. And for the eye-consciousness element and the rest, not only eye and visible form and the rest are conditions; light and the rest are conditions too. Therefore the earlier teachers¹⁰ said—
“Dependent on eye, visible form, light, and attention, eye-consciousness arises. Dependent on ear, sound, an aperture, and attention, ear-consciousness arises. Dependent on nose, odor, air, and attention, nose-consciousness arises. Dependent on tongue, taste, water, and attention, tongue-consciousness arises. Dependent on body, touch, earth, and attention, body-consciousness arises. Dependent on the life-continuum mind, phenomena, and attention, mind-consciousness arises.”
What has been stated here is in brief. The detailed divisions of conditions will become clear in the exposition of dependent arising. The analysis here should also be understood in this way according to conditions.
§8 How They Should Be Seen—The Similes of the Drum, Mirror, Sugarcane, and Fire Sticks 〔CSCD §524〕
“By how they should be seen” means that the analysis here should also be understood according to how the elements should be seen. For all conditioned elements should be seen as devoid of a prior and later limit, empty of the nature of permanence, purity, pleasure, and self, and proceeding in dependence on conditions.
In particular, the eye element should be regarded as like a drumhead, the visible-form element like the drumstick, and the eye-consciousness element like the sound. Likewise, the eye element is like the surface of a mirror, the visible-form element like a face, and the eye-consciousness element like the reflected image of the face. Or the eye element is like sugarcane and sesame, the visible-form element like the wheel and shaft of a press, and the eye-consciousness element like sugarcane juice and sesame oil. Likewise, the eye element is like the lower fire stick, the visible-form element like the upper fire stick, and the eye-consciousness element like fire. The method is the same for the ear element and the rest.
The mind element should be regarded, as appropriate, as the forerunner and follower of the eye-consciousness element and the rest.
Within the phenomena element, the feeling aggregate should be regarded as like an arrow and a thorn. The perception and formations aggregates are like a sick person afflicted through contact with the arrow and thorn of feeling. Or an ordinary person’s perception is like an empty fist,¹¹ because it generates the suffering of expectation, and like a deer in the forest, because it apprehends a sign contrary to reality. Formations are like people who cast someone into a pit of glowing coals, because they cast one into rebirth-linking. Birth is like a thief pursued by the king’s men, because suffering follows it, and like the seed of a poisonous tree, because it is the cause of an aggregate-continuity that brings every harm. Materiality should be regarded as like a razor wheel because it is the sign of manifold calamity. The unconditioned element should be seen as deathless, peace, and security.¹² Why? Because it is the opposite of what brings every harm.
The mind-consciousness element should be regarded as like a monkey in the forest because it has no fixity among objects; like a bad horse because it is difficult to tame; like a stick thrown into the air because it falls wherever it may; and like an actor on a stage because it is associated with the costumes of manifold defilements such as greed and ill will.
In the Visuddhimagga, composed to bring joy to good people,
In the division on the development of wisdom,
The exposition named “Bases and Elements,”
The fifteenth chapter, is concluded.
Notes
¹ Analysis (vinicchaya): the treatise’s format for explaining a doctrinal scheme—it establishes a set of modes and determines the meaning through each in turn; once the modes are exhausted, the scheme has been analyzed. This unit’s seven modes are meaning, characteristic and the rest, order, extent, enumeration, conditions, and how the elements should be seen. Each closes with “the analysis should be understood.” The preceding unit on the twelve bases established six modes, which succeed but do not exactly match these.
² Arranges and is borne (vidahati・dhīyate): the two verbs underlying the common meaning of “element.” An element arranges the suffering of saṃsāra, while the suffering thus arranged is in turn borne and deposited within the elements.
³ Orpiment and realgar (haritāla・manosila): minerals produced in mountain rock and differing in color and appearance. The treatise uses their variety as a simile for the multiplicity of the elements.
⁴ Characteristic and the rest (lakkhaṇādi): characteristic, function, manifestation, and proximate cause. These four aspects of the eighteen elements were established individually in the treatise’s chapter on the aggregates. This unit refers back to that chapter instead of repeating them, in the same manner as the mode of characteristic in the preceding unit.
⁵ The element of initiation, element of launching forth, and element of advancing (ārambhadhātu・nikkamadhātu・parakkamadhātu): all three are names for energy, though each takes a different aspect. This unit gives only their names and below assigns them to the phenomena element. The present edition uses the English readings above.
⁶ In the ultimate sense (nippariyāyena): spoken directly in terms of the phenomena themselves, without a figurative or indirect mode; contrasted with a meaning stated indirectly. The preceding classification of inferior, middle, and superior elements is indirect, while the classification that follows is in the ultimate sense.
⁷ Manifold according to the distinctions beginning with the eye element: the literal list in this sentence is eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind elements, together with the mind-consciousness element. The meaning shown is that consciousness is not one.
⁸ Five-door adverting, receiving, investigating, determining, and impulsion (pañcadvārāvajjana・sampaṭicchana・santīraṇa・voṭṭhabbana・javana): the successive stages in the five-door cognitive process. Their full explanation occurs in the treatise’s chapter on the aggregates.
⁹ Dissociation condition and the rest: the conditions named in this unit—dissociation, prenascence, presence, nondeparture, support, faculty, object, proximity, contiguity, absence, disappearance, proximity decisive support, repetition, conascence, mutuality, and association—are all members of the twenty-four conditions. The treatise itself says that their detailed explanation belongs not to this unit but to the chapter on dependent arising.
¹⁰ Earlier teachers (pubbācariyā): the statement of earlier ācariyas cited by the treatise. It appears only once in this unit, and the treatise cites it without adjudication.
¹¹ Empty fist (rittamuṭṭhi): a fist containing nothing. The treatise uses it as a simile for the perception of ordinary persons because that perception generates the suffering of expectation.
¹² Deathless, peace, and security: the treatise says that the unconditioned element should be seen in these three ways, because it is “the opposite of what brings every harm.”