清淨道論 白話全本 · 冊23Visuddhimagga · Complete Vernacular · Vol. 23
利益之總說——斷諸煩惱與果等至General Statement of Benefits—Destruction of the Defilements and Fruition Attainment
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 慧修之利益之總說——四利益之目 〔CSCD §854〕
二十三、修慧之利益釋
利益之開示
而前面所說的「修習慧有什麼利益¹」——關於這個，我們在這裡要說。這所謂修習慧，是有數百種利益的；縱使以長久的時間，也不容易把它的利益廣說出來。而略說起來，應當知道它的利益就是這樣：種種煩惱之摧破、聖果之味之領受、入滅盡定²之堪能性、應供性³等之成就。
§2 種種煩惱之摧破與三頌 〔CSCD §855〕
種種煩惱之摧破之論
其中，凡是從名色之分別⁴開始，依有身見等等而說的種種煩惱之摧破，這是世間的修習慧之利益。凡是在聖道剎那，依諸結等等而說的種種煩惱之摧破，應當知道這是出世間的修習慧之利益。
如以猛勢而墮的雷電之於山， 如風勢所起的火之於林； 如有威而熾燃之輪的日之於闇—— 那長夜隨逐而來、作一切無利的 煩惱之網，所修的慧便將它摧破； 因此於此應當知道這現見的利益。
§3 聖果之味之領受——果為實有之二證 〔CSCD §856–857〕
果等至之論
「聖果之味之領受」——不只是煩惱之摧破而已，聖果之味之領受也是修習慧的利益。所謂「聖果」，說的就是入流果等等的沙門果。對它的味之領受有二種行相：在道之心路⁵中的轉起，以及依果等至⁶而有的轉起。其中，它在道之心路中的轉起，前面已經顯示過了。
再者，凡是說「所謂果，就唯是諸結之斷而已，並沒有別的什麼法」的那些人，為了使他們隨順，應當把這部經也舉示出來——「什麼是加行止息之慧為果之智？在入流道剎那，正見以見之義而出於邪見，也出於隨其轉的諸煩惱與諸蘊，並且出於外之一切相。由於那〔加行〕之止息而生起了正見，這就是道之果。」——應當這樣廣說。
還有「四道是不繫的，四沙門果也〔是不繫的〕，這些法是無量所緣」，以及「大法以無間緣而為無量法之緣」等等，於此也都是能成立的。
§4 果等至之八問・其定義與能入之人 〔CSCD §858–860〕
而為了顯示果等至的轉起，這裡有他的這樣一番問之作：什麼是果等至？誰入它？誰不入它？為什麼入？它的入是怎樣的？怎樣住？怎樣出？果之後無間的是什麼？什麼之後無間有果？
其中，「什麼是果等至」——就是聖果於滅之中的安止。
「誰入它，誰不入它」——一切凡夫都不入。為什麼呢？因為未曾證得。而聖者則一切都入。為什麼呢？因為已經證得。不過上位的人不入下位的〔果〕，因為既已至於人之別之性，那〔下位之果〕已經止息了；下位的人也不入上位的，因為未曾證得。他們各各所入的唯是自己的果——這就是此中的決定。
而有些人說：「入流者與一來者也不入。唯上二者入。」他們的理由是這個：這兩種人於定⁷是圓滿行者。可是那並不成其為理由——因為連凡夫也能入自己所得的世間定。何況此中何須思其為理與非理？聖典之中不是已經說了嗎——「什麼是依觀而生起的十種姓法？為得入流道而超越生起、轉起……乃至（廣說如前）……惱、外之行相，所以是種姓。為入流果之等至，一來道……乃至（廣說如前）……為阿羅漢果之等至……為空住之等至……為無相住之等至而超越生起……乃至（廣說如前）……外之行相，所以是種姓。」所以應當於此得決定：一切聖者都入自己各各的果。
§5 何故入與云何入 〔CSCD §861–863〕
「為什麼入」——為了現法樂住⁸。正如國王領受王位之樂、諸天領受天之樂那樣，諸聖者心想「我們要領受聖的出世間樂」，作了時之限定之後，就在所欲的剎那入於果等至。
「它的入是怎樣的，怎樣住，怎樣出」——先說它的入有二種行相：不作意涅槃以外的所緣，以及作意涅槃。如所說的：「賢友，入無相心解脫有二緣：不作意一切相，與作意無相界。」
而此中入之次第是這樣的：希求果等至的聖弟子，到僻靜處獨處退隱⁹，應當依生滅等等而觀諸行。當他次第之觀轉起時，在以行為所緣的種姓智之後無間，心便依果等至而安止於滅。而此中由於傾向果等至之性，即使是有學¹⁰，所生起的也唯是果而不是道。
而有些人說「入流者發起了『我要入果等至』的觀，卻成了一來者；一來者又成了不還者」——對他們應當說：「若是這樣，不還者將成阿羅漢，阿羅漢將成獨覺，獨覺又將成佛了。所以這是完全不成的，而且依聖典本身也已被遮止了。」——這樣的說法也是不可取的。應當取的唯是這個：即使是有學，所生起的也唯是果而不是道。而他的果——如果他所證得的道是屬於初禪的，生起的就唯是屬於初禪的；如果是屬於第二禪等等之中的任何一禪，生起的也就唯是屬於第二禪等等之中的那一禪。它的入就是這樣。
§6 云何住・云何出・果之前後與四頌 〔CSCD §864–866〕
而依「賢友，住於無相心解脫有三緣：不作意一切相，作意無相界，以及先前的預作¹¹」這句話，它的住有三種行相。其中，「先前的預作」，就是入定之前的時之限定。因為既已限定「我要在某某時候出定」，那麼直到那個時候還沒有到來為止，就有住。它的住就是這樣。
而依「賢友，出無相心解脫有二緣：作意一切相，與不作意無相界」這句話，它的出有二種行相。其中，「一切相」，就是色相、受相、想相、行相、識相。雖然他並不是把這一切一時都作意，而這樣說乃是依一切之總攝而說的。所以，凡是成為有分¹²之所緣的，當他作意它時，就有果等至之出——它的出應當這樣知道。
「果之後無間的是什麼，什麼之後無間有果」——先說果之後無間的，或是果，或是有分。而果則有在道之後無間的，有在果之後無間的，有在種姓之後無間的，有在非想非非想處之後無間的。其中，在道之心路裡的是道之後無間；前前之果之後無間有後後之果。在諸果等至之中，前前的是種姓之後無間。而此中的「種姓」，應當知道就是隨順。這在《發趣》中也說了：「阿羅漢的隨順以無間緣而為果等至之緣。諸有學的隨順以無間緣而為果等至之緣。」凡是由那果而從滅〔盡定〕出定的，那就是非想非非想處之後無間。其中，除了在道之心路裡所生起的果之外，其餘一切都名為依果等至而轉起。像這樣，或依在道之心路裡、或依在果等至之中的生起——
熱惱已止息、以不死為所緣而美好、 已吐世之財而寂靜的最上沙門果， 為有食素而清淨的樂所浸潤—— 以那極可意的、如蜜一般的不死者。 那於彼聖者為最上之味的樂， 智者既修習了慧便領受此果〔之樂〕； 所以聖果的這味之領受， 在這裡就說是修觀的利益。
註
¹ 修習慧有什麼利益：此問之立在本書蘊之品之慧之總論，本品即其答；論自標其所答者為前此所立之問。
² 滅盡定（nirodhasamāpatti）：依次第滅而諸心心所法不轉起之等至；其全說在本品之滅盡定之單元。
³ 應供性（āhuneyyabhāva）：堪受供獻之性。「應供」一語於本書六隨念之品為佛之德號（arahaṃ）與僧伽之德之名（āhuneyya），本品之位則為修慧者所成之性——一語數位，各依其處。
⁴ 名色之分別（nāmarūpapariccheda）：以名與色二分而確定其自性；其立在本書見清淨之品，論自標世間慧之利益自此而始。
⁵ 道之心路（maggavīthi）：種姓、道、果三心相續之一路；其示在本書智見清淨之品。
⁶ 果等至（phalasamāpatti）：聖者入於自己所證之果而以涅槃為所緣之等至；本篇以八問明之。
⁷ 定（samādhi）：心與心所於一所緣平等安住而不散亂。依其位有近行定（諸蓋已伏而尚未入安止）與安止定（心全然入於所緣而不動）二級；此處所說之「世間定」即凡夫亦能得者。
⁸ 現法樂住（diṭṭhadhammasukhavihāra）：於此生此身之中，入定而住於安樂；其立在本書定之利益之單元，為修定五利益之第一，本篇以之為入果等至之由。
⁹ 獨處退隱（paṭisallīna）：屏息眾緣而獨自靜處之態；本書第 7、8 品之隨念諸篇於同一語位皆作「獨處退隱」，規範詞表亦同。戒之品之「宴默之樂」（paṭisallānārāma）乃複合之位，一形二位，誌之。
¹⁰ 有學（sekkha）：已入聖道而尚有所應學者，即入流、一來、不還三果之人；與「漏盡者」（阿羅漢）相對。
¹¹ 預作（abhisaṅkhāra）：住之三行相之第三；論自釋其為「入定之前的時之限定」。
¹² 有分（bhavaṅga）：一有之中相續不斷而任持其有的心；心路斷絕時即墮入其中。
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 General Statement of the Benefits of Cultivating Wisdom—the Four Benefits 〔CSCD §854〕
Twenty-three: Exposition of the Benefits of Cultivating Wisdom
Disclosure of the Benefits
As to the question stated earlier, “What are the benefits of cultivating wisdom?¹”—we shall speak about that here. What is called the cultivation of wisdom has benefits numbering in the hundreds; even over a long period, it would not be easy to expound those benefits at length. In brief, however, its benefits should be understood as follows: the destruction of various defilements, the experience of the flavor of noble fruition, the capability of entering cessation attainment,² and the accomplishment of worthiness of offerings³ and so forth.
§2 Destruction of Various Defilements and Three Stanzas 〔CSCD §855〕
Discourse on the Destruction of Various Defilements
Here, the destruction of various defilements spoken of in terms of identity view and so forth, beginning with the defining of mentality-and-materiality,⁴ is a benefit of mundane cultivation of wisdom. The destruction of various defilements spoken of in terms of the fetters and so forth at the moment of the noble path should be understood as a benefit of supramundane cultivation of wisdom.
As a thunderbolt falling with fierce force upon a mountain, As fire raised by the force of wind upon a forest; As the sun, its disk blazing with might, upon the dark— The net of defilements that has followed through the long night, Working every kind of harm, cultivated wisdom destroys; Therefore one should understand here this directly visible benefit.
§3 Experiencing the Flavor of Noble Fruition—the Two Proofs That Fruition Is Real 〔CSCD §856–857〕
Discourse on Fruition Attainment
“Experiencing the flavor of noble fruition”—not only the destruction of defilements, but also experiencing the flavor of noble fruition is a benefit of cultivating wisdom. What is called “noble fruition” refers to the fruits of recluseship, beginning with stream-entry fruition. The experience of its flavor occurs in two modes: its occurrence in the path cognitive process⁵ and its occurrence through fruition attainment.⁶ Of these, its occurrence in the path cognitive process has already been shown.
Furthermore, for the sake of bringing into accord those who say, “What is called fruition is merely the abandonment of the fetters; there is no other phenomenon,” this canonical passage too should be cited: “What is the wisdom of the stilling of exertion that is knowledge of fruition? At the moment of the stream-entry path, right view emerges from wrong view in the sense of seeing; it also emerges from the defilements and aggregates that follow along with it, and from all external signs. Right view arises because that [exertion] has been stilled: this is the fruition of the path.” This should be stated in full.
Moreover, statements such as, “The four paths are not included, and the four fruits of recluseship [are not included]; these phenomena have the measureless as object,” and “An exalted phenomenon is a condition for a measureless phenomenon by proximity condition,” also establish the point here.
§4 The Eight Questions on Fruition Attainment—Its Definition and Those Able to Enter It 〔CSCD §858–860〕
To show the occurrence of fruition attainment, the following questioning is set out here: What is fruition attainment? Who enters it? Who does not enter it? Why do they enter it? How does one enter it? How does one remain in it? How does one emerge from it? What immediately follows fruition? Immediately after what does fruition occur?
Here, “What is fruition attainment?”—it is the absorption of noble fruition in cessation.
“Who enters it, and who does not enter it?”—no ordinary person enters it. Why? Because it has not been attained. All noble ones, however, enter it. Why? Because it has been attained. Yet one at a higher level does not enter a lower [fruition], because, once the state of being a different person has been reached, that [lower fruition] has ceased; nor does one at a lower level enter a higher fruition, because it has not been attained. Each enters only their own fruition—this is the conclusion here.
Some say, “Stream-enterers and once-returners do not enter it either. Only the upper two enter it.” Their reason is that these two kinds of persons are complete practitioners in concentration.⁷ But that does not constitute a reason, for even ordinary persons can enter the mundane concentration they themselves have attained. Moreover, why is there any need here to consider whether this is reasonable or unreasonable? Has it not been stated in the canonical text: “What are the ten change-of-lineage phenomena that arise through insight? For the sake of gaining the stream-entry path, one transcends arising, occurrence ... up to (expanded as above) ... affliction, and external signs, and therefore it is change-of-lineage. For the attainment of stream-entry fruition, the path of once-returning ... up to (expanded as above) ... for the attainment of arahant fruition ... for the attainment of emptiness abiding ... for the attainment of signless abiding, one transcends arising ... up to (expanded as above) ... external signs, and therefore it is change-of-lineage.” Thus one should reach this conclusion here: all noble ones enter their respective fruitions.
§5 Why They Enter and How They Enter 〔CSCD §861–863〕
“Why do they enter it?”—for a pleasant abiding here and now.⁸ Just as kings experience the pleasure of kingship and deities experience divine pleasure, noble ones think, “We shall experience noble supramundane pleasure”; after delimiting the time, they enter fruition attainment at whatever moment they wish.
“How does one enter it, remain in it, and emerge from it?”—first, entry into it occurs in two modes: not attending to any object apart from nibbāna, and attending to nibbāna. As it is said: “Friend, there are two conditions for entering signless liberation of mind: non-attention to all signs and attention to the signless element.”
The sequence of entry here is as follows. A noble disciple who wishes to attain fruition attainment should go to a secluded place, remain alone in retreat,⁹ and contemplate formations in terms of arising and passing away and so forth. As insight proceeds in sequence, immediately after change-of-lineage knowledge with formations as its object, the mind becomes absorbed in cessation through fruition attainment. Here, because of its inclination toward fruition attainment, even for a trainee¹⁰ only fruition, and not the path, arises.
Some say, “A stream-enterer initiates insight with the thought, ‘I shall enter fruition attainment,’ but becomes a once-returner; a once-returner then becomes a non-returner.” They should be told: “If that were so, a non-returner would become an arahant, an arahant would become a Paccekabuddha, and a Paccekabuddha would then become a Buddha. Thus this is entirely untenable and, moreover, it is rejected by the canonical text itself.” This assertion is therefore not to be accepted. What alone should be accepted is this: even for a trainee, only fruition, and not the path, arises. As for that fruition, if the path they attained belonged to the first jhāna, only a fruition belonging to the first jhāna arises; if it belonged to any among the second jhāna and so forth, only a fruition belonging to that jhāna among the second and so forth arises. This is how one enters it.
§6 How One Remains, How One Emerges, What Precedes and Follows Fruition, and Four Stanzas 〔CSCD §864–866〕
According to the statement, “Friend, there are three conditions for remaining in signless liberation of mind: non-attention to all signs, attention to the signless element, and prior preparation,”¹¹ remaining in it occurs in three modes. Here, “prior preparation” is the delimitation of time before entering the attainment. Having delimited, “I shall emerge at such-and-such a time,” one remains until that time arrives. This is how one remains in it.
According to the statement, “Friend, there are two conditions for emerging from signless liberation of mind: attention to all signs and non-attention to the signless element,” emergence from it occurs in two modes. Here, “all signs” are the sign of materiality, the sign of feeling, the sign of perception, the sign of formations, and the sign of consciousness. Although one does not attend to all of these at once, the statement is made by way of comprehending them all. Thus, when one attends to whatever becomes the object of the life-continuum,¹² there is emergence from fruition attainment—its emergence should be understood in this way.
“What immediately follows fruition, and immediately after what does fruition occur?”—first, what immediately follows fruition is either fruition or the life-continuum. Fruition may immediately follow the path, fruition, change-of-lineage, or the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. In the path cognitive process, it immediately follows the path; after each preceding fruition comes each succeeding fruition. In fruition attainments, the first fruition immediately follows change-of-lineage. Here, “change-of-lineage” should be understood as conformity. This is also stated in the Paṭṭhāna: “The conformity of an arahant is a condition for fruition attainment by proximity condition. The conformity of trainees is a condition for fruition attainment by proximity condition.” For one who emerges from cessation [attainment] by means of that fruition, it immediately follows the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. Here, apart from fruition arisen in the path cognitive process, all the rest is called occurrence through fruition attainment. In this way, whether arising in the path cognitive process or in fruition attainment—
With fever stilled, beautiful with the deathless as object, Having vomited out the world’s substance, peaceful—the supreme fruit of recluseship, Suffused with nourishing and purified pleasure— With that utterly agreeable deathless, like honey. The pleasure that is the supreme flavor for that noble one, The wise, having cultivated wisdom, experience this fruition [pleasure]; Therefore this experience of the flavor of noble fruition Is here said to be a benefit of cultivating insight.
Notes
¹ What are the benefits of cultivating wisdom?: This question is posed in the general discussion of wisdom in this treatise’s Aggregates chapter, and this chapter is its answer; the treatise itself marks what it is answering as the question established earlier.
² Cessation attainment (nirodhasamāpatti): an attainment in which mental phenomena—mind and mental factors—do not occur, through their successive cessation; its full account is in this chapter’s unit on cessation attainment.
³ Worthiness of offerings (āhuneyyabhāva): the quality of being fit to receive offerings. In this treatise’s Recollections chapter, “worthy of offerings” names both a quality of the Buddha (arahaṃ) and a quality of the Saṅgha (āhuneyya); here it is a quality accomplished by one who cultivates wisdom—the same wording has several applications, each according to its context.
⁴ Defining mentality-and-materiality (nāmarūpapariccheda): determining their respective natures by distinguishing mentality and materiality; it is established in this treatise’s Purification of View chapter, and the treatise marks this as the starting point of the benefit of mundane wisdom.
⁵ Path cognitive process (maggavīthi): the single succession of the three mind-moments change-of-lineage, path, and fruition; it is presented in this treatise’s Purification by Knowledge and Vision chapter.
⁶ Fruition attainment (phalasamāpatti): the attainment in which a noble one enters the fruition they have attained, with nibbāna as object; this unit explains it through eight questions.
⁷ Concentration (samādhi): the equal and undistracted settling of mind and mental factors on a single object. According to its level, it has two grades: access concentration (the hindrances have been suppressed but absorption has not yet been entered) and absorption concentration (the mind has fully entered and is unmoving upon the object). The “mundane concentration” spoken of here is one that ordinary persons can also attain.
⁸ Pleasant abiding here and now (diṭṭhadhammasukhavihāra): dwelling in the pleasure of attainment in this very life and body; it is established in this treatise’s unit on the benefits of concentration as the first of the five benefits of cultivating concentration, and here it is the reason for entering fruition attainment.
⁹ Remaining alone in retreat (paṭisallīna): the state of being quiet and alone, withdrawn from the many involvements. Units in chapters 7 and 8 of this treatise render the same construction as “go to a secluded place and remain alone in retreat,” as does the normative glossary. “Delight in seclusion” (paṭisallānārāma) in the chapter on virtue occurs in a compound—one form in two contexts, noted here.
¹⁰ Trainee (sekkha): one who has entered the noble path but still has training to undertake, namely persons at the three fruitions of stream-entry, once-return, and non-return; contrasted with one whose influxes are destroyed (an arahant).
¹¹ Prior preparation (abhisaṅkhāra): the third of the three modes of remaining; the treatise itself explains it as “the delimitation of time before entering the attainment.”
¹² Life-continuum (bhavaṅga): the mind that continues uninterruptedly through an existence and sustains it; when a cognitive process ends, the mind falls back into it.
滅盡定Cessation Attainment
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 滅盡定——十一問之目・其定義與能入之人 〔CSCD §867–868〕
滅盡定之論
「入滅盡定之堪能性」——不只是聖果之味之領受而已，應當知道這入滅盡定的堪能性，也是這修習慧的利益。
而此中，為了闡明滅盡定，有這樣一番問之作：什麼是滅盡定？誰入它？誰不入它？在哪裡入？為什麼入？它的入是怎樣的？怎樣住？怎樣出？出定者的心傾向什麼？已死者與入定者有什麼差別？滅盡定是有為的、是無為的，是世間的、是出世間的，是已成的、是未成的？
其中，「什麼是滅盡定」——就是依次第滅而諸心心所法之不轉起。「誰入它，誰不入它」——一切凡夫、入流者、一來者，以及純觀者¹的不還者與諸阿羅漢，都不入。而得八等至的不還者與諸漏盡者，則入。因為說了：「由於具足二力²，由於三行之止息，由於十六種智之行、九種定之行而得自在性的慧，就是滅盡定之智。」而這樣的具足，除了得八等至的不還者與漏盡者之外，別人是沒有的。所以唯是他們入，別人不入。
§2 二力・三行・十六智之行・九定之行・五自在之引 〔CSCD §869〕
「而此中什麼是二力……乃至（廣說如前）……什麼是自在性？」——這裡沒有什麼是我們所應當說的。這一切在那標目之解說中都已經說過了。如所說的——
「所謂『由於二力』，二力就是止力與觀力。什麼是止力？依出離而心之一境性、不散亂，就是止力。依無瞋……依光明想……依不散亂……乃至（廣說如前）……依隨觀捨遣之出息……依隨觀捨遣之入息而心之一境性、不散亂，就是止力。以什麼義為止力？以初禪而於諸蓋不動搖，所以是止力。以第二禪而於尋與伺……乃至（廣說如前）……以非想非非想處之等至而於無所有處想不動搖，所以是止力。於掉舉、於掉舉俱行之諸煩惱、於諸蘊不動搖、不轉動、不戰慄，所以是止力。這就是止力。」
「什麼是觀力？無常隨觀是觀力。苦隨觀……無我隨觀……厭離隨觀……離貪隨觀……滅隨觀……捨遣隨觀是觀力。於色的無常隨觀……乃至（廣說如前）……於色的捨遣隨觀是觀力。於受……於想……於諸行……於識……於眼……乃至（廣說如前）……於老死的無常隨觀。於老死的捨遣隨觀是觀力。以什麼義為觀力？以無常隨觀而於常想不動搖，所以是觀力。以苦隨觀而於樂想不動搖……以無我隨觀而於我想不動搖……以厭離隨觀而於歡喜不動搖……以離貪隨觀而於貪不動搖……以滅隨觀而於集不動搖……以捨遣隨觀而於取不動搖，所以是觀力。於無明、於無明俱行之諸煩惱、於諸蘊不動搖、不轉動、不戰慄，所以是觀力。這就是觀力。」
「所謂『由於三行之止息』——由於哪三行之止息呢？入第二禪者的尋與伺——語行止息了。入第四禪者的入出息——身行止息了。入想受滅³者的想與受——心行止息了。就是由於這三行之止息。」
「所謂『以十六種智之行』——以哪十六種智之行呢？無常隨觀是智之行。苦……無我……厭離……離貪……滅……捨遣……還滅隨觀是智之行。入流道是智之行。入流果之等至是智之行。一來道……乃至（廣說如前）……阿羅漢果之等至是智之行。就是以這十六種智之行。」
「所謂『以九種定之行』——以哪九種定之行呢？初禪是定之行。第二禪……乃至（廣說如前）……非想非非想處之等至是定之行。為得初禪而有尋、伺、喜、樂與心一境性……乃至（廣說如前）……為得非想非非想處之等至而有尋、伺、喜、樂與心一境性。就是以這九種定之行。」
「所謂『自在』，自在有五種⁴——轉向自在、入定自在、住定自在、出定自在、觀察自在。隨所欲之處、隨所欲之時、隨所欲之久而轉向初禪，在轉向上沒有遲鈍，所以是轉向自在。隨所欲之處、隨所欲之時、隨所欲之久而入初禪，在入定上沒有遲鈍，所以是入定自在……乃至（廣說如前）……住持而於住持……乃至（廣說如前）……出而於出……乃至（廣說如前）……觀察而於觀察沒有遲鈍，所以是觀察自在。第二……乃至（廣說如前）……隨所欲之處、隨所欲之時、隨所欲之久而轉向非想非非想處之等至……乃至（廣說如前）……觀察。在觀察上沒有遲鈍，所以是觀察自在。這就是那五種自在。」
§3 最上之說與不還者之力・何處入・何故入 〔CSCD §870–872〕
而此中「以十六種智之行」這一句，乃是最上之說。至於不還者，則是以十四種智之行而有的。若是這樣，一來者以十二種、入流者以十種，為什麼不能有呢？不能有——因為障定的五欲之貪未斷。他們的那〔貪〕未斷，所以止力不圓滿；那既不圓滿，就由於力之不具，而不能入那應以二力而入的滅盡定。而不還者的那〔貪〕已斷，所以他是力圓滿者。由於力圓滿，所以能入。因此世尊說：「出滅〔盡定〕者的非想非非想處善，以無間緣而為果等至之緣。」——因為《發趣》大論中的這句話，是就不還者的出滅〔盡定〕而說的。
「在哪裡入」——在五蘊有⁵中。為什麼呢？因為有次第等至。而在四蘊有中，初禪等等並不生起，所以在那裡不能入。而有些人說：「因為沒有所依⁶。」
「為什麼入」——他們厭於諸行轉起之差別，心想「我們要在現法之中成為無心，證得名為涅槃的滅而安樂住」，所以入。
§4 入之略與入之廣——四禪乃至無所有處 〔CSCD §873–874〕
「它的入是怎樣的」——依止與觀而策勵而上，已作了前行⁷的人，令非想非非想處滅——他的入就是這樣。因為凡是唯依止而策勵而上的，他到了非想非非想處之等至就停住了。而凡是唯依觀而策勵而上的，他到了果等至就停住了。而凡是依二者而策勵而上、作了前行而令非想非非想處滅的，他才入那〔滅盡定〕——這是此中的略說。
而這是其廣說——這裡，想要入滅〔盡定〕的比丘，食事已畢、手足已淨洗，在僻靜之處於善敷之座上結跏趺坐，端正其身，令念⁸現前而坐；他入了初禪出定之後，在那裡觀諸行為無常、為苦、為無我。
而這觀有三種——把握諸行之觀、果等至之觀、滅盡定之觀。其中，把握諸行之觀，或鈍或利，都能成為道的近因。果等至之觀，則唯有利的才可以，如同道之修習。而滅盡定之觀，則須不過鈍也不過利才可以。所以他要以不過鈍不過利之觀，去觀那些諸行。
然後入第二禪出定，在那裡也同樣地觀諸行。然後第三禪……乃至（廣說如前）……然後入識無邊處出定，在那裡也同樣地觀諸行。同樣地入無所有處出定之後，就作四種前行——不損他繫之物、待僧、師之召、命限之定。
§5 前行之一——不損他繫之物 〔CSCD §875〕
其中，「不損他繫之物」——凡是與這比丘不成一繫，而作為他繫之物放著的鉢與衣，或床與椅，或所住之屋，或別的任何資具之類，都應當這樣決意：使它不受損壞，不因火、水、風、賊、鼠等等而毀失。
而這是其決意之法：「這個和這個，在這七日之內，不要被火燒，不要被水漂，不要被風壞，不要被賊取，不要被鼠等等所噬。」這樣決意了，那七日之中它就沒有任何災難。
而不決意的人，就會如大龍長老那樣被火等等所毀。據說，長老為了作母親的優婆夷而入村乞食。優婆夷給了粥，讓他坐在坐堂裡。長老就入滅盡定而坐。當他坐著的時候，坐堂被火燒著了，其餘的比丘各自拿了自己所坐的座位逃走了。村人聚集起來，看見長老，就說：「懶沙門！」火燒盡了草、竹與木，圍著長老而立。人們用瓶取水來熄了火，除去灰，把地塗好，散上花，就合掌而立。長老依所限定的時間出定，看見了他們，心想「我暴露了」，就飛上空中，去了賓伽羅洲。這就叫作「不損他繫之物」。
至於成一繫之物，如所著與所覆之衣，或所坐之座，在那上面就沒有另外決意的事——它由等至之力而受保護，如同尊者珊祇婆那樣。這也是說過的：「尊者珊祇婆有定遍布神變⁹，尊者舍利弗有定遍布神變。」
§6 前行之二三四——僧之待・師之召・命限之定 〔CSCD §876–878〕
「待僧」——就是對僧的等待、盼望；意思是說：直到這位比丘來為止，僧不作僧事。而此中，等待並不是他的前行，對等待的轉向才是前行。所以應當這樣轉向：「若在我入滅〔盡定〕七日而坐的時候，僧要作出罪等等之中的任何一種羯磨，那麼直到有哪位比丘來喚我為止，我就要在那時出定。」這樣作了而入定的人，在那個時候一定會出定。
而凡是不這樣作的，僧集會而看不見他，問「某某比丘在哪裡」，回答說「入滅盡定了」，僧就派某位比丘去：「你去，以僧的話喚他來。」於是那位比丘站在聞之近界之內，只要一說「賢友，僧在等你」，他就出定了。因為僧的命令是這樣地重。所以應當轉向於它，使自己自然出定，這樣去入定。
「師之召」——這裡也一樣，唯有對師之召的轉向才是他的事。所以那也應當這樣轉向：「若在我入滅〔盡定〕七日而坐的時候，師因已生之事而制學處，或因那樣的事之生起而說法，那麼直到有誰來喚我為止，我就要在那時出定。」這樣作了而坐的人，在那個時候一定會出定。
而凡是不這樣作的，師在僧集會時看不見他，問「某某比丘在哪裡」，回答說「入滅盡定了」，就派某位比丘去：「你去，以我的話喚他來。」於是那位比丘站在聞之近界之內，只要一說「師召喚具壽」，他就出定了。因為師之召是這樣地重，所以應當轉向於它，使自己自然出定，這樣去入定。
「命限之定¹⁰」——就是命之期限的限定。這位比丘於命限之定應當十分善巧。他應當先轉向「我的壽行在七日之中會轉起、還是不會轉起」，然後才入定。因為若是對七日之內就要滅的壽行不加轉向就入定，那麼他的滅盡定並不能遮止死亡；由於滅盡定之內沒有死，他就會在中途從等至出來。所以這一項必須轉向了才入定。其餘的即使不轉向也可以，而這一項卻是說必須轉向的。
§7 非想非非想處之後之無心與二喻 〔CSCD §879〕
他這樣入了無所有處出定，作了這前行之後，就入非想非非想處。這樣經過一個或兩個心之次，他就成了無心者，觸於滅。那麼為什麼在他兩個心之上不再有諸心轉起呢？因為那是滅之用力¹¹。就是說：這比丘把止觀二法作成雙運而上八等至，這是次第滅的用力，不是非想非非想處之等至的用力——由於是滅之用力，所以在兩個心之上不再轉起。
而凡是比丘從無所有處出定，不作這前行就入非想非非想處的，他往後就不能成為無心者，卻要退回來，仍舊住在無所有處。此中應當說未曾行過那條路的人之喻——
據說有一個人不曾行過某一條路，途中遇到水澗，或是深的水泥，或是越過〔其上〕而放著的、被烈日所炙的熱石；他不整好所著與所覆之衣就下到澗裡，因為怕濕了資具，又回到岸上站住。踏上熱石，腳被燙了，也又回到這一邊站住。在那裡，正如那個人由於不曾整好所著與所覆之衣，只是剛下到澗裡、剛踏上熱石，就退回來而站在這一邊；同樣地，瑜伽者也由於不曾作前行，只是剛入非想非非想處，就退回來而住於無所有處。
而正如先前曾行過那條路的人，到了那個地方，把一件衣堅固地著上，另一件拿在手裡，越過水澗，或者只是把熱石剛踏一下就過去了；同樣地，作了前行的比丘，一入非想非非想處，往後就成為無心者，觸於滅而住。
§8 住・出・出後之心・死與入定之別・有為之問與二頌 〔CSCD §880–884〕
「怎樣住」——這樣入了之後，它的住是依時之限定，並且依中間沒有壽之盡、沒有僧之待、沒有師之召而有的。
「怎樣出」——不還者是以不還果之生起，阿羅漢是以阿羅漢果之生起——這樣，出有二種。
「出定者的心傾向什麼」——傾向涅槃。因為這也說了：「賢友毘舍佉，從想受滅等至出定的比丘，心是傾遠離、趣遠離、向遠離的。」
「已死者與入定者有什麼差別」——這個義理在經中也已經說了。如所說的：「賢友，凡是已死、已命終的人，他的身行已滅、已止息，語行……心行已滅、已止息，壽已盡，暖已息，諸根已壞。而凡是入想受滅的比丘，他的身行也已滅、已止息，語行……心行已滅、已止息，然而壽未盡，暖未息，諸根未壞。」
而「滅盡定是有為的嗎」等等之問，則不可說它是有為的，也不可說是無為的，不可說是世間的，也不可說是出世間的。為什麼呢？因為自性之無。而由於依入定者之力而名為「所入」，所以說「已成」是可以的，說「未成」則不可以。
這樣，這寂靜的等至為諸聖者所習， 於現法之中而至於「涅槃」之稱—— 智者們修習了聖慧而入於它。 因為這樣，所以這入定的堪能性， 也就說是諸聖道中之慧的利益。
註
¹ 純觀者（sukkhavipassaka）：不得禪而唯以觀為乘者；其名之立在本書智見清淨之品，本篇以之為不能入滅盡定之人。
² 止力・觀力（samathabala・vipassanābala）：依止而於諸蓋等不動搖之力，依觀而於常想等不動搖之力；滅盡定唯以此二力而入。
³ 想受滅（saññāvedayitanirodha）：滅盡定之異名，其義為想與受之止息；論於本篇二名並用而不自標其為一名。
⁴ 五種自在（pañca vasiyo）：轉向、入定、住定、出定、觀察五者之自在；其立與其釋在本書地遍之品，本篇唯引其目。
⁵ 五蘊有・四蘊有（pañcavokārabhava・catuvokārabhava）：五蘊具足之有，與唯有四無色蘊之有；論以初禪等於後者不生起為由，判滅盡定唯於前者可入。
⁶ 所依（vatthu）：色法之中為心心所所依止者。同一語於本書頭陀支之品之位讀作「事物」，一語二位，各依其處。
⁷ 前行（pubbakicca）：入滅盡定之前所當作之四事——不損他繫之物、待僧、師之召、命限之定。
⁸ 念（sati）：憶持所緣而不忘失之心所，論中恆與智、精進、定並行。與今日通行之「正念」一語所指之泛然覺察不同科，宜依本論所立而讀。
⁹ 定遍布神變（samādhivipphārā iddhi）：以定之力遍布而成之神變；十神變之一，其目與其釋在本書神變之品。
¹⁰ 命限之定（addhānapariccheda）：入定之前限定其命之期限。同一語在本品前一單元之位為「時之限定」（限定出定之時），一語二位，各依其處。
¹¹ 用力（payoga）：為成其事而作之努力；論以「滅之用力」答「何故兩個心之上不更轉起」之問。
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 Cessation Attainment—the Eleven Questions, Its Definition, and Those Able to Enter 〔CSCD §867–868〕
Discourse on Cessation Attainment
“The capability of entering cessation attainment”—not only the experience of the flavor of noble fruition, but also this capability of entering cessation attainment should be understood as a benefit of cultivating wisdom.
Here, in order to clarify cessation attainment, the following questioning is set out: What is cessation attainment? Who enters it? Who does not enter it? Where is it entered? Why is it entered? How does one enter it? How does one remain in it? How does one emerge from it? Toward what does the mind of one who has emerged incline? What is the difference between one who has died and one who is in the attainment? Is cessation attainment conditioned or unconditioned, mundane or supramundane, accomplished or unaccomplished?
Here, “What is cessation attainment?”—it is the non-occurrence of mental phenomena, mind and mental factors, through successive cessation. “Who enters it and who does not enter it?”—all ordinary persons, stream-enterers, once-returners, and pure-insight practitioners¹ who are non-returners or arahants do not enter it. Non-returners and those whose taints are destroyed who have attained the eight attainments do enter it. For it is said: “The wisdom that has mastery through being endowed with two powers,² through the stilling of three formations, through sixteen courses of knowledge, and through nine courses of concentration is knowledge of cessation attainment.” Such endowment is found in none apart from non-returners and those whose taints are destroyed who have attained the eight attainments. Therefore only they enter; others do not.
§2 Citation on the Two Powers, Three Formations, Sixteen Courses of Knowledge, Nine Courses of Concentration, and Five Masteries 〔CSCD §869〕
“And here, what are the two powers ... up to (expanded as above) ... what is mastery?”—there is nothing here that we need state. All this has already been stated in the explanation of that synopsis. As it is said:
“In the phrase ‘through two powers,’ the two powers are the power of serenity and the power of insight. What is the power of serenity? One-pointedness of mind and non-distraction based on renunciation are the power of serenity. Based on non-ill-will ... based on the perception of light ... based on non-distraction ... up to (expanded as above) ... one-pointedness of mind and non-distraction with an out-breath contemplating relinquishment ... with an in-breath contemplating relinquishment are the power of serenity. In what sense are they the power of serenity? One is not shaken by the hindrances through the first jhāna, and so it is the power of serenity. One is not shaken by applied thought and sustained thought through the second jhāna ... up to (expanded as above) ... one is not shaken by the perception of the base of nothingness through the attainment of the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, and so it is the power of serenity. One is not shaken, moved, or agitated by restlessness, by the defilements associated with restlessness, or by the aggregates, and so it is the power of serenity. This is the power of serenity.”
“What is the power of insight? Contemplation of impermanence is the power of insight. Contemplation of suffering ... contemplation of not-self ... contemplation of disenchantment ... contemplation of fading away ... contemplation of cessation ... contemplation of relinquishment is the power of insight. Contemplation of the impermanence of materiality ... up to (expanded as above) ... contemplation of the relinquishment of materiality is the power of insight. With feeling ... perception ... formations ... consciousness ... the eye ... up to (expanded as above) ... contemplation of the impermanence of aging-and-death. Contemplation of the relinquishment of aging-and-death is the power of insight. In what sense is it the power of insight? One is not shaken by the perception of permanence through contemplation of impermanence, and so it is the power of insight. One is not shaken by the perception of pleasure through contemplation of suffering ... by the perception of self through contemplation of not-self ... by delight through contemplation of disenchantment ... by lust through contemplation of fading away ... by arising through contemplation of cessation ... by grasping through contemplation of relinquishment, and so it is the power of insight. One is not shaken, moved, or agitated by ignorance, by the defilements associated with ignorance, or by the aggregates, and so it is the power of insight. This is the power of insight.”
“In the phrase ‘through the stilling of three formations’—through the stilling of which three formations? For one who enters the second jhāna, applied thought and sustained thought—the verbal formation—are stilled. For one who enters the fourth jhāna, the in-breaths and out-breaths—the bodily formation—are stilled. For one who enters the cessation of perception and feeling,³ perception and feeling—the mental formation—are stilled. It is through the stilling of these three formations.”
“In the phrase ‘through sixteen courses of knowledge’—through which sixteen courses of knowledge? Contemplation of impermanence is a course of knowledge. Contemplation of suffering ... not-self ... disenchantment ... fading away ... cessation ... relinquishment ... and turning-away is a course of knowledge. The stream-entry path is a course of knowledge. The attainment of stream-entry fruition is a course of knowledge. The path of once-returning ... up to (expanded as above) ... the attainment of arahant fruition is a course of knowledge. It is through these sixteen courses of knowledge.”
“In the phrase ‘through nine courses of concentration’—through which nine courses of concentration? The first jhāna is a course of concentration. The second jhāna ... up to (expanded as above) ... the attainment of the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception is a course of concentration. For the attainment of the first jhāna there are applied thought, sustained thought, rapture, pleasure, and one-pointedness of mind ... up to (expanded as above) ... for the attainment of the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception there are applied thought, sustained thought, rapture, pleasure, and one-pointedness of mind. It is through these nine courses of concentration.”
“In the phrase ‘mastery,’ there are five masteries:⁴ mastery in adverting, mastery in entering, mastery in sustaining, mastery in emerging, and mastery in reviewing. Adverting to the first jhāna at any desired place, at any desired time, and for any desired duration, without sluggishness in adverting, is mastery in adverting. Entering the first jhāna at any desired place, at any desired time, and for any desired duration, without sluggishness in entering, is mastery in entering ... up to (expanded as above) ... sustaining and, in sustaining ... up to (expanded as above) ... emerging and, in emerging ... up to (expanded as above) ... reviewing and, in reviewing, without sluggishness is mastery in reviewing. The second ... up to (expanded as above) ... adverting to the attainment of the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception at any desired place, at any desired time, and for any desired duration ... up to (expanded as above) ... reviewing. There is no sluggishness in reviewing, and so this is mastery in reviewing. These are the five masteries.”
§3 The Supreme Statement, the Non-returner’s Powers, Where It Is Entered, and Why 〔CSCD §870–872〕
Here the phrase “through sixteen courses of knowledge” is a statement in terms of the supreme case. For a non-returner, there are fourteen courses of knowledge. If so, why could a once-returner not have twelve, and a stream-enterer ten? They cannot, because their lust for the five cords of sensual pleasure, which obstructs concentration, has not been abandoned. Because that [lust] has not been abandoned, their power of serenity is incomplete; because it is incomplete, through deficiency of power they cannot enter cessation attainment, which must be entered through two powers. In a non-returner that [lust] has been abandoned, so they have complete power. Because their power is complete, they can enter. Therefore the Blessed One said: “For one emerging from cessation [attainment], the wholesome consciousness of the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception is a condition for fruition attainment by proximity condition.” This statement in the great treatise, the Paṭṭhāna, was made with reference to a non-returner’s emergence from cessation [attainment].
“Where is it entered?”—in five-aggregate becoming.⁵ Why? Because the successive attainments exist there. In four-aggregate becoming, the first jhāna and the rest do not arise, so it cannot be entered there. Some say, “Because there is no basis.”⁶
“Why is it entered?”—wearied by the diversity in the occurrence of formations, they think, “We shall become mindless here and now, attain the cessation called nibbāna, and dwell in pleasure,” and so they enter.
§4 Entry in Brief and in Detail—the Four Jhānas through the Base of Nothingness 〔CSCD §873–874〕
“How does one enter it?”—one who has striven upward through serenity and insight and completed the preliminary work⁷ causes the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception to cease. This is how one enters. One who strives upward through serenity alone stops upon reaching the attainment of the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. One who strives upward through insight alone stops upon reaching fruition attainment. Only one who strives upward through both, completes the preliminary work, and causes the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception to cease enters that [cessation attainment]. This is the brief account here.
The detailed account is as follows. A bhikkhu wishing to enter cessation [attainment], having finished the business of the meal and washed the hands and feet clean, sits down cross-legged on a well-prepared seat in a secluded place, holding the body erect and establishing mindfulness⁸ before them. Having entered the first jhāna and emerged from it, they contemplate the formations there as impermanent, suffering, and not-self.
There are three kinds of this insight: insight that comprehends formations, insight for fruition attainment, and insight for cessation attainment. Of these, insight that comprehends formations, whether sluggish or keen, can serve as the proximate cause of the path. Insight for fruition attainment must be keen, like the development of the path. Insight for cessation attainment must be neither overly sluggish nor overly keen. Therefore one contemplates those formations with insight that is neither overly sluggish nor overly keen.
Then one enters the second jhāna, emerges, and likewise contemplates the formations there. Then the third jhāna ... up to (expanded as above) ... then one enters the base of infinite consciousness, emerges, and likewise contemplates the formations there. Likewise, after entering and emerging from the base of nothingness, one performs four kinds of preliminary work: ensuring that property bound to others is not damaged, awaiting the Saṅgha, the Teacher’s summons, and delimiting the life span.
§5 The First Preliminary Work—Ensuring That Property Bound to Others Is Not Damaged 〔CSCD §875〕
Here, “ensuring that property bound to others is not damaged”: any bowl and robe, bed or chair, dwelling, or other kind of requisite that is left as property not bound to this bhikkhu but bound to others should be resolved upon so that it suffers no damage and is not destroyed by fire, water, wind, thieves, rats, and so forth.
This is the procedure for the resolution: “Within these seven days, let this and this not be burned by fire, carried away by water, damaged by wind, taken by thieves, or gnawed by rats and so forth.” Once resolved upon in this way, it meets no calamity during those seven days.
For one who does not make the resolution, it may be destroyed by fire and so forth, as happened to the Elder Mahānāga. It is said that the elder went to the village for alms on behalf of a female lay devotee who was his mother. She gave him rice gruel and had him sit in the sitting hall. The elder entered cessation attainment and remained seated. While he sat, the sitting hall caught fire; the other bhikkhus each took the seat on which they had been sitting and fled. The villagers gathered, saw the elder, and said, “Lazy ascetic!” The fire consumed the grass, bamboo, and timber and stood encircling the elder. People brought water in pots, extinguished the fire, removed the ashes, replastered the ground, scattered flowers, and stood with palms joined. The elder emerged according to the time he had delimited, saw them, and thought, “I have been exposed.” He flew up into the air and went to Piyaṅgu Island. This is called “ensuring that property bound to others is not damaged.”
As for property bound together with oneself, such as the robes one is wearing and covering oneself with, or the seat on which one is sitting, no separate resolution is needed. It is protected through the power of the attainment itself, as in the case of the Venerable Sañjīva. This too has been said: “The Venerable Sañjīva had supernormal power through the pervasion of concentration;⁹ the Venerable Sāriputta had supernormal power through the pervasion of concentration.”
§6 The Second, Third, and Fourth Preliminary Works—Awaiting the Saṅgha, the Teacher’s Summons, and Delimiting the Life Span 〔CSCD §876–878〕
“Awaiting the Saṅgha” means waiting for and expecting the Saṅgha; that is, the Saṅgha does not perform an act of the Saṅgha until this bhikkhu arrives. Here, the waiting itself is not the preliminary work; adverting to the waiting is the preliminary work. Thus one should advert as follows: “If, while I sit in cessation [attainment] for seven days, the Saṅgha wishes to perform any act such as probation, then I shall emerge at the time a bhikkhu comes to summon me.” One who enters after doing this will certainly emerge at that time.
If one does not do this, the assembled Saṅgha, not seeing them, asks, “Where is such-and-such a bhikkhu?” When told, “They have entered cessation attainment,” the Saṅgha sends a bhikkhu: “Go, summon them in the name of the Saṅgha.” Then, as soon as that bhikkhu stands within hearing range and says, “Friend, the Saṅgha is waiting for you,” they emerge. For the Saṅgha’s command is so weighty. Thus one should advert to it so that one will emerge spontaneously, and enter the attainment in that way.
“The Teacher’s summons”: here too, only adverting to the Teacher’s summons is the required task. Therefore it too should be adverted to as follows: “If, while I sit in cessation [attainment] for seven days, the Teacher lays down a training rule on account of an arisen matter, or teaches Dhamma because such a matter has arisen, then I shall emerge at the time someone comes to summon me.” One who sits after doing this will certainly emerge at that time.
If one does not do this, the Teacher, not seeing them when the Saṅgha has assembled, asks, “Where is such-and-such a bhikkhu?” When told, “They have entered cessation attainment,” he sends a bhikkhu: “Go, summon them in my name.” Then, as soon as that bhikkhu stands within hearing range and says, “The Teacher summons the venerable one,” they emerge. For the Teacher’s summons is so weighty; one should advert to it so that one will emerge spontaneously, and enter the attainment in that way.
“Delimiting the life span”¹⁰ means determining the limit of one’s life. This bhikkhu should be thoroughly skilled in delimiting the life span. Before entering, one should advert: “Will my life formations continue during these seven days, or will they not?” For if one enters without adverting to life formations that will cease within seven days, cessation attainment cannot prevent death. Because death does not occur within cessation attainment, one will emerge from the attainment in the interim. Therefore this item must be adverted to before entry. Adverting to the others may be omitted, but this one is said to require adverting.
§7 Mindlessness after the Base of Neither-Perception-nor-Non-Perception and Two Similes 〔CSCD §879〕
Having thus entered and emerged from the base of nothingness and completed this preliminary work, one enters the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. After one or two mind successions in this way, one becomes mindless and touches cessation. Why do no more minds occur after the second mind? Because this is an exertion toward cessation.¹¹ That is, this bhikkhu makes serenity and insight work in tandem and ascends through the eight attainments. This is an exertion toward successive cessation, not an exertion toward the attainment of the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. Because it is an exertion toward cessation, no more minds occur after the second.
A bhikkhu who emerges from the base of nothingness and enters the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception without performing this preliminary work cannot afterward become mindless; instead, they turn back and remain in the base of nothingness. Here the simile of a person who has not traveled that road should be told:
It is said that a person who has never traveled a certain road comes upon a water-filled ravine, deep watery mud, or a heated stone scorched by the fierce sun and laid across [it]. Without arranging the clothes worn below and above, they descend into the ravine; fearing that their requisites will become wet, they turn back and stand on the bank. Stepping on the heated stone, their feet are scorched, and they again turn back and stand on this side. Just as that person, because they had not arranged the lower and upper garments, merely begins to descend into the ravine or step onto the heated stone and then turns back and stands on this side, so too the yogin, because they have not performed the preliminary work, merely enters the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception and then turns back and remains in the base of nothingness.
Just as a person who has traveled that road before, on reaching the place, puts one garment on securely, takes the other in the hand, and crosses the water-filled ravine, or simply takes a single step on the heated stone and passes over it, so too a bhikkhu who has performed the preliminary work, upon entering the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, afterward becomes mindless, touches cessation, and dwells.
§8 Remaining, Emerging, the Mind after Emergence, the Difference between Death and Attainment, the Question of the Conditioned, and Two Stanzas 〔CSCD §880–884〕
“How does one remain?”—after entering in this way, one remains according to the delimitation of time and provided that, meanwhile, there is no exhaustion of the life span, no awaiting by the Saṅgha, and no summons from the Teacher.
“How does one emerge?”—a non-returner emerges through the arising of non-return fruition, and an arahant through the arising of arahant fruition. Thus emergence is twofold.
“Toward what does the mind of one who has emerged incline?”—it inclines toward nibbāna. For this too is said: “Friend Visākha, the mind of a bhikkhu who has emerged from the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling inclines to seclusion, slopes to seclusion, and tends to seclusion.”
“What is the difference between one who has died and one who is in the attainment?”—this meaning too has been stated in a discourse. As it is said: “Friend, for a person who has died, whose time has come, the bodily formation has ceased and been stilled; the verbal formation ... the mental formation has ceased and been stilled; the life span is exhausted, heat has subsided, and the faculties have broken up. For a bhikkhu who has entered the cessation of perception and feeling, the bodily formation has likewise ceased and been stilled; the verbal formation ... the mental formation has ceased and been stilled; yet the life span is not exhausted, heat has not subsided, and the faculties have not broken up.”
As for the question whether cessation attainment is conditioned and so forth, it cannot be said to be conditioned, nor can it be said to be unconditioned; it cannot be said to be mundane, nor can it be said to be supramundane. Why? Because it has no intrinsic nature. Since it is called an “attainment entered” through the power of the one entering, however, it can be said to be “accomplished,” but not “unaccomplished.”
Thus this peaceful attainment, practiced by noble ones, Comes to be called “nibbāna” here and now— The wise, having cultivated noble wisdom, enter it. Therefore this capability of entering the attainment Is also said to be a benefit of wisdom within the noble paths.
Notes
¹ Pure-insight practitioner (sukkhavipassaka): one who has not attained jhāna and takes insight alone as their vehicle; the term is established in this treatise’s Purification by Knowledge and Vision chapter, and this unit includes such a person among those unable to enter cessation attainment.
² Power of serenity and power of insight (samathabala・vipassanābala): the power through serenity not to be shaken by the hindrances and so forth, and the power through insight not to be shaken by perceptions of permanence and so forth; cessation attainment is entered only through these two powers.
³ Cessation of perception and feeling (saññāvedayitanirodha): another name for cessation attainment, meaning the stilling of perception and feeling; the treatise uses both names in this unit without itself identifying one as an alternative name.
⁴ Five masteries (pañca vasiyo): mastery in adverting, entering, sustaining, emerging, and reviewing; their establishment and explanation are in this treatise’s Earth Kasiṇa chapter, while this unit cites only their headings.
⁵ Five-aggregate becoming and four-aggregate becoming (pañcavokārabhava・catuvokārabhava): becoming complete with all five aggregates and becoming with only the four immaterial aggregates; because the treatise states that the first jhāna and so forth do not arise in the latter, it concludes that cessation attainment can be entered only in the former.
⁶ Basis (vatthu): that among material phenomena which serves as the basis for mind and mental factors. The same term in this treatise’s chapter on ascetic practices is read as “thing”—one term in two contexts, each according to its place.
⁷ Preliminary work (pubbakicca): the four things to be done before entering cessation attainment—ensuring that property bound to others is not damaged, awaiting the Saṅgha, the Teacher’s summons, and delimiting the life span.
⁸ Mindfulness (sati): the mental factor that remembers its object and does not lose it; throughout the treatise it proceeds together with knowledge, energy, and concentration. It belongs to a different category from the generalized awareness commonly indicated by the modern expression “mindfulness,” and should be read according to the definition established in this treatise.
⁹ Supernormal power through the pervasion of concentration (samādhivipphārā iddhi): supernormal power produced by the pervasive force of concentration; one of the ten kinds of supernormal power, whose list and explanation occur in this treatise’s Supernormal Powers chapter.
¹⁰ Delimiting the life span (addhānapariccheda): delimiting the limit of one’s life before entering the attainment. The same term in this chapter’s preceding unit means “delimitation of time” (delimiting the time of emergence)—one term in two contexts, each according to its place.
¹¹ Exertion (payoga): the effort made to accomplish a task; the treatise answers the question “Why do no more minds occur after the second?” with “exertion toward cessation.”
應供等之成就Accomplishment of Worthiness of Offerings and So Forth
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 應供等之成就——總說 〔CSCD §885〕
應供性等之成就之論
「應供性等之成就」——不只是入滅盡定的堪能性而已，應當知道這應供性等之成就，也是這出世間的修習慧的利益。因為無差別地，由於這〔慧〕四種都已修習，已修慧的人就成為含天之世間的應供、應請、應施、應合掌者，是世間無上福田¹。
§2 初二三道之果人 〔CSCD §886–888〕
而此中就其差別來說：先是修習了第一道之慧而以鈍觀而來的鈍根者，名為極七返者²，他在七善趣有之中輪轉之後而作苦之邊際。以中觀而來的中根者，名為家家者³，他奔走輪轉於二家或三家之後而作苦之邊際。以利觀而來的利根者，名為一種子者⁴，他唯生起一次人有之後而作苦之邊際。
修習了第二道之慧的，名為一來者，他唯一次來此世之後而作苦之邊際。
修習了第三道之慧的，名為不還者。他依根之差別而有五種：中般涅槃者、生般涅槃者、無行般涅槃者、有行般涅槃者、上流至色究竟者⁵。他是於此〔世〕捨而究竟的。其中，「中般涅槃者」，是在任何一種淨居有之中受生之後，還沒有到壽之中分就般涅槃。「生般涅槃者」，是過了壽之中分才般涅槃。「無行般涅槃者」，是以無行、無加行而生起上道。「有行般涅槃者」，是以有行、有加行而生起上道。「上流至色究竟者」，是從他所生之處而上，一直升到色究竟有為止，就在那裡般涅槃。
§3 第四道之果人與品之結 〔CSCD §889–890〕
修習了第四道之慧的，有的是信解脫者，有的是慧解脫者，有的是俱分解脫者，有的是三明者，有的是六神通者，有的是得無礙解之差別的大漏盡者。就這一點而說了：「在道之剎那，他名為解那糾結⁶；在果之剎那，他成了糾結已解、含天之世間的最上應施者。」
因為聖慧之修習有這樣多的利益， 所以明智的人應當於其上生起喜樂。
而到此為止——
住於戒之有慧者，修習其心與慧； 熱誠而審慎之比丘，彼能解此糾結。
——由這一偈而以戒、定、慧三門所說示的《清淨道論》之中，有利益的修習慧就已經被闡明了。
於為令善人歡喜而造的《清淨道論》中
慧之修習之章裡
名為修慧之利益之解釋的
第二十三品〔已竟〕。
註
¹ 應供、應請、應施、應合掌、世間無上福田：僧伽之德之後五名，其立與其逐一之釋在本書六隨念之品之僧隨念；本篇以之為修慧者所成。
² 極七返者（sattakkhattuparama）：入流者之第一種；論自釋其為在七善趣有之中輪轉之後而作苦之邊際。
³ 家家者（kolaṃkola）：入流者之第二種；其讀依論之自釋（奔走輪轉於二家或三家）而立，非依其名之字面而析。
⁴ 一種子者（ekabījī）：入流者之第三種；其讀亦依論之自釋（唯生起一次人有）而立。
⁵ 中般涅槃者等五名：不還者依根之差別而分之五種；論於五名皆自釋其義，而其名之字面與所釋未必相即，本編五讀皆依論之自釋而立。
⁶ 糾結（jaṭā）：全書綱領偈之樞語，即如網而交織之渴愛；其釋在本書戒之品之首。
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 Accomplishment of Worthiness of Offerings and So Forth—General Statement 〔CSCD §885〕
Discourse on the Accomplishment of Worthiness of Offerings and So Forth
“Accomplishment of worthiness of offerings and so forth”—not only the capability of entering cessation attainment, but also this accomplishment of worthiness of offerings and so forth should be understood as a benefit of cultivating supramundane wisdom. For without distinction, because all four kinds of this [wisdom] have been cultivated, one who has cultivated wisdom becomes worthy of offerings, worthy of hospitality, worthy of gifts, and worthy of reverential salutation for the world together with its deities, the unsurpassed field of merit for the world.¹
§2 Fruition Attainers of the First, Second, and Third Paths 〔CSCD §886–888〕
Here is the distinction among them. First, one who has cultivated the wisdom of the first path, has dull faculties, and comes through sluggish insight is called a seven-times-at-most person;² after cycling through seven fortunate becomings, they make an end of suffering. One with medium faculties who comes through medium insight is called a clan-to-clan person;³ after running and cycling through two or three families, they make an end of suffering. One with keen faculties who comes through keen insight is called a single-seed person;⁴ after producing just one human becoming, they make an end of suffering.
One who has cultivated the wisdom of the second path is called a once-returner; after coming to this world only once, they make an end of suffering.
One who has cultivated the wisdom of the third path is called a non-returner. According to differences in faculties, there are five kinds: one who attains final nibbāna in the interval, one who attains final nibbāna after landing, one who attains final nibbāna without exertion, one who attains final nibbāna with exertion, and an upstream-goer bound for Akaniṭṭha.⁵ Such a person reaches completion after leaving this [world]. Here, “one who attains final nibbāna in the interval” is one who, after being born in any kind of Pure Abode becoming, attains final nibbāna before reaching the midpoint of the life span. “One who attains final nibbāna after landing” attains final nibbāna after passing the midpoint of the life span. “One who attains final nibbāna without exertion” produces the higher path without exertion or effort. “One who attains final nibbāna with exertion” produces the higher path with exertion and effort. “An upstream-goer bound for Akaniṭṭha” ascends from the place where they are born as far as Akaniṭṭha becoming and attains final nibbāna there.
§3 Fruition Attainers of the Fourth Path and the Close of the Chapter 〔CSCD §889–890〕
Among those who have cultivated the wisdom of the fourth path, some are faith-liberated, some wisdom-liberated, some liberated both ways, some possess the three true knowledges, some possess the six direct knowledges, and some are great ones whose taints are destroyed who have attained the distinctions of discriminative knowledge. With reference to this it was said: “At the moment of the path, they are called one who disentangles that tangle;⁶ at the moment of fruition, having disentangled the tangle, they become the foremost recipient of gifts in the world together with its deities.”
Because the cultivation of noble wisdom has so many benefits, A discerning person should arouse delight in it.
And by this point—
A wise person, established in virtue, developing mind and wisdom; An ardent and prudent bhikkhu—such a one can disentangle this tangle.
—in the Visuddhimagga, taught through the three gateways of virtue, concentration, and wisdom by means of this stanza, the cultivation of wisdom together with its benefits has been elucidated.
In the Visuddhimagga, composed to bring joy to good people,
In the division on the cultivation of wisdom,
The exposition named the Benefits of Cultivating Wisdom,
The twenty-third chapter [is complete].
Notes
¹ Worthy of offerings, worthy of hospitality, worthy of gifts, worthy of reverential salutation, the unsurpassed field of merit for the world: the last five qualities of the Saṅgha, established and explained one by one in the Recollection of the Saṅgha in this treatise’s Recollections chapter; this unit presents them as what a cultivator of wisdom accomplishes.
² Seven-times-at-most person (sattakkhattuparama): the first kind of stream-enterer; the treatise explains this person as one who makes an end of suffering after cycling through seven fortunate becomings.
³ Clan-to-clan person (kolaṃkola): the second kind of stream-enterer; the reading is established according to the treatise’s own explanation (running and cycling through two or three families), not through a literal analysis of the name.
⁴ Single-seed person (ekabījī): the third kind of stream-enterer; this reading too is established according to the treatise’s own explanation (producing only one human becoming).
⁵ One who attains final nibbāna in the interval and the other four: the five kinds of non-returners distinguished according to their faculties; the treatise itself explains all five names, and the literal meaning of a name does not necessarily coincide with its explanation. All five readings in this edition follow the treatise’s own explanations.
⁶ Tangle (jaṭā): the pivotal term of the treatise’s programmatic stanza, namely craving interwoven like a net; it is explained at the beginning of this treatise’s Virtue chapter.
結語——全書之收Conclusion—the Close of the Entire Treatise
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 序偈之重舉與五序頌 〔CSCD §891〕
結分之論
而到此為止——
住於戒之有慧者，修習其心與慧； 熱誠而審慎之比丘，彼能解此糾結¹。
——安立了這一偈之後，我們所曾說的那些話——
如今，對大仙²所說的這一偈， 我要如實解釋它以戒等分別的義理。
〔有些人〕在勝者之教中得到了極難得的出家， 卻不知那攝戒等在內的、安穩而正直的清淨之道；
這裡有些瑜伽者不如實了知，雖然想要清淨， 雖然也在努力，卻不能證得清淨。
為了使他們生起欣悅，我要宣說這決擇極清淨、 依於大寺住者³之說示之法的——
——清淨道；當我宣說時， 一切想要清淨的善士們啊，請恭敬地諦聽。
——那〔清淨道〕，就這樣已經說了。
§2 全書之結頌九偈 〔CSCD §892〕
而其中——
那些戒等分別之義的決擇， 凡是在五部⁴的義注之理中所說的—— 把那一切都集起來，大抵是有決定的， 因為它是離於一切雜亂之過而被顯示的； 所以想要清淨的、有淨慧的瑜伽者們， 於這《清淨道論》上唯應當恭敬。 分別說者中之最勝、上座部者、有名稱者、 大寺住者——生於其族而明智的、 尊者僧伽波羅⁵，淨而省儉之行者、 具律行者、於行道相應者， 心為忍、柔和、慈等等諸德所莊嚴者—— 我接受了他的勸請而作了此〔論〕； 我以欲正法久住之心所得的福之聚， 以它的威力，願一切有情都得安樂。 而這《清淨道論》在此沒有障難， 已以五十八誦分⁶的聖典之文而竟。 正如這樣，也願世間一切依善的人 都無障難，速速地成就其意願。
§3 作者之奧書與末二頌 〔CSCD §895〕
為極清淨的信、覺、精進所莊嚴，具足戒、行、正直、柔和等等諸德之聚，堪能深入自宗與他宗之深奧，具足慧之明敏，於分為三藏教並其義注的師之教有無礙智之威力，為大文法家，具足由〔語之〕成就所生的悅耳而美妙高遠之語之莊嚴，說當說當捨⁷，為論者之最勝，為大詩人，於六神通、無礙解等等種種德所莊嚴的上人法有無礙之覺的、為上座之系之燈的大寺住諸長老之系的莊嚴，有廣大清淨之覺，為諸師所取名為「佛音」，而又應以某一未釋之稱⁸相稱的長老——由他所造的，名為《清淨道論》。
願它久住於世間，為求度世的諸善男子 顯示以戒等而清淨之理， 乃至那心淨而如是者、世間之最上者、大仙的 「佛」這個名字還在世間轉起為止。
於為令善人歡喜而造的《清淨道論》之論說〔已竟〕，
而依聖典之文計之，它是五十八誦分。
《清淨道論》之書竟。
註
¹ 住於戒之有慧者⋯⋯彼能解此糾結：全書之綱領偈，全書廿三品之科皆繫此偈；其立與其逐句之釋在本書戒之品之首。
² 大仙（mahesi）：世尊之稱；本篇二見，一指其說此偈，一指其名之久住。
³ 大寺住者（Mahāvihāravāsī）：本論所依之師承；本篇二見，一在序頌，一在結頌。
⁴ 五部（pañca nikāyā）：本論所本之義注之所屬；論唯出其數而不列其名。
⁵ 尊者僧伽波羅（Bhadantasaṅghapāla）：本論之勸請者，本篇唯一之受請之人名。
⁶ 五十八誦分（aṭṭhapaññāsabhāṇavāra）：論自陳全書之量；本篇二見，一在結頌，一在全書之末行。
⁷ 說當說當捨（yuttamuttavādī）：作者諸德之一；論不釋其義，本編依其複合之字面而讀。
⁸ 未釋之稱：譯底作 mudantakhedakavattabbena，論不自釋其義，其複合之析亦不唯一；本編逐字存其形而闕其漢讀，以俟來哲。
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 Repetition of the Opening Stanza and the Five Introductory Stanzas 〔CSCD §891〕
Discourse of the Concluding Section
And by this point—
A wise person established in virtue develops mind and wisdom; an ardent and prudent bhikkhu—he can disentangle this tangle.¹
—having set out this stanza, those words we spoke were:
Now, concerning this verse spoken by the Great Sage,² I shall explain as it truly is the meaning differentiated as virtue and the rest.
Some have gained the exceedingly rare going forth in the Victor’s Dispensation, yet do not know the secure and direct path to purity that comprises virtue and the rest.
Here, though wishing for purity, some meditators do not know it as it truly is; though they strive, they do not attain purity.
To bring gladness to them, I shall expound the Path of Purity, whose analysis is thoroughly purified and which rests upon the method of teaching of those who dwell at the Great Monastery.³
As I expound it, all good people who desire purity, listen attentively and with care.
—that [Path of Purity] has now been expounded in this way.
§2 Nine Concluding Stanzas for the Entire Treatise 〔CSCD §892〕
And here—
Whatever determinations of meanings distinguished as virtue and the rest Are stated according to the commentarial method of the five Nikāyas,⁴ Having gathered all of them, this is on the whole conclusive, For it is presented free from every fault of confusion; Therefore meditators who desire purity and possess purified wisdom Should devote themselves only to this Visuddhimagga. Foremost among the Vibhajjavādins, of the Theravāda, renowned, One born in the lineage of those who dwell at the Great Monastery, discerning— The Venerable Saṅghapāla,⁵ pure and austere in conduct, Endowed with disciplinary conduct and aligned with the way of practice, Whose mind is adorned with qualities such as patience, gentleness, and loving-kindness— At his request I composed this [treatise]. Through the power of the accumulation of merit I acquired With the wish that the true Dhamma long endure, may all beings attain happiness. And this Visuddhimagga, here without obstruction, Has been completed in canonical wording in fifty-eight recitation sections.⁶ Just so, may all in the world who depend upon what is good Be without obstruction and swiftly accomplish their aspirations.
§3 The Authorial Colophon and the Final Two Stanzas 〔CSCD §895〕
Adorned with utterly purified faith, understanding, and energy; endowed with the aggregate of qualities beginning with virtue, conduct, uprightness, and gentleness; capable of penetrating the depths of his own and other systems; endowed with acuity of wisdom; possessing the power of unobstructed knowledge regarding the Teacher’s Dispensation divided into the Tipiṭaka together with its commentaries; a great grammarian; endowed with the ornament of pleasing, beautiful, and elevated speech born of excellence [in language]; one who speaks what should be spoken and relinquished;⁷ foremost among disputants; a great poet; one whose understanding is unobstructed with respect to the superior human qualities adorned by the six direct knowledges, discriminative knowledges, and so forth; an ornament to the lineage of the elders dwelling at the Great Monastery, those lamps of the elder lineage; possessed of vast and purified understanding; the elder whom the teachers gave the name “Buddhaghosa,” and who should also be addressed by a certain unexplained appellation⁸—composed the work named the Visuddhimagga.
May it long remain in the world, showing to good sons who seek to cross beyond the world The method of purification through virtue and the rest, As long as the name “Buddha” of that one whose mind was purified, The Such One, the world’s foremost, the Great Sage, continues in the world.
The exposition of the Visuddhimagga, composed to bring joy to good people, [is complete],
And when counted by canonical wording it consists of fifty-eight recitation sections.
The book of the Visuddhimagga is complete.
Notes
¹ A wise person established in virtue ... can disentangle this tangle: the programmatic stanza of the entire treatise, to which the structure of all twenty-three chapters is linked; it is established and explained line by line at the beginning of this treatise’s Virtue chapter.
² Great Sage (mahesi): an epithet of the Blessed One; it occurs twice in this unit, once for the speaker of this stanza and once for the endurance of his name.
³ Those who dwell at the Great Monastery (Mahāvihāravāsī): the lineage on which this treatise relies; the term occurs twice in this unit, in the introductory and concluding stanzas.
⁴ Five Nikāyas (pañca nikāyā): the collections to which the commentaries on which this treatise is based belong; the treatise gives only the number and does not list their names.
⁵ Venerable Saṅghapāla (Bhadantasaṅghapāla): the person at whose request this treatise was composed and the only person named as requester in this unit.
⁶ Fifty-eight recitation sections (aṭṭhapaññāsabhāṇavāra): the length the treatise claims for the whole work; it occurs twice in this unit, once in the concluding stanzas and once in the final lines of the treatise.
⁷ One who speaks what should be spoken and relinquished (yuttamuttavādī): one of the author’s qualities; the treatise does not explain its meaning, and this edition reads it according to the surface of the compound.
⁸ Unexplained appellation: the base text reads mudantakhedakavattabbena. The treatise does not explain its meaning, and analysis of the compound is not unique; this edition preserves its form verbatim but leaves its English reading unstated, for future readers.