164. （一六四）分别观法经

I have heard thus:

At one time, the Buddha was traveling in the country of Śrāvastī, staying at the Jeta Grove Anāthapiṇḍada-ārāma.

At that time, the World-Honored One addressed the bhikṣus, saying, "I shall teach you the Dharma, which is wonderful in the beginning, wonderful in the middle, and wonderful in the end, with meaning and phrasing, complete and pure, revealing the holy life. Listen well and pay attention, I shall explain it for you."

At that time, the bhikṣus said, "World-Honored One! We shall listen attentively."

The Buddha said, "Bhikṣu! When you observe in this way, your mind will be scattered externally, not dwelling within, and you will be terrified without accepting it. Bhikṣu! When you observe in this way, your mind will not be scattered externally, dwelling within, not accepting and not being terrified. In this way, there will be no more birth, old age, sickness, and death. This is said to be the end of suffering." Having spoken thus, the Buddha rose from his seat, entered the room, and sat in meditation.

Then the bhikṣus thought, "Venerable friends! Know that the World-Honored One briefly explained this meaning without elaborating, and then rose from his seat and entered the room to sit in meditation: 'Bhikṣu! When you observe in this way, your mind will be scattered externally, not dwelling within, and you will be terrified without accepting it. Bhikṣu! When you observe in this way, your mind will not be scattered externally, dwelling within, not accepting and not being terrified. In this way, there will be no more birth, old age, sickness, and death. This is said to be the end of suffering.'" They further thought, "Venerable friends! Who can elaborate on the meaning briefly explained by the World-Honored One?" They further thought, "Venerable Mahākātyāyana is always praised by the World-Honored One and the wise and virtuous ones. Venerable Mahākātyāyana can elaborate on the meaning briefly explained by the World-Honored One. Venerable friends! Let us go together to Venerable Mahākātyāyana and request him to explain this meaning. If Venerable Mahākātyāyana explains it, we shall uphold it well."

Then the bhikṣus went to Venerable Mahākātyāyana, exchanged greetings, sat to one side, and said, "Venerable Mahākātyāyana! Know that the World-Honored One briefly explained this meaning without elaborating, and then rose from his seat and entered the room to sit in meditation: 'Bhikṣu! When you observe in this way, your mind will be scattered externally, not dwelling within, and you will be terrified without accepting it. Bhikṣu! When you observe in this way, your mind will not be scattered externally, dwelling within, not accepting and not being terrified. In this way, there will be no more birth, old age, sickness, and death. This is said to be the end of suffering.' We then thought, 'Venerable friends! Who can elaborate on the meaning briefly explained by the World-Honored One?' We further thought, 'Venerable Mahākātyāyana is always praised by the World-Honored One and the wise and virtuous ones. Venerable Mahākātyāyana can elaborate on the meaning briefly explained by the World-Honored One.' We only wish that Venerable Mahākātyāyana would explain it out of compassion."

Then Venerable Mahākātyāyana said, "Venerable friends! Listen to my explanation of a parable. The wise understand the meaning through parables. Venerable friends! It is like a person who wants to obtain the fruit. In order to obtain the fruit, he carries an axe into the forest. He sees a large tree with roots, trunk, joints, branches, leaves, flowers, and fruit. He does not touch the roots, trunk, joints, and fruit, but only touches the branches and leaves. The meaning you speak of is also like this. The World-Honored One is present. You should go to him and ask about this meaning. Why? Venerable friends! Know that the World-Honored One is the eye, the wisdom, the meaning, the Dharma, the lord of the Dharma, the leader of the Dharma, who speaks the true meaning, manifests all meanings, and is the World-Honored One. Venerable friends! You should go to the World-Honored One and ask about this meaning: 'World-Honored One! What is this? What is the meaning of this?' As the World-Honored One explains it, you should uphold it well."

The bhikṣus replied, "Yes, Venerable Mahākātyāyana! The World-Honored One is the eye, the wisdom, the meaning, the Dharma, the lord of the Dharma, the leader of the Dharma, who speaks the true meaning, manifests all meanings, and is the World-Honored One. We should go to the World-Honored One and ask about this meaning: 'World-Honored One! What is this? What is the meaning of this?' As the World-Honored One explains it, we will uphold it well. However, Venerable Mahākātyāyana is always praised by the World-Honored One and the wise and virtuous ones. Venerable Mahākātyāyana can elaborate on the meaning briefly explained by the World-Honored One. We only wish that Venerable Mahākātyāyana would explain it out of compassion."

Venerable Mahākātyāyana said to the bhikṣus, "Venerable friends! Listen to what I say. Venerable friends! How does a bhikṣu's mind scatter outside? Venerable friends! When a bhikṣu sees forms with the eye, he recognizes the characteristics of forms, is attached to the characteristics of forms, and is bound by the characteristics of forms. His mind is scattered outside, scattered and scattered. Similarly, with regard to sounds, smells, tastes, tangibles, and dharmas known by the mind, he recognizes the characteristics of dharmas, is attached to the characteristics of dharmas, and is bound by the characteristics of dharmas. His mind is scattered outside, scattered and scattered. Venerable friends! In this way, a bhikṣu's mind scatters outside. Venerable friends! How does a bhikṣu's mind not scatter outside? Venerable friends! When a bhikṣu sees forms with the eye, he does not recognize the characteristics of forms, is not attached to the characteristics of forms, and is not bound by the characteristics of forms. The characteristics of forms do not bind his mind, and it does not scatter outside, scatter and scatter. Similarly, with regard to sounds, smells, tastes, tangibles, and dharmas known by the mind, he does not recognize the characteristics of dharmas, is not attached to the characteristics of dharmas, and is not bound by the characteristics of dharmas. The characteristics of dharmas do not bind his mind, and it does not scatter outside, scatter and scatter. Venerable friends! In this way, a bhikṣu's mind does not scatter outside.

Venerable friends! How does a bhikṣu's mind not dwell internally? Venerable friends! When a bhikṣu, detached from sensual desires, detached from unwholesome states, with directed thought and evaluation, dwells in the joy and bliss born of detachment, having attained the first absorption, his consciousness is attached to the taste of detachment, abides in it, is bound to it, and his consciousness does not dwell internally. Furthermore, venerable friends! When a bhikṣu, with the subsiding of directed thought and evaluation, with internal clarity and one-pointedness of mind, without directed thought, without evaluation, born of concentration, with joy and bliss, dwells having attained the second absorption, his consciousness is attached to the taste of concentration, abides in it, is bound to it, and his consciousness does not dwell internally. Furthermore, venerable friends! When a bhikṣu, detached from joy, detached from suffering, dwells in equanimity, mindfulness, and purity, having attained the third absorption, his consciousness is attached to the taste of equanimity and purity, abides in it, is bound to it, and his consciousness does not dwell internally. Furthermore, venerable friends! When a bhikṣu, with the cessation of pleasure and pain, and the earlier cessation of joy and displeasure, dwells in equanimity, mindfulness, and purity, having attained the fourth absorption, his consciousness is attached to the taste of equanimity and purity, abides in it, is bound to it, and his consciousness does not dwell internally.

Furthermore, venerable friends! When a bhikṣu, transcending all perceptions of form, perceptions of resistance, and perceptions of variety, with the perception of infinite space, dwells having attained the sphere of infinite space, his consciousness is attached to the taste of the knowledge of space, abides in it, is bound to it, and his consciousness does not dwell internally. Furthermore, venerable friends! When a bhikṣu, transcending the sphere of infinite space, with the perception of infinite consciousness, dwells having attained the sphere of infinite consciousness, his consciousness is attached to the taste of the knowledge of consciousness, abides in it, is bound to it, and his consciousness does not dwell internally. Furthermore, venerable friends! When a bhikṣu, transcending the sphere of infinite consciousness, with the perception of nothingness, dwells having attained the sphere of nothingness, his consciousness is attached to the taste of the knowledge of nothingness, abides in it, is bound to it, and his consciousness does not dwell internally. Furthermore, venerable friends! When a bhikṣu, transcending the sphere of nothingness, with the perception of neither perception nor non-perception, dwells having attained the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, his consciousness is attached to the taste of the knowledge of neither perception nor non-perception, abides in it, is bound to it, and his consciousness does not dwell internally. Venerable friends! In this way, a bhikṣu's mind does not dwell internally.

Venerable friends! How does a bhikṣu's mind dwell internally? Venerable friends! When a bhikṣu, detached from sensual desires, detached from unwholesome states, with directed thought and evaluation, dwells in the joy and bliss born of detachment, having attained the first absorption, his consciousness is not attached to the taste of detachment, does not abide in it, is not bound to it, and his consciousness dwells internally. Furthermore, venerable friends! When a bhikṣu, with the subsiding of directed thought and evaluation, with internal clarity and one-pointedness of mind, without directed thought, without evaluation, born of concentration, with joy and bliss, dwells having attained the second absorption, his consciousness is not attached to the taste of concentration, does not abide in it, is not bound to it, and his consciousness dwells internally. Furthermore, venerable friends! When a bhikṣu, detached from joy, detached from suffering, dwells in equanimity, mindfulness, and purity, having attained the third absorption, his consciousness is not attached to the taste of equanimity and purity, does not abide in it, is not bound to it, and his consciousness dwells internally. Furthermore, venerable friends! When a bhikṣu, with the cessation of pleasure and pain, and the earlier cessation of joy and displeasure, dwells in equanimity, mindfulness, and purity, having attained the fourth absorption, his consciousness is not attached to the taste of equanimity and purity, does not abide in it, is not bound to it, and his consciousness dwells internally.

Furthermore, venerable friends! When a bhikṣu, transcending all perceptions of form, perceptions of resistance, and perceptions of variety, with the perception of infinite space, dwells having attained the sphere of infinite space, his consciousness is not attached to the taste of the knowledge of space, does not abide in it, is not bound to it, and his consciousness dwells internally. Furthermore, venerable friends! When a bhikṣu, transcending the sphere of infinite space, with the perception of infinite consciousness, dwells having attained the sphere of infinite consciousness, his consciousness is not attached to the taste of the knowledge of consciousness, does not abide in it, is not bound to it, and his consciousness dwells internally. Furthermore, venerable friends! When a bhikṣu, transcending the sphere of infinite consciousness, with the perception of nothingness, dwells having attained the sphere of nothingness, his consciousness is not attached to the taste of the knowledge of nothingness, does not abide in it, is not bound to it, and his consciousness dwells internally. Furthermore, venerable friends! When a bhikṣu, transcending the sphere of nothingness, with the perception of neither perception nor non-perception, dwells having attained the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, his consciousness is not attached to the taste of the knowledge of neither perception nor non-perception, does not abide in it, is not bound to it, and his consciousness dwells internally. Venerable friends! In this way, a bhikṣu's mind dwells internally.

Venerable friends! How does a bhikṣu not accept and yet be terrified? Venerable friends! When a bhikṣu is not detached from form, not detached from desire for form, not detached from love for form, not detached from thirst for form, venerable friends! If a bhikṣu is not detached from form, not detached from desire for form, not detached from love for form, not detached from thirst for form, he desires form, seeks form, clings to form, abides in form, form is me, form is mine, he desires form, clings to form, abides in form, form is me, form is mine, his consciousness touches form, touches form, changes that form, consciousness turns to form, turns to form, he generates the Dharma of terror, the mind abides in it, because of not knowing the mind, he is frightened, troubled, and terrified without accepting it; so for perception, conception, and volitional formations. When a bhikṣu is not detached from consciousness, not detached from desire for consciousness, not detached from love for consciousness, not detached from thirst for consciousness, venerable friends! If a bhikṣu is not detached from consciousness, not detached from desire for consciousness, not detached from love for consciousness, not detached from thirst for consciousness, he desires consciousness, seeks consciousness, clings to consciousness, abides in consciousness, consciousness is me, consciousness is mine, he desires consciousness, seeks consciousness, clings to consciousness, abides in consciousness, consciousness is me, consciousness is mine, his consciousness touches consciousness, touches consciousness, changes that consciousness, consciousness turns to consciousness, turns to consciousness, he generates the Dharma of terror, the mind abides in it, because of not knowing the mind, he is frightened, troubled, and terrified without accepting it. Venerable friends! In this way, a bhikṣu does not accept terror.

Venerable friends! How does a bhikṣu not accept and not be terrified? Venerable friends! When a bhikṣu is detached from form, detached from desire for form, detached from love for form, detached from thirst for form, venerable friends! If a bhikṣu is detached from form, detached from desire for form, detached from love for form, detached from thirst for form, he does not desire form, does not seek form, does not cling to form, does not abide in form, form is not me, form is not mine. He does not desire form, does not seek form, does not cling to form, does not abide in form, form is not me, form is not mine, his consciousness does not touch form, does not touch form, changes that form, consciousness does not turn to form, does not turn to form, he does not generate the Dharma of terror, the mind does not abide in it, because of knowing the mind, he is not frightened, not troubled, does not accept, and is not terrified; so for perception, conception, and volitional formations. When a bhikṣu is detached from consciousness, detached from desire for consciousness, detached from love for consciousness, detached from thirst for consciousness, venerable friends! If a bhikṣu is detached from consciousness, detached from desire for consciousness, detached from love for consciousness, detached from thirst for consciousness, he does not desire consciousness, does not seek consciousness, does not cling to consciousness, does not abide in consciousness, consciousness is not me, consciousness is not mine. He does not desire consciousness, does not seek consciousness, does not cling to consciousness, does not abide in consciousness, consciousness is not me, consciousness is not mine, his consciousness does not touch consciousness, does not touch consciousness, changes that consciousness, consciousness does not turn to consciousness, does not turn to consciousness, he does not generate the Dharma of terror, the mind does not abide in it, because of knowing the mind, he is not frightened, not troubled, does not accept, and is not terrified. Venerable friends! In this way, a bhikṣu does not accept and is not terrified.

"Venerable friends! The World-Honored One briefly explained this meaning, but did not elaborate on it. He then rose from his seat, entered the room, and sat in meditation. Bhikṣus! If you contemplate in this way, as you contemplate, your mind will be scattered externally, not dwelling internally, and you will be terrified without accepting it. Bhikṣus! If you contemplate in this way, as you contemplate, your mind will not be scattered externally, it will dwell internally, and you will not be terrified without accepting it. In this way, there will be no more birth, old age, sickness, and death. This is said to be the end of suffering. The World-Honored One briefly explained this meaning, but did not elaborate on it. I have explained it in this way with these words and phrases. Venerable friends! You may go to the Buddha and explain it in detail. If it is as the World-Honored One has said, you may then accept and uphold it."

Then the bhikṣus, having heard what Venerable Mahākātyāyana said, accepted and recited it well. They rose from their seats, circumambulated Venerable Mahākātyāyana three times to the right, and departed. They went to where the Buddha was, bowed their heads at his feet, sat to one side, and said: "World-Honored One! The World-Honored One briefly explained this meaning, but did not elaborate on it. He then rose from his seat, entered the room, and sat in meditation. Venerable Mahākātyāyana explained it in this way with these words and phrases."

The World-Honored One, having heard this, praised: "Excellent! Excellent! Among my disciples, there are those with eyes, wisdom, the Dharma, and meaning. Why is this? Because the teacher briefly explains this meaning to the disciples, but does not elaborate on it. The disciples explain it with these words and phrases, just as the bhikṣu Mahākātyāyana has said. You should accept and uphold it in this way. Why is this? Because the meaning of contemplation should be explained in this way."

The Buddha spoke thus. Those bhikṣus, having heard the Buddha's words, joyfully received and practiced them.