英語訳
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In the Yonghui era, it was translated into thirty fascicles at Ci'en Temple. This is the current edition. Therefore, since this treatise was composed by Master Vasubandhu, Vasubandhu Bodhisattva is regarded as the founding patriarch. In the great Tang empire, having thoroughly studied the Tripiṭaka, [Xuanzang] skillfully translated and transmitted it. His disciples, Dharma Master Puguang and Dharma Master Fabao, each composed commentaries to explain it. All the other masters without exception studied it. Since its transmission to Japan, it has continued uninterrupted to this day. Through successive transmission continuing the lineage, various temples compete in studying it.
Question: Does this school only expound the Existence school, or does it also incorporate others?
Answer: This treatise properly expounds the Existence school. Therefore, the doctrines it establishes were originally composed based on the Sarvāstivāda school. However, sometimes it befriends the doctrines of the Sūtrānta school. Thus the treatise states: "The doctrines of Kaśmīra are established, and I rely heavily on them to explain the Abhidharma." It also says: "Because what the Sūtrānta school explains does not contradict reason." It accepts and rejects the two schools, having both manifest and hidden purports. Based on these passages, one can understand its meaning.
Question: What does this treatise take as its fundamental doctrine?
Answer: Since it already expounds the Existence school, it explains that all dharmas truly exist, making this its school doctrine. If speaking esoterically, it is not without Sūtrānta doctrines. Now speaking about the manifest intention, it is purely the Existence school. "The three periods are truly real, dharma-essence is eternally existent"—this is generally the doctrine this school discusses. However, regarding the explanation that the three periods are truly real, various explanations are not the same. There are four explanations: First, Venerable Dharmatrāta says: "Due to differences in type, the three periods have distinctions." Second, Venerable Ghoṣa says: "Due to differences in characteristics, the three periods have distinctions." Third, Venerable Vasumitra says: "Due to differences in position, the three periods have distinctions." Fourth, Venerable Buddhadeva says: "Due to differences in dependence, the three periods have distinctions."
Now Master Vasubandhu evaluates all four schools and considers Venerable Vasumitra's to be the best. If it were the Sūtrānta
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school, past and future would have no substance, and only the present would exist.
Since this Abhidharmakośa is Abhidharma, this treatise is an Abhidharma treasury.
Question: What kind of doctrine does this treatise generally clarify?
Answer: These thirty fascicles of the treatise have nine chapters in total: first, the Chapter on Elements; second, the Chapter on Faculties; third, the Chapter on the World; fourth, the Chapter on Karma; fifth, the Chapter on Latent Defilements; sixth, the Chapter on Saints and Nobles; seventh, the Chapter on Knowledge; eighth, the Chapter on Concentration; ninth, the Chapter on Refuting the Self.
A summary verse says: "Elements two, Faculties five, World five, Karma six, Latent three, Saints four, Knowledge two, Concentration two, Refuting Self one—this is called the thirty fascicles of the Kośa."
That Chapter on Refuting the Self, however, does not have separate root verses but merely collects gāthās from the sūtras. Among these nine chapters, the first two chapters generally clarify the defiled and undefiled, while the latter six chapters separately clarify the defiled and undefiled. Within the general clarification, the first Elements chapter clarifies the substance of dharmas, and the next Faculties chapter clarifies the function of dharmas. Among the six chapters of separate clarification, the first three chapters separately clarify the defiled, and the latter three chapters separately clarify the undefiled. In clarifying the defiled, the World chapter clarifies effects, the Karma chapter clarifies causes, and the Latent Defilements chapter clarifies conditions. In clarifying the undefiled, the Saints chapter clarifies effects, the Knowledge chapter clarifies causes, and the Concentration chapter clarifies conditions. The Chapter on Refuting the Self clarifies the principle of non-self.
The doctrinal scope clarified throughout the nine chapters of the entire thirty fascicles is thus.
Question: How many categories does this school use to encompass all dharmas?
Answer: Seventy-five dharmas completely encompass all dharmas. The seventy-five dharmas are: First, material dharmas—there are eleven of these: the five sense faculties, five sense objects, and formless form. Second, mind dharmas—there is only one of these: the six consciousness mind-kings are collectively counted as one. Third, mental factors
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—there are forty-six of these, divided into six categories: ten great ground dharmas, ten great wholesome ground dharmas, six great afflictive ground dharmas, two great unwholesome ground dharmas, ten minor afflictive ground dharmas, eight indeterminate ground dharmas. Combined, there are forty-six, called the six categories of mental factors.
The ten great ground dharmas: the Kośa verse says: "Sensation, perception, volition, contact, desire, wisdom, mindfulness, attention, conviction, and concentration pervade all minds." The ten great wholesome ground dharmas: the same verse says: "Faith and non-negligence, tranquility, equanimity, shame, embarrassment, the two faculties and non-harm, and vigor pervade only wholesome minds." The six great afflictive ground dharmas: the same verse says: "Delusion, dissipation, laziness, faithlessness, dullness, and restlessness are constantly and only defiled." The two great unwholesome ground dharmas: the verse says: "Pervading only unwholesome minds are shamelessness and lack of embarrassment." The ten minor afflictive ground dharmas: the verse says: "Anger, concealment, avarice, jealousy, vexation, harm, resentment, deception, dishonesty, and pride—such categories are called minor afflictive ground dharmas." The eight indeterminate ground dharmas: a summary verse says: "Investigation and analysis, regret and sleep, greed, hatred, pride, and doubt."
Fourth, dharmas not associated with mind—there are fourteen of these. The Kośa verse says: "Dharmas not associated with mind are: acquisition, non-acquisition, commonality, mindlessness, two concentrations, life, characteristics, name-phrases, and similar categories." Fifth, the unconditioned—there are three types: first, cessation through analysis; second, cessation not through analysis; third, space. These are called the seventy-five dharmas.
Among the seventy-five dharmas, the first seventy-two are all conditioned, and the latter three are unconditioned. All dharmas do not exceed these two. Among conditioned dharmas, there are defiled and undefiled. The unconditioned are undefiled.
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In this school, seventy-five [dharmas] are established to encompass all dharmas completely without exception.
Question: In this school, how are the causes and effects of the three vehicles established?
Answer: Among the three vehicles, śrāvakas undergo three lifetimes and sixty kalpas of cultivation to attain results. There are seven stages of skillful means and four levels of results. Pratyekabuddhas undergo four lifetimes and one hundred kalpas to cultivate causes and realize results. They accumulate causal practices and directly ascend to the stage of no-more-learning. There are no multiple stages—only one-directional results. Bodhisattvas undergo three incalculable kalpas cultivating the various perfections. During one hundred kalpas they plant the karma for marks and characteristics. In their final lifetime, on the vajra seat, they sever the fetters and become buddhas. When their transformational connections are exhausted, they enter nirvana without remainder. Thus śrāvakas contemplate the Four Noble Truths, pratyekabuddhas contemplate the twelve links of dependent origination, and bodhisattvas cultivate the six perfections.
Question: How many types of emptiness does this school clarify?
Answer: It only clarifies the emptiness of persons and does not discuss the emptiness of dharmas. The emptiness of persons means eliminating the attachment to self. Among the five aggregates there is no personal self; it is merely the harmonious gathering of the five aggregates that is provisionally called "person." There is no real person. By contemplating thus, one realizes the principle of self-emptiness. However, the essence of dharmas truly exists in the three periods. Due to this doctrine, other schools call this the "school of personal emptiness and dharma existence."
**Satyasiddhi School**
Question: Why is it called the Satyasiddhi school?
Answer: Because it takes the Satyasiddhi treatise as its foundation, it is called the Satyasiddhi school. "Satyasiddhi" means establishing and explaining the true meaning within the Tripiṭaka taught by the Tathāgata. Therefore the treatise master states in his personal reflection: "Therefore I wish to properly discuss the true meaning within the Tripiṭaka."
Question: How many years after the Tathāgata's extinction was this treatise composed, and by whom?
Answer: Nine hundred years after the Tathāgata's extinction