English
English version: 'What is the aspect of loving-kindness (慈相, Ci Xiang)?' To give joy to sentient beings and to make them peaceful and secure, this is called the aspect of loving-kindness. 'What is the aspect of compassion (悲相, Bei Xiang)?' To remove the suffering of sentient beings, to extinguish the root of suffering, to bring them to tranquility, and to have pity on them, this is called the aspect of compassion. 'What is the aspect of joy (喜相, Xi Xiang)?' To be free from the mind of displeasure, and to use the antidote to jealousy, this is called the aspect of joy. 'What is the aspect of equanimity (舍相, She Xiang)?' To abandon the mind of love and aversion, to benefit all sentient beings, because love and aversion are contradictory, and to naturally let things take their course, this is called the aspect of equanimity. 'What are the differences in the grounds (地差别, Di Cha Bie)?' Except for the immeasurable joy, the other three immeasurables should be understood to be in the six grounds. What are the six? They are the future dhyana (禅, Chan), the intermediate dhyana, and the four fundamental dhyanas. These are the six grounds. The first dhyana and the second dhyana have immeasurable joy, while the other three immeasurables pervade the four dhyanas, because immeasurable joy takes the root of joy as its substance. 'Where does it rely (依止何处, Yi Zhi He Chu)?' It relies on the desire realm (欲界, Yu Jie), because the four immeasurables can manifest in the desire realm, and not in other places. Why? Because sentient beings in the desire realm have much suffering. Seeing the suffering of sentient beings, one generates the mind to give them joy; seeing the suffering of sentient beings, one generates the mind to remove their suffering, because the form realm (色界, Se Jie) and the formless realm (无色界, Wu Se Jie) have no suffering. Moreover, the four immeasurables are the antidotes to afflictions such as harm. What does this clarify? It clarifies that the four immeasurables can counteract afflictions such as harm. For this reason, the sutras say: 'Cultivating loving-kindness, achieving lower, middle, and upper levels, one can be free from the mind of harm; cultivating compassion, achieving lower, middle, and upper levels, one can be free from the mind of anger; cultivating joy, achieving lower, middle, and upper levels, one can be free from the mind of displeasure; cultivating equanimity, achieving lower, middle, and upper levels, one can be free from the mind of greed and harm, because the form realm and the formless realm have no greed and harm.' For this reason, the four immeasurables are cultivated in the desire realm, and not in the form realm and the formless realm, and even in the desire realm, only in the three continents, and not in Uttarakuru (郁单越). 'What realm is observed (观何境界, Guan He Jing Jie)?' The observation of loving-kindness is the observation of the realm of joy, the observation of compassion is the observation of the realm of removing suffering, the observation of joy is the observation of the realm of joy, and the observation of equanimity is the observation of the realm of abandonment. 'What dharma is observed (观何法, Guan He Fa)?' It is the observation of the five skandhas (五阴, Wu Yin) of sentient beings in the desire realm, or the observation of two skandhas. If it is of the same kind as the mind, then it is the five skandhas; if it is not of the same kind as the mind, then it is two skandhas; or one observes sentient beings without mind, or one observes sentient beings with one skandha, or one observes sentient beings with two skandhas.' Question: 'There are sutras that say that loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity pervade one direction, the dharma realm of empty space, and so on.' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
至遍覆十方世界，此中唯说观于众生。其义云何？” 答曰：“遍十方者，谓观一切依世界住所有众生，故言遍覆十方世界，非谓遍覆彼器世间。言普遍者，示现依彼器世界住所有众生。 “又初禅地无量观欲界众生，二禅地无量观欲界及初禅，如是乃至四禅地无量观欲界乃至第三禅。又初禅地无量观欲界及初禅，如是乃至四禅地无量观欲界乃至第四禅。又慈观欲界乃至三禅。何以故？以慈心观乐境界故。又乐根从欲界乃至第三禅故，悲观欲界至初禅。何以故？以悲心观苦境界故，以欲界众生多苦恼故。又苦根从欲界至初禅故，喜观欲界乃至第二禅。何以故？以彼喜心勇悦相故。又喜根从欲界乃至第二禅故，舍观欲界乃至四禅。何以故？以舍舍相观故，又舍根从欲界乃至第四禅故。 “又有人言：一切无量唯观欲界众生。 “云何相应者？初禅二禅地喜根舍根相应，第三禅地乐根舍根相应，未来禅中间禅第四禅地舍根相应。 “云何得者？若生第三第四禅者，得三无量除喜无量。何以故？三禅已上无喜根故。又欲界生离烦恼者，及在初禅二禅生者得四无量，如如来修多罗中说：‘慈无量者至遍净处以为边畔，悲无量者至虚空处以为边畔，喜无量者上至识处以为边畔，舍无量者无所有处 现代汉语译本：‘遍覆十方世界’，这里只说观照众生，这是什么意思？” 回答说：‘遍十方’，是指观照一切依世界而住的所有众生，所以说‘遍覆十方世界’，不是说遍覆那些器世间（指物质世界）。说‘普遍’，是显示依那些器世界而住的所有众生。 ‘又，初禅（Dhyana of the First Realm of Form）境界能以无量心观照欲界（Desire Realm）众生，二禅（Dhyana of the Second Realm of Form）境界能以无量心观照欲界和初禅众生，像这样乃至四禅（Dhyana of the Fourth Realm of Form）境界能以无量心观照欲界乃至第三禅众生。又，初禅境界能以无量心观照欲界和初禅，像这样乃至四禅境界能以无量心观照欲界乃至第四禅。又，慈（Metta）观能观照欲界乃至三禅。为什么呢？因为慈心观照快乐的境界。又，乐根（Sukha）从欲界乃至第三禅的缘故。悲（Karuna）观能观照欲界至初禅。为什么呢？因为悲心观照痛苦的境界，因为欲界众生多有苦恼的缘故。又，苦根（Dukkha）从欲界至初禅的缘故。喜（Mudita）观能观照欲界乃至第二禅。为什么呢？因为那喜心有勇悦的相。又，喜根从欲界乃至第二禅的缘故。舍（Upekkha）观能观照欲界乃至四禅。为什么呢？因为以舍离之相来观照，又，舍根从欲界乃至第四禅的缘故。 ‘又有人说：一切无量心唯观照欲界众生。 ‘怎样相应呢？初禅、二禅境界与喜根、舍根相应，第三禅境界与乐根、舍根相应，未来禅（Future Dhyana）、中间禅（Intermediate Dhyana）、第四禅境界与舍根相应。 ‘怎样获得呢？如果生在第三禅、第四禅的人，能获得三种无量心，除去喜无量心。为什么呢？因为三禅以上没有喜根的缘故。又，欲界众生远离烦恼的人，以及在初禅、二禅出生的人能获得四种无量心，如如来（Tathagata）在修多罗（Sutra）中所说：‘慈无量心以遍净处（Subhakrtsna）为边畔，悲无量心以虚空处（Akasa-anantyayana）为边畔，喜无量心上至识处（Vijnana-anantyayana）为边畔，舍无量心以无所有处（Akincanyayatana）
English
English version: 'Extending over the ten directions of the world,' here it only speaks of contemplating sentient beings. What does this mean?' The answer is: 'Extending over the ten directions' means contemplating all sentient beings who dwell relying on the world. Therefore, it is said 'extending over the ten directions of the world,' not meaning extending over those vessel worlds (physical world). Saying 'universal' demonstrates all sentient beings who dwell relying on those vessel worlds. 'Furthermore, the First Dhyana (Dhyana of the First Realm of Form) realm can contemplate sentient beings of the Desire Realm (Kama-dhatu) with immeasurable mind; the Second Dhyana (Dhyana of the Second Realm of Form) realm can contemplate sentient beings of the Desire Realm and the First Dhyana with immeasurable mind; likewise, up to the Fourth Dhyana (Dhyana of the Fourth Realm of Form) realm can contemplate sentient beings of the Desire Realm up to the Third Dhyana with immeasurable mind. Also, the First Dhyana realm can contemplate the Desire Realm and the First Dhyana with immeasurable mind; likewise, up to the Fourth Dhyana realm can contemplate the Desire Realm up to the Fourth Dhyana. Furthermore, Metta (loving-kindness) contemplation can contemplate the Desire Realm up to the Third Dhyana. Why? Because the mind of loving-kindness contemplates the realm of happiness. Also, the root of Sukha (happiness) extends from the Desire Realm up to the Third Dhyana. Karuna (compassion) contemplation can contemplate the Desire Realm up to the First Dhyana. Why? Because the mind of compassion contemplates the realm of suffering, because sentient beings of the Desire Realm have much suffering. Also, the root of Dukkha (suffering) extends from the Desire Realm up to the First Dhyana. Mudita (sympathetic joy) contemplation can contemplate the Desire Realm up to the Second Dhyana. Why? Because that mind of joy has the aspect of courage and delight. Also, the root of joy extends from the Desire Realm up to the Second Dhyana. Upekkha (equanimity) contemplation can contemplate the Desire Realm up to the Fourth Dhyana. Why? Because it contemplates with the aspect of detachment, and also, the root of equanimity extends from the Desire Realm up to the Fourth Dhyana.' 'Furthermore, some say: all immeasurable minds only contemplate sentient beings of the Desire Realm.' 'How do they correspond? The First and Second Dhyana realms correspond with the roots of joy and equanimity; the Third Dhyana realm corresponds with the roots of happiness and equanimity; the Future Dhyana (Future Dhyana), Intermediate Dhyana (Intermediate Dhyana), and Fourth Dhyana realms correspond with the root of equanimity.' 'How are they obtained? If one is born in the Third or Fourth Dhyana, one can obtain three immeasurable minds, excluding the immeasurable mind of joy. Why? Because there is no root of joy above the Third Dhyana. Furthermore, sentient beings of the Desire Realm who are free from afflictions, and those born in the First or Second Dhyana, can obtain the four immeasurable minds, as the Tathagata (Thus Come One) said in the Sutra (discourses of the Buddha): 'The immeasurable mind of loving-kindness has Subhakrtsna (Realm of All-Pervading Purity) as its boundary, the immeasurable mind of compassion has Akasa-anantyayana (Realm of Infinite Space) as its boundary, the immeasurable mind of joy extends up to Vijnana-anantyayana (Realm of Infinite Consciousness) as its boundary, the immeasurable mind of equanimity has Akincanyayatana (Realm of No-Thingness) as its boundary.' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
以为边畔。何以故？以根本初禅所摄故。’此明何义？以无量从无边虚空处以为边畔，故如是说。 “又有人言：彼处圣道以无量名说。何以故？以可化众生有如是根，闻无量名来入圣道故。 “复有人言：依彼对治觉分菩提分说。此明何义？以第三禅对治觉分，即彼觉分以慈名说，如是乃至无所有处依彼对治以舍名说。 “复有人言：彼相似法。此明何义？以慈观乐而乐受，乃至第三禅中以悲观苦，而无边虚空处共色相违，以喜观无乐而无边识处识喜住故，以舍观舍而无所有处，舍无所舍说名为舍。复有余修多罗中说：‘大德舍利弗！初发心菩萨以四无量观于众生，名众生观。菩萨摩诃萨行菩萨行，观己行故名为法观。菩萨摩诃萨得甚深无生法忍，名为无观。’” 问曰：“四无量者观于众生。云何复言观法、观无？” 答曰：“为他利益一切行等，以慈相似法故。此明何义？菩萨摩诃萨为诸众生修一切行，皆以般若为本，是故般若以慈名说，以彼慈能乐他相故，如是菩萨舍自身乐，般若波罗蜜与他乐相，是故般若以慈名说，是故观法观无皆是慈悲般若。 “复有人言：无观慈心，以慈名说。此明何义？以诸菩萨观察众生，复为自身推求远离烦恼方便观有为行，得甚深无量心 现代汉语译本：认为有边际。为什么呢？因为这是由根本初禅所摄持的缘故。’这说明了什么意义呢？因为从无边虚空处开始就认为有边际，所以这样说。 又有人说：‘那个地方的圣道以‘无量’这个名称来说明。’为什么呢？因为可以被教化的众生有这样的根器，听到‘无量’这个名称就能进入圣道。 又有人说：‘是依据那些对治觉分（Bojjhanga，菩提的组成部分）和菩提分（Bodhipakkhiya-dhammas，菩提的辅助因素）来说的。’这说明了什么意义呢？因为第三禅对治觉分，而那个觉分以慈（Metta）这个名称来说明，像这样乃至无所有处（Akiñcaññāyatana）依据那些对治以舍（Upekkha）这个名称来说明。 又有人说：‘那是相似的法。’这说明了什么意义呢？因为以慈观（Metta-bhavana）观乐而感受乐受，乃至在第三禅中以悲观（Karuna-bhavana）观苦，而无边虚空处（Anantakasa-ayatana）与色相违背，以喜观（Mudita-bhavana）观无乐而无边识处（Anantavinnana-ayatana）的识喜安住的缘故，以舍观（Upekkha-bhavana）观舍而无所有处，舍弃无所舍的，说名为舍。又有其他的修多罗（Sutra，经）中说：‘大德舍利弗（Sariputta）！初发心的菩萨以四无量心（Brahmavihara）观于众生，名为众生观。菩萨摩诃萨（Bodhisattva-Mahasattva，伟大的菩萨）行菩萨行，观察自己的行为，所以名为法观。菩萨摩诃萨获得甚深无生法忍（anutpattika-dharma-ksanti，对不生不灭之法的深刻理解），名为无观。’ 问：‘四无量心是用来观察众生的，为什么又说观法、观无呢？’ 答：‘为了利益他人的一切行为等等，因为与慈有相似之处的缘故。’这说明了什么意义呢？菩萨摩诃萨为了众生修一切行，都以般若（Prajna，智慧）为根本，所以般若以慈这个名称来说明，因为那个慈能够使他人快乐的缘故，像这样菩萨舍弃自身的快乐，般若波罗蜜（Prajnaparamita，圆满的智慧）给予他人快乐，所以般若以慈这个名称来说明，所以观法、观无都是慈悲般若。 又有人说：‘无观的慈心，以慈这个名称来说明。’这说明了什么意义呢？因为诸位菩萨观察众生，又为了自身推求远离烦恼的方便，观察有为行，得到甚深无量心。