English
English version: 'Thinks of a boundary. Why is that? Because it is encompassed by the fundamental first dhyana (Jhana, meditative state).' What does this clarify? Because from the boundless space realm, it is thought of as having a boundary, therefore it is spoken of in this way. Furthermore, some say: 'The noble path in that place is spoken of with the name 'immeasurable'.' Why is that? Because the beings who can be transformed have such roots, that upon hearing the name 'immeasurable,' they enter the noble path. Furthermore, some say: 'It is spoken of based on those counteractive factors of the enlightenment factors (Bojjhanga) and the factors pertaining to enlightenment (Bodhipakkhiya-dhammas).' What does this clarify? Because the third dhyana counteracts the enlightenment factors, and that enlightenment factor is spoken of with the name loving-kindness (Metta), and so on, even the realm of nothingness (Akiñcaññāyatana) is spoken of with the name equanimity (Upekkha) based on those counteractive factors. Furthermore, some say: 'Those are similar dharmas.' What does this clarify? Because with loving-kindness contemplation (Metta-bhavana), one contemplates joy and experiences joyful feeling, and even in the third dhyana, with compassion contemplation (Karuna-bhavana), one contemplates suffering, while the boundless space realm (Anantakasa-ayatana) is contrary to form, with joy contemplation (Mudita-bhavana), one contemplates the absence of joy, and because in the boundless consciousness realm (Anantavinnana-ayatana), consciousness dwells in joy, with equanimity contemplation (Upekkha-bhavana), one contemplates equanimity, and in the realm of nothingness, relinquishing what is not relinquished, it is spoken of as equanimity. Furthermore, in other sutras (Sutra), it is said: 'Great worthy Sariputta (Sariputta)! A Bodhisattva (Bodhisattva) who has initially aroused the mind contemplates beings with the four immeasurables (Brahmavihara), and this is called contemplation of beings. A Bodhisattva-Mahasattva (Bodhisattva-Mahasattva, great Bodhisattva) practices the Bodhisattva practice, and because he contemplates his own actions, it is called contemplation of the Dharma. A Bodhisattva-Mahasattva attains profound forbearance of the unarisen Dharma (anutpattika-dharma-ksanti, deep understanding of the Dharma of non-arising and non-ceasing), and this is called non-contemplation.' Question: 'The four immeasurables are used to contemplate beings. Why then is it said to contemplate the Dharma and contemplate non-existence?' Answer: 'For the sake of benefiting others in all actions, etc., because of the similarity to loving-kindness.' What does this clarify? A Bodhisattva-Mahasattva cultivates all actions for the sake of beings, and all are based on wisdom (Prajna), therefore wisdom is spoken of with the name loving-kindness, because that loving-kindness is able to bring happiness to others, in this way, a Bodhisattva relinquishes his own happiness, and wisdom perfection (Prajnaparamita) gives happiness to others, therefore wisdom is spoken of with the name loving-kindness, therefore contemplation of the Dharma and contemplation of non-existence are all loving-kindness, compassion, and wisdom. Furthermore, some say: 'The loving-kindness of non-contemplation is spoken of with the name loving-kindness.' What does this clarify? Because the Bodhisattvas observe beings, and also for themselves seek the means to distance themselves from afflictions, observe conditioned actions, and attain profound immeasurable mind. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
时，即得毕竟般若力，作是思惟：‘此诸众生无智所覆不能如实知见法界，我当令彼诸众生等，渐渐次第得入正道。’ “复有余修多罗中，佛告诸比丘过去七年修行慈心，世界成坏经由七返不来生此，乃至无量百千万劫作转轮王等。” 问曰：“若四无量所得果报非欲界者，云何如来经中说言：‘修行无量所得果报，乃至无量百千万劫作转轮王？’” 答曰：“彼经中依三地无量作是说。此义云何？有欲界地果报无量作转轮王，有初禅地果报无量作梵天王，有二禅地果报无量生少光天。又欲界起心三摩跋提，所有果报作帝释王及转轮王，根本地禅所有果报，作梵天王生少光天。 “复有余修多罗中佛告比丘：‘过去世时有外道师名善眼世尊。彼外道师善眼世尊获得神通离欲界烦恼。诸比丘！彼外道师善眼世尊多有无量声闻弟子，有无量百、有无量千、有无量万、有无量百千万。诸比丘！彼外道师善眼世尊所有声闻，具足持戒，彼外道人修四梵行离欲界烦恼，修四梵行生梵世间。诸比丘！彼外道师善眼世尊所有弟子，不能具足修四梵行，彼弟子中或生他化自在天者，乃至人中如是等。尔时，外道师善眼世尊生如是心：“我今不是，云何乃与弟子一处去一处生？”作是思惟：“我依慈心修第二 现代汉语译本：当时，（菩萨）即刻获得究竟的般若（prajna，智慧）之力，这样思惟：‘这些众生被无明所覆盖，不能如实地知见法界（Dharmadhatu，宇宙万法的本体），我应当令这些众生等，渐渐地、按次第地进入正道。’ “又有其他的修多罗（sutra，佛经）中，佛告诉诸位比丘（bhiksu，出家男众）：过去七年修行慈心，世界成住坏空经历七次往返，不再来此（欲界）受生，乃至无量百千万劫做转轮王等等。” 问：‘如果四无量心（catasro apramanah，慈、悲、喜、舍四种广大的心）所得的果报不是欲界的，为什么如来（Tathagata，佛的称号之一）经中说：‘修行无量心所得的果报，乃至无量百千万劫做转轮王？’” 答：‘那部经中是依据三地（trayo bhumayah，欲界、色界、无色界）的无量心这样说的。这是什么意思呢？有欲界地的果报，以无量心做转轮王；有初禅地（prathama-dhyana-bhumi，色界的第一禅天）的果报，以无量心做梵天王（Brahma-raja，色界天的天王）；有二禅地（dvitiya-dhyana-bhumi，色界的第二禅天）的果报，以无量心生少光天（Abhasvara，色界天之一）。又，欲界生起心三摩跋提（samapatti，等至，指禅定），所有的果报是做帝释王（Sakra，忉利天之主）以及转轮王，根本地禅（mula-dhyana，根本禅定）所有的果报，是做梵天王，生少光天。 “又有其他的修多罗中，佛告诉比丘：‘过去世时，有外道师名叫善眼世尊（Subhadraka）。那位外道师善眼世尊获得了神通，离开了欲界烦恼。诸位比丘！那位外道师善眼世尊有很多无量的声闻（sravaka，听闻佛法而证悟的弟子）弟子，有无量百、有无量千、有无量万、有无量百千万。诸位比丘！那位外道师善眼世尊所有的声闻，都具足持戒，那些外道人修四梵行（catvari brahma-vihara，即四无量心），离开了欲界烦恼，修四梵行而生梵世间（Brahma-loka，色界天）。诸位比丘！那位外道师善眼世尊所有的弟子，不能具足修四梵行，那些弟子中，或者生他化自在天（Paranirmita-vasavartin，欲界顶天的天名）的，乃至人中等等。当时，外道师善眼世尊生起这样的心：“我现在不是（究竟解脱），为什么竟然与弟子们一处去、一处生呢？”这样思惟：“我依靠慈心修第二（禅）’”
English
English version: Then, (the Bodhisattva) immediately obtains the ultimate power of prajna (wisdom), thinking thus: 'These sentient beings are covered by ignorance and cannot truly know and see the Dharmadhatu (the essence of all phenomena in the universe). I shall lead these sentient beings, gradually and in order, to enter the right path.' "Furthermore, in other sutras, the Buddha tells the bhiksus (ordained male monastics): 'In the past, practicing loving-kindness for seven years, the world went through seven cycles of formation, existence, destruction, and emptiness, and they will not be reborn here (in the desire realm), even for countless hundreds of thousands of kalpas (aeons), they will be Chakravartin kings (universal monarchs), and so on.'" Question: 'If the results obtained from the Four Immeasurables (catasro apramanah, the four boundless states of mind: loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity) are not of the desire realm, why does the Tathagata (one of the titles of the Buddha) say in the sutras: 'The results obtained from practicing the Immeasurables are that one will be a Chakravartin king for countless hundreds of thousands of kalpas?'" Answer: 'That sutra speaks based on the Immeasurables of the three realms (trayo bhumayah, the desire realm, the form realm, and the formless realm). What does this mean? There are results in the desire realm, where one becomes a Chakravartin king through the Immeasurables; there are results in the first dhyana realm (prathama-dhyana-bhumi, the first meditation realm in the form realm), where one becomes a Brahma-raja (king of the Brahma heavens) through the Immeasurables; there are results in the second dhyana realm (dvitiya-dhyana-bhumi, the second meditation realm in the form realm), where one is born in the Abhasvara heavens (one of the heavens in the form realm) through the Immeasurables. Furthermore, the samapatti (state of meditative absorption) arising in the desire realm results in becoming Sakra (the lord of the Trayastrimsa heaven) and Chakravartin kings; the results of the fundamental dhyana (mula-dhyana, the basic meditative state) are becoming Brahma-rajas and being born in the Abhasvara heavens.' "Furthermore, in other sutras, the Buddha tells the bhiksus: 'In the past, there was a non-Buddhist teacher named Subhadraka. That non-Buddhist teacher Subhadraka attained supernatural powers and was free from the defilements of the desire realm. Bhiksus! That non-Buddhist teacher Subhadraka had countless sravaka (disciples who attain enlightenment by hearing the Dharma) disciples, countless hundreds, countless thousands, countless tens of thousands, countless hundreds of thousands. Bhiksus! All the sravakas of that non-Buddhist teacher Subhadraka fully observed the precepts. Those non-Buddhists practiced the Four Brahma-viharas (catvari brahma-vihara, the four immeasurables) and were free from the defilements of the desire realm, and by practicing the Four Brahma-viharas, they were born in the Brahma-loka (the form realm heavens). Bhiksus! Those disciples of that non-Buddhist teacher Subhadraka who could not fully practice the Four Brahma-viharas, some were born in the Paranirmita-vasavartin heavens (the highest heaven in the desire realm), and some were born among humans, and so on. At that time, the non-Buddhist teacher Subhadraka had this thought: 'I am not (ultimately liberated), so why am I going to one place and being born in another place with my disciples?' Thinking thus: 'I will rely on loving-kindness to cultivate the second (dhyana).' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
禅生少光天。”诸比丘！彼时外道师善眼世尊修上大慈入第二禅生第二禅。’如是等。” 问曰：“若诸菩萨摩诃萨等为利益他，于诸众生起平等心，何故自生胜心慈心，修第二禅生少光天，而不为弟子说生少光天法？又复有难，彼外道师善眼世尊有所说法胜于佛法。何以故？以彼皆生上善道故，而如来声闻亦有入恶道者。” 答曰：“此无过失。何以故？菩萨观机而说法故。此明何义？以彼外道婆罗门等长夜思惟，初梵天处是究竟处，随顺乐心而生彼处，不能修行生第二禅四无量行。以是义故，菩萨善知彼弟子心故，不为说生第二禅四无量行。又以无力故。此明何义？有人说言：除佛出世，无有外道能具修行二禅无量生第二禅，唯除大力诸菩萨等。又言外道法胜佛法者，此义不然。何以故？以外道取世间果故。 “又以时节故。此明何义？有如是时，多有众生生善道处，何况复有无量众生修行无量！ “又言如来弟子入恶道者，非如来过。 “复有余修多罗中说，有三种行：梵行、天行、圣行。梵行者，谓四无量。天行者，所谓四禅。圣行者，谓三十七菩提分法。 “以何义故说四无量名为梵行？” 答曰：“以四无量梵天因故，又以修行者身中可得故，又以对治非梵 现代汉语译本：‘禅生少光天。’诸比丘！彼时外道师善眼世尊修上大慈入第二禅生第二禅。’如是等。” 问曰：‘若诸菩萨摩诃萨（bodhisattva-mahāsattva，伟大的菩萨）等为利益他，于诸众生起平等心，何故自生胜心慈心，修第二禅生少光天（Ābhāsvara，光明天的较低层），而不为弟子说生少光天法？又复有难，彼外道师善眼世尊有所说法胜于佛法。何以故？以彼皆生上善道故，而如来声闻（Śrāvaka，佛陀的弟子）亦有入恶道者。’ 答曰：‘此无过失。何以故？菩萨观机而说法故。此明何义？以彼外道婆罗门（Brahmin，古印度祭司阶层）等长夜思惟，初梵天处（Brahma-loka，色界天的第一层）是究竟处，随顺乐心而生彼处，不能修行生第二禅四无量行。以是义故，菩萨善知彼弟子心故，不为说生第二禅四无量行。又以无力故。此明何义？有人说言：除佛出世，无有外道能具修行二禅无量生第二禅，唯除大力诸菩萨等。又言外道法胜佛法者，此义不然。何以故？以外道取世间果故。 ‘又以时节故。此明何义？有如是时，多有众生生善道处，何况复有无量众生修行无量！’ ‘又言如来弟子入恶道者，非如来过。’ ‘复有余修多罗（sūtra，经）中说，有三种行：梵行、天行、圣行。梵行者，谓四无量。天行者，所谓四禅。圣行者，谓三十七菩提分法。’ ‘以何义故说四无量名为梵行？’ 答曰：‘以四无量梵天因故，又以修行者身中可得故，又以对治非梵