論四善根

A Research on the 'Four Good Roots'

四善根分為暖法、頂法、忍法、世第一法四種修行合稱四加行，乃是學佛者所必經之路。「煖」能產生智慧之火，燒滅諸煩惱薪，進而朝向涅槃目標前行；需要不斷累積善根與觀察慧，決斷簡擇才能登至山頂，從「頂」俯看世間，更能清楚知道此生要依佛陀正法而行，而非順著世俗，如此堅固不拔，漸進才達於四諦確認之「忍」的境界，離塵離生而漸趨正性，此為世第一法。本文從《阿含經》、特別是阿毘達摩中重要論典世親的《俱舍論》與唯識重要論典《唯識三十論頌》，以及護法等所造的《成唯識論》諸經論中討論四善根修行次第與演變。

The Four Good Roots (四善根catuṣ-kuśala-mūla) are said to mean four kinds of thepositions or virtues, which are “the warmth” (煖), “the peak '' (頂), “ the forbearance” (忍),and “the 'highest worldly wisdom” (世第一法). The First ,the 'warmth' stage(uṣmagata), orthe stage in which one approaches the fire of wisdom and obtain the heat to scorch theafflictions. The Second, the peak stage(mürdhan), or the stage in which one accumulatesvirtues in order to reach the top. The Third, the forbearance stage(kṣānti) or the stage inwhich one understands the doctrine of the four noble truths and one can be patient with theworld. The Fourth, the foremost stage of the worldly world(laukikāgratā), or the stage inwhich one will be a master at hand in this world. After one reaches this stage，one will enterthe way of the insight into the truth and becomes a sage. In this article we will search “TheFour Good Roots” not only from Āgama(阿含經), Abhidharmakosa-Bhasya (毘達磨俱舍論)and Vijbapti-matratasiddhi-wastra ﹙唯識三十論頌﹚written by Vasubandhu one ofthe main founders of the Indian Yogācāra school and also finding the material fromVijbapti-matratasiddhi-wastra (成唯識論)of Dharmapāla a Principal exponent ofYogācāra. From these sources above we will discuss the “Four Good Roots” in theirrelationship to each other.