..续本文上一页The states of mind, which realize nibbána are called liberations (vimokkha), and these liberations are threefold according to the particular aspect of nibbána they fix upon -- the sign-less (animitta), the wish-less (appanihita), and emptiness (suññata). The sign-less liberation focuses upon nibbána as devoid of the "signs" determinative of a conditioned formation, the wish-less liberation as free from the hankering of desire, and the emptiness liberation as devoid of a self or of any kind of substantial identity. Now these three liberations are each entered by a distinct gateway or door called "the three doors to liberation," (vimokkhamukha). [26] These three doors signify precisely the contemplations of the three universal marks of the conditioned -- impermanence, suffering, and selflessness. Insight into each mark is a different door leading into the realization of the unconditioned. The profound contemplation of impermanence is called the door to the sign-less liberation, since comprehension of impermanence strips away the "sign of formations" exposing the mark-less reality of the imperishable to the view of the contemplative vision. The contemplation of suffering is called the door to the wish-less liberation, since understanding of the suffering inherent in all formations dries up the desire that reaches out for them. And deep contemplation of selflessness is called the door to the emptiness liberation. Since it exposes the void-ness of substantial identity in all phenomena and hence the un-viability of the self-notion in relation to the unconditioned. In each close the understanding of the conditioned and the realization of the unconditioned are found to lock together in direct connection, so that by penetrating the conditioned to its very bottom and most universal features, the yogin passes through the door leading out of the conditioned to the supreme security of the unconditioned.

　　The supra-mundane consciousness that realizes nibbána directly penetrates the four noble truths, illuminating them all at once with startling clarity: "Just, O monks, as a man in the gloom and darkness of the night, at the sudden flashing up of lightning, should with his eyes recognize the objects; just so the monk sees, according to reality: ”This is suffering, this is the origin of suffering, this is the cessation of suffering, this is the path leading to the cessation of suffering.”"[27] The penetration of the truths simultaneously performs four functions, one with respect to each truth. It fully understands (parijanati) the first noble truth, the truth of suffering, since by taking nibbána as its object it acquires a perspective from which it can directly see that in contrast to the unconditioned every thing impermanent, defiled, and conditioned is marked with suffering. It abandons (pajahati) the second noble truth, the truth of the origin, since it eradicates the craving and defilements, which originate suffering so that they can never arise again. It realizes (sacchikaroti) the third noble truth, the truth of cessation, by apprehending nibbána in which all the suffering of samsára is permanently cut off. And it develops (bhaveti) the path, the fourth noble truth, since at the moment of penetration the eight mental factors comprised in the noble eightfold path concurrently arise performing the task of realization. Right view sees the unconditioned; right thought directs the mind upon it; right speech, right action, and right livelihood eradicate their opposites; right effort invigorates the mind; right mindfulness fixes attention on the unconditioned, and right concentration unifies the mind in absorption on the unconditioned. The ancients compare the mind”s ability to perform this fourfold function to the burning of a lamp…

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