Groundless paths the prajnaparamita sutras, the o ( (6)

Translations: The General Topics 39 implicit teaching [o f these sutras]).59 Therefore, there arose tw o systems o f com m en tin g on th e p rajnaparam ita [sutras]—those o f venerable [Maitreya] an d honorable N agarjuna.”60 A m ong these, the d h arm a that is to be explained here is the A bhisam aydlam kdra.61 As for the com m entaries that follow this O rnam ent o f the m other, there are tw enty-one Indian c o m m en taries—twelve com m entaries that correlate [the AA] to the [prajnaparam ita] sutras and nine that n o t correlate [it to any sutras] As for the root sutras to which those [com mentaries] that correlate [the AA] to the sutras are related, they respectively correlate it to [one or m ore of] the following four [sutras]—the large m o th e r [sutra] in one h u n d re d th o u ­ sand [lines], the m ed iu m one in twenty-five th o u san d [lines], the b rief one in eight th o u sa n d lines, and the Prajhapdramitdsamcayagdtha Furtherm ore, those that correlate it to the Prajhapdramitdsamcayagdtha thereby also implicitly correlate it to the [sutra] in eighteen th o u san d [lines], an d there are obviously [some] that correlate it to the [sutra] in ten th o u sa n d [lines].62 You m ay w onder, “W hich ones am ong these [commentaries] the expla­ nations here follow?” I explain [the Abhisamaydlamkdra] th ro u g h prim arily following both Aryavim uktisena and H aribhadra, but I also provide som e explanations by adopting, as appropriate, certain good parts from oth er c o m ­ mentaries {6} Determining the meaning of this text This includes three general topics: 1) [Explaining] the m eaningful title [of the text] (the m eans to express [the subject m atter]) 2) [Explaining] the text that contains the subject m atter 3) Explaining the colophon o f the translators who translated [the text] 2.1 Explaining the meaningful title [of the text] (the means to express [the subject matter]) This has two parts: 1) The actual [explanation o f the title] 2) The ancillary [topic] 2.1.1 The actual explanation of the title This has three parts: 1) Translation o f the title 2) Explanation o f the title 3) Purpose o f the title 2.1.1.1 Translation of the title The term “India” is arbitrarily given to the region in which the six great cities [of ancient n o rth e rn India] are located As the Yinayakdrika says: 40 Groundless Paths SravastI, Saketam, Cam pa, Varanasi, Vaisall, A nd Rajagrha—these six Are know n as the six great cities.63 In the language of these areas, the title of this treatise [in Sanskrit] is from A b h i up through sdstra Translated into Tibetan, it is from Shes up through ces bya ba Abhisamaya [means] clear realization; alam kara, ornam ent; na m a, called; prajhaparam ita, perfection o f prajna; upadesa, pith instructions; {7} an d sdstra, treatise 2.1.1.2 Explanation of the title “Prajhaparam ita ’ refers to the root sutras o f this [treatise] “Pith instructions” are those that make one realize the m eaning o f said sutras in an easy m anner A “treatise” is what possesses the two qualities of restoring an d protecting.64 “Clear realization” refers to the eight clear realizations—through tu rn ing one s m ind tow ard the p rofound actualities o f the m o th er o f the victors, one realizes these actualities in an unm istaken way [This treatise is called an] “o rn a m e n t” because it produces delight in the learned, w hen the brilliance of the seventy points (the beautifying o rnam en t) on the fine body o f the m oth er o f the victors (the natural ornam ent) appears in this treatise (the clearly illu­ m in atin g o rnam en t) As the M ahayanasutralam kara says: Just as a physical form that is an o rn a m e n t an d is endow ed with natural qualities, T hrough being seen in a m irror, produces suprem e delight in people, So this dharm a, which is endow ed with the natural qualities o f excellent words, Always produces distinct satisfaction in the learned w hen its m eaning is discrim inated.65 This describes the connection between the title and its meaning 2.1.1.3 Purpose of the title The purpose o f presenting the title by way of showing the correspondences between the two languages [of Sanskrit and Tibetan] lies in the arising o f trust in the dharm a, the planting of habitual tendencies for the [Sanskrit] language, and the occurring o f blessings in the m ind stream Translations: The General Topics 41 2.1.2 The ancillary [topic] The b ran ch in o rd er to complete the translation is the hom age by the [Tibetan] translators, which says, “I pay hom age to all b ud d has and bodhisattvas.”66 [Candrakirti’s] Trisaranasaptati says: Those w ho severed the flow o f the sleep of ignorance A nd in w hom perfect w isdom dawns Have w oken u p —they are the awakened ones, {8} Just like a person having w oken up fro m sleep.67 Accordingly, having awakened th ro u g h the co n tin u u m o f the sleep o f ig no ­ rance being severed is like having w oken up from sleep By virtue o f m in d having unfolded tow ard w hat is to be know n A nd the closed-m indedness o f ignorance being overcome, Buddhas are unfolded like a lotus.68 Accordingly, th ro u g h perfect wisdom, the close-m indedness o f ignorance is overcome and m ind has u n folded to w ard w hat is to be kno w n, w hich resem ­ bles the petals o f a lotus having unfolded.69 Thus, [the translators] pay hom age to all b u d d h a s and bodhisattvas w ho are like that 2.2 Explaining the text that contains the subject matter This has two parts: 1) General overview 2) E xplanation o f the actual text 2.2.1 General overview You may wonder, “W h en this treatise Abhisam aydlam kdra com m ents on the intention o f the prajnaparam ita sutras, thro u g h h ow m an y points does it com m ent?” T he Vydkhyayukti says that the sutras are explained by way o f five rubrics of exegetical m ethods: Those who relate the m eaning o f the sutras Should state their purpose, their topical sum m ary, The m eaning o f the words, their coherence, A nd the rebuttal o f objections.70 This represents the lineage o f pith instructions by M aitreya him self [being tran sm itted to V asubandhu th rou g h Asanga] {9} Thus, w hen the victor Maitreya explains the sutras, he also expounds them by way o f these five 42 Groundless Paths exegetical m ethods [In the Abhisam aydlam kara,] (1) the purpose is taught th rough [the set of] “purpose and connection” [in verses 1.1-2]; (2) the topical sum m ary, th ro u g h the presentation o f the body [of the text in verses 1.3-17]; (3) the actual m eaning o f the words, th ro u gh the detailed explanation o f the branches [of the text in the remaining verses]; (4) the coherence [of the earlier and later topics] is taught implicitly; and (5) the rebuttal o f objections is [also] mostly taught implicitly The purpose o f explaining [a text] by way of these five rubrics is as described in the Vyakhydyukti: U pon hearing about the greatness o f the topic o f a sutra, [People] will listen to it and grasp it [Thus,] the purpose should be stated first Since listeners develop respect [through it] That [purpose] is accomplished th rou g h the topical sum mary; The topical sum m ary, thro u gh the m eaning o f the words; And the order, the reasonings, and earlier and later [passages] N ot being contradictory, th ro u gh the [rem aining] tw o [rubrics].71 2.2.2 This 1) 2) 3) Explanation of the actual text has three parts: The pursuit o f engaging in its composition The n atu re o f the text as w h at is to be com posed The m an n er o f concluding the com position72 2.2.2.1 The pursuit of engaging in its composition This has two parts: 1) Paying hom age (the b ranch o f producing openness in those to be guided) 2) [The set of] purpose and connection (the branches of [making] the intelligent engage in this treatise) {10} 2.2.2.1.1 Paying homage (the branch of producing openness in those to be guided) The meaning of paying hom age is co m m ented on by way o f the [above] five exegetical methods 1) The m eaning o f coherence is that, at the outset o f com posing this treatise, noble Maitreya, by virtue of seeing the special purposes o f his own welfare and the welfare o f others, pays hom age to the m o th er of the four [kinds of] children [(buddhas, bodhisattvas, pratyekabuddhas, a n d sravakas)] Translations: The General Topics 43 2) The meaning o f purpose has two parts: a) The purpose o f ones ow n welfare b) The purpose of the welfare of others 2a) The purpose o f o nes own welfare is to display o nes ow n conduct in accor­ dance w ith the conduct o f genuine beings 2b) The purpose o f the welfare of others is to p roduce openness in others w ho are to be guided This is threefold: a) The tem po rary purpose b) The ultim ate purpose c) T he outcom e o f these 2ba) The te m p o ry purpose is again threefold: 1) The purpose o f studying 2) T he purpose o f openness 3) The purpose o f respect b a l) The p urpose o f studying is the arising o f openness, and [there are] two ways in which this m ay arise Those o f duller faculties are the pursuers by m eans of confidence,73 w ho engage [in the dharm a] mainly because o f a p e r­ son or whose trust arises from m ere words The cause [for those o f duller faculties developing trust] is to hear that this m oth er [prajhaparam ita] has the character o f the qualities w hich accom plish the desires o f her four [kinds of] children The m a n n e r [in w hich they develop trust] is swift, im m ediately u p o n hearing the w ords and w ithout exam ining them T he object [of their trust] is the m o th e r o f the victors T he nature [of their trust] is the arising o f very g reat openness for [said object] Those o f sharper faculties are the p u r s u ­ ers by m eans o f the d harm a,74 w h o engage [in the d h arm a] m a in ly because o f the d h a rm a or engage in it th ro u g h exam in ing its m eaning {11} The cause an d the object [of their trust] are as above, b u t the m a n n e r [in w hich their trust arises] is th at it is preceded by [their analyzing] said teaching in term s of w h e th e r it can o r can no t be invalidated th ro u g h correct reasoning If they not see any such invalidation, subsequently the n atu re [of their trust] is the arising o f an openness that cannot be taken aw ay from them 2ba2) As for the purpose o f openness, from the cause o f great openness h a v ­ ing arisen, there arises the very intense respect or the striving aspiration for the m o th e r sutras (the excellent w ords that m ake the three know ledges—the m o th e r—their subject m atter) and fo r this treatise (the excellent w ords that rely on these sutras) as being w hat is to be seized, held, read, com prehended, and applied in yoga in all respects 2ba3) The p urpose o f respect is that, subsequent to such striving, one engages [in prajnaparam ita] th ro ug h gradually giving rise to the three prajnas that ... purpose of the welfare of others 2a) The purpose o f o nes own welfare is to display o nes ow n conduct in accor­ dance w ith the conduct o f genuine beings 2b) The purpose o f the welfare of others... exegetical m ethods: Those who relate the m eaning o f the sutras Should state their purpose, their topical sum m ary, The m eaning o f the words, their coherence, A nd the rebuttal o f objections.70... ary, th ro u g h the presentation o f the body [of the text in verses 1.3-17]; (3 ) the actual m eaning o f the words, th ro u gh the detailed explanation o f the branches [of the text in the remaining