Groundless paths the prajnaparamita sutras, the o ( (158)

Notes 799 guide them, establishing them in higher realms and nirvana (the activities o f guiding them), and arriving at the appropriate places and times in order to guide them According to Uttaratantra IV 12, enlightened activity engages in an uninterrupted manner for three reasons—during the paths o f learning before, having taken the vo w to prom ote solely the welfare o f others; seeing that on eself and all sentient beings are equal in possessing the sugata heart; and enlightened activity not being fully com pleted until the samsara o f those to be guided has been emptied In brief, according to Uttaratantra 1.76, enlightened activity engages by w ay o f having four distinc­ tive features Its nature is to whatever benefits whatever beings are to be guided; its aspect, to be effortless (without any characteristics o f effort); its time, to last until samsara has been emptied; and its vastness, to pervade all sentient beings throughout the reaches o f space 766 XV.2ab 767 This refers to the Sanskrit ca (Tibetan dang) at the end o f this line, w h ich is sim ply a verse filler However, it is not uncom m on in the Tibetan tradition to read all kinds o f things into this kind o f “and.” As explained below, “the two knowledges” refers to the knowledges o f entities and the path 768 D4049, fol 112b.5-6 769 VIII.36ac 770 Originally, as indicated under 5da) below, the last one refers to light 771 D3787, fol 193b.2-5 772 From here on, the presentation o f the totalities is based on the explanations in the Vrtti (D3787, fols 193b 5-196a.l) 773 As explained below, m ost com m entaries o n the AA d o not m ention any specifics about the totality o f earth PGSD (p 287) says that its focal object can be something like a bridge in a lake or ocean Traditional abhidharma sources speak o f using a disc made o f clay as on e’s focal object 774 The Vrtti speaks o f these two places as unsuitable places, which makes more sense 775 This m eans that on e takes the respective physical focal object as one’s model, look in g at it for a while Then, one visualizes it internally, gradually imagining that the entire world appears like that As an aid to focusing on the physical and the mental image, one also repeats the name (or one o f the epithets) o f the respective object Some sources also include the step o f closing one’s eyes and focusing on the retinal image that occurs after having looked at the outer object for an extended period 776 N ote that the last two signs, in due order, refer to light/consciousness and space Ill D4035, fol 142a.3 778 Ibid., fol 141b.6-7 779 Ibid., fols 141b 7-142a.l 780 Such a statem ent is not found in the Abhidharmasamuccaya The only phrase that could be interpreted that w ay (and seems to be so in the Chinese version) is D4049, fol 112b.7 781 D3787, fol 196a.l 782 PGSD (pp 286-89) defines the totalities as “the sam adhis with their congruently a ssoci­ ated factors that rely on either the actual dhyanas or formless absorptions as their dominant condition and are able to pervade all knowable objects with their respective primary focal objects.” In terms o f their focal objects, they can be summarized into four since the first four focus on the ayatana o f tangible objects; the next four, on the ayatana o f form; and the last two, 800 Groundless Paths on the áyatanas o f phenom ena and consciousness, respectively The reasons for presenting the áyatanas o f tangible objects and form as totalities are that they pervade everything in terms o f oneself and others and that one is able to make them pervade all realms that have form In particular, the four elements are presented as totalities because, without the elem ents as the sup­ ports, one cannot pervade everything with elemental derivatives (the supported) W ithin the áyatana o f phenomena, space is presented as a totality because it pervades everything animate and inanimate Consciousness is presented as a totality because it is the cognizing subject o f all knowable objects and represents the types o f m ind that have a continuum The five sense facul­ ties are not presented as totalities because they cannot be caused to pervade everything external and are not subjects that are able to apprehend other phenomena Smell and taste are not pre­ sented as totalities because they cannot be caused to pervade the two higher realms since they are included in the desire realm alone Sound and mental factors are not presented as totalities because they lack a continuum A m on g the signs o f not yet having accomplished the totalities, earth appears to be split into lumps The four colors appear as mutually exclusive, that is, in m ul­ ticolored objects such as flowers only the color on which one focuses in the respective totality appears Consciousness appears to be obstructive like a mandala made o f earth (the others are as above) As for the signs o f accomplishment, one is able to cause earth to pervade everything in an unffagmented manner; water, to be u nm oving and pervade other things; fire, to pervade other things like a round red m oon in the sky; the four colors, to pervade other things like a fan o f gems; space, to pervade everything like the expanse o f the sky; and consciousness, to illu­ minate everything that has form with a vast mass o f light (wind is as above) In due order, the functions o f having cultivated the totalities o f water, fire, and consciousness, respectively, are to be able to walk on water, emanate the fire that is able to b u m the palaces o f máras, and make heavy forms light and distance oneself from sleep and dullness (the others are as above) 783 T h e following is based on the Abhidharmakošabhásya on VIII.35a See also the eight lib­ erations as explained above under “the path o f manifesting” and “the path o f blissfully abiding” in 2.2.2.2.1.2.2.1.1.L1.2.3.2.2 Instruction on the aspects o f the k n ow led ge o f the path 784 CZ, p 654 785 I could not locate this in any o f the tw o Brhattikás According to CZ (pp 653 and 654), the section on the áyatanas o f overpowering is m issing in the sütra in eighteen thou san d lines, while the one as described here is from the sütra in twenty-five thousand lines PGSD (pp 289-91) defines the áyatanas o f overpowering as “the samádhis with their congruently associated factors that rely on the actual dhyánas as their dom inant condition and are able, through the power o f being preceded by the liberations w ith form, to overpower other p h en om en a w ith the forms that represent their respective focal objects.” Just as in the case o f the corresponding am ong the eight liberations above, the inner looker entertaining the notion o f having or not having form means that, from the perspective o f others, the yogins who emanate certain objects appear or not appear, respectively As for the differences between the eight liberations, the eight áyatanas o f overpowering, and the ten totalities, during the first, one regards o n e s focal objects as being all kinds o f beautiful and ugly objects During the second, one is additionally able to overpower other phenomena through these objects During the third, one is able to cause a single sp e­ cific focal object to pervade all phenom ena Therefore, according to the Abhidharmakošabhásya (D4091, fols 80b -8 a l) the respectively latter arise on the grounds of the respectively former 786 PGSD (p 291) defines the samádhi o f dispassion as “the samádhi o f nonlearners with its congruently associated factors that relies on the actual dhyánas as its dom inant condition and relinquishes the afflictive obscurations.” It is tw ofold—the samádhi o f dispassion o f árávakas is said samádhi in the m ind streams o f árávakas who are nonlearners, such as the k now ledge in the mind streams o f arhats who are liberated through both prajñá and samádhi The samádhi o f dispassion o f buddhas is said samádhi in which both obscurations and their latent tendencies Notes 801 have been relinquished, which corresponds to the k now ledge o f all aspects Thus, the latter is superior to the former because it is the final samádhi that eradicates the afflictions in the m ind streams o f others to be guided 787 D ue to the structure o f Tibetan sentences, LSSP/PSD say “at the end.” 788 As m en tion ed above under the six u nique qualities o f a buddha in term s o f conduct, arhats still may sh ow such forms o f conduct since they have not relinquished all latent ten den ­ cies o f the afflictions 789 Both the Áloká (D3791, fol 317b 1—2) and the Vivrti( D3793, fols 132b 7-133a.l) present this as the position o f som e (according to LSSP, mainly Haribhadra’s teacher Vairocanabhadra) and then support it versus the more literal reading o f AA VIII.2 - by others which takes the uncontaminated qualities as belonging to the svábhávikakáya (see right below) 790 This paragraph is based on the Áloká (D3791, fols 317b.5-318a.6) and the Vivrti (D3793, fol 133a 1-7), which refer to the Vrtti and others as asserting three káyas 791 PGSD (pp -9 ) adduces the Kdyatrayasütra and Uttaratantra 11.43 as the scrip­ tural supports for asserting three káyas, with the former speaking o f the dharmakáya as the naturally pure buddhakáya; the sámbhogikakáya as the pure samádhi o f a buddha; and the nairmánikakáya as the pure conduct o f a buddha As for the m anner in which the AA teaches three káyas, it teaches each one o f them by way o f a brief introduction and a detailed explana­ tion Accordingly, the nature o f the svábhávikakáya is taught briefly through VIII and the details o f its uncontam inated qualities, through VIII.2 -6 The nature o f the sámbhogikakáya is taught briefly through V III.12 and the details o f the major and minor marks, through VIII.13-32 The nature o f the nairmánikakáya is taught briefly through VIII.33 and the details o f its enlightened activity, through V III.34-40 Following Áryavimuktisena, this is what Yagtón, Rongtón, and others hold As for the scriptural support for there being four káyas, PGSD curi­ ously adduces the above quote from the Buddhabhümisútra (D275, fol 37a.5 -6 ) on buddhahood consisting o f five dharmas—the com pletely pure dharmadhátu, mirrorlike w isdom , the w isdom o f equality, discrim inating w isdom , and all-accomplishing wisdom , which is said to be further explained in the Maháyánasútrálamkára (see above) Even more curious as a scriptural support for four káyas is PGSD’s citation o f Maháydnasútrálamkdra IX.60, which describes “the manner in which the dhátu exists as three”: The svábhávika[káya], the sámbhogikakáya, And the other one, the nairmánikakáya, Are the divisions o f the káyas o f the buddhas The first one is the foundation o f the [other] two PGSD continues by saying that the existence o f four káyas also represents the position o f master Haribhadra since hi s Alokd (D3791, fol 316a.6) and Vivrti (D3793, fol 131b.1) say that buddha­ hood is fourfold, such as the svábhávikakáya Also, the Vivrti (ibid., fols 13 lb and 138a.2) says that the dharmakáya is taught as the second káya after the first one and that the nairmánikakáya is taught as the fourth one after the other three káyas Thus, following Vairocanabhadra, m any scholars assert four káyas As for which o f these two positions is tenable, in terms o f the ­ ventional presentation, four káyas are tenable because the dharmakáya as on e’s own welfare is twofold (relinquishment and realization) and the rüpakáya as the welfare o f others is also twofold (sámbhogikakáya and nairmánikakáya) However, in terms o f the actual way o f being, three káyas are tenable because the dharmakáya has three aspects—the aspect o f being pure o f all adventitious stains without exception, the aspect o f appearing as the sámbhogikakáya solely from the perspective o f pure beings to be guided, and the aspect o f appearing as all kinds o f physical m anif estations from the perspective o f all kinds o f beings to be guided It is by virtue o f this that it is presented as three káyas Consequently, in this system, also the tw o rüpakáyas must 802 Groundless Paths be accepted as having the nature o f wisdom for the following reasons Mahdyanasutralamkdra IX.69 explains the sambhogikakaya as mirrorlike wisdom: Since it is the cause o f all wisdoms, It is like a great jewel m ine o f wisdom It is the sambhoga-buddhahood Since the reflection o f wisdom arises Dharmamitra explains the nairmanikakaya as all-accomplishing w isdom and the Aloka (D3791, fol 323b.3-4) and the Vivrti (D3793, fol 138a.5) say that, on the level o f seem ing reality, the appearances o f the sambhogikakaya and so on are generated by w isdom alone In brief, if one divides the buddhakaya, it is definite as being threefold because it is definite as being the dharmakaya, the sambhogikakaya, and the nairmanikakaya 792 CZ, p 653 793 11.98 794 This is the Indian fig tree, also called banyan tree 795 LSSP (fols 247b.6-248a 1) says, “the five o f his belly being slender, unmarred, and round, and his navel being deep and w in d in g to the right.” 796 D3903, fol 286a.4-5 797 Ibid., fol 286a.5 798 N ote that the Munimatdlamkara (ibid., fol 286a.6) says som ething different: “W h en the entire sole is taken as being four parts, the foot is three parts and the heel is on e part, thus being well proportioned.” 799 D3787, fol 200b.5 and D3788, fol 170a.2 800 Ordinary h u m an s are said to be three-and-a-half cubits tall (one cubit being the span between one’s own elbow and fingertips) 801 D 3796, fol 87b This term originally referred to a kind o f deer and, later, to a fabulous animal with eight legs that inhabits the sn ow y m ountains and is stronger than a lion and an elephant Often, it is said to be an eight-legged lion 802 The all-knowing steed is an Indian mythical figure, being one o f the seven precious items o f a cakravartin 803 The Munimatdlamkara has ’bras bu , while LSSP/PSD have ybru (“kernel”), which seems to be a m istaken contraction 804 D3903, fol 286b.2-3 805 Ibid., fol 286b.4 806 Ibid., fol 286b.4 807 D3801, fol 196a.1 808 D3903, fol 287a.3 809 This is an epithet o f Brahma, w h o is said to have b een born from a golden egg, resplen- dent as the sun, which formed out o f the seed that was deposited in the waters when they were produced as the first creation o f the self-existent brahma Thus, Brahma is regarded as a m ani­ festation o f the self-existent brahma N otes 803 810 These are just a selection from am ong the sixty aspects o f Brahma’s m elodious voice For details, see the Mahávyutpatti (section 20, nos 445-504, w hich are explained in detail in the Munimatálamkára) and TOK, vol 3, pp -2 (see Appendix VI in Brunnhólzl 2011) 811 D3903, 812 D3801, 813 fol 287a.4-6 fol 196a.6 D3803, fol 209a.5 (in addition, the Sárottama also speaks o f “magnificent bull”) and D3903, fol 287a.6 814 D3796, fol b l-2 815 CZ, p 662; D3787, fol 203b.3-4; and D3788, fol 173a.l-2 816 D3791, fol 320b.6 and D3793, fol 136b.2 817 The Sanskrit versions o f AA VIII.25c, the Áloká , and the Vivrti have kuksi throughout, which clearly means “belly” and not “waist.” The Tibetan version o f AA VIII.25c (D3786, fol 12b.2) has dkuy w h ich can refer to the waist, the area between the navel and the hips, the area between the ribs and the hips, the hips, or the belly The Tibetan o f the Áloká (D3791, fol 321a.6) and the Vivrti (D3793, fol 137a.2-3) has dku in connection w ith “round,” “slender,” and “umarred,” but phyal (“b elly”) in relation to “sm ooth ” This w ording is followed by LSSP/PSD, but dku is taken to refer to the waist ( rked ) as opposed to the belly 818 The Sanskrit bimba can refer to both the plant Momordica monadelpha and its red ber­ ries It can also mean “image” or “reflection.” 819 D3787, fol 204a.6 820 D 3801 ,fol 197b (in fact, this text says literally the same as the Vrtti) 821 In addition to this set o f nine fetters, there are the two sets o f three and five fetters The three fetters, w hich are the afflictive factors to be relinquished through seeing, are the views about a real personality, the views that hold ethics and spiritual disciplines as paramount, and doubt T hrough the first one, one is afraid o f liberation and thus fettered by not w anting to p ro­ ceed on the path Through the secon d one, on e takes what is not the path to be the path and thus is fettered by taking the w ron g path T h rou gh d oubt about the path, one obstructs liberation too The five fetters consist o f two sets—those in accordance with the desire realm (the above three fetters plus striving desire and malice) and those in accordance with the two higher realms (desire in the form realm and desire, agitation, dullness, and pride in the formless realm) 822 These are a mirror, yogurt, Panicum dactylon grass, w ood -app le fruits, a right-coiling conch shell, elephant bile, verm ilion powder, and white mustard 823 III.2 -8 The last verse is only found in the Tibetan version o f the Ratnávali, not in the Sanskrit one PGSD (pp -9 ) says that the general cause o f the major and m inor marks is the vast accum ulation o f merit that consists o f generosity and ethics Their proximate cause is to consum m ately render services and honor to those w h o proclaim the dharma The definition o f the major and m inor marks is “the qualities w ith form that arise in dep en d en ce on the c o n su m ­ m ate causes o f either the major or the m inor marks and point out the persons w h o possess them as primarily being buddhas.” The difference between the major and m inor marks is that the former are the main factors that beautify the body, while the latter are their details or retinues 824 IX.64 825 The Buddha once manifested as a masterful vina player in order to guide Pramudita, the king o f the celestial gandharvas, who was very proud o f his skills in playing the vina Usually, the nairmánikakáya is classified as threefold—supreme, artistic, and incarnate, with the latter ... flowers only the color on which one focuses in the respective totality appears Consciousness appears to be obstructive like a mandala made o f earth (the others are as above) As for the signs o. .. ith the forms that represent their respective focal objects.” Just as in the case o f the corresponding am ong the eight liberations above, the inner looker entertaining the notion o f having or... associated factors that rely on the actual dhyánas as their dom inant condition and are able, through the power o f being preceded by the liberations w ith form, to overpower other p h en om