Groundless paths the prajnaparamita sutras, the o ( (7)

44 Groundless Paths arise from study, reflection, and meditation As for these three prajnas, the Vaibhasikas assert: The mental states that arise from study and so on, respectively, Have names, both [names and referents], and referents for their objects.75 However, since it is impossible to observe both a nam e and its referent at the same time, there w ould be no [prajna] that arises from reflection Therefore, one should assert the following here The prajna that arises from having lis­ tened to the words of th e Buddha is th e one th a t arises from study The prajna o f gaining certainty th ro u g h exam ining their m eaning w ith reasoning is the one that arises from reflection The one that arises from familiarizing, thro u gh one-pointed sam adhi, with that very certainty that has been gained is the prajna th at arises from meditation 2bb) The ultim ate purpose is that one, by virtue o f such engagement, will attain the suprem e o f w hat is excellent—enlightenm ent {12} 2bc) The outcom e o f these [points] is to establish that respect is attained from openness; engagement, from respect; and the suprem e of what is excellent, from engagement Therefore, great openness for the Bhagavatl [Prajnaparamita] is the prim ary cause among the causes for attaining every­ thing that is excellent 3) As for the m eaning of the topical sum m ary, in general there are [many] objects of paying hom age and m any ways of praising them However, here the object o f praise and paying hom age is [m other prajnaparam ita as] the subject m atter o f the treatise The way o f praising this m other is to praise her by w ay of her accom plishing the specific desires o f her four [kinds of] children The m o th e r—the th ree know ledges—also represents the entirety of the clear realizations o f sravakas, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, and b u d ­ dhas Therefore, th ro u g h [these clear realizations] being em bodied in her in this manner, all eight clear realizations represent the m oth er w ho is the object of praise and paying homage In this context, the explanation [that sounds] as if the m o th e r and prajnaparam ita are w ithout difference is given merely in term s of these two being equal in function by way o f their p roducing and sustaining the uncontam inated skandhas.76 However, it is not the case that these tw o are w ithout difference otherwise because the m eaning o f the fully qualified m other is to accomplish the desires of her children and the m eaning o f the fully qualified prajn aparam ita is the genuine m in d o f realizing the lack o f nature Translations: The General Topics 45 4) The m eaning o f th e w o rd s is as follows The first th re e lines [of the AA’s opening verse o f homage] are [each] explained by way o f four [points]—the th ree o f (a) [psychophysical] support, (b) m eans, and (c) fru itio n in accor­ dance with the position o f m aster Atula[dása] and the added [point of] (d) their justification 4a) As for the first line, [4aa)] the supports consist of w hat the Bodhisattvapitaka says: The liberation o f šrávakas [comes from] pursuing words T he pratyekabuddhas possess the discrim ination of conditions {13} Accordingly, the šrávakas m ust themselves listen to [teachings] that involve words an d also make those to be guided hear [teachings] that involve w ords.77 [Here] the pratyekabuddhas who attain enlightenm ent th ro u g h the m ere condition o f realizing depen d en t origination, but not d epend on w ords (explaining, an d listening to, the dharm a), are included in the faction of the [šrávakas] The m otivation [of both] is the desire for attaining peace— n irván a—for themselves alone 4ab) As for the m eans, all skandhas, dhátus, and áyatanas are entities [or the bases] since they serve as the bases for childish beings clinging to th em as a self and w hat is “m in e” an d the noble ones ascertaining th em as being w ithout a self and thus relinquishing the clinging to a self [Therefore, the means] refer to the knowledge o f entities o f know ing that [all these entities] are p rim ordially em pty o f a personal self and the apprehended, respectively 4ac) T he fruition consists of the two types o f nirvána, with rem ain d er and w ithout rem ainder, which represent the u tter peace o f afflictions and suffer­ ing having completely subsided You m ay wonder, “W h a t is the difference between these two?” A critical analysis o f this has three parts: 1) [The system of] the šrávaka faction 2) [The system of] the M ere Mentalists 3) The system o f the M ádhyam ikas acl) The system of the šrávakas [has two parts]: a) The m eaning o f being with an d w ithout rem ainder b) W h at they assert as nirvána 4acla) As for the difference between being with and w ithout rem ainder, some explain that the difference lies in having relinquished all origins [of suffer­ ing] w ithout exception, but not having relinquished suffering, versus having relinquished all suffering w ithout exception too This is no t justified because the great texts explain that, th ough arhats have term in ated all k arm as and 46 Groundless Paths afflictions that are certain to propel them into yet an oth er existence, they still have m any virtuous or nonvirtuous karm as that they com m itted during their phases as o rdinary beings {14} Therefore, [the šrávakas] asssert that the difference between these tw o [kinds of nirvana] lies in having relinquished all afflictions w itho u t exception, while the c on tin u um of the skandhas has not come to an end, versus the c o n tin u u m o f the skandhas having been sev­ ered, w hich accords w ith [C andraklrti’s] Yuktisastikdvrttf8 adducing the thesis o f his [šrávaka] opponents Both [šrávaka] factions [(Vaibhásikas and Sautrántikas)] assert that [the nirvana w ith o u t rem ainder] consists of n othing but the expanse o f peace, in w hich awareness does no t connect w ith a next [life], after arhats have cast off the form ations o f [their last] life aclb ) From am ong the two [categories of] conditioned a n d u nconditioned phenom ena, nirvana [belongs to the category of] uncon d ition ed p henom ena Here the K ashmirian Vaibhásikas assert th ree u n co ntam in ated p h e n o m ­ en a—the tw o cessations79 and space The M ádhyadešika Vaibhásikas assert four by ad din g suchness Thus, from am ong these four u n c o n d itio n e d p h e ­ n om ena, both [Vaibhásikas and Sautrántikas] hold both [kinds of] nirvána to be analytical cessations The difference is that the Vaibhásikas take them to have the nature o f a nonimplicative negation and therefore [assert them to be] substantially existent The Sautrántikas take them to have the nature of an implicative negation and thus assert th em to be im putedly existent 4ac2) In the system o f the M ere Mentalists, the m eaning o f being w ith and w ithout rem ainder is as above As for the nature [of nirvána], the Vinišcayasamgrahanl explains it to have the defining characteristic o f being the utterly pure d h arm adh átu , while [V asubandhu’s] co m m en tary on the Maháyánasamgraha explains it as being an analytical cessation This sys­ tem asserts th a t the c o n tin u u m o f awareness is severed up o n [entering the nirvána] w ithout rem ainder At th a t point, th o u g h there is no te rm in a tio n in the sense o f the tw o obscurations having been relinquished th ro u g h the path, there is their com ing to an end on their own accord since their support does not exist anymore Therefore, it is asserted that the nirvánas of the m aháyána and the hlnayána are w ithout difference in term s of relinquishm ent However, by virtue o f their differing in terms of the pow er of aspiration prayers and the disposition, there is the difference o f the welfare of others being or not being prom oted, respectively {15} 4ac3) As for the system o f the M ádhyam ikas, in general, four [kinds of] nirvána are found in the w ords o f the B u ddha—natural, nonab id ing , with remainder, and w ithout rem ainder The first is the nature o f p h e n o m e n a — the freedom from all reference points The second is the n irv n a o f buddhas and bodhisattvas [The explanation of] the latter tw o is twofold In term s of Translations: The General Topics 47 the hlnayana [nirvana], it is evident that [this system] asserts the following [The nirvana] with rem ain der m eans that w hen arhats have not yet cast off the form ations o f [their last] life, th ough they have relinquished the afflic­ tions, they possess a rem aind er o f suffering that has been propelled th ro ug h [their former] karm as and afflictions [The nirvana] w ithout rem ainder refers to the time when [arhats] have cast off the physical form ations o f [their last] life and thus have a b a n d o n e d their coarse s k a n d h a o f suffering, dwelling in m ental bodies in pure realms w ith in lotus buds.80 In term s o f the m ahayana, [Nagam itra’s] Kdyatraydvatdram ukha says: The nirvana with skandhas Is presented as the two [rúpa]káyas o f the sage Since it is free from all skandhas, The dharm akáya is w ithout skandhas.81 T hus, it presents [the nirvanas] with rem ainder and w ithout rem ain der with regard to the three káyas, which also accords in m eaning with a [similar] pas­ sage in the Suvarnaprabhdsottamasutra 4ad) The justification for the [first line o f the AAs homage] is as follows The clinging to a personal self is the root o f all afflictions and suffering T hro u gh the know ledge o f entities, the lack o f a personal self is realized an d thus the clinging to [such a] self is overcom e and comes to an end T herefore, it is ju sti­ fied th a t the n irv a n a o f being free from all suffering is attained 4b) The second line [of the homage] also has four parts 4ba) As for the [psychophysical] support, the Samddhirájasútra says: “This is the path that makes you attain the nectar [of b u d d hah oo d ] Relinquish bad paths {16} and consider [this] p a th ”— Thus, u po n seeing sentient beings w ith bad views, they m ake th e m understand For this reason, they are called “bodhisattvas.” Accordingly, bodhisattvas are those who desire to p ro m o te the welfare of beings for as long as the sam sára of those to be guided lasts 4bb) The m eans is the n a tu re of realizing that, ultimately, all three paths [of šrávakas, pratyekabuddhas, a n d bodhisattvas] are w ith o ut arising an d, c o n ­ ventionally, represent causes, natures, a n d fruitions 4bc) The fruition consists o f the welfare that all beings desire—the higher realms and definite excellence.82 48 Groundless Paths 4bd) The justification [for this line] is that teaching others the unerring path m ust be preceded by o n e s own realization o f the path, just as it is As the Pramdnavarttika says: Since the outcom e of the m eans and its cause are hidden, It is difficult to explain them 83 4c) The third line [of the homage] also has four parts 4ca) The [psychophysical] support is that o f buddhas, which is due to their perfect restraint from all m istaken behaviors of body, speech, and mind 4cb) The m eans is to be endow ed w ith the knowledge o f all aspects o f real­ izing all aspects to be w ithout arising 4cc) The fruition is to pro no u nce this wheel of dharm a, w hich is endow ed w ith all aspects o f the m eaning (what is to be expressed) and also entails all kinds o f elaborations in term s o f the words (the m eans to express this) Here a critical analysis of the wheels o f d harm a has four parts: 1) T he nature o f a dharm a wheel 2) H erm eneutical etymology 3) Division 4) Size 4ccl) As for the nature [of a dh arm a wheel], the Vaibhasikas assert only the path of seeing to be the wheel o f dharma For they assert the following W hen the path o f seeing arose in the group o f five84 by virtue of [the Buddha] hav­ ing taught them the d h arm a in Varanasi, the yaksas85 proclaimed, “The wheel o f d harm a has been tu rn e d ” {17} Also, the precious wheel [of a cakravartin] and the path of seeing concord in [seven] features As for these concordant features, since the path o f seeing makes one realize the [four] realities swiftly, it moves swiftly It leaves behind the focal objects and aspects86 of the p reced­ ing realities It progresses to the later ones By w ay of the u n in terru p ted path determ ining the attainm ent o f w h at is to be relinquished, it m akes one vic­ torious over w hat one has not been victorious over By virtue o f the path of liberation leading to the attainm ent o f the freedom o f being free from w h at is to be relinquished, it tru ly establishes one in this victory T h rough focusing on the realities o f the higher realms, it soars up T h ro u g h focusing on the realities o f the lower realms, it descends Bhadanta G hosaka holds that the eightfold path of the noble ones rep ­ resents the wheel of dharm a Since [correct] speech, aims o f actions, and livelihood m ake up [the training in] ethics, they are similar to a h u b o f a wheel—that w hich functions as the support for [the further two trainings in] ... ations o f [their last] life aclb ) From am ong the two [categories of] conditioned a n d u nconditioned phenom ena, nirvana [belongs to the category of] uncon d ition ed p henom ena Here the K ashmirian... relinquished th ro u g h the path, there is their com ing to an end on their own accord since their support does not exist anymore Therefore, it is asserted that the nirvánas of the m aháyána and the hlnayána... As for the nature [of a dh arm a wheel], the Vaibhasikas assert only the path of seeing to be the wheel o f dharma For they assert the following W hen the path o f seeing arose in the group o f