Translations: The General Topics 49 sam adhi and prajna Since [correct] view, thought, and effort m ak e up the training in prajna, they cut th rou g h antagonistic factors and th u s are similar in their features to cutting spokes Since [correct m indfulness and] sam adh i87 one-pointedly hold the view and so on in one’s focus, their features are like those o f the rim [of a wheel] that holds it together T herefore, the features [of th e eightfold path ] concord with those o f a wheel [However,] since these approaches are mistaken in term s of [only p ro viding] partial proofs, th e y [are to be] rejected Here, [in the mahayana,] all dharm as o f scriptures and realization are to be asserted as d h a rm a wheels because all the w ords o f the Buddha are contained in the three wheels of d h arm a and one focuses on the m eaning o f these d h arm a wheels o n all paths 4cc2) The h erm eneutical etym ology o f “d h a rm a w heel” is th at it is a w heel of d h arm a in the sense o f having the nature o f the d h arm a (such as the correct view) {18} and being tu rn e d sm oothly by transiting from one m in d stream to another.88 4cc3) The division is tw ofold—the d h a rm a wheel o f realization and the d h arm a wheel o f scriptures The d h a rm a wheel o f realization is [subdivided into] the five paths The d h arm a wheel o f scriptures is divided into twelve branches As it is said: (I) (4) (7) (9) The sutra collection, (2) p roclam ations in song, (3) prophecies, Proclam ations in verses, (5) joyful aphorism s, (6) counsels, Legends, (8) narratives, The extensive [discourses], (10) [reports on the B uddha s] form er lives, ( I I ) Ascertaining [discourses], and (12) [the discourses on] marvelous qualities— In this way, it was spoken in twelve branches W h en sum m arized, these represent the three pitakas T he first five, such as the sutra collection, represent the pitaka o f the sutra collection o f the ¿ravakas The four o f counsels (as the prim ary one), legends, narratives, an d [reports on the B u d dh a’s] form er lives (as supplem ents) represent the p itaka of the vinaya.89 The two o f the [discourses on] m arvelous qualities and the exten sive [discourses] m ake up the pitaka o f the sutra collection o f bodhisattvas The collection o f ascertaining [discourses] represents the pitaka of the abhid h arm a o f bo th the h inayana and the m ahayana This is the system of the A bhidharmasa muccaya The Vastusamgrahani takes the extensive [discourses] as the pitaka o f the m ahayana, while the others are the pitaka possessed by the ¿ravakas, thus 50 Groundless Paths explaining both as the pitaka of the sutra collection, which discords with this [presentation o f the Abhidharmasamuccaya] T hro ug h taking the four o f counsels (the prim ary one) and its supplem ents as one, a co m m en tary on the Lahkavatarasutra explains the branches o f the w ords [of the Buddha] as being nine.90 {19} 4cc4) As for th e size [of a d harm a collection (dharm askandha)], some say, “Its extent is that o f the treatise [called] ‘Sariputra-m ade d h a rm a collection’ since it has six th o u sa n d slokas.”91 O thers [assert] it to refer to one com plete dis course that starts out with skandhas, dhatus, ayatanas, realities, or d ependent origination, and so on Yet others hold that it consists o f the complete rem edy for a given factor to be relinquished However, here there are two systems—the one o f the c o m m on yana and the one of the u n c o m m o n [yana] According to the first one, the system o f the com m entaries on the A bhidharm asam uccaya is to assert that one dharm a collection [has] one tho usan d slokas According to the second one, it is said that one d harm a collection consists of what can be written with the [am ount of] ink that is suitable to be carried by In d ’s elephant, Supratisthita Given this, w hat the Sutra on Repaying [the Buddhas] Kindness says is also appropriate: Noble Devadatta made [the monks] recite [all] the volum es that are to be carried by five thousand elephants You may wonder, “If there are that m any dh arm a collections, why is it that not as m an y appear in Jambudvlpa?” M ost [of them] are in other wordly realms and in the realm of the nagas As [Candragom in s] §isyalekha says: The teaching, as excellent as a suprem e jewel, sound, A nd completely pure in nature, is w orshipped respectfully By the great hooded nagas like a crown jewel A nd thus eliminates the gloom that dwells in the depths of the earth.92 4cd) As for the justification [of the third line of homage], if preceded by the knowledge o f all aspects in terms of suchness and variety, [buddhas] are able to tu rn the wheel o f dh arm a in accordance with the constitutions, motivations, and latencies of those to be guided, {20} but w ithout such [knowledge] preced ing it, the opposite is the case Therefore, the turning of all dh arm a wheels w ithout exception is established as the fruition o f the knowledge of all aspects 4d) The explanation of the fourth line [of the verse o f paying homage] has two parts: Translations: The General Topics 51 a) The actual [explanation] b) The m a n n e r o f becom ing children o f the victor 4da) In this way, [Maitreya says,] “I pay hom age to this m o th e r o f the Buddha with (that is, w ho is su rro u n d ed by) his assemblies o f šrávakas (and, im plic itly, pratyekabuddhas) and bodhisattvas.” T hat he speaks o f “th e m o th e r of the B uddha” is out o f the wish to indicate the m ain one o f her children, but, ultimately, she is the m o th e r o f all four noble ones 4db) H ere to present clear realization as the m o th er and [said four] persons as her children is not a presentation o f m o th e r and child by virtue o f [the former] giving birth to som eone whose nature is [as different] as [an actual] m o th er an d child [are] So how is it then? In worldly terms, one m ay speak o f some person w ho has benefited one greatly as “being a m o th e r to m e.” Likewise since the clear realizations o f the three persons [(šrávakas, pratyekabuddhas, an d bodhisattvas)] completely accom plish their respective ultim ate desires, they represent the m o th e r of these persons M oreover, this m o th e r is their m o th e r because she gives birth to the u n co n tam in ated skandhas that have n ot [yet] arisen in their m in d stream s (their tem porary desire) an d sustains the c o n tin u u m [of these skandhas] once they have arisen Also, the complete accom plishm ent of their ultim ate desires m ust be preceded by tem porarily p roducing and fostering their u n c o n tam in ated skandhas Thus, [clear realiza tion] is presented as the m o th er [of said persons] by virtue o f the m anners o f accom plishing [their] ultim ate and tem p orary desires H ow ever since the knowledge o f all aspects exists solely on the budd h ab hú m i, {21} it is only su it able as the m o th e r that sustains buddhas, bu t is not taken to be the m o th er w ho gives b irth [to w hat has not yet arisen] 5) The explanation o f [the homage] by way o f rebutting objections [has two parts] 5a) The objection is as follows In this context o f paying hom age, since [prajňápáram itá] is praised by way o f the three knowledges, this represents a praise and an hom age that concord w ith the subject m atter [of this tre a tise] Therefore, implicitly, it [also] represents the c o m m itm e n t to com pose a treatise that takes these three as its subject matter O n this som e say, “As for co m po sing a treatise th a t takes the three know ledges as its subject matter, since the three knowledges cannot be defined by way o f their natures, they m ust be taught in connection with their objects H ere you m ay take the subject m atter [of the treatise] as consisting o f (a) merely the n u m eric subdivisions o f skandhas, dhátus, an d áyatanas in ord er to give rise to the prajňá that fully discriminates phenom ena; (b) merely [all] remedial factors o r the paths to the three [kinds of] enlightenm ent in o rd er to merely relinquish antagonistic fac tors; (c) or the m ere subdivisions o f aspects (such as their being substantially 52 Groundless Paths or imputedly [existent]) in order to know all enum erations o f knowable p h e n o m ena w ithout exception [So the question is] which one am ong these three [possibilities] is [the subject m atter of the AA]? The first case w ould [merely] be a repetition of the abhidharm a treatises In the second case, the com posi tion o f this treatise w ould be w ithout purpose because one w o uld not know which remedies are fo r which factors to be relinquished In the th ird case, [the question is] w hether [the text] teaches the aspects as entailing [their respec tive] bases or as being w ithout bases In the first case, w h en it teaches the aspects, it also needed to teach said bases, and therefore it w ould be a repeti tion o f the abhidharm a In the second case, it w ould follow that there is no realization o f the actuality o f entities because, th ro u g h realizing aspects w ith out bases, they w ould consist o f m ere im putations.” 5b) The answer to this is as follows {22} It is n o t that, th rou g h the subject m atter consisting o f partial [discussions of] bases, remedies, and aspects, [this treatise] functions as a partial o rn a m e n t o f the m other It functions as an ornam ent o f all three knowledges by virtue o f its subject m atter consisting of the points of all three factors—bases, remedies, and aspects Therefore, there is no flaw o f [this treatise] not explaining what m ust be explained In order to understand the three knowledges (the [cognizing] subjects), w hich is its purpose, it teaches them in the m an n er o f the points to go astray, the cause, and w hat is to be attained [through this cause].93 Therefore, there is no flaw of repeating the abhidharm a treatises either If [this treatise] is thus established as an orn am ent of the three knowledges, it is established as an o rn am en t of all m o ther [sutras] because th e three knowledges include all clear realizations o f sravakas, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, and buddhas For the triad of the large, m edium , and brief m o th er [sutras] explains that the clear realizations o f said four persons are included in the three knowledges.94 2.2.2.1.2 [The set of] p u rp o se a n d c o n n e c tio n 95 (the b n c h e s o f m a k in g th e intelligent engage in this treatise) This has three parts: 1) Purpose 2) Synopsis 3) M eaning of the w ords 2.2.2.1.2.1 P u rp o se The intelligent [first] eliminate the fourfold doubt that does no t tend tow ard the facts, which consists of thinking, “This treatise probably lacks the fourfold [set of] subject matter, purpose, essential purpose, and connection.” Then, they give rise to the fourfold doubt that tends tow ard the facts, thinking, “It Translations: The General Topics 53 probably is endow ed with this fourfold [set],” a n d thus engage in th e treatise {23} As it is said: Because the striving o f the world Engages out o f doubt In those of duller faculties, these [two forms o f doubt] arise as certainty and, in those o f sharper faculties, as doubt As for the m a n n e r in w hich [the latter] engage in the treatise out o f doubt, w hen the statem ent about the [fourfold set of] purpose and connection is presented p rior to the body o f the treatise, they will engage in it by thinking, “I will examine w hether there is or is not [a way of] engaging in the treatise just as said statem ent promises If there is one, I will engage in it, and if there is none, I will tu rn away from it.” 2.2.2.1.2.2 Synopsis This has three parts: 1) Identifying the fourfold [set of] purpose and connection 2) The m a n n e r in w hich these are ta u g h t by the statem ent [that describes them] 3) Their definite n u m b e r as being four things to be taught 2.2.2.1.2.2.1 Identifying the fourfold [set of] purpose and connection This has three parts: 1) [The purpose and connection that exist in] any [true] statem ent 2) [The purpose and connection that exist in] a statem ent [that describes] purpose and connection 3) The purpose and connection th a t exist in the body o f the treatise 2.2.2.1.2.2.1.1 The purpose and connection that exist in any [true] statement The fourfold [set of) purpose and connection can be assessed in all true state ments W h a t is taught by a statem ent that dem onstrates a true m eanin g is its subject m atter T he understand ing by virtue o f th a t [subject matter] is its purpose T he accom plishm ent o f th e goals o f p erso n s is its essential purpose The relation between the form er an d the latter is its connection 2.2.2.1.2.2.1.2 The purpose and connection that exist in a statement [that describes] purpose and connection [The fourfold set of] the purpose and connection that exist in the body o f a treatise represents the subject m atter [of a statem ent that describes this set o f purpose and connection] T he arising of d oubt or certainty [about this subject matter] in the intelligent by virtue of said statem ent is its purpose T h eir engagem ent in the treatise by virtue o f such [doubt or certainty] is its ... given factor to be relinquished However, here there are two systems? ?the one o f the c o m m on yana and the one of the u n c o m m o n [yana] According to the first one, the system o f the com m entaries... fruition o f the knowledge of all aspects 4d) The explanation of the fourth line [of the verse o f paying homage] has two parts: Translations: The General Topics 51 a) The actual [explanation] b) The. .. not taken to be the m o th er w ho gives b irth [to w hat has not yet arisen] 5) The explanation o f [the homage] by way o f rebutting objections [has two parts] 5a) The objection is as follows