Translations: A W o rd C o m m en ta ry 399 2.1.1 Paying ho m age (the branch o f producing openness in those to be guided) She is th e one who, th ro u g h th e all-know ledge, guides the šrávakas w ho search fo r peace to u tte r peace She is th e o n e w ho, th ro u g h th e know ledge o f th e p a th , m akes those w ho p ro m o te th e benefit o f beings ac c o m p lish the welfare o f th e w orld Being u n ite d w ith her,839 the sages p ro claim this v ariety en d o w ed w ith all aspects I pay ho m ag e to this m o th e r o f the B u d d h a w ith his assem blies o f šrávakas a n d b odhisattvas.840 The objects o f paying hom age th ro u g h this [verse] are the three k n o w ledges (1) T h ro u g h the m eans that consist o f th e all-know ledge o f know ing that all entities (skandhas, dhátus, and áyatanas) are prim ordially em pty o f a personal self and the apprehended, respectively, she guides th e persons w ho are šrávakas and pratyekabuddhas and search fo r one-sided peace (their own welfare) to the two fruitions that consist o f the u tte r peace of afflictions and suffering having subsided (2) She is th e o n e w ho, th ro u g h the m eans that consists of th e know ledge o f th e p a th o f realizing that, ultimately, all three paths o f šrávakas, pratyeka buddhas, and bodhisattvas are w ithout arising and, conventionally, represent causes, fruitions, and natures, m ak es those persons w ho are bodhisattvas and desire to p ro m o te th e benefit o f beings for as long as the sam sára of those to be guided lasts accom plish the fruition that consists o f th e w elfare o f the higher realms and definite excellence841 that the whole w o rld desires {467} (3) B eing u n ite d w ith the knowledge o f all aspects of realizing th a t all aspects are without arising, the persons who are th e sages (the perfect b u d dhas) endow ed w ith the body o f th e perfect restraint from all m istaken behaviors o f body, speech, and m in d p ro claim the fruition th at consists of this d h arm a wheel o f the variety o f expedient and definitive m eanings that is e n d o w e d w ith all aspects o f the two realities Thus, I pay h om age to this m o th er [that consists of] the three k n o w ledges You m ay w onder, “W hose m o th er is she?” She is the m o th e r o f the B u d d h a who is together w ith his assemblies o f šrávakas, pratyekabuddhas, a n d bodhisattvas.842 2.1.2 [The set of] p u rp o se a n d n ectio n So th a t th e p a th o f th e know ledge o f all aspects T h a t is explained here by the teacher, 400 Groundless Paths T h o u g h n o t experienced by others, Will be seen by the intelligent, [1.1] A nd that, having c o m m itte d to m em o ry th e m e a n in g o f the sutras, W hich has the character o f th e ten d h a rm a practices, T hey m ay realize th e m in an easy way Is the purp o se of this u n d e rtak in g 843 [1.2] A m ong the four [parts] o f said [set], (1) the subject m atter [of the A A] consists of th e p a th o f the b u d d h as (the know ledge o f all aspects) plus the seven [remaining topics o f the AA] exemplified by it th a t are explained by the teacher, the Buddha, in this m other of the victors here (2) The essential purpose is that, th o u g h this knowledge o f all aspects is n o t som ething to be experienced by others th an bodhisattvas (such as tlrthikas, ¿ravakas, pratyeka buddhas), {468} it will be seen by the intelligent bodhisattvas w ho progress throu gh the ten bhum is after having co m m itted to m em ory, associated with alertness, their certainty about th e m eaning o f the sutras (the eight topics, just as they are), w h ic h has the character o f th e ten param itas (the practices of bodhicitta and the d h arm a) (3) T h at they m ay realize th e m in an easy w ay is th e pu rp o se o f this u n d e rta k in g because the eight topics, which are taught in the sutras and are difficult to realize in their status of being the hid den m eaning [of these sutras], are taught in a clear m a n n e r in this treatise (4) The connection between each one o f these [three parts] is taught implicitly.844 2.2 T he n a tu re o f the text as w h a t is to be com posed This has three parts: 1) [Division into] eight [topics] for those w ith confidence in detailed [explanations] 2) [Division into] six [topics] for those w ith confidence in interm ediate [explanations] 3) Division into three [topics] for those w ith confidence in brief [explanations] 2.2.1 D ivision into eight [topics] f o r those w ith confidence in detailed [explanations] This has tw o parts: 1) Presentation o f the body [of the text] 2) Detailed explanation o f its branches {469} 2.2.1.1 P resen tatio n o f th e b o d y o f th e text 1) Brief introduction to the body 2) Detailed explanation o f the body Translations: A W ord C om m en tary 401 2.2.1.1.1 Brief introduction to the body P jn a p a m ita is p roclaim ed By w ay o f th e eight topics The know ledge o f all aspects, th e kn ow ledge o f th e path , T h en th e all-know ledge, [1.3] T he full realizatio n o f all aspects, T he a tta in m e n t o f cu lm in a tio n , th e serial one, T he full realization in a single in stan t, A n d th e d h a rm a k a y a —these are th e eight [1.4] W h at is to be explained [here] is th e p jn a p a m ita w h o was praised, and to w hom hom age was paid, as the subject m atter o f the [verses of] paying hom age above You m ay wonder, “H ow is she explained?” She is to be p r o claim ed by w ay o f th e eight topics “W h a t are these eight topics?” The three knowledges (the know ledge o f all aspects, th e know ledge o f th e p ath, and th e all-knowledge), the four trainings ([the complete training in] all aspects, th e c u lm in a tin g [training], th e serial [training], and th e in sta n ta n e o u s [train ing]), an d th e d h a rm a k a y a —these are th e eight You may wonder, “W h at are [the explanations] o f the instances, the definition, the b ou n d ary lines, and the herm eneutical etym ology of the prajnaparam ita that is explained in this way? W hat are [the explanations] of the definitions, the definite num ber, th e [definite] order, th e b o u n d a ry lines, and the rebuttal [of the criticism o f th e re being needless] repetitions?” T he instances o f prajnaparam ita are the factors th a t consist of the realiza tions, th ro u g h the three paths of the noble ones o f the m ahayana, that all phenom ena are w ithout nature {470} T he definition [of prajnaparam ita] is “th e knowledge o f directly realizing all phenom ena as being free from reference points, w hich has gone, or makes one go, to the nonabiding nirvana.” T he b o u n d ary lines are that th e fully qualified prajnaparam ita [exists on] th e three paths o f th e noble ones [of th e m ahayana], while th e nom inal one exists on [the paths of] accum ulation and preparation As for the herm eneutical etymology [of prajnaparam ita], since it is the suprem e o f all knowledges, it is prajňá (“suprem e know ledge”) For it focuses on the ultim ate Since it is the m ost genuine o f all prajňás, it is the páram itá [of prajňá] For it is w hat has gone, or makes one go, to th e non abiding nirvána The definition of the knowledge o f all aspects is “the direct know ledge of all aspects o f suchness and variety w ithout exception in one single m o m e n t.” 402 Groundless Paths The definition of the knowledge o f the path is “the path of training which realizes that the three paths are w ithout nature and which manifests the true end through com pletion, m aturation, and purification.” T h e definition of th e knowledge of entities is “the lim ited knowledge that realizes that all entities are em pty o f a personal self.” The definition of [the complete training in] all aspects is “the yoga of bodhi sattvas in which they familiarize with the three types of nonarising in a combined m anner in order to attain mastery over realizing the three knowledges.” The definition of the culminating [training] is “the yoga of bodhisattvas in which they have gained mastery over familiarizing with the three types of n o n arising in a combined m a n n er based on the complete training in all aspects.” The definition of the serial [training] is “the yoga of bodhisattvas in which they sequentially familiarize with the aspects o f the three knowledges in order to stabilize the realization [that consists] o f the sim ultaneous arising of the cognitive aspects of the three knowledges.” {471} The definition of the instantaneous [training] is “the yoga of bodhisattvas that is the final [stage] of the sequential familiarization with the three knowledges.” The definition of the dharm akaya is “the final fruition of having cultivated the trainings that is endow ed with a m ultitude o f uncontam inated branches.” As for the definite n u m b e r [of the eight topics], fo r a single person to become enlightened there is the definite n u m b er of the triad of the objects to be known, the path to be practiced, and the fruition to be attained The first [are definite in n u m b e r as] th re e—the fruition, the path, and the points to go astray The second one [is definite in nu m b er as four]—the cause and result o f generating the realizations of the path that have not yet arisen in ones m ind stream and the cause and result of m aking those that have already arisen special The third one is definite in num ber as the single fruition that is the dharmakaya As for their [definite] order, w hen the three knowledges are explained in said m an n er they represent the order o f explaining them so that the audience understands th em easily, while the four trainings represent the order o f the actuality of the sequence o f causes and results As for their bound ary lines, the actual knowledge of all aspects exists on the buddhabhum i; the know ledge of the path, on all five paths o f the mahayana; and the knowledge o f entities, on all five paths of the hlnayana [The complete training in] all aspects exists from the lesser path of accum ulation up th ro u g h the end of the co ntinu um o f the ten bhum is The culm inating [training] exists from [the level of] heat [on the path o f preparation] up th rough the end o f the co ntinu um As f or the serial [training, in term s of] study and reflection being prim ary, [it exists] from the path of accum ulation up throu gh the end of the continuum , while the one that arises from m editation exists from [the Translations: A W ord C o m m en ta ry 403 level of] heat onw ard T he instantaneous [training] exists at the end o f the ten bhumis The dh arm k ày a exists solely on the buddhabhüm i As for the rebuttal [of the criticism o f there being needless] repetitions, since the three know ledges represent [the cognizing subjects of] distinct [aspects] and {472} the [complete training in] all aspects is the subject of all [aspects] w ithout exception, the form er a nd the latter one are not repetitious O r these tw o are not repetitious because [the former] are the fully qualified objects to be know n, while [the latter] teaches them by way o f the training that makes them a living experience O r they are not repetitious because [the former] represent the objects o f realizing the aspect o f natural u tter peace, while [the latter] is the rem ed y that relinquishes the stains Also, the equipm ent of the bhümis a nd the paths of seeing and familiariza tion that are explained under the knowledge of all aspects and the knowledge of the path are not repetitious because they have different purposes Since the former are explained in order to define the knowledge of all aspects (the [cog nizing] subject), while the latter is taught through defining the knowledge of the path of knowing the three paths by way of its objects, they are not repetitious The paths of érâvakas and pratyekabuddhas that are explained under the knowledge of the path are [taught] for the sake of defining the knowledge of the path that is the [cognizing] subject, while what is taught und er the knowledge of entities teaches the remedial knowledge o f entities that is free from super impositions Thus, [the latter] teaches the opposites that are implied by this [remedial knowledge o f entities] as being the paths of éràvakas and pratyeka buddhas and independently teaches their paths [as being separate] Therefore, [the knowledge of the path and the knowledge of entities] are not repetitious The know ledge o f all aspects and the dharm akàya are not repetitious because they are respectively tau g h t in term s o f the object [to be known] and the fruition [to be attained], or in term s of the defining [points] and the nature {473} 2.2.1.1.2 Detailed explanation of the body This is taught by way o f the seventy points Generating bodhicitta, the instructions, The four branches of penetration, The foundation of practice, Whose nature is the dharmadhatu, [1.5] The focal object, the aim, The activities o f [donning] the armor and engaging, The equipments, and final deliverance Represent the knowledge of all aspects of the sage [1.6] ... aspects o f the three knowledges in order to stabilize the realization [that consists] o f the sim ultaneous arising of the cognitive aspects of the three knowledges.” {471} The definition of the. .. As for their bound ary lines, the actual knowledge of all aspects exists on the buddhabhum i; the know ledge of the path, on all five paths o f the mahayana; and the knowledge o f entities, on... defining the knowledge of the path of knowing the three paths by way of its objects, they are not repetitious The paths of érâvakas and pratyekabuddhas that are explained under the knowledge of the