464 Groundless Paths 2.2.1.2.2.1.1.1.1 The aspects to be train e d in This has two parts: 1) Brief introduction 2) Detailed explanation 2.2.1.2.2.1.1.1.1.1 B rief in tro d u c tio n The specific instances o f cognizing entities Represent the defining ch aracteristic o f “aspects.” By v irtue o f th e th re e k in d s o f om niscience, They are asserted as three kinds [IV 1] T he specific instances of the wisdom o f cognizing entities (the aspects of the four realities) rep resent “aspects.” T his is th e defining characteristic o f aspects in general W h e n classified, th ese aspects a re asserted as th r e e kind s for the reason that the om nisciences are o f three kinds.936 2.2.1.2.2.1.1.1.1.2 D etailed explanation This has three parts: 1) [Detailed explanation of the aspects of] the knowledge o f entities 2) [Detailed explanation o f the aspects of] the knowledge o f the path 3) Detailed explanation of the aspects o f the know ledge o f all aspects 2.2.1.2.2.1.1.1.1.2.1 o f entities [Detailed explanation o f the aspects of] th e know ledge B eginning w ith th e aspect o f nonexistence Up th ro u g h th e aspect o f im m ovability, Four for each one o f the realities A nd fifteen o f th e m for the p a th are taught [I V.2] T he four aspects of th e reality of suffering are (1) n o t existing as som ething perm anent, (2) not arising ultimately, (3) being free from a self that is another referent, and, (4) not being subdued by the flaw o f conceiving o f a self {540} T he four aspects o f th e origin [of suffering] are (5) lacking a basis for the production of n am e a n d form ultimately, (6) lacking com ing and going, just like space, (7) inner expressions, examinations, and analyses being inexpress ible because they not exist, and (8) the craving that is the condition for rebirth and arises from feelings not [even] existing as a name The four aspects o f cessation are (9) lacking going anywhere ultimately, (10) not being carried away by dualistic appearances, (11) being inexhaustible since it has the nature of the dharm adhatu, (12) being w ithout arising since Translations: A W o rd C o m m entary 465 there is no producing cause These [aspects] m atch the w ell-know n aspects of the respective realities in accordance w ith th eir enum eration As fo r the aspects o f the reality o f th e path, the four aspects o f there not being a self th at is (13) an agent, (14) a cognizer, (15) one w ho transits higher, or (16) a subduer o f the afflictions, in due order, m atch the four [aspects of the reality o f the path] such as “path.” They represent the u n co n tam in ated path o f the hlnayana that is the rem edy for the afflictive obscurations The aspects o f the contam inated subsequent attainm en t o f the path of familiarization that is th e rem edy for th e cognitive obscurations are th e fol lowing five (17) Just as in a dream , o u te r apprehended [objects] appear, b u t have no real existence (18) Just like an echo, they n ot arise from a real cause (19) Just like an optical illusion, their m anner o f appearing is u n im peded (20) Just as in a m irage, [all] reference points [with regard to them ] are at peace (21) Just like an illusion, they are n atural nirvana The six aspects o f [outer app rehended objects] (22) not existing as afflicted phenom ena, (23) not existing as purified ph eno m en a, (24) being untainted because o f their nature being lum inosity, {541} (25) lacking the elaborations o f divisions, (26) lacking anything to be conceited about realization, and (27) being im m ovable em ptiness represent th e u n co n tam in ated p a th o f seeing that is the rem edy for the six cognitive obscurations o f clinging to real exis tence w ith regard to w h at is to be rejected, w h at is to be adopted, w h at is stained, the elaborations o f the five skandhas, realization, and the nature of em ptiness deteriorating.937 2.2.1.2.2.1.1.1.1.2.2 D etailed e x plan ation o f th e aspects o f th e know ledge o f th e p a th In term s o f the cause, th e p ath , suffering, A n d cessation, in d u e order, They are said to be eight, seven, Five, a n d sixteen [IV.3] The reality o f the origin [of suffering] is taught by way o f the factors to be relinquished and their remedies; the reality o f the path, by way o f theses and their justifications; the reality o f suffering, by way o f general and specific characteristics; and the reality o f cessation, by w ay of emptiness 1) The e ig h t [aspects o f the reality of suffering] are as follows The three aspects o f (1) being free from desire, (2) no t dwelling [on objects] th ro u g h clinging, and (3) characteristics an d flaws being at utter peace are the rem edies for three causes938—striving, desire, and delighting in rebirths The three aspects o f (4) lacking desire, (5) lacking hatred, and (6) lacking ignorance 466 Groundless Paths are the remedies for the three [corresponding] origins [of suffering]—desire, hatred, and ignorance (7) The aspect of lacking afflictions because o f being free from their cause—im pro per m ental engagem ent—is the rem edy for the im agination o f the arising [of suffering] (8) The aspect of the lack of real sentient beings is the rem edy for the condition that consists of the views about a real personality 2) As for the aspects o f the reality o f th e path, (9) the aspect of being im m easurable {542} teaches the nature o f p a th —the m ahayana that provides the opp ortunity for all sentient beings [to progress to buddhahood] (10) The aspect o f being disconnected from the two extremes teaches the reason for [this path] providing said op portunity because of not clinging to [samsaric] existence and peace (11) The aspect o f not being different teaches the nature o f appropriateness— realizing that all phenom ena w ithout exception are not different in their being the dharm adhatu (12) [The aspect of] no clinging to superiority teaches the reason for the m ahayana being the realization of everything w ithout exception [being the dharm adhatu] because o f not being content w ith the paths o f sravakas and pratyekabuddhas (13) [The aspect of] nonconceptuality teaches the n ature o f the accomplishment o f realizing identitylessness (14) [The aspect of] being unassessable teaches the reason for not conceiving o f the nature o f phenom ena th ro u g h clinging to it as an object that can be know n (15) The aspect o f lacking attachm ent teaches what is conducive to deliverance—being free from attachm ent to any phenom ena For this, [the sutras] not state a reason 3) The five aspects o f the reality o f suffering are the four of being (16) im perm anent, (17) suffering, (18) em pty, and identityless (its specific charac teristics) as well as (20) the aspect o f all these not having any characteristics of being established by a nature o f th e ir own 4) As for the sixteen aspects of the reality o f cessation, (21)-(23) the em pti nesses o f the internal, the external, and b oth are the three aspects o f cessation th at are characterized by the cessation of contam inated entities (24)-(31) The eight [aspects of] the emptinesses o f emptiness, the great, the ultimate, co n d i tioned and u nconditioned phenom ena, w h a t is beyond extremes, {543} w hat is w ithout beginning and end, and w hat is not rejected are the eight aspects of the eight [kinds of] clinging o f superim posing [something] onto these eight being at peace (32) The emptiness of the prim ordial nature is the one aspect of excellence—the lack o f an agent being pure as natural emptiness The [last] four [teach the aspect o f fin al deliverance.] (33)-(35) The three emptinesses o f all phenom ena, specifically characterized phenom ena, and the u n observ able [teach the aspect of] how [cessation] is final deliverance because they put an end to the three [kinds of] mistakenness about im putations, characteris tics, and time (36) The emptiness o f the nature of nonentities teaches fin a l deliverance's own nature.939 Translations: A W o rd C o m m entary 467 2.2.1.2.2.1.1.1.1.2.3 [D etailed ex p la n a tio n of] the aspects o f th e know ledge o f all aspects S tarting w ith the fo u n d a tio n s o f m ind fuln ess A n d en d in g w ith th e aspects o f b u d d h a h o o d , In a p p ro x im a te co nco rdan ce w ith the reality o f th e path, A n d d istin g u ish ed th ro u g h th e threefold om niscience [IV.4] O f disciples, bodhisattvas, A n d b u d d h a s, in due order, They are asserted as thirty-seven, T h irty-four, a n d thirty-n in e [IV.5] [W ithin the scope o f the aspects o f the knowledge of all aspects,] the th irty seven aspects o f the knowledge o f entities consist o f th e four fo u n d a tio n s o f m in d fu ln ess (the path o f exam ining entities), the four correct efforts (the path that arises from effort), the four limbs o f m iraculous powers (the path of training in sam adhi), the five faculties (the path of preparing fo r clear realiza tion), the five powers (the path of connecting w ith clear realization), the seven branches o f enlightenm ent (the path o f clear realization), and the eightfold path [of the noble ones] (the path that is conducive to pure final deliverance) The th irty -fo u r aspects o f the knowledge o f the path consist o f the three doors to liberation (the path o f the remedies), the [first] three liberations (the path o f manifesting), the rem aining five liberations (the path o f blissfully abiding am idst visible phenom ena), {544} the nine m editative absorptions (the su p m u n d a n e path), the four d h arm a readinesses (the path o f relin quishm ent), and the ten param itas (the path o f buddhahoo d) The th irty -n in e aspects o f the knowledge o f all aspects consist o f the thirtysix divisions o f qualities—the ten aspects o f the powers, the four aspects of the fearlessnesses, the four aspects o f the discrim inating awarenesses, the eighteen aspects o f the unique [buddha qualities]—as well as the aspect of suchness (that which is the nature of these qualities), the aspect of the self arisen (having gained m astery over these ph en o m en a that are the qualities, or [indicating] which p e rso n s qualities they are), a n d the aspect o f b u d d h a h o o d (the aim for which said [qualities] are [developed]).940 I pay hom age to noble Sam antabhadra You may wonder, “W hat is the m an n er of bodhisattvas familiarizing with these aspects o f the knowledge o f all aspects?” In general, the familiarization o f bodhisattvas is of four kinds The familiarization o f m entally engaging in aspiring [for true reality] refers to m ind arising as a m ere likeness of w hat it familiarizes with The familiarization of mentally engaging in true reality 468 Groundless Paths means m ind arising in exactly the way the defining characteristics of w hat [it familiarizes with] are The familiarization of analyzing defining characteristics refers to m entally engaging in, and analyzing thro ugh discrim inating prajna, the defining characteristics of certain clear realizations that have arisen in ones m ind stream, [thinking,] “They are such and such.” The familiarization through aspiration prayers means to m entally aspire to attain certain states and gather the accumulations for that sake {545} Am ong these, up through the seventh bhüm i, the types of realization that consist of the knowledge of entities and the knowledge of the path in the context of the knowledge of all aspects arise as mere likenesses and thus are [cases of] the familiarization of mentally engaging in aspiring [for true reality] As for the powers and so on, [bodhisattvas] familiarize with th em in the m anners of analyzing their charac teristics and aspiration prayers From the eighth bhüm i onw ard, [bodhisattvas] attain likenesses o f the powers and so on and therefore familiarize w ith them in the m anner of m entally engaging in aspiring [for true reality] 2.2.1.2.2.1.1.1.2 The person s w ho tra in T hose w ho lived u p to th e ir duties to w a rd the bu d d h as, P la n ted roo ts o f v irtu e in re latio n to them , A nd are p ro te cted by sp iritu a l friends Are th e vessels fo r listening to her [IV.6] Since they a tte n d e d to th e b u d d h as, asked them , A nd engaged in generosity, ethics, a n d so on, These g e n u in e beings are held to be the vessels For taking h er up, retain in g her, a n d so on [I V.7] T hose w ho are endow ed with th e three distinctive features o f having lived up to their duties tow ard the b u d d h a s thro ugh focusing on the tathâgatas (such as building temples), having p lan te d roots o f v irtu e in relation to the buddhas (such as offering them alms), an d being p ro tected by m ahàyàna spiritual friends are the vessels fo r primarily listening to the m other The genuine beings ho ld those who rendered services to m any b u d d h a s through a tten d in g to them to be th e vessels fo r tak in g the w ords [of the m other] to mind; those who, after having rendered services to the buddhas, asked th e m about the points about which they have doubt, to be the vessels for re ta in ing these points w ithout forgetting them; and those who engaged in the six param itas through attending to the buddhas, to be the vessels for mentally engaging in the characteristics [of the mother] in a proper m an n er.941 {546} ... realization), and the eightfold path [of the noble ones] (the path that is conducive to pure final deliverance) The th irty -fo u r aspects o f the knowledge o f the path consist o f the three doors... beings [to progress to buddhahood] (1 0) The aspect o f being disconnected from the two extremes teaches the reason for [this path] providing said op portunity because of not clinging to [samsaric]... u n d a tio n s o f m in d fu ln ess (the path o f exam ining entities), the four correct efforts (the path that arises from effort), the four limbs o f m iraculous powers (the path of training