Translations: The General Topics 259 2) The path o f manifesting consists o f [the first] three [of the eight] libera tions—(a) looking at form thro ugh w hat possesses form, (b) looking at form through what is formless, and (c) the liberation [of notions] of [specific] beauty 2a) Looking at form through what possesses form has six parts: a) [Looking] w ith w hich supports b) [Looking] by relying on w hich ground c) [Looking] at which objects d) [Looking] in w hat m an ner e) H erm eneutical etymology f) Looking for which purpose 2aa) As for the supports, in the case of the m ah àyàna they are [the paths] from the greater path o f accum ulation onw ard In the hỵnana, they are the n o n re turners who are a bodily witness and those arhats w ho are liberated by virtue o f b oth elements, [that is, prajnà and m editative absorption] Abhidharm akosa [VIII.37d] says that the first three liberations arise in a h u m a n [psychophysi cal] support and arise as the actual grounds [of dhyàna] in a [psychophysical] support of the desire realm However, I think that bodhisattvas are [also] able to cultivate them in [psychophysical] supports o f the form realm and [those of] the gods in the desire realm 2ab) A bhidharm akosa [VIII.32ab] {281} asserts that since the first tw o libera tions are progressively cultivated as the remedies for the desire for the colors o f the desire realm and the first tw o dhyànas, they are based on the first two dhyànas However, in that system, the first two [liberations] are held to be the m editation on repulsiveness, which is not w hat they are identified as here Therefore, here, according to w hat the Abhidharm asam uccaya says, [the first three liberations] rely on the c ulm in ation o f the actual fourth dhyàna 2ac) As for which objects are looked at, [their objects] are small forms, w hether they have nice colors, ugly colors, or are bad or good The same goes for big forms “Nice colors” are those that appear to be beautiful “U gly colors” are the opposites o f those “Bad” refers to [objects] from sounds up th ro u g h tangible objects that are unpleasant “G ood” m eans the opposites of those “Small” refers to the form s of sentient beings and the possessions that they enjoy “Big” m eans [things such as] huts and houses 2ad) As for the m an n er of looking, w ith the notion of oneself as the inner looker possessing form, one looks at big, small, good, and bad [forms in the sense] that there is no absolute certainty about their being bigger, smaller, and so on than they [are] No m atter w hether the objects that one looks at in this m an n er are good or bad, one m ust be free from attachm ent to them However, even if one is free from attachm ent, one has not yet attained m astery over 260 Groundless Paths the creative willpower [to manifest these objects] as one wishes and therefore [looks at them] with the wish to attain [such mastery] In this context, since one m ust [mentally] establish the notion of oneself as [possessing] form {282}, this is easy if o n e is n o t devoid [of form] But even if one is devoid [of form] through having attained a formless [absorption], one m ust establish the notion of [oneself possessing] form w ithout [physically] manifesting [in any form] 2ae) The reason behind the herm eneutical etymology [of looking at form through what possesses form is] that one establishes the notion of oneself as [possessing] form 2af) The purpose for w hich one is looking [in this w ay is th at such looking serves] as the rem edy f or the obscurations that prev ent one from m anifesting outer entities just as one wishes [However,] this is just [one] exam ple—the Yogacarabhumi557 explains that [this liberation] is [cultivated] in order to furtherm ore accomplish the totalities, [the ayatanas of] overpowering, the m iraculous powers o f the noble ones, dispassion, the knowledge th rough aspiration, the discrim inating awarenesses, and so on 2b) As for the liberation o f looking at form through w hat is formless, [except for the following] all other points are as above The distinct feature o f its sup port is the attainm ent o f the first liberation The m an n er of looking is to look w ith the notion of oneself not possessing form, [that is, w ith the notion of] the four space[like] nam es.558 In this context, if one has attained a formless [absorption], [such looking] is easy, but even if one has no t attained [a fo rm less absorption], one m ust [mentally] establish the notion of not possessing form The Bahubhum ivastu559 explains that, even if one has attained a fo rm less [absorption], one merely establishes a m ental state of formlessness, but does not give rise to th at actual [formless] meditative absorption Therefore, the statem ent in some texts that the supports o f the [first] two [liberations can be] any of the dhyanas and formless [absorptions] entails the intention that even in those who [cultivate these liberations on the basis of] having attained a formless [absorption], there is only the cultivation [of the notion of not possessing form] O n the other hand, there are num erous statem ents that, w ithin the actual formless [absorptions], form s are [by definition] no t taken as objects Therefore, {283} [the first two liberations] not rely on the formless [absorptions] The reason behind the herm eneutical etym ology [of looking at form through w hat is formless is] that the notion of oneself as [possessing] form is destroyed The m ean ing of these tw o establishing or not establishing the notion o f oneself as [possessing] form derives from the tw o [facts] of the m anif ester appearing or not appearing at the tim e of m anifesting [forms] 2c) [The explanation of] the liberation [of notions] of [specific] beauty has four parts, (a) The persons [who can cultivate it] differ from the form er [two] Translations: The General Topics 261 in having attained the first two liberations, (b) As for the ground, they rely on the fourth dhyana (c) The purpose is [that this liberation serves] as the rem edy for the arising of mental states of wishing to m anifest beautiful forms and not wishing to m anifest ugly ones, (d) As for the m a n n e r in w hich [it is cultivated], one relies on the th re e notions of (1) m u tu a l dependence, (2) m utual connection, and (3) m utually being o f one taste (1) [One starts with] a beautiful, an ugly, an d a neutral form (such as a golden, a silver, and a co p per vase) In dependence on the copper vase, the silver vase is beautiful, but in dependence on the golden vase, it is ugly T hrough m editating on these three [forms in this way], one puts an end to the clinging to [forms] being in d ep e n den tly beautiful or ugly (2) T h ro u g h m editating on [the fact] that b oth being ugly in dependence on the golden vase and being beautiful in dependence on the copper vase are connected w ith in the single silver vase, one puts an end to the clinging to beautiful and ugly being different (3) Through having m e d i tated according to the form er tw o [steps], w ith o u t a p p re h e n d in g everything that is beautiful or ugly as being absolutely distinct, one attains the notion of everything being of one taste as [having the aspect of] being beautiful or being an aspect th a t one wishes to manifest This is the tim e o f having accom plished [the th ird liberation] {284} You m a y wonder, “W h y is th e p a th o f m anifesting presented as th e [first] th ree liberations?” If one does not look at small, big, good, and bad as n ot being definite, one is n ot able to manifest them as som eth in g other Therefore, even if one has attain ed the first tw o [liberations] and the conviction th a t the [properties of big, small, good, and bad] are not definite, if one does not put an end to the clinging o f being biased about beautiful and ugly, one does not wish to manifest w hat [one thinks] is ugly But if one does not m anifest what [one thinks is ugly], one has not com pleted [the power to] m anifest [all kinds of things] Therefore, one m ust cultivate the third [liberation].560 3) [The path of blissfully abiding amidst visible phenom ena consists of the remaining five liberations.] You may wonder, “In w hat does one rest in m edi tative equipoise?” To blissfully abide amidst visible phenom ena (that is, [the appearances of] this life) is the path that benefits body and m ind, w hich is five fold W hat are these [five]? First, on the path of abiding in concordance with liberation (nirvana) and being free from the manifest fetters [of the afflictions], there are the four actual formless absorptions These are the [four] formless liberations O ne cultivates them through distancing oneself from the craving for relishing the formless levels in order for them not to be mixed with such [craving] Second, in the nature of the path of abiding in the utter peace of the afflictions (such as attachm ent), or of [primary] m inds and m ental factors, there is the one liberation o f the cessation of feelings and discrim ination since these are the main factors to be ceased [here] This [meditative absorption] is 262 Groundless Paths manifested in order to be liberated from the obscurations of the cessation of feelings and discrimination As for the difference between the [regular] four formless [absorptions] and the meditative absorption of cessation versus said [five] liberations, they are [presented as] meditative absorptions by virtue of being balanced with regard to their focal objects th a t consist of the great ele m ents of the body or [primary] m inds and mental factors {285} They are presented as liberations from the point of view of being liberated from the fet ters of their ow n respective levels and not being m ixed w ith them The followers of the Abhidharmakosa assert that [the liberations] also [include] the preparatory stages [of the dhyànas and formless absorptions, saying that] since the m eaning of “liberation” is to tu rn one s back on lower [levels], the uninterrupted paths o f the preparatory stages are not liberations, while their paths of liberation are Thus, [among] the eight [liberations], the first three arise for the welfare of others, while the next five, while entailing the aim o f the welfare o f others, are liberations in term s o f blissfully abiding in the actuality that is seen by oneself 4) The supram undane path consists o f nine [meditative absorptions] These nine are the eight dhyànas, the formless [absorptions], and the m edita tive absorption o f cessation Since these constitute aspects in relation to the knowledge o f the path, they are identified as said [meditative absorptions] in the m ind stream s o f bodhisattvas As for their being presented as the supram undane path, though the A bhidharm ikas assert that there is n o th ing uncontam in ated w ithin the Peak of Existence, in the m ahàyàna it is held th a t there is Therefore, since it is the u ncontam inated elem ents of the eight dhyànas and formless [absorptions] that represent the nature o f the su p ra m u n d an e path, they are presented as such Cessation [is said to belong to the supram undan e path] by virtue o f the need to gain certainty th roug h the supram undan e [path] Here a critical analysis of the m editative absorption of cessation has seven parts: a) W hich persons [enter this meditative absorption] b) Based on w hich m ental states [they enter it] c) T h ro u g h w hich m ental engagem ent [they enter it] d) W hich factors to be ceased are ceased e) Its nature f) Its tim e g) In which realms [this m editative absorption is entered] a) As for w hich persons enter this m editative absorption, {286} [the position of] the hïnayàna corresponds to w hat the Vmiscayasamgraham says: Translations: The General Topics 263 The n o n re tu rn in g learners w h o are a bodily witness and the n o n learners w ho are liberated by virtue o f b o th elem ents are the ones w ho enter this m editative absorption.561 In th e m ahàyàna, [bodhisattvas] are able to enter it from th e p a th o f seeing onward O rd in a ry beings, stream -enterers, once-returners, and [arhats] w ho are liberated by virtue o f the elem ent of prajnà [alone] are not able to enter it For in order to enter it, the afflicted m in d m ust have ceased and the m ental state o f the Peak o f Existence m ust have been attained—the first lack the first [criterion] and the rem aining lack the latter In the Dasabhümika[sütra] it is said that bodhisattvas enter the m editative absorp tion o f cessation from the sixth bhü m i onw ard Since this is held to be the cessation w ithin the d hàtu free from all reference points, the nam e is the sam e but the m eaning is different b) As for the m ental states based on w hich [one enters this m editative absorp tion, according to Abhidharm akosa VIII.33b] the A bhidharm ikas assert the following Since the m ental state o f the Peak o f Existence is very subtle, based on it it is easy to cease the flux o f [primary] m inds and m ental factors Therefore, it is the one on w hich one relies [here] However, in the m other sütras it is explained that one can rely on any one o f the nine levels Therefore, the form er [position] m ust be asserted as [applying only to] the tim e o f first m aking efforts [to enter this m editative absorption] c) As for the m ental engagem ent [through w hich one enters this meditative absorption], it is th ro u g h the m ental engagem ent o f seeing th at one is not free from the coarse flux o f feelings, discrim ination, and so on, and thus [giving rise to] the discrim inating notion o f [wishing to] abide in the peace [of said flux having ceased] th ro u g h this [meditative absorption] d) As for which factors to be ceased are ceased, it is seven that are ceased—the six collections [of consciousness] and the afflicted m in d {287} together with their accom panying [mental factors] For if the afflicted m ind has not ceased, [just] in term s o f w h eth er they are or are n ot peaceful there is no difference betw een this [meditative absorption] and the m editative absorption w ithout discrim ination.562 This [explanation] refers to the desire realm However, in the form realm the nose and tongue consciousnesses [do n ot exist] and, in the formless realm, [all] five collections [of the sense consciousnesses] not exist Therefore, [in these realms, only] five and two, respectively, [of th e above seven consciousnesses] cease As for th e sràvakas saying that only the [first] six collections [of consciousness] cease since the sràvaka texts only explain six collections, they [also] explain that only that m any [can] be ceased However, the Viniscayasamgrahani explains that, actually, also the afflicted ... etym ology [of looking at form through w hat is formless is] that the notion of oneself as [possessing] form is destroyed The m ean ing of these tw o establishing or not establishing the notion o. .. the basis of] having attained a formless [absorption], there is only the cultivation [of the notion of not possessing form] O n the other hand, there are num erous statem ents that, w ithin the. .. first liberation The m an n er of looking is to look w ith the notion of oneself not possessing form, [that is, w ith the notion of] the four space[like] nam es.558 In this context, if one has attained