NOTES - 561 nun (called "female spiritual practitioner") See Kongtrul, Treasury ofKnowledge: Book Five: Buddhist Ethics, 88-89 57· These arc the four attitudes of immeasurable love, compassion, joy, and impartiality s8 On the path of accumulation, the emphasis is on the dual process of refining away obscurations and consolidating positive qualities, in order to render the practitioner's mind more suitable for higher levels of spiritual development 59· While these five States reach their full expression o~ly on the level ofbuddhahood, they are expe~ienced to some degree on the lower paths They are: (x) the "fleshand-blood eye," an extension of ordinary vision that allows one to perceive things over enormous distances; ( 2.) the "divine eye," the abUity to see everything throughout the furthest reaches of space; (3) the "eye of sublime intdligence," the ability to perceive all phenomena with nonconceptual awareness; (4) the "eye ofphenomena," the ability to perceive the interdependent connection between phenomena; and ( 5) the "eye of timeless awareness," the abUity to perceive reality, the true nature of phenomena, just as it is, as well as all phenomena in their multiplicity 6o See note 61 Maitreya, Ornament ofthe Sz'Uras, chap s,, v 3, (Toh 402.0), Dg T., Sems'tsam, vol Phi, p 37, lines 1-2 62 This is a more accurate rendering of the term than the usual "Four Noble Truths." These arc not truths that are evident in the direct experience of ordinary beings but are seen to be so by "noble ones;' that is, those who are spiritually advanced due to their having attained the path of seeing in any of the three approaches (those of sravakas, pratyckabuddhas, or bodhisattvas) 63 These are to take what is unclean to be clean, to take what has no identity to have identity, to take suffering to be happiness, and to take what is impermanent to be permanent 64 That is, ultimate and relative truth The various schools of Buddhist philosophy define these levels differently Roughly speaking, for the Vaibh~ika school of the sravaka approach, what is relatively true, or valid, are the more obvious manifestations ofdualistic consciousness (that is, anything that can be physically or mentally deconstructed to the point where the mind no longer conceives of the thing in question existing any longer), whUc what is ultimately true is that which cannot be thus deconstructed (They accepted indivisible particles of matter and indivisible moments of consciousness to be the ultimately real "buUding.blocks" of our phenomenal universe.) For the Sautrantikas, relative truth consists of things that are merely imputed conceptually, while ultimate truth consists of anything that can withstand critical mental investigation such that it can be found to exist.in its own right, without recourse to linguistic or conceptuallabds For the Cittamatra school, things that are "imputed" or "dependent" (that is, dependent on other causes and conditions) are only relatively valid (and thus to be investigated with reasoning from the perspective of conventional logic), while whatever is "absolute" is ultimately valid (and thus to be investigated with reasoning from this more ultimate perspective) Here Kongtrul is using the idiom "the two levels of truth" in its Madhyamaka connotation: the relative level of truth consists of all that manifests (due to the process of interdependent origination) in our dualistic perception and consciousness, while the ultimate level consists of emptiness as the way in which 562 - THE TREASURY OF KNOWLEDGE things actually abide {as distinct from the way in which they appeat), which can be fully apprehended only by nondual awaceness 6s These would seem to be identical to the "eight mundane values: which ace ways in which one is motivated by attachment to nominally positive experiences {gain, fame, praise, and pleasure) and adverse reactions to their opposites {loss, notoriety, blame, and pain) 66 This realization signals the onset of the second of the live paths, that of linkage; it is discussed below in the section on that path 67 These terms ace found more often in the Prajfiaparamita literature, in which the term "path of accumulation• does not appeat to a great extent 68 This refers to the realization that derives from meditation undertaken on the path of linkage, which entails a foreshadowing of the experience of the true nature of reality that takes place on the path of seeing 69 See note s1 70 This term refers to the stage of spiritual development that is still based on a sense of dedication and a conceptual understanding of the words and meanings in the teachings, without the direct and transformative experience that comes with the path of seeing, when one makes the transition from an ordinary mortal individual to a spiritually advanced being As such, it can also include the path of accumulation in some contexts 71 Meditation is, of course, involved in all four of the live paths Here the term "corruptible path of meditation• is used to distinguish this third path from the specific case of the fourth path, the incorruptible path of meditation 72 A term used in the Prajfiaparamita literature to describe the path oflinkage as a still mundane process that allows one to engage in the path ofseeing, which transcends the mundane sphere 73· That is, the lack of true identity in the individual personality or in phenomena 74· "Meditative wacmth• involves insight gained thtough meditating on the Four Truths; one realizes that one's perception of phenomena is purely an internal process of labeling, without there being any external object that has an independent nature This insight is felt as both a physical sensation ofwacmth and a mental sense of"warming up.• 7S· That is, the factots that ace corruptible, in that they ace still subject to being undermined by such counterproductive inHuences as afBictive mental states 76 With the peak experience, the insight one has gained with meditative warmth is further developed to include the realization that the object-oriented aspect of one's experience {the process by which the mind reilies what it perceives to be objects) does not represent things that have independent natures of their own 77· The more common Sanskrit equivalent of the Tibetan term rtse mo is murdhan, which literally means "peak• or "summit.• The Sanskrit term murti has a basic meaning of"(that which has taken) form.• 78 "Patient acceptance• in this context involves the following: realization concerning the object-oriented aspect of one's experience {first gained during the phase of the peak experience) intensifies; in addition, one gains an initial degree of realization that the subject-oriented aspect of one's experience (the mind that conceives of itself as a perceiving subject) does not represent ~omething with an independent nature NOTES - 563 79· These are the paths of seeing, meditation, and no more rraining; the attainment of the path of seeing constitutes the shift from the state of an ordinary mortal being to that of a spiritually advanced one So A congruent cause is one that brings about a result that is something of similar type to the cause itsdf such as barley producing hatley, and virtue producing virtue I The highest mundane experience enrails the intermediate degree of the realization, gained during the phase of patient acceptance, concerning the subject-oriented aspect of one's experience 81 A governing condition is one that exerts a controlling influence over its result; for example, the visual faculty is a governing condition in that it acts as a controlling agent that brings the respective kind of consciousness into being as its specific result 83 Maitreya, Ornament ofManifest Realization, chap I, v wl (Toh 3786), Dg T., Ses phyin vol Ka, P· s.l 84 The text reads, in error, •both of the above phases, • • S· Each of the Four Truths is divided into four topics, making a total of sixteen See Longchen Rabjam, Precio~ Treasury ofPhilosophical Systems, I 1-32: What are these sixteen topics? Four concern the truth of suffering: impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and the laCk of identity Four concern the universal origin of suffering: the fact that all things have causes, that these causes are the universal origin of suffering, that they arc produced rdentlessly, and that they are perpetuated by conditions Four concern the cessation of suffering: cessation, peace, the ideal situation, and disengagement Four concern the path: the path itsdf the logic of this process, the proven attainment to which it leads, and the certainty of rdease Thus there are four topics that concern the truth of suffering: (I) impermanence, the fact that things not last but only come about momentby-moment due to circumsranccs; ( 1.) suffering, the fact that one is constandy subject to suffering in any of its three forms (as ovett suffering, as suffering that results from change, and as the subliminal suffering entailed in the mind-body aggregates); (3) emptiness, the fact that phenomena have no inherent existence as constant, unirary, and autonomous entities; and (4) the lack of identity, the fact that the mind-body aggregates not constitute a constant, unitary, and autonomous sel£ There are the four topics that concern the universal origin of suffering: ( s) the fact that all things in essence have causes, in that karma and affiictive srates produce the suffering of saq~sara; (6) the fact that these causes are the universal origin of suffering, in that they produce all the experiences ofbeings in the three realms; (7) the fact that such results are produced rdendessly, in that kanna and affiictive states are continuously producing suffering moment-by-moment; and (8) the fact that they ate perpetuated by conditions, in that karma and affiictive states produce the mind-body aggregates, for example, which then further suppott the production of suffering There are four topics that concern the cessation of suffering: 564 - THE TREASURY OF KNOWLEDGE (9) cessation, the fact that once afflictive states are eliminated, they not reoccur; ( o) peace, that fact· that such cessation encails the absence of suffering; (II) the ideal situation, in that one will no longer be reborn in any of the three realms or cicperience their attendant suffering; and (12.) disengagement, the fact that one is liberared from saipSata and attains the blissful state of nirviQ.a And there arc four copies that concern the path: ( I3) the path itself in that there is a process whereby one moves from the state of an ordinary mortal individual to that of a spiritually advanced being; (I4) the logic of this process, in that it serves as.an antidote to the afflictive states, which are ultimately unjustifiable; ( s) the proven attainment to which the process leads, in that one's errant mind is brought to a more authentic state ofbeing; and ( 16) the certainty of release, in that the path frees one from saxpsara while leading one to the stare of nirviQ.a 86 That is, the first phase of the path of linkage is nominally termed a lesser version of the path of seeing because the realization it entails is analogous to the deeply ttansformativ,e experience undergone on the path of seeing, when one makes the ttansition from an ordinary individual to a spiritually advanced being 87 The path up to but not including the path of seeing, that is, the paths of accumulation and linkage On these paths one is still an otdinary individual rooted in this world; it is only with the attainment of the path of seeing that one be~omes a spiritually advanced being who has ttanscended the limitations of the ordinary world 88 The path from the path of seeing onward, that is, the paths of seeing, meditation, and nor more ttaining 89 As represented inAsailga's Compendium ofAbhidhanna and Vasubandhu's Treasury ofAbhidhanna, respectively Asailga's work is based on the tenets of the Cittamatra, or Mind Only, school of Buddhist philosophy of the Mahayana approach; Vasubandhu's Treasury ofAbhidhanna is the primary source for the "lower tradition" of Abhidharma, so called because it is considered the definitive exposition of the tenets of the Vaibh~ika school of the ~ravaka approach 90 That is, the phases of meditative warmth, the peak experience, and the highest mundane experience 91 The degree to which timeless awareness is experienced by someone on the path of linkage is still conceptual (albeit on a subtle level) when assessed from the perspective of the path of seeing But since £4is first degree of a state of clarity leads to a direct mode of perception, it is not overtly conceptual in the sense of ordinary consciousness, which encails concepts based on the ascribing of terms and their meanings Such issues of what is conceptual versus what is nonconceptual have fueled much debate throughout the history of the Buddhist tradition 92 These are the powers of faith, diligence, mindfulness, meditative absorption, and sublime intelligence The five strengths arc called by the same names as the five governing powers See Longchenpa, Kindly Bent to Ease Us, vol I, 2.43: "as 'powers; these five initiate processes of refinement • as 'strengths' which overcome all that impedes the link-up with the Stage of Seeing." 94· The northern continent ofUttarakuru (one of the four continents of the human NOTES - 565 realm in traditional Buddhist cosmology) is excluded because the impediments posed by the collective karma of human beings in this realm are such that they lack the humility and sensitivity to arouse in themselves a will to become free of sarp.siira They are therefore considered to be unsuitable candidates for the form¥ ordinations (monastic or lay) that form the foundation for spiritual develoP, ment on the path of accumulation See Vasubandhu, Treasury ofAbhidha1'1n4, chap 4, vv 43 and 58,"(Toh.4o89), Dg T., mNgonpa, vol Ku,p 2.4,l andp 2.5, 3· 5· These are the go.ds of the states of the Four Great Kings, the Thirty-three Gods, the Gods Free of Conflict, the Joyous Realm, the Gods Who Enjoy Emanations, and the Gods Who Enjoy the Emanations of Others For a discussion of these states within the realm of desire, see Kongtrul, Treasury ofKnowledge: Book One: Myriad Worlds, II5-19 96 That is, the sii.tras that emphasize the teachings on the buddha nature, cathagatagarbha 97· The term "entirely sufficient preparatory stage" refers specifically to the preparatory phase of the first level of meditative stability The term connotes that, while one has not yet attained the actual first level, one is nevertheless capable of eliminating the afflictive states associated with the realm of desire on the basis of this preparatory phase alone The "nominal aspect" of the actual stage (the "actual stage per se") is its initial onset, and the "distinctive aspect" is its full expression 98 Pratyekabuddhas are held to be of three types: those who are solitary like a rhinoceros, those who participate a great deal in groups, and those who participate to a lesser extent in groups Here Kongtrul makes a distinction between the path of linkage as experienced by those of the latter two types and by those of the former type Like the unicorn in Western lore, the rhinoceros is noted in Indian legends for its habit ofliving alone in solitude; hence, a pratyekabuddha is often referrec\ to metaphorically as a "rhinoceros." For a discussion ofthese three types, see Longchen Rabjam, The Precious Treasury ofPhilosophical Systems, 142.-49 99· That is, one who, like Sa.kyamuni (the "Teacher" in the citation), is destined to attain buddhahood I oo For detailed discussions of the various schools of Buddhist philosophy to which Kongtrul refers in his treatment of the paths and levels of the dialectical approach, see his Treasury of Knowledge: Book Six, Part Three: Frameworks of Buddhist Philosophy xox Vasubandhu, TreasuryofAbhidha1'1n4,chap 6, v 2.4ab, (Toh.4089),Dg T.,mNgon pa, vol Ku, p 38, lines 3-4 I 02 The term "afflictive states" denotes states of mind that either produce physical and mental distress or cause one to commit negative actions, which lead to experiences of such suffering in the future Some of these are emotional states (desire, anger, and so forth), while others are misguided beliefs (such as the belief in the reality of a "self" connected with the transitory mind-body aggregates) or habitual patterns such as laziness and inattentiveness I 03 That is, the existence of an individuai being as some autonomous and self-justifying entity that "stands on its own." 104 The distinction being drawn is between the more obvious misconception t;hat "an individual" (such as one's own sense of individual i~entity) is a thing that has substantial existence in its own right, and the more subtle misconception that the ... on the path of accumulation See Vasubandhu, Treasury ofAbhidha1'1n4, chap 4, vv 43 and 58,"(Toh.4o 89) , Dg T., mNgonpa, vol Ku,p 2.4,l andp 2.5, 3· 5· These are the go.ds of the states of the. .. Kings, the Thirty-three Gods, the Gods Free of Conflict, the Joyous Realm, the Gods Who Enjoy Emanations, and the Gods Who Enjoy the Emanations of Others For a discussion of these states within the. .. sense of dedication and a conceptual understanding of the words and meanings in the teachings, without the direct and transformative experience that comes with the path of seeing, when one makes the