Jewels from the treasury vasubandhus ( (59)

This has three topics: a How levels up to the third dhyana are destroyed, b H ow the fourth is destroyed, and c T he num ber o f destructions by fire, water, and wind.. T h en when all s

(3) Destructive aeons This has three topics: (a) How levels up to the third dhyana are destroyed, (b) H ow the fourth is destroyed, and (c) T he num ber

o f destructions by fire, water, and wind

(a) H ow levels up to the third dhyana are destroyed This has three points

(i) W h a t destroys what

1 OOab Then fire and water and then wind

Bring three additional destructions

T h en when all sentient beings have been gathered in one dhyana, there is de­ struction by fire for seven days, and then by w ater from rain and floods, and then destruction by extremely violent w ind, so these bring three additional destructions: not even an atom remains

(ii) The crests that remain undestroyed

lOOcd These crest respectively at the

Three dhyanas— second and so forth—

These three additional destructions crest respectively at the three dhyanas because those dhyanas remain after destruction T he crest o f destruction by fire is the second dhyana T he phrase “and so fo rth ” indicates that the crest

o f destruction by water is the third dhyana, and the crest o f destruction by wind is the fourth dhyana This is because the first dhyana and below are de­ stroyed by fire, the second and below by water, and the third and below are destroyed by wind

(iii) The reasons for those

101a Because those correspond to their faults

This is because those, fire, water, and wind, correspond to their, the three dhyanas internal faults: considering and examining are like fire; joy and pleas­ ure are like water; and the inhalation and exhalation are like wind They are destroyed by fire, water, and wind, respectively

(b) H ow the fourth is destroyed This has two points

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(i) Teaching that it is not destroyed by fire, water, or air

101b But not the fourth, since its immovable

B ut there is n o t an external cause for destruction on the fourth dhyana since

it is immovable by the eight faults, as will be explained in the eighth area.170

(ii) The actual way it is destroyed

lO lcd N o t permanent, its palaces

And beings arise, and then they perish

The container o f the fourth dhyana is n o t perm anent, because its palaces and beings arise, and then they perish

(c) The number of destructions by fire, water, and wind

102 There are seven by fire, then one by water

W hen seven by water are thus finished,

Then seven by fire, and after that,

Finally wind will bring destruction

There are seven times when there are destructions by fire After those, there

is the one destruction by water T hen after a succession o f seven destructions

by fire, there is another destruction by water, and w hen seven destructions

by w ater are thus finished, then there is a sequence o f seven destructions by fire, and after th a t at the end o f every sixty-four great aeons, there is finally destruction by wind

Second, presenting the area's name

This completes the third area called “Teachings on the W orld” from the

Verses o f the Treasury ofAbhidharm a.

This completes the explanation o f the third area called “Teachings on the

W orld” from The Explanation o f the “Verses o f the Treasury ofA b h id h a rm a y> called The Essence o f the Ocean o f Abhidharma, The Words o f Those who

Know and Love, Explaining the Youthful Play, Opening the Eyes ofDharma, The Chariot o f Easy Practice.

A few words here:

Because o f the second Vasubandhu, Vijayakirti's

Full explanation o f these signs and meanings

And the development of my intelligence,

I have explained the Treasury o f the world.

May the great masses of virtue greatly please

T he mighty guides appearing in all three times

May their one hundred peals o f laughter

Pacify the tum ult o f false teachers

‘Teachings on Kgrma

The illumining master, the Karmaka, skilled

In shining in the playful, ocean-like skies

O f the Land o f Snows, playing in vibrant compassion:

I prostrate to him who’s omniscient A nd then

From love and compassion for those

W hose six-legged, winged intelligence

C ould go to the ends o f the skies

O f his unexcelled explanations, This short com m entary o f mine Whose cool rays make clear the Karmapas intent

Comes from the great ocean o f the abhidharma

The fourth area, the “Teachings on Karma,” has an explanation o f the text of the area and a presentation o f the areas name T he explanation o f the text

o f the area has three topics: I H ow everything arises from karma, II U n­ derstanding karm a itself, and III Teaching the synonyms o f dharmas as a summary

I H ow everything arises from karma

la From karma various worlds are born

W h at created the environm ent o f the world and its inhabitants, sentient beings, described above? It was not created out o f forethought by Ishvara or some other god Instead, from various virtuous and nonvirtuous karmas the

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