The path to give rise to is the bodhisattva knowledge o f the path o f realizing that said three paths are unarisen or unobservable.. The paths to go beyond are the paths o f the limite
Trang 1above, are only the sphere o f bodhisattvas on the great b hüm is—they are hard to understand in just the way they are.
433 In this context, SZB (pp 3 1 5 -1 6 ) quotes the sütras, saying, “Bodhisattvas should know all paths, give rise to all paths, and go beyond all paths” (CZ, p 518) The paths to be know n
by bodhisattvas are the three paths o f šrávakas, pratyekabuddhas, and bodhisattvas The path
to give rise to is the bodhisattva knowledge o f the path o f realizing that said three paths are unarisen or unobservable The paths to go beyond are the paths o f the limited realizations and relinquishments o f šrávakas and pratyekabuddhas as well as the respectively preceding paths o f bodhisattvas Here a bodhisattvas knowledge o f k now ing the path o f šrávakas is the familiariza tion with the sixteen aspects o f the four realities (such as impermanence) through not observing them and being free from the thirty-two superim positions More specifically, the sixteen aspects
o f the four realities free from the sixteen superimpositions o f perm anence and so on represent the path o f šrávakas to be known The cognitive aspect o f realizing said aspects in a nonbserv- ing manner, or the path that is also free from the superim positions o f im permanence and so
on, represents the path to give rise to Thus, the limited realizations and relinquishm ents o f the path o f šrávakas represent both the path to be know n and, through realizing it in the m a n ner o f nonobserving, the path to go beyond The path to g ive rise to is the path free from the thirty-two superim positions that has the cognitive aspect o f nonobservation and includes the realizations and relinquishments o f šrávakas The sam e applies to the k now ledge o f the path o f pratyekabuddhas.
434 Skt šalya can refer to any sharp w eapon (such as spears, darts, arrows), anything tor
m enting or causing pain (such as thorns or stings), or any extraneous substance lodged in the body and causing pain (such as splinters, pins, or stones in the bladder) The Tibetan has “pain”
(zugmgu) throughout.
435 PSD has rang du mi gnas, but LSSP’s ring du mi gnas makes m o re se n se here.
436 MCG (fol 58a.6-58b 1) says that this threefold d ivision com es from Rongtón.
437 M CG (fols 57b.6-58b.5) glosses som e o f the above aspects differently: (1) arising from conditions; (2) being under the sw ay o f karma and afflictions; (4) sufferings o w n nature not being established as any identity; (5) craving as the cause o f suffering being like a disease; (6) like evil, b ein g th e im mediate condition for one’s next rebirth; (10/17) destroying a continuum ; (12/19) disintegrating momentarily; (2 6 )-(2 9 ) being delivered from the factors to be relin quished; (30) being the path to nirvána; (31) being appropriate as the direct rem edy for the seeds
o f the afflictions; (32) directly realizing the true nature o f mind; and (33) absolutely term inating suffering These thirty-three aspects o f the four realities in the prajñápáramitá sütras and their sixteen aspects in the abhidharma differ only in terms o f being classified in m ore or less detail, but accord in their meaning.
438 PGSD (pp 1 55-58) identifies the three paths to be know n through the bodhisattva
k now ledge o f the path as follows The type o f realization that is the realization o f personal identitylessness and the path o f the šrávakas as what is to be know n are equivalent It is divided into three—the path o f the šrávakas as what is to be know n that exists in the m ind streams o f šrávakas, pratyekabuddhas, and followers o f the maháyána, respectively Likewise, the type o f realization that is the realization o f phenom enal identitylessness in term s o f the apprehended and the path o f the pratyekabuddhas as what is to be know n are equivalent It is divided into
tw o —the path o f the pratyekabuddhas as w hat is to be k n o w n that exists in the m ind streams
o f pratyekabuddhas and followers o f the maháyána, respectively The type o f realization that
is the realization o f phenom enal identitylessness in terms o f the apprehender, the path o f the
m aháyána as what is to be known, and the realization o f the maháyána are equivalent T hough the type o f realization o f the šrávakas is necessarily the path o f the šrávakas as what is to be
Trang 2know n, t h e path o f t h e éràvakas as what is to be know n is n o t necessarily th e type o f realization
o f the éràvakas; for exam ple, though the know ledge in the m ind streams o f noble bodhisattvas represents the path o f the éràvakas as what is to be know n, it is not the type o f realization o f the éràvakas Therefore, the ty p e o f realization o f the éràvakas is m erely the ty pe o f realization that is the realization o f personal identitylessness, and the sam e goes for the pratyekabuddhas However, it is not contradictory to take the path o f the éràvakas as what is to be know n and the type o f realization o f the éràvakas on the o n e hand and the path o f the pratyekabuddhas
as what is to be kn ow n and the type o f realization o f the pratyekabuddhas on the other hand
as being equivalent, respectively, and then to say that either one o f these two is not necessarily either the path o f the éràvakas or the path o f the pratyekabuddhas As for the m anner o f noble bodhisattvas k n ow in g said paths, in terms o f the m anner o f k n ow in g that these paths exist in the m ind streams o f others, it is held that the dharma vision that is the realization in the m ind streams o f noble bodhisattvas directly k n o w s the natures, focal objects, aspects, and m anners o f arising o f the types o f realization o f realizing identitylessness that exist in the m ind stream s o f other persons For th e dharma vision o f su c h bodhisattvas is able to directly k n o w all th e divi sions o f the faculties o f those noble persons w h ose m ind streams are equal or inferior to these bodhisattvas In terms o f bodhisattvas kn ow in g said paths in their ow n m ind streams, during subsequent attainm ent they directly kn ow the types o f realization o f realizing personal identity lessness by way o f experiencing them in their o w n m ind streams During meditative equipoise,
in the m anner o f nonobserving, they k n o w that the types o f realization o f realizing personal identitylessness lack real existence because AA II.2b says, “Through not observing the aspects ” The definition o f the k n o w led g e o f the path (the co gn izin g subject) is “the k n o w led g e o f the
m ahàyàna noble on es o f realizing the principles o f the paths o f the inferior yànas, just as they are, and then being skilled in generating the qualities o f these types o f realization in the manner
o f the lower being incorporated in the higher.” Its instances consist o f all paths o f mahàyàna noble ones As for h o w the éràvaka know ledge o f the path is taught in the sütras and the AA, in the relevant passages o f both the sütras and the AA both the path o f the éràvakas as what is to
be k n ow n and the k now ledge o f the path are taught explicitly because said passages explicitly teach both the types o f realization that consist o f directly realizing the sixteen aspects o f the four realities (AA II.2acd) and the know ledge o f the path (the cognizing subject)— the path o f directly realizing that this very path lacks real existence ( AA II.2bd) In the sütras (CZ, p 2 0 4 -5 ),
th e know ledge o f th e path as th e cognizing subject is taught explicitly by t h e statem ent that it
is en d o w ed with three distinctive features—m entally engaging in the k now ledge o f all aspects (preparation), n onobservation (main practice), and dedicating the roots o f virtue for perfect enlightenm ent (conclusion) The path o f the éràvakas as what is to be k n ow n is explicitly taught
by “im permanence, suffering ” in this sütra passage A m o n g the two types o f the path o f the éràvakas as what is to be kn ow n , the one in the m ind streams o f éràvakas and pratyekabuddhas
is taught implicitly and the o n e in the m ind streams o f bodhisattvas is taught explicitly In brief, the mahàyàna path o f seeing is the know ledge o f the path o f k n ow in g the path o f the éràvakas For it is the know ledge o f m ahàyàna noble ones o f realizing, in order to take care o f those to be guided w h o have the éràvaka disposition, the principles o f the focal objects and aspects o f the path o f the éràvakas, just as they are, and then being skilled in generating the qualities o f this type o f realization in the m anner o f the low er being incorporated in the higher.
439 PGSD (p 163) has “the subdivisions o f karma, that is, causes and results.”
440 PGSD (p 165) says that, according to the Abhidharmasamuccaya (D 4049, fol 1 10b 1 -2 ),
it is by virtue o f their former aspiration prayers that pratyekabuddhas are definitely on ly reborn
in the desire realm.
441 D4037, fol 4 6 b 3 -4
Trang 3442 PGSD (p 165) says that the four fruitions o f the šrávakas (stream-enterers and so on) are not presented for the pratyekabuddhas because the prajñápáramitá sütras enumerate the latter separately from the former.
443 D4090, fol 159b.2.
444 PGSD (p 164) adds m o stly rem aining in silence as the abiding o f speech.
445 PGSD (pp 1 64-65) says that pratyekabuddhas first examine, through their supernatural
k now ledge, whether there is som e benefit for others in their going to tow ns and villages on alms rounds W hen they go there, through their miraculous powers they instill confidence in those
w h o lack it and establish those with confidence in the higher realms and nirvana Also, through their supernatural knowledge, they k now the different faculties o f the beings to be guided and,
by virtue o f their former aspiration prayers, teach the dharma by way o f various physical d is
p lays that accord w ith the respective thinking o f said beings, thus being able to bring forth in these beings the realizations that they wish for This m anner o f teaching is their predom inant one, but it is not the case that pratyekabuddhas absolutely never teach the dharma with words.
446 D4090, fol 159b.5.
447 D4092, fol 324a.2 P G SD (pp 1 5 8-68) defines pratyekabuddhas as “those w hose m ind stream is en d o w ed with the clear realization o f the m iddling yána—ascertaining the ultimate view that consists o f personal identitylessness plus the phenom enal identitylessness in terms o f the apprehended.” T he pratyekabuddha disposition o f rhinolike pratyekabuddhas is certain from the beginning and their faculties are sharp, while the pratyekabuddha disposition o f group practitioners is not certain and their faculties are dull Therefore, the former progress swiftly through the path o f the noble ones, while the latter do so m ore slowly Unlike for rhinolike pratyekabuddhas, for group practictioners it is possible to have been either ordinary or noble šrávakas (that is, stream-enterers and once-returners) before As for w hich šrávaka persons can
b ecom e pratyekabuddhas, according to the Vaibhásikas (Abhidharmakoša VI.19ab and 23cd) šrávakas can enter th e maháyána up through the level o f peak o f the šrávaka path o f prepara tion, but not thereafter T hey still can b ecom e pratyekabuddhas on the lesser and m ed ium levels
o f poised readiness o f the šrávaka path, but not on the level o f great poised readiness For im m e diately after great poised readiness, they attain the suprem e dharma and right after that, they attain their path o f the noble ones, after which they d o not enter other yánas A ccording to the Mere Mentalists, even šrávaka stream-enterers and once-returners can enter the pratyekabud dha path, but nonreturners cannot because they do not take rebirth in the desire realm through karma and afflictions anymore According to the M ádhyamikas’ ow n system, šrávakas can enter the pratyekabuddha path even after having becom e nonreturners because it is possible for šrávakas with uncertain disposition w ho have relinquished the ninth degree o f the afflictions o f the desire realm and are on the path o f familiarization to study and reflect on phen om en al id e n titylessness in term s o f the apprehended under the influence o f a pratyekabuddha spiritual friend About the path on which šrávakas becom e pratyekabuddhas, the proponents o f entities say that šrávakas enter the pratyekabuddha path on the remaining paths b eyond the respective šrávaka paths that they have already gone through For šrávakas and pratyekabuddhas differ merely in respectively having sharper and duller faculties, but are otherwise alike in b elonging to the inferior yána A ccording to the Madhyamaka system, šrávakas must enter the pratyekabud dha path on the pratyekabuddha path o f accumulation because the final clear realization o f
p henom enal identitylessness in terms o f the apprehended m ust be p reced ed by its correspond ing path o f familiarization— continually familiarizing with said identitylessness that was already realized on the corresponding path o f seeing As for the m anner o f pratyekabuddhas progress ing on the path, there are three positions (1) According to the hínayána, rhinolike pratyekabuddhas gather the accumulations on the path o f accumulation for one hundred eons
Trang 4form o f the fourth dhyána, accom plish the level o f heat up through the enligh ten m en t o f term i nation and nonarising in a single session (Abhidharmakoša VI.24ab) The group practitioners
m anifest pratyekabuddhahood in their last life w ithout relying on a teacher, but while associat ing with pratyekabuddha c o m p anion s This is the explanation o f the Bàhyaka Vaibhàsikas, while the Kashmiri Vaibhàsikas assert o n ly rhinolike pratyekabuddhas (2) The Abhidharmasamuccaya
(D 4049, fol., 106b 3-7) says, “‘W h o are those in the pratyekabuddhayàna?’ They abide in the nature o f a pratyekabuddha b eing either certain or uncertain, are naturally o f m ed iu m faculties,
m ake aspiration prayers in order for them selves to attain liberation, have renunciation, are free from attachment, have the intention to becom e liberated, have the intention o f them selves
b eco m in g fully and perfectly enlightened, practice the dharma in accordance with the dharma through focusing on the šrávakapitaka, either have not given rise to the factors conducive to penetration previously or have given rise to the factors conducive to penetration previously, and either have not attained [šrávaka] fruitions previously or have attained such fruitions previously
In any case, in the absence o f buddhas, they m anifest the path by them selves and, as rhinolike ones, becom e pratyekabuddhas by living alone, or reach the end o f suffering as group practitio ners.” In brief, this teaches the four distinctive features o f the disposition in w hich pratyekabuddhas abide, their path (prajňá and means), their focus as their support, and their
m anner o f p rogressing on the path (3) Our ow n u n c o m m o n system says that pratyekabuddhas, partly similar to the m anner o f bodhisattvas progressing on the maháyána path, gather the a ccu
m ulation s during on e hundred eon s in three equally lo n g periods, w h ich respectively consist o f
th e pratyekabuddha paths o f accum ulation, preparation, an d seeing; the respective three phases
o f their lesser and m e d ium paths o f familiarization; and the three phases o f their great path o f familiarization As for the relinquishm ent and realization o f pratyekabuddhas, the
Bodhisattvabhúmi (D 4037, fol 4 6 b 3 -4 ) h o ld s that there is no difference betw een the m and the šrávakas, which is also asserted by Bhàvaviveka in his Tarkajvâlâ (D3856, fol 169b.3-4) and by others However, in the AA there is a difference in that šrávaka arhats are en d o w ed w ith the final realization o f personal identitylessness and pratyekabuddha arhats, with the final realization o f
p henom enal identitylessness in terms o f the apprehended The identification o f the path o f the pratyekabuddhas as what is to be know n, the m anner o f know ing it, and the pertaining k n o w l edge o f the path as the cogn izin g subject are to be understood in analogy with the k n ow led g e o f the path o f the šrávakas above As for the m anner in w h ich the k n o w led g e o f the path o f pra tyekabuddhas is taught in the AA and the sütras, the path o f pratyekabuddhas that is en d o w ed
w ith three distinctive features (relinquishing the con cep tion s about the apprehended, not relin
qu ish in g the con cep tion s about the apprehender, and havin g the disposition as the foundation; see AA II.8) is explicitly taught as the actual bodhisattva k n o w led g e o f the path that is the c o g
n izing subject o f directly realizing identitylessness, whereas the path o f pratyekabuddhas in their o w n m ind streams is taught implicitly A m o n g said three features, (1) the one o f relin
q uishing the co n cep tion s about the apprehended (“Form is neither profound nor subtle ” [CZ, p 210]) m eans that pratyekabuddhas, on their ow n path, realize that outer referents (the apprehended) lack real existen ce and thus are able to relinquish the clin gin g to their real e x is tence, in clu d in g its seeds (2) As fo r the feature o f not relinquishing the con cep tion s about the apprehender (“Those w h o listen to the dharma from m e should wish to be like an illusion ” [CZ, p 210]), though pratyekabuddhas realize outer referents (the apprehended objects) to be illusionlike, on their o w n path they are not able to cut through the superim positions o f clinging
to the real existence o f the m ind as the cognizing subject (3) The distinctive feature o f the dis
p osition as the foundation is tw o fo ld — (a) the persons on the path w h o are the psychophysical supports and (b) the disposition that is the nature o f phenomena, (a) A m o n g the six kinds o f persons m en tion ed in the sütras (CZ, p 212), “irreversible bodhisattvas” refers to those on the path o f preparation; “persons w h o have reached sound view s,” to bodhisattvas on the first fifteen
m o m en ts o f the path o f seeing; “arhats,” “those w h o have terminated the con tam inations,” and
Trang 5the path o f seeing—the subsequent cognition o f the reality o f the path (in due order, they receive these three names because they relinquished all factors to be relinquished through see ing, relinquished the afflictions o f the three realms, and com pletely attained the types o f realization o f the path o f seeing); and “those w ho attended to the victors o f the p a s t ,” to bodhisattvas on the path o f accumulation The phenom enal identitylessness in terms o f the apprehended is som ething that is to be know n directly by bodhisattvas for the sake o f others, but since they do not familiarize with this realization in a continuous manner, those on the path o f familiarization are not explicitly taught in the sütras (b) As f or the disposition that is the nature
o f phenom ena (exem plified through the m agically created flowers o f the gods [CZ, p 214]), though magically created flowers lack any arising b y their nature, on th e level o f seem ing reality
it appears that they arise in distinct areas and at distinct times Likewise, the dharmadhàtu o f
m ind’s luminosity w ith stains represents the feature o f the disposition as the foundation, which
is illustrated by the examples o f its temporary functioning as the foundation o f practice In brief, the mahàyàna path o f seeing is the k now ledge o f the path o f know ing the path o f pratyekabud dhas For it is the know ledge o f mahàyàna noble ones o f realizing, in order to take care o f those
to be guided w ho have the pratyekabuddha disposition, the principles o f the focal objects and aspects o f the path o f the pratyekabuddhas, just as they are, and then being skilled in generating the qualities o f this type o f realization in the m anner o f the lower being incorporated in the higher MCG (fols 60b 2-61a.2) says the follow ing on self-arisen w isd om in the context o f the knowledge o f the path o f pratyekabuddhas (AA II.6) If the w isdom o f pratyekabuddhas is self arisen, you may wonder, “Then the wisdom o f pratyekabuddhas w ould be w ithout a cause,” or,
“Since self-arisen w isdom has no cause, it is not suitable to be accom plished through the path, or
it would manifest even w ithout having cultivated the path.” Such w isdom in which all reference points have subsided does not m anifest w ithout having relied on the prajnàpàramità o f the path that consists o f the poised readiness for profound actuality because said w isd om does not appear before by virtue o f being obscured by adventitious stains Let alone the ultimate self-arisen w is
d o m that is inseparable from the nature o f p h enom ena, ev e n the w isd om s o f su ch n ess being pure o f obscurations to certain degrees that are attained through the inferior yànas com e about due to the power o f their belonging to the class o f prajnàpàramità that consists o f the poised readiness (or the powerful m ind) for the actuality o f the limited em ptiness o f elim inating views about entities Therefore, it is justified that pratyekabuddhas, by virtue o f the cause o f their hav ing familiarized with one-and-a-half o f the two kinds o f identitylessness before, realize these kinds o f identitylessness in their last lifetime despite their not being taught by others MPZL (pp 70-71 and 74) says that th e paths o f the éràvakas and pratyekabuddhas as w h a t are to be known are contained in the knowledge o f entities, while the clear realization o f know ing that these paths are unobservable is contained in the know ledge o f the path o f bodhisattvas In order to
k now all paths for the sake o f taking care o f those to be guided with the three dispositions and
in order to com plete all relinquishments and realizations o f the three yànas in their ow n mind stream, bodhisattvas do know the true end through their profound prajnà o f realizing, without observing the three spheres, all paths o f the three yànas that make up the know ledge o f entities However, through the m eans that consists o f the com passion o f deliberately not relinquishing the afflictions (the nature o f their path), they do n ot m anifest the true end in an untim ely m an ner Thus, through being embraced by these special m eans and prajnà, they give rise to the path
in their o w n m ind streams, com plete the relinquishm ents and realizations o f all three yànas, go beyond limited paths, and also know the paths that are to be taught to those to be guided with the three dispositions Therefore, it is this kind o f the knowledge o f the path that represents the distinctive feature o f bodhisattvas alone, while the paths that are to be kn ow n by it (the paths that are in c o m m o n with éràvakas and pratyekabuddhas) are contained in the know ledge o f entities If this is not analyzed properly, one will not understand the p ro fo u n d intention o f the prajnàpàramità sütras.