|
Obeisance to Manjushree, the
Youthful One
-
The twelve discrete
constituents of interdependent Origination which were
taught by the sage are wholly collected in three:
afflictions, actions and miseries.
-
The first eighth and ninth
are afflictions [klesh], the second and tenth are
actions [karma] while the remaining seven are miseries,
Thus the twelve elements [nidana] are collected in
three.
-
From the three two
Originates, from the two originates seven and from these
seven in turn, originate the three; thus the wheel of
existence revolves again and again.
-
The entire world [samsara]
is cause and effect, excluding these three there is no
sentient being. From elements which are void in nature
only empty elements originate.
-
Through the similes of
oral instruction, a lamp, a mirror, a seal, a sun
crystal, a seed, sourness and sound/echo the wise should
understand the non-transmigration, as well as the
re-emergence of the aggregates.
-
One who conceives even
very subtle elements as non-existence fails to see an
object which are dependently produced.
-
So there is nothing denied
or affirmed [absolutely. See reality as it is for one
who sees reality is released [from bondage of
afflictions].
THE COMMENTARY
The disciple possessed of renunciation, desirous of hearing
attentive retentive, appreciative and able to dispel thought
construction having drawn near to the Master, asks thus
about the doctrine of the Tathagata. In what are "the twelve
discrete constituents of interdependent Origination which
were taught by the blessed One, collected for I beg to see
and study [them]. The Master having understood him to ask
about the essence of those twelve elements, thus spoke these
lucid words from the verse:
"[These twelve] are wholly collected in three:
Afflictions, actions and Misery" [1b]
Thus twelve is ten plus two. Constituents alone are discrete
as the constituents of a chariot have been showed to be
therefore discrete constituents. The sage is thus called
because of the silence of body speech and mind. ‘Taught by
the sage’ is synonyms with explained and elucidated. [The
twelve constituents] do not originate from cause like
nature, intrinsic character [niyati], Purusha, dependence
through others, Karma [motivated action], God time, inherent
character freewill , Brahma etc.
These are interdependently produced, As the well collected
sticks stands upright depending upon one another, these
twelve discrete constituents Are wholly collected in three:
afflictions, actions and Miseries.” Wholly means all without
remainder.
Question: What are afflictions, what actions and what
miseries? How and in what manner are these constituents of
interdependent origination collected?
Answer: The first, eighth and ninth are afflictions.
Of the twelve constituents the first is ignorance, the
eighth craving and the ninth grasping. These three is to be
known as afflictions.
What is actions?
“the second and tenth are actions”. The second mental
formations [samskara] and the tenth Becoming these two
elements fall on the category of actions.
“The remaining seven also are
miseries”. With the exception of five elements falling under
the categories of actions and afflictions the remaining
seven elements fall on the category of miseries. Thus
consciousness, Name and form, Six sense Spheres, contact,
feeling, birth old age and death. The word ‘also’ serves to
indicate miseries like the separation from beloved, meeting
with despised and not finding what one desires.
“Thus twelve elements are collected in three”
Thus these twelve elements are to be known as afflictions,
actions and miseries. The sanskrit word 'tu' serves to
indicate that the twelve constituents explained in the Sutra
aree complete nothing miore to add or subrtact on it. Thus
it has been determined that there are mone apart from these.
[2]
Question:
“Just so, but please explain what these afflictions, actions
and miseries originate from?”
Answer: “From the three two originate.” From the
three which are afflictions, [ignorance, craving and
grasping] "two" which are actions [mental formations and
becoming] originate seven explained above as miseries. From
the seven in turn originate 'the three' which are
afflictions, as explained, Thus again from the three [which
are] afflictions originate 'the two'. Thus the wheel of
existence revolves again and again. [3]
[In the world of] becoming there are three realms namely
desire realm, Form realm and Formless realm. The sentient
beings in these realms have be come like a wheel which
revolves without rest. The word 'tu' in the text indicates a
sense of uncertainty. That is, while a wheel revolves
successively [each point following upon the preceding one]
but in the three realms it does not happen thus. [3]
Question: Who is called the sentient being, superlord
of all individuals? How is his creation?
Answer: The whole world is cause and effect.
Excluding false imputation there is no sentient being. In
reality an imputed object when analyzed does not exist. Thus
it is not fitting that what is just falsely imputed should
exist substantially when one desires.
Questions; If so, then who transmigrates from this world to
the next?
Answer; Even not an atom transmigrates from this world to
the next, however, from the elements [which are] empty in
nature empty elements originate."[4b]
The entities are devoid of self and selfhood thus the
afflictions and actions have become the causes. From these
five causes [ignorance, craving, grasping mental formations
and becoming] which are empty originate miseries devoid of
self and selfhood. The seven elements [consciousness, name
and form, the six sense spheres, contact, feeling birth,
oldage and death] which are empty in nature are imputed to
effects. Such is the purport.
Thus what is devoid of selfhood is neither self nor
selfhood.
However, from elements which are non-self in nature
originate elements which ate also non-self in nature. Thus
it is to be understood as explained.
Question: [If] from elements which are non-self in na6ture
originate elements which are non-self in nature. What are
examples of this?
Here it is said:
Through examining the example of oral instruction, a lamp, a
mirror, a sun crystal, a seed, sourness, and sound although
they are imputed only it establishes the validity of
transmigration and its own being devoid of self, for
instance, if the words uttered from the Master's mouth have
transfered to the disciple then Master [would] become devoid
of the words [of Instruction] Therefore there is no
transference. [Yet} the instructions received by the
disciple did not come from any other source other than the
Master's. Because, if so they would be without cause.
Just as in the instructions of a Master to his disciple, so
in a like manner the dying mind [pratisandhi citta] does not
transmigrate to the subsequent realm because this would
result in enternalism [sasvata] Nor does the subsequent
realm originates from any other source other than dying
mind, for this would result in the error of Nihilism [Uchched].
As the Master's instructions [words] are the cause of
disciple's learning yet whether the works of the Master and
the utterance of the disciple are identical or different, is
inexpressible. So in a like manner whether the dying mind
and the mind at the time of rebirth [pratisandhi citta] are
identical or different is inexpressible.
Similarly, from a flame an oil lamp is kindled, from a
mirror an image is produced, from a seal an imprint is
formed, from a sun crystal fire is issued, from a seed a
sprout, from the juice of a sour fruit saliva is produce and
again from a sound an echo is produced.
Thus the wise should understand that five aggregates do not
transmigrate to the next realm [existence] [5b]
There are five aggregates namely from, feeling, perception,
mental formation and consciounes. The transmigration of
these five aggregates is forbidden because the fruits begot
from the cause [i, e a seed] is different from its cause.
Therefore not even a particle of atom transmigrates from
this world to the next [when one dies]. One takes birth
again and again in this samsara only due to wrong
conceptualisation [bhranti vikalpa.]
The particle 'tu' also suggest opposite [wrong
conceptualisation] which is to be avoided [nivartayitavyam].
One who understand entities as permanent for impermanent,
happiness for suffering, substantial for empty, self for no
self is deluded. When one is free from delusion, there will
be no attachment, in the absence of attachment hatred will
not occur, in the absence of hatred one does not perform
actions [Karma]. In the absence of Karma grasping of
entities do not arise. In the absence of grasping becoming
will not be occured, in the absence of rebirth there will
not be the miseries of the body and mind.
In this way if we do not think five aggregates which are
causes in wrong way the effect will not be produce, It is
befitting to understand it as liberation [moksa], Only in
this manner we can eliminate the two extreme views [eternalism
and nihilism]
The commentary to the heart of Pratiyasamutpada Hrdayakarika
composed by Acharya Nagarjuna is herein complete.
|
