The Eight Categories / Eight Realisations (overview of the whole AA)

I.maṅgala

Homage to all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. A Concise Explanation of the padārtha (category, topic)s falling within the Ornament of Clear Realisation (abhisamaya (clear realisation)). The eight categories beginning with sarvākārajñatā (knowledge of all aspects, full omniscience of a buddha), and the seventy categories beginning with cittotpāda (arising of bodhicitta), are the subject-matter of the Abhisamayālaṅkāra. Here their nature is set forth saṃkṣepataḥ (in brief, concisely).

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The eight categories. They are: knowledge of all aspects (sarvākārajñatā), mārgajñatā (knowledge of the paths of the three vehicles), sarvajñatā / vastujñatā (knowledge of the bases, the śrāvaka-level all-knowledge) (= knowledge of the bases), ākāra (aspect, mode)-full realisation (sarvākārābhisambodha), mūrdhābhisamaya (culminating, summit realisation), ānupūrvikābhisamaya (serial, gradual realisation), ekakṣaṇābhisambodha (realisation in a single instant), and the dharmakāya (Dharma-body of a buddha, with its four kāyas) — these eight categories are set forth in the Abhisamayālaṅkāra in two verses. As [it says]: // The Perfection of Wisdom is fully proclaimed by eight categories: knowledge of all aspects, knowledge of the paths, and then knowledge of [all] bases; // full realisation of all aspects, [the realisation] that has reached the summit, the serial [realisation], the realisation in a single instant, and the Dharma-body — these are the eight. //

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1. Knowledge of all aspects (sarvākārajñatā). Definition (lakṣaṇa (defining mark, definition)): the culminating knowledge that, in a single moment, directly and accurately realises the aspects of objects to their full extent — that is the definition of the knowledge of all aspects. Divisions (bheda (division, sub-type)): it has two — the knowledge [reaching] as far [as all aspects] (yāvaj-jñāna) and the knowledge [of things] as they are (yathāvaj-jñāna). The wisdom that knows all aspects without remainder is the yāvaj-jñāna; the wisdom that knows objects just as they are in their own nature is the yathāvaj-jñāna. Alternatively: the knowledge directly realising, without remainder, the aspects of the causes (beginning with the arising of bodhicitta) and of the uncontaminated fruits is one division; the twenty-two uncontaminated knowledges arising on the buddha-ground are the second division. Scope (avadhi (limit, scope (the stages over which a topic operates))): the knowledge of all aspects occurs solely on the buddha-ground.

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2. Knowledge of the paths (mārgajñatā). Definition: being a noble Mahāyāna realisation that is taken up by the wisdom directly realising the essencelessness of the three paths — that is the definition of the knowledge of the paths. Divisions: it has four — knowledge of the path of the śrāvakas, knowledge of the path of the pratyekabuddhas, knowledge of the Mahāyāna path, and the knowledge of all wisdom-and-means present in the continuum of a noble Mahāyāna practitioner. Scope: the range of the knowledge of the paths extends from the Mahāyāna path of seeing up to the buddha-ground.

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3. Knowledge of [all] bases (sarvajñatā), [glossed as] knowledge of the bases (vastujñatā). Definition: the knowledge present in a noble being's continuum, of the nature of a hīnayāna-type realisation, taken up by the wisdom that directly realises the selflessness of persons present in all dharmas — that is its definition. The knowledge present in a hīnayāna noble being's continuum directly realises emptiness, which is a synonym for the selflessness of persons; because it is taken up by that, the qualifier 'of hīnayāna type' is placed in the definition of the knowledge of bases. Divisions: it has two — being far from, and being near to, the resultant Mother of the Conquerors (jina-jananī, the Perfection of Wisdom). Scope: the range of the knowledge of bases extends from the śrāvaka path of seeing up to the buddha-ground.

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4. Full realisation of all aspects (sarvākārābhisambodha). Definition: the yoga of [a heroic] being, taken up by the wisdom consisting of meditative cultivation, [directed at] the aspects of the trisarvajñatā (three [kinds of] omniscience, the three knowledges together) — that is its definition. Divisions: by its own nature, twenty prayoga (application, practice (esp. the four central abhisamayas))s; by aspect, the yogas that accomplish the 173 aspects connected with the three knowledges are the 173 divisions of this full realisation of all aspects. 'The yoga of a being,' 'the perfection that is the path,' 'the bodhisattva path,' 'the Mahāyāna practice,' 'the armour-practice' — these are synonyms. Scope: its range extends from the Mahāyāna path of accumulation up to the stage of the bodhisattva at the final moment.

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5. Culminating realisation (mūrdhābhisamaya). Definition: the yoga of a being which is the highest peak in the cultivation of the aspects of the three knowledges — aspects taken up by the wisdom consisting of meditative cultivation with emptiness as its object, and established by the view of that [emptiness] — this culminating application (mūrdha-prayoga) is its definition. Because the applications taken up by the bodhisattva's wisdom consisting of hearing are also included right here, the definition adds the qualifier 'established by the view of that.' Divisions: in brief, four — the culminating application of the path of preparation, of the path of seeing, of the path of cultivation, and the uninterrupted culminating application. Or else: the four [stages] of the path of preparation called heat, summit, forbearance, and supreme dharma; plus three [more], namely [the culminating applications] of the paths of seeing and cultivation and the uninterrupted culminating application — making seven culminating applications. But in detail it should be understood that there are 173 culminating applications. Scope: its range extends from the heat-application of the Mahāyāna path of preparation up to the stage of the bodhisattva at the final moment.

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6. Serial realisation (ānupūrvikābhisamaya). Definition: the yoga of a being, established through repeated cultivation in order to make firm the aspects of the three knowledges — that serial application is its definition. Divisions: this serial realisation has thirteen. Scope: its range extends from the Mahāyāna path of accumulation up to the stage just prior to the stage of the bodhisattva at the final moment.

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7. Realisation in a single instant (ekakṣaṇābhisambodha). Definition: the final yoga of a being, arisen through serial cultivation in order to perfectly master the aspects of the three knowledges — that is its definition. Divisions: by way of differentiation it has four. Scope: this application occurs only at the stage of the bodhisattva in his last existence.

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8. The Dharma-body (dharmakāya). Definition: the fruit arisen by the power of the highest cultivation of the aspects of the three knowledges — that is, the ultimate uncontaminated qualities — is the Dharma-body; this is its definition. Divisions: it has four — the essence-body (svabhāva-kāya), the wisdom Dharma-body (jñāna-dharmakāya), the enjoyment body (sāmbhogika-kāya), and the emanation body (nairmāṇika-kāya). Scope: this Dharma-body occurs solely on the buddha-ground.