Nine topics for the knowledge of the bases (AA chapter 3)

II.A.iii.intro

(i) The nine dharmas characterizing the knowledge of the bases. They are: 1. by wisdom, no abiding in [cyclic] existence; 2. by compassion, no abiding in quiescence; 3. through lack of means, distance from the Mother of the Conquerors; 4. through means, nearness [to her]; 5. the antithesis (vipakṣa); 6. the antidote (pratipakṣa); 7. application (prayoga); 8. sameness (samatā); 9. the path of seeing — these nine dharmas characterize the knowledge of the bases, well stated in the Abhisamayālaṅkāra in two verses. Thus: // By wisdom, no abiding in existence; by compassion, no remaining in quiescence; through lack of means, distance; through means, nearness; // and the antithesis and antidote, application, and its sameness; the path of seeing of the śrāvakas and the rest — so the knowledge of the bases is presented. //

II.A.iii.1-2

1. By wisdom, no abiding in existence. 2. By compassion, no abiding in quiescence. The definition and so forth of both is set forth in the Abhisamayālaṅkāra in one verse. Thus: // Abiding neither on the near shore nor on the far shore nor in between the two, by the knowledge of the sameness of the [three] times, the Perfection of Wisdom is held [to be]. // [By wisdom, no abiding in existence:] Definition: the wisdom present in a noble Mahāyāna practitioner's continuum, of hīnayāna type, having great compassion as its core, directly realising the sixteen aspects (impermanence and the rest), is the definition of this [aspect of the] knowledge of bases. And this Perfection of Wisdom of the bodhisattvas, because by wisdom it sees the faults of saṃsāra, does not abide in the existence-extreme of saṃsāra. Divisions: it has three — the paths of seeing, cultivation, and no-more-learning. [By compassion, no abiding in quiescence:] Definition: the Mahāyāna realisation which, by great compassion, turns back from the quiescence-extreme that disregards the conventional, is the definition of this [aspect of the] knowledge of bases. And this Perfection of Wisdom, because by compassion it acts for the welfare of beings, does not abide in the quiescence-extreme of nirvāṇa. Divisions: the three great compassions of the Mahāyāna noble one — that which has beings as object, that which has dharmas as object, and that which has no object — and the [other] divisions beginning with the arising of bodhicitta. [Of both:] because of realising the equality, in the mode of non-arising, of the dharmas of the three times, the bodhisattvas' Perfection of Wisdom, remote [from others] in that it is beyond the range of śrāvakas and the rest, abides neither on the near shore (saṃsāra) nor on the far shore (nirvāṇa); nor does it abide in between, since apart from both saṃsāra and nirvāṇa there is no [third] entity — because, through the correct penetration of wisdom and compassion, it is free of apprehending either saṃsāra or nirvāṇa. Scope: the range of both extends from the first ground (the Joyous) up to the buddha-ground.

II.A.iii.3

3. Distance through lack of means (anupāyena dūratvam). Its whole definition and so forth is clearly set down in the Abhisamayālaṅkāra in half a verse. Thus: // Through lack of means, it [the knowledge of bases of the śrāvakas] is distant, because of apprehension with signs. // Definition: the knowledge of the śrāvakas and the rest, which directly realises the aspects (impermanence and the rest) but, lacking the knowledge of the sameness of the [three] times, operates through apprehension with signs, and so, deficient in compassion and wisdom, has become distant from the Mother of the Conquerors — that is the definition. Divisions: two — the knowledge of the aspects (impermanence and the rest) present in the śrāvaka's continuum, and that present in the pratyekabuddha's continuum. Scope: its range extends from the path of seeing up to the stage of arhatship.

II.A.iii.4

4. Nearness through means (upāyena avidūratā). The setting-forth of its definition and so forth is well done in the Abhisamayālaṅkāra in half a verse. Thus: // Through skill in means, its proper nearness to her [the Mother] is taught. // Definition: the knowledge of the aspects (impermanence and the rest), of hīnayāna type, of the noble Mahāyāna practitioners, taken up by great compassion and by the wisdom directly realising emptiness, is its definition. "For the bodhisattvas and the rest, who have discarded the signs of the deluded clinging to the reality [of things], the very full understanding of all dharmas (form and the rest) is the full understanding of their sameness; hence there is proper nearness to the Mother, it should be understood." Divisions: it has three — the Mahāyāna paths of seeing, cultivation, and no-more-learning. Scope: its range extends from the Mahāyāna path of seeing up to the buddha-ground.

II.A.iii.5

5. The antithesis (vipakṣa). Its definition and so forth is very clearly set forth in the Abhisamayālaṅkāra in one verse. Thus: // The notion of [substantial] practice — regarding the emptiness of the form-aggregate and the rest, regarding dharmas of the three times, regarding giving and the rest, regarding the limbs of awakening — is the antithetical [knowledge]. // Definition: the hīnayāna knowledge of bases, divorced from great compassion and from the wisdom of emptiness, having the nature of apprehending [things as substantially] existent — that is the definition. "All [things] — form and the rest, and the dharmas of the three times, whether placed among the contaminated or uncontaminated, whose very nature is non-apprehension — are seen [by such knowledge] everywhere through the apprehension of [substantial] existence, as empty of the self and the rest imputed by others. But their notion of [substantial] practice, although it is an antidote [to other faults], being engaged through error and therefore to be abandoned, becomes the antithesis." Divisions and scope: both its divisions and scope are to be understood just as shown in the section on 'distance through lack of means.'

II.A.iii.6

6. The antidote (pratipakṣa). Its whole definition, divisions, and so forth is shown at length in the Abhisamayālaṅkāra in three verses. Thus: // The absence of egotism in giving and the rest; the setting of others in that [practice]; the prohibition of the extreme of attachment — yet there is a subtle attachment with respect to the Conquerors and the rest; // its profundity, by reason of the natural isolation of the course of dharmas; the knowledge that dharmas are of a single nature; the avoidance of attachment; // through the prohibition of [the views] 'seen' and the rest, its hard-to-fathom character is taught; because [the Mother] is not cognized by form and the rest, its inconceivability is asserted. // Definition: the knowledge of bases present in a noble Mahāyāna practitioner's continuum, taken up by great compassion as means and by the wisdom directly realising emptiness, has the nature of the antidote — that is its definition. Divisions and scope: both are to be understood just as described earlier in the context of 'nearness through means.' [Special note:] there are two divisions of the knowledge of bases (sarvajñatā), [namely] distance and nearness to the Mother of the Conquerors. 'Nearness to the Mother,' 'nearness through skill in means,' 'antidote,' and 'Mahāyāna knowledge of bases' — these four are synonyms. 'Distance from the resultant Mother of the Conquerors,' 'distance through lack of means,' 'being bound by the grasping that apprehends signs,' 'antithesis,' and 'hīnayāna knowledge of bases' — these are synonyms. This division of antithesis and antidote for the śrāvakas, bodhisattvas, and the rest is to be understood just as indicated. As it is said: // Having done thus, [these] as stated are to be known within the way of the knowledge of bases; this is the complete division of antithesis and antidote. // Moreover: "Thus, for the śrāvakas and the rest, their practice, through being distant from the Mother, although it is an antidote, being engaged in the error of apprehending [substantial] things, is for the bodhisattvas to be discarded, and hence an antithesis."

II.A.iii.7

7. Application (prayoga). Its whole definition, divisions, and so forth is set forth at length in the Abhisamayālaṅkāra in a verse-passage of two and a half [verses]. Thus: // The application of practice — with respect to form and the rest, with respect to their impermanence and the rest, with respect to their non-filling and filling, and with respect to their non-attachment — by way of prohibition; // [the application of] non-alteration and of non-agency; the threefold difficult application; [the application] that is non-futile in attaining the fruit according to capacity, and [the application] that is desired; // and that which is independent of other conditions, the sevenfold knower of manifestation. // Definition: the yoga of a being, of hīnayāna type, which is the antidote to the clinging-apprehension engaged in error with respect to the conventional nature of things and their distinctions, is the application — that is its definition. Divisions: application is tenfold, namely: the prohibition of clinging to form and the rest as [truly] real; the prohibition of clinging to their distinctions (impermanence and the rest) as [truly] real; the non-filling with respect to imagined forms; the filling with respect to the forms of true nature; the ultimate non-decline and non-increase (non-alteration) with respect to the perfections; ultimate non-agency; the difficulty of the aim-application-function, respectively, of [the three] which have the three knowledges as their nature; the non-futility through attaining the fruit according to capacity; the independence from other conditions in the greatly beneficial awakening; and the sevenfold knowledge of manifestation beginning with dedication that is like a dream — these are the ten divisions. Scope: its range extends from the path of accumulation up to the stage of the bodhisattva at the final moment.

II.A.iii.8

8. Sameness (samatā). Its nature is shown in the Abhisamayālaṅkāra in half a verse. Thus: // The fourfold non-imagining of that, with respect to form and the rest, is held to be sameness. // Definition: the non-imagining of the cognizer-and-cognized dharmas that are the aspects of the aforesaid tenfold application of the knowledge of bases is the definition of sameness. Divisions: in each of the aforesaid tenfold applications there are four non-imaginings; thus the sub-types of this sameness number forty. And it is said in the Ālokā commentary: "Thus, by the prohibition of [four kinds of] imagining — the imagining of the objects form and the rest; the imagining of the signs blue and the rest; the discursive imagining beginning with 'form is twofold, twentyfold'; and the imagining of attainments beginning with the roots conducive to penetration — the non-apprehension of the cognizer-and-cognized dharmas is taught as fourfold, it should be understood." Scope: the range of this sameness extends from the path of accumulation up to the stage of the bodhisattva at the final moment.

II.A.iii.9

9. The path of seeing (darśana-mārga). Its whole definition and so forth is set forth in the Abhisamayālaṅkāra in five verses. Definition: the realisation of the truths that is empty of the thirty-two superimpositions is the path of seeing — that is its definition. Divisions: by the differentiation of the three paths of seeing of the three vehicles, its sixteen moments are its sixteen divisions. // Thus the nine dharmas characterizing the knowledge of the bases. //