集大乘相論

I take refuge in the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Mañjuśrī. I now briefly explain the characteristics of the Mahāyāna. From the bodhicitta there arises that which is concomitant with great compassion, and this is called "all dharmas." That is to say, one must clearly understand that all dharmas are without self. Therefore I now expound these characteristics that are to be known.

Herein, what is called "all dharmas"? Namely: the Aggregates (skandha), the Sense-fields (āyatana), the Elements (dhātu), Dependent Origination (pratītyasamutpāda), the Perfections (pāramitā), the Grounds (bhūmi), Emptiness (śūnyatā), the limbs of Awakening (bodhipakṣa), the Noble Truths, the meditative absorptions (dhyāna), the Immeasurable practices, the Formless attainments, the equipoises (samāpatti), the Liberations, the samāpatti, the preliminary practices, the doors of liberation, the supernormal powers (abhijñā), the dhāraṇīs, the Powers (bala), the Fearlessnesses (vaiśāradya), the Analytical Knowledges (pratisaṃvid), Great Loving-kindness (mahāmaitrī), Great Compassion (mahākaruṇā), the dharmas unique to the Buddha (āveṇika), and the various fruits of the Śrāvakas.

To clearly understand all characteristics—suchness, the true limit (bhūtakoṭi), the signless, and the dharmas of the dharmadhātu. This is called "all dharmas."

To speak of the Aggregates means the five aggregates. What are the five? Form, Feeling, Perception, Mental Formations, and Consciousness.

Herein, Form is the five faculties and the five objects. The faculties are: eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body. The objects are: form, sound, smell, taste, and touch.

That upon which the eye-consciousness depends is called the pure eye-faculty. That upon which the ear-consciousness depends is the pure ear-faculty. That upon which the nose-consciousness depends is the pure nose-faculty. That upon which the tongue-consciousness depends is the pure tongue-faculty. That upon which the body-consciousness depends is the pure body-faculty.

Form is of two kinds: visible color (varṇa) and shape (saṃsthāna). Visible color is: blue, and so forth; shape is: long, and so forth.

Sound is of three kinds: that which arises from the great elements grasped [by faculties], that which arises from the great elements not grasped, and that which arises from both together.

Smell is of two kinds: fragrant and foul.

Taste is of six kinds: bitter, sour, sweet, pungent, salty, and bland.

Touch is of eleven kinds: hardness, fluidity (even flowing), warmth, cold, light motion, strong motion, roughness, hunger, thirst, and so forth. Such touches, spoken of in general, are of three kinds: agreeable, disagreeable, and that which is intermediate between these two.

Such things as are produced by the eye and so forth, if differentiated according to the elements and according to the three times, then there are boundless, subtle, distinct modes of activity. One should know that these are the brief explanation of the Form aggregate.

How is it with the Feeling aggregate? Feeling is of three kinds: painful feeling, pleasant feeling, and feeling that is neither painful nor pleasant. But these three kinds of feeling, if differentiated by reliance on the eye and so forth, then there are six parts, and so they would become eighteen. As in the lower realms, when the distinct modes of activity are spoken of, then this Feeling aggregate, if differentiated according to the Elements and the Destinies, has boundless parts and modes of activity. One should know that such things as these are the brief explanation of the Feeling aggregate.

How is it with the Perception aggregate? Perception is of six kinds: the modes of activity of these six kinds depend upon the eye and so forth, distinguishing the characteristics of objects that are grasped by them, and there are six kinds. The characteristics that are grasped are namely form and so forth, but the nature of that which is depended upon cannot be differentiated. Whether differentiated or not differentiated, these are the two dharmas: form and feeling. Such things as these all arise from the own-class of the self-aggregate. This Perception aggregate, if differentiated according to the elements and so forth, has boundless modes of activity. One should know that such is the brief explanation of the Perception aggregate.

How is it with the Mental Formations aggregate? It means the mental-concomitant dharmas (caitta): the wholesome part such as Faith and so forth, and the afflicted part such as greed, hatred, and delusion. Such mental-concomitant dharmas—the modes of activity possessed by the various states of mind proceed in dependence upon the eye and so forth. This Mental Formations aggregate, if differentiated according to the elements and so forth, has boundless parts and modes of activity. One should know that such things as these are the brief explanation of the Mental Formations aggregate.

How is it with the Consciousness aggregate? It is namely the six bodies of consciousness. This Consciousness aggregate, if differentiated in dependence upon the faculties such as the eye and so forth and the objects such as form and so forth, and the characteristics of that consciousness, down to the wholesome, the unwholesome, and the indeterminate, has boundless parts and modes of activity. One should know that such things as these are the brief explanation of the Consciousness aggregate.

As summarized above, this is called the five Aggregates.

To speak of the Sense-fields means the twelve sense-fields: the six inner sense-fields are eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind; the six outer sense-fields are form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and mental objects (dharma). Herein one should know that: the five faculties such as the eye and so forth, and the five objects such as form and so forth, are the ten material sense-fields. The mind sense-field is namely the various consciousnesses. The remaining dharmas are precisely the dharma sense-field.

To speak of the Elements means the eighteen elements, that is: the six faculty-elements, the six object-elements, and the six consciousness-elements. Herein the eye-consciousness and so forth, differentiated, are six; that is, there are six contacts: from eye-contact down to mind-contact. The consciousness of form and so forth has three kinds of characteristics: wholesome, unwholesome, and intermediate. As for these modes of activity, the contacts of the eye and so forth serve as the causal nature giving rise to the three Feelings; that is, those three Feelings arise from the contact of the eye and so forth, and there are six; and each of these six, differentiated, has three kinds, namely: painful, pleasant, and neither painful nor pleasant.

Thus, speaking in general, contact and feeling each have eighteen. As was indicated before in the Feeling aggregate, the modes of activity are likewise so.

Furthermore, the characteristics of earth, water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness are called the six Elements.

As for what is called dependent origination, how are its modes of activity? It is namely the twelvefold dependent origination. What are the twelve? Namely: ignorance down to old age and death.

Herein, ignorance is, with regard to the firmly real dharmas of karmic cause and effect, not practicing rightly. Because of this ignorance, the various afflictions arise, and therefore, in that which has no self, one grasps and reckons it as the self-aggregate and so forth, and there is something attained. Ignorance conditions formations. Formations are of three kinds: meritorious formations, demeritorious formations, and imperturbable formations. Meritorious formations are the ten wholesome courses of action; demeritorious formations are the ten unwholesome courses of action; imperturbable formations are the Formless equipoises.

Such formations as these, because ignorance serves as their cause, the formations are produced.

Formations condition Consciousness, and therefore the eye-consciousness and so forth—the seeds of the fruits of the cherished and the uncherished grow and develop.

Consciousness conditions Name-and-form. This Name-and-form is, by reason of Consciousness, designated by that name "name." Name has a place of arising, and therefore the four Aggregates such as Feeling and so forth are "name," together with form. That is, it is established as is fitting with the name.

Name-and-form conditions the six Sense-fields. Those six sense-fields are established by reason of the six Sense-fields such as the eye and so forth, thus.

The six sense-fields condition Contact. Contact means eye and form and so forth, as was said before.

Contact conditions Feeling. Feeling is of three kinds, as was also said before. Herein the modes of activity of Contact and Feeling should be understood.

Feeling conditions Craving. Craving is due to ignorance.

Craving conditions Grasping. Grasping means clinging to and holding the forms and so forth, giving rise to actions of delight and so forth.

Grasping conditions Becoming. The modes of activity of Becoming are precisely as was said before concerning the characteristics of Formations and Consciousness.

Becoming conditions Birth. That is, it is precisely Name-and-form having a place where it is given rise to. By reason of that ignorance, there is the dharma of birth. Indeed, the very own-nature of this Ignorance also has no [fixed] state.

Birth conditions Old age and Death. Old age means the Aggregates declining, deteriorating, and undergoing transformation. Death means the Aggregates perishing and ceasing. The end of the dharma of birth has no reality; the body obtained before is in the end utterly relinquished. Thereafter Ignorance, with regard to the later Aggregates, again turns back and revolves, increasing all the afflictions and faults. They are all caused by the karmic afflictions of the own-class of ignorance serving as cause, and therefore the afflicted karma arises. These three are not cut off, and thereby one continuously rolls and turns within saṃsāra.

Knowing thus, one should, by means of the true dharma, give rise to its remedy. To clearly understand that the own-nature of ignorance and so forth is without self. Such is the brief explanation of the Twelvefold dependent origination.

As for what is called the Perfections, how are their modes of activity? There are ten. Among them, Giving is of three kinds, namely: the giving of Dharma, fearless giving, and loving giving.

Discipline is of three kinds, namely: the discipline of restraint and observances, the discipline of gathering wholesome dharmas, and the discipline of benefiting sentient beings.

Patience is of three kinds, namely: the patience of carefully contemplating the Dharma, the patience of enduring enmity and harm, and the patience of bearing suffering.

Diligence is of three kinds: the diligence of preparatory effort, the diligence of bringing to completion, and the diligence of accomplishment.

Concentration is of three kinds: the concentration that departs from faults, the concentration that draws forth [qualities], and the concentration that accomplishes the matter.

Wisdom is of three kinds: the wisdom accomplished through hearing, the wisdom accomplished through reflection, and the wisdom accomplished through cultivation.

Three kinds of skillful means: the skillful means that departs from faults, the skillful means that rescues, and the skillful means that swiftly realizes peace and bliss.

Vow (praṇidhāna) is of three kinds: the vow to accomplish one's own practice, the vow to liberate the bondage of sentient beings who are bound, and the vow to purify the Buddha-lands.

Power is of three kinds: the power of accomplishing the great task, the power of extinguishing the afflictions, and the power of subduing the enmity of Māra.

Knowledge (jñāna) is of three kinds: the knowledge free of differentiation, the knowledge of impartial enlightened understanding, and the knowledge that extinguishes the offenses of sentient beings.

Such Perfections as Giving and so forth take bodhicitta as foremost, and toward all sentient beings give rise to the contemplation of loving-kindness. But these Perfections, with respect to all worldly practices, see no characteristic of practice at all, nor is there anything attained. Within the Aggregates and so forth, the transcendent is precisely the characteristic of selfless liberation. The truly realized is contemplated in accordance with principle.

As for what is called the Grounds, it means the ten Grounds. On the Ground of Joy one cultivates the Perfection of Giving; on the Ground of Freedom from Defilement one cultivates the Perfection of Discipline; on the Ground of Radiance one cultivates the Perfection of Patience; on the Ground of Blazing Wisdom one cultivates the Perfection of Diligence; on the Ground Difficult to Conquer one cultivates the Perfection of Concentration; on the Ground of Manifestation one cultivates the Perfection of Wisdom; on the Ground of Far-reaching one cultivates the Perfection of Skillful Means; on the Immovable Ground one cultivates the Perfection of Vows; on the Ground of Good Wisdom one cultivates the Perfection of Powers; on the Ground of the Dharma Cloud one cultivates the Perfection of Knowledge.

On such grounds as these, the dharma that is attained is the principle of selflessness, and in every case the loving-kindness that is realized is without distinction. But the Perfections such as Giving that are cultivated, then one abides in an attainment most supremely pure, with the power of vows vast and great, accomplished pervasively everywhere, not shared in common with any of the Śrāvakas. Therefore these Perfections, with respect to the characteristics of their objects, are without distinction, because whether persons or dharmas, all are free of characteristics—all are Empty, thus.

As for what is called Emptiness, it means the eighteen Emptinesses, namely: the eye and so forth being empty is called Inner Emptiness; form and so forth being empty is called Outer Emptiness; the eye and so forth, form and so forth, contemplated with even and impartial knowledge, is called Inner-and-Outer Emptiness. The parts such as the directions and so forth of the world, each observed, are all empty—this is called Great Emptiness.

With respect to the various differentiations, being free of the characteristics of grasping and rejecting, is called Emptiness. This Emptiness being itself again empty is called the Emptiness of Emptiness. In the ultimate truth, observed carefully and being unobtainable, is called the Emptiness of the Ultimate Truth.

With regard to practices such as Giving and so forth—all the conditioned dharmas being utterly and entirely even and impartial—is called the Emptiness of the Conditioned. The unconditioned dharmas being without any characteristic of awakening is called the Emptiness of the Unconditioned. Within the dharma of Emptiness, there is not the slightest dharma that can be transferred—being scattered and not gathered together—is called the Emptiness of Dispersion.

All those dharmas being without any limit is called the Emptiness without Limit. Within all dharmas, ultimately there is no single other dharma that is not Empty—this is called Ultimate Emptiness. The dharmas such as the Aggregates and so forth, their own-nature being thus, having no place of arising, free of the characteristics of self-grasping and self-rejecting, is called the Emptiness of Own-characteristic.

All dharmas being Empty, without distinction, is called the Emptiness of All Dharmas. Within the self-aggregate, grasping and rejecting being unobtainable, is called the Emptiness of the Unobtainable. This Unobtainable means that the characteristic of form and so forth is unobtainable, there being only the natures of karma—this is called the Emptiness of the Signless.

Whether persons or dharmas, their own-nature being empty, is called the Emptiness of Own-nature. Among the natures, being free of the natures of grasping and rejecting, is called the Emptiness of No-nature. For this No-nature means that, apart from the Aggregates and so forth, there is no separate, distinct nature; and if, apart from the Aggregates and so forth, one gives rise to the own-nature without differentiation, this characteristic of mutual obstruction is precisely called the Emptiness of No-nature-Own-nature.

If one thus differentiates to the very end, then one is able to liberate the bondage of form and so forth, no longer differentiating the parts of Becoming, the Existent, and the limit of the Non-existent, being free of the grasping and rejecting of the Aggregates and so forth—this is precisely a single characteristic; and the nature of that single characteristic is without duality; such as this is precisely the Perfection abiding in a single object; the principle of own-nature-emptiness being free of the characteristics of conceptual proliferation—this is precisely that which is contemplated by true selflessness.

As for what is called the limbs of Awakening, it means the thirty-seven limbs of Awakening, namely: the Four Foundations of Mindfulness down to the Noble Eightfold Path.

The Four Foundations of Mindfulness are: Body, Feeling, Mind, and Dharmas.

Herein, the Foundation of Mindfulness of the Body is: contemplating that the body has no [self], being an accumulation of various kinds yet not clinging to it, free of the characteristics of grasping and rejecting—this is called the Foundation of Mindfulness of the Body.

The Foundation of Mindfulness of Feeling, the Foundation of Mindfulness of Mind, and the Foundation of Mindfulness of Dharmas are also contemplated thus.

Furthermore, within the very Foundation of Mindfulness of Dharmas, if one differentiates the inner, the outer, and the intermediate, then there are three kinds, namely: Diligence, Concentration, and Right Mindfulness. These three, being concomitant, are able to contemplate the most excellent bodhicitta and the wholesome practices of the bodhisattvas. Within all dharmas, that which is concomitant with selflessness—this is the most excellent mindfulness.

Spoken of briefly thus, this is called the Four Foundations of Mindfulness. The remaining dharmas are also to be understood in this way.

The Four Right Exertions are the remedy for the parts that are not Awakening, namely: that which has arisen, causing it to be cut off; that which has not arisen, causing it not to arise—this is called diligently cutting off the two parts of non-Awakening that are to be remedied. The parts of Awakening that have not arisen, causing them to arise; those that have arisen, causing them to grow—this is called diligently cultivating the two wholesome [parts]. Spoken of briefly thus, this is called the Four Right Exertions.

The Four Bases of Supernormal Power are: Aspiration (chanda), Diligence, Concentration (samādhi), and Wisdom. Such concomitant practices as these are the superior fruits that are attained; using that attainment one contemplates the object of aspiration, namely the four kinds of samādhi, but that body and mind, being free of the various supports, abide in a perception free of greed, relying on tranquility, without any practice being performed. Spoken of briefly thus, this is called the Four Bases of Supernormal Power.

The Five Faculties and the Five Powers are precisely the clear understanding of all the fruit-characteristics, namely the faculties and powers of Faith, Vigor, Mindfulness, Concentration, and Wisdom, concomitant and superior. Spoken of briefly thus, this is called the Five Faculties and the Five Powers.

Furthermore, those things cultivated therein in this way are precisely the two parts of enlightened understanding, namely: the stage of Warmth (uṣmagata) and the stage of Summit (mūrdhan). The stage of Warmth is the cultivation of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness; the stage of Summit is the cultivation of the Four Right Exertions.

Furthermore, there are two superior parts of enlightened understanding: the dharma of Patience (kṣānti) and the dharma of the Supreme Worldly Dharma (laukikāgradharma). The stage of Patience is the cultivation of the Four Bases of Supernormal Power; the stage of the Supreme Worldly Dharma is the cultivation of the Five Faculties and the Five Powers.

Such things as these, practiced yet without anything being made, are truly supreme. The faculties and powers of Faith and so forth are the modes of activity that condition the path of seeing. One should know that what is cultivated on that path of seeing is the Seven Factors of Awakening.

The Seven Factors of Awakening are namely the Factor of Mindfulness down to the Factor of Equanimity.

Herein, the Factor of Mindful Awakening means the vow to benefit sentient beings and to realize Awakening; the characteristic of right mindfulness being manifest without forgetting.

The Factor of Discernment of Dharmas means taking as its characteristic the decisive discernment of the own-nature of Self and Dharmas.

The Factor of Joy means: the path being cultivated by oneself, because the uncontaminated cause is obtained, joy and bliss arise.

The Factor of Pliancy means: as that true dharma-nature is realized, because one departs from the seeds of the parts of non-Awakening, the bodily activity and mental activity are pliant.

The Factor of Concentration means: the Four Immeasurables and the vow for Awakening enter into the knowledge of suchness, purely a single object-characteristic.

The Factor of Diligence means: although one contemplates the door of merit, tranquil and superior, yet one is not attached to its taste, and advancing in the cultivation of the various practices, there is again no laziness, ceasing, or resting.

The Factor of Equanimity means: mindful of benefiting sentient beings, in accordance with what is fit to be tamed, following that practice, the various meritorious dharmas of the Perfections, contemplated with even and impartial differentiation without coming or going, because of abiding in equanimity.

Spoken of briefly thus, this is called the Seven Factors of Awakening. Practicing the Seven Factors of Awakening in this very way is called the part of Right Knowledge, which is able to remedy the modes of activity of the obstruction of the afflictions and the obstruction to knowledge. One should know that what is cultivated by the right path is the Noble Eightfold Path.

The Noble Eightfold Path is Right View down to Right Concentration.

Herein, Right View is the clear understanding that all dharmas have no characteristic of self, abiding in equanimity; and the various distorted sufferings—these two parts are what is contemplated by the characteristic of supreme, subtle, and excellent wisdom.

Right Thought means giving rise to thought without interruption, the cause being performed so as to realize the fruit in accordance with the vow.

Right Speech means that all words are free of false differentiation, speaking in accordance with reality.

Right Action means that what is done is undistorted, not harming sentient beings, rescuing sentient beings, and so forth—cultivated in freedom from falsity.

Right Livelihood, with a pure livelihood, is free of all that is wrong and false, oneself cultivating and practicing what is to be cultivated so as to realize [the fruit].

Right Effort means: although one reaches the supreme stage, one still advances further, the body without weariness, the mind giving rise to valor.

Right Mindfulness means: such things as the Foundations of Mindfulness and so forth, contemplated in accordance with reality, with the loving-kindness adorning the skillful means of one's own vow, with regard to all dharmas none being forgotten.

Right Concentration means: the activities of the body and so forth, always relying on the supreme merit, abiding in the knowledge free of differentiation—that is, being concomitant with the characteristic of even and impartial meditative absorption.

Spoken of briefly thus, this is called the thirty-seven limbs of the dharma of Awakening. Following the modes of activity as is fitting, they are gathered together into a single summary.