ABHISAMAYALAMKARA

Ill
ANALYSIS OF
tHE
ABHlSAMAYAtAMKARA
extirpated by means of concentrated trance. 1 (There
are altogether 81 varieties), beginning with the most
inferior of the inferior,—the antidote against the grossest
of the gross form of Obscuration, and so on, up to the
highest of the high degrees of the Path removing the
most subtle of the subtle forms of defilement. (This
classification is put in correspondence with the nine
planes of Phenomenal Existence, viz. the World of Gross
Bodies or of Carnal Desire (1), the four degrees of trance
in the Sphere of Pure Matter or of Ethereal Bodies, 2 and
the four planes of the Immaterial Sphere. 3
[Don; 10b. 3.] dbye-na sgom-spah-skor-dguhi ghenpo
skpr-dgu yod. sgom-spah-chen-pohi chen-pohi gnenpo-nas.
chuh-huhi chuh-huhi ghen-po mam-dag sgomlam
chen-pohi chen-pohi bar dgu yod.
The Path of Concentrated Contemplation, viewed as
the process of absolute purification refers to the nine
stages or planes ^of Phenomenal Existence) which have
been mentioned before. It appears in nine varieties,
the most inferior of the inferior and so on, as the antidotes
against the points to be shunned which have
likewise nine" varieties, the grossest of the gross and so
on, respectively. The said varieties are counted here in
each case separately or in successive 1 order. The Path
of Concentrated Contemplation appears thus as the cause
of the absolute and the other 4 forms of purification,
Owing to it these forms of purification are realized.
[Abhis. aloka, MS. 196a. 1-3.]
mm* \ [Ibid. 196a.
8-12.]
|. bhavana~heya = sgom-span. Cf". above, Chapter I. under
parikarman.
2 I.e. the 4 dhyanas in the rupa-dhatu.
3 Smpya-dhatu. Cf. 'Doctrine of Pr.-par*., pp. 24, 25, 42, 43.
On the connexion with the nine stages of the Bodhisattvas, Cf. ibid.
4 I.e.' the incomplete (prade&ikja=ni-ishe-ba) forms of purification
attained by the dravakas and the Pratyekabuddhas.
S Ast. 188. 2-3.—
mi
[Sphut. 39a. 3-5.] hdod-pahi /efiams dan. bsamgtan
dan. gzugs-med-pahi snomsKpar-hjug-pa dag ste sa
dgu-la mi-mthun-pahi phyogs chen-pohi chen-po-la-sogspa
mam-pa dguhi gfien-pohi ho-bor go-rim-bzin-du lam
chuh-huhi - chuh-hu-la-sogs-pa rnams-pa-dgu-rna\m-pa~
thams-cad dan cig-sos-su mam-pat-dag-pahi rgytx yinpahi-phyir
rnam-par-dag-pa sin-tu-ba dan cig-sos zesbyaho.
CONTROVERSY REGARDING THE PROCESS OF PURIFICATION.
Kar. II. 31.
There may be here an objection of the following
kind :
The order in which the 1 antidotes become originated
and the points to be shunned are removed is not correct
as given here. 1 If the points to be shunned are removed
in such an order that the grossest of the gross forms
comes first, jt would be suitable that the antidote (i.e.
the Path of Concentrated Contemplation) should become
originated in the corresponding order :—first the highest
of the high (i.e. the most efficient) forms and so on
Indeed, a powerful enemy must be overcome by as
powerful an assailant. 2
And, accordingly, if the most subtle of the subtle
forms of defilement is removed last of all, the most
inferior of the inferior forms of the antidote ought
likewise to appear at the end. 3 —For what reason is it
th^n indicated otherwise
This objection is refuted from the point of view of
Ultimate Reality in the sense that: in the aspect of the
Absolute there are no obstructions and no auxiliary
agents at all. 4 From the Empirical standpoint, the reply
1 Rnam-bsad. 179a. 1. — ji-skadMad-pahi span-gfien sfa/ehgag-gi
rim-pa mi-hthad^de.
2 Ibid. 17%. 1-2.—dgra stobs-ldan-la gied-ma stabs-Idem dgospa-ltar.
de-la sgomspans chen-pohi chen-po-nas dah-por rim-gyis
hgag-na. gnen-po sgom-lam-ni chen-pohi chen-po-la-aogsrpahi rimcan-du
s%/e-ba hthad.
3 As a feeble enemy does not require a strong assailant lo
overcome him. Ibid.
4 Pane. II. 265b. 1. =Ast 188. 12.-5RnqncfttlT