ABHISAMAYALAMKARA

-58 ANALYSIS OF
3, Ref utati on of th e* O pinion of the
Vijnanavadins.
There are some (the Vijnanavadinsi) who consider the
object of the Bodhisattva s meditation to be the Absolute
which at all times represents the perfectly pure monistic
spiritual principle. 1 But, in such a case, how can we
speak of an attainment of higher and still higher degrees
of purification if this purity is natural, beginningless and
everlasting—It may be said that the purity is here similar
to that of the element of water, of gold and of space. 2 —
But if so there will be a contradiction. (The Vijnanavadin)
maintains the purity of the knowledge cognizing the
..Absolute Truth (which is identical with the latter like one
particle of water uniting with another). At the same time
he maintains the reality of the antidotes (against the
points to be shunned) and consequently, • of the latter as
well. And, as the imputation in regard to the points
to be shunned and their antidotes will not be removed,
hdus-byas (~sams1rtah) dan./hdus-ma-byas( = asarnskrtah) dan. k.ha~
na-ma-tho"'ba-dan~beas-pa ( = sat)adyah) dan. k.ha~na~md~tho-bamed-pa
(—anavadyah) dan. thun-mon-ba {sadharanah) dan, tntm-mon-mayin-pa
( = asadharanah) ste.—This is followed by a detailed indication
of each of the categories . of elements just mentioned. The whole
passage ends 179b. 8-180a. I.—de-la byan-chen ser~phyin-la spyod-pas
f u ( 1 ran-gi-mtshan-nid~kyis ston-pahi chos thams-cad-la rtog-pa-medpas
chags-bar mi-byaho. chos thams-cad gnis-su-med-pahi tshul-gyis
rtog-pa-rned cin rnam-par-rtog-pa med-pahi phyir chos-thams-cad
khon-duchud-par-byaho.—The Bodhisattva, the Mahasattva, who acts
in the jfield of the Climax of Wisdom can have no constructive
thought in regard of any of the elements of existence which are
all of them devoid of a real (separate) essence. Owing to the
cognition of the unique monistic essence of the elements there can
be no constructive thought. In such a manner all the elements
are cognized.
1 As an independent (n:t relative) separate reality. The
Yogacaras consider the Ultimate aspect {parinispanna4ak,sana =
fjofts-su-grub-pahi mtshan-nid) i.e. the Absolute to be such a reality,
which can be established in as 'without its relation to anything else.
The Madhyamikas de.ny the thing in itsslf; ace. to them the Absolute
is itself relative (established by it& relation to the Empirical
Reality etc.) Ace. to the, Madhyamikas there are no independent
realities whatever; all are non-substantial, i.e. relative. Cf. Naglrjuna*s
Lokltita-stava, si oka 22.—ya h pratltya-samutpadah sunyata
saiva te mata/bhavah svatantro nastiti sirnha-nadas taVa' tulah (For
this reference I am indebted to Prof. M. Tubiansky). -
2 Just as water becomes purified from dust, gold from sand,
-etc The quotation ( ^T3tfTfJ3fi|3Tr o ) * s from the Madhyanta-vibhanga.
THE ABHISAMAYALAMKARA 99
one must make the undesirable conclusion that the purityis
incomplete. 1
If you say: We read in the Sutra: G Subhuti, the
unreality of the Omniscience of the Buddha is the object
of meditation.—(If so), of what kind is the true ultimate
object—Now, (no persistent separate) reality can be
admitted from the point of view of Logic; we have therefore
to speak (of the object as) of an unreality which is
admitted from the correct empirical standpoint (as a
conventional existence,). Through the gradual cognition
of the illusionary character of this (seeming reality) which
like a veil covers the true (monistic) nature of the
Absolute, the perfect purification is attained.
Thus we have the original (Absolute) Essence as predominating
in the (fundamental) element of the Lineage,
and the transformations of this essence as predominating
in the object of meditation. But in these two cases,
neither of both (the Element of the Lineage and the
object as different items from the conventional standpoint)
can be denied. The difference between the former and
the latter consists in the different characteristics (which
are given to them).
[Abhis. aloka, MS. 60b. 10-61 a. 7. 2 ]
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*itat
There are no limits that could include all the elements
which form the object of the Mahayanistic Activity.
[Don. 6a. 4-5] theg-chen sgrub-pahi dmigs-pahi chos
thams-cad'la k.hyab-pahi sa-mtshams tried.
1 If the perfectly pure monistic principle is regarded, as'...ait.
independent separate reality, it is impossible to admit the existence
of points to be shunned that could be removed from it» Ace. to the
Madhyamikas, if there could exist an independent separate reality,,
it would have to be everlasting and unchangeable.
2 Tib. version—cf. Appendix.
3 Corr. acc. to Rnam-biad. The MS. has here also ft
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