ABHISAMAYALAMKARA

J.04 ANALYSIS OF
[Abhis. aloka, MS. 63a, 16~b4.]
[Sphutl 21b. 6-22a. 2.] thams-cad-mkhyen-pa-nid
gsum-gyi yul-la spyir dge-bahi chos-fyyi Hen-can dan rriam~
pa-faun mnon-par-rdzogs-par-ftogs-pa-la-sogs-pa mnon*
par-rtogs-pa re-re zih pha-rol-tu~phyin~pa drug-gi rten-cangyi
bya-ba-ni sgrub~pa~ste.
3. Varieties: (1) The Action of the
Outfit, characterized by the greatness of (the
Bodhisattva's) resolve ^»n!p|fWff%; = go-chahi sgrub-pa, 1
bsam-pa rgya-che-ba.
(2) T h e A c t i o n of t h e A c c e s s , charaebrought
to accomplishment by means of them'* (Gser. I. 268b, 6.).—
Accordingly, the activity of the Bodhisattva, viewed in the aspect
of the first Method of Realization (sart)a-ak.ara~abhisambodha) is represented
as the practice of the 6 virtues with effort. At the culminating
moments of the Path (murdha-abhisamaya) the action of the
Bodhisattva is a practice of meditation over the 6 Virtues
without effort in a quiescent form. In the progressive Process of
Illumination (anupurva-abhisamaya), the 6 Virtues are contemplated
in a gradual order, in connection with the other virtuous elements.
This is done in order to bring the said Virtues to the highest point
of perfection and power. Finally, the activity at the time of the
ultimate momentary intuition is the yoga of him who has come to
the full cognition through the practice of the 6 Virtues, each of
them taken separately. As regards the Cosmical Body it represents
the final result; at the time when it is fully realized the "Activity'*
i.e. the Path is considered to have taken an end. Therefore, the
Activity (pratipatti) docs not represent the subject matter of the 8th
Adhikara (Gser. I. 268a. 6-b. 1). So far as regards the order of
exposition of pratipatti in the Prajna-paramita-sutras and in the
Abhisamayalamkara. It belongs to one of those exceedingly com*
plicated schemes which characterize our work and must be put in
connection with the system of the 4 Methods of Realization. (Cf.
above and "The Doctrine of Prajnaparamita etc.," p. 68-72). The
varieties of the Mahayanistic Activity, as we shall see presently, are
4 in number. The first of them, viz. the Action of the Outfit
(samnaha-pratipaiti) is the most general form, being another synonym
of the Mahayanistic Path as a whole.—Ibid, p, 73.
1 Abridged go-sgrttb. This is the usual abbreviation in the
Tibetan manuals.
THE ABHISAMAYALAMKARA 105
terized by the greatness in the (meditative) practice.
/WTTOfSTCfttt =hjug~pahi sgrub-pa. 1 sbyor-ba rgya-che-ba.
(3) The Action of Accumulation,
characterized by the greatness of the Accumulations of
Virtue and Transcendental Wisdom. W
tshogs-fayi sgrub-pa. 2 tshogs-gnis rgya-che-ba.
4 The Action of the Issue, which inevitably
brings about the attainment of Omniscience. f^fiT-
Tjfft 1 !^ =nes~hbyun sgrub-pa. rnam-mkhyen gdon-mi-zabar
hbyin-par-byed-pa.
The Limits of the 4 Actions ace.
toAsanga. 3
The (initial degrees of) the Action of the Outfit and
that of the Access, the essence of which, in a direct and
indirect form, consists in Training, 4 are included in the
Stages of Accumulating Merit 3 and those of Action in
Faith, 6 respectively. The Action of Accumulation beginvning
with (the Accumulation of) Charity and ending with
that of Memory, is included in the highest sub-division of
the Degree of Highest Mundane Virtues, which represents
the most actual, essential part of the Path of Training.
The Action of Accumulation which refers.to the Stage of
Joy, the first (of the 10 Stages of the Bodhisattva) represents
the Path of Illumination. The Action of Accumulation
which, by its essence, represents (the process of
intuition on) the second Stage and the rest, refers to the
Path of Concentrated Contemplation. The Action of
Accumulation which consists in (the realization of) the
antidotes, relates to both the Paths (i.e. that of Illumination
and of Concentrated Contemplation). Finally, the
Action of the Issue has for its basis the Path of Concen-
1 Abridged ; hjug-sgrub.
2 Abridged : tshogs-sgrub.
3 Here we have "the initial limits** (ma-mthah), i.e. the Degrees
of the Path where this or that action is considered: to have its
beginning.
4 I.e. in the training for the attainment of the position of a
Saint. Cf. above, under citta-utpada—prathama-pramudita~bhumi~
pmvesa-prayoga-marga.
5 I.e. the Path of Accumulating Merit (sambhara~marga = tshogslam).
Cf. **The Doctrine of Prajna-paramita etc.", p. 33. sqq.
6 adhimuk,ii'carya-bhurtti = mos-pas spyod-pahi sa is a synonym
of the Path of Training. Cf. above and "Doctrine of Pr. par.,**
P 37.