23. Pratītyasamutpāda
gaganagañjaparipṛcchā, volume 3
Son of good family, how does the bodhisatva become skilled in knowing the entrance into the dependent origination (pratītyasamutpādapraveśajñanakuśala), and become free from two extreme views (sarvāntadvayadṛṣṭivivarjita)?
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Son of good family, the bodhisatva should think like this (iha bodhisatvasyaivaṃ bhavati):
that on which there is dependence, that is nothing in particular (yat pratītya tat kiṃcin nāsti);
that on which there is dependence, that is inexistent (yat pratītya so ’bhāvaḥ);
that on which there is dependence, that is not being established in reality (yat pratītya tad apariniṣpannam);
that on which there is dependent origination, that is impermanence, suffering, selflessness and quiescence (yat pratītyasaṃutpannaṃ tad anityaduḥkhānātmaśāntam);
in the dependent origination, there is no self, no being, no life-principle, no life-sustaining principle, no spirit, no personality, no human being, no man (na satvajīvapoṣapuruṣapudgalamanujamānava);
in the dependent origination there is no attainment (samudgama);
in the dependent origination there is nothing, and it is effortless (avyāyāma), empty (śūnya), no distinguishing mark (animitta), transcendent (viveka), no activity (apracāra), no discursive thinking (aprapañca), and thus beyond discursive thinking (niṣprapañca).
Thus origination (jāti) is just the arising of the dharma, and cessation (nirodha) is also the ceasing of the dharma.
Therefore it is said that there is no self, being, life-principle, life-sustaining principle, spirit, personality, human being, or man (satvajīvapoṣapuruṣapudgalamanujamānava);
In the dharmas which are dependently originated there is no true origination (jāti) and there is no owner (svāmika).
Because of that, all dharmas are like grass, trees, walls, paths, and reflections (tṛṇakāśṭhakuḍyamārgapratibhāsasadṛśa).
Just as there is nothing that produces external things when they are originated, and there is nothing that ceases external things when they cease, just so, there is nothing that produces internal things when they are originated, and there is nothing that ceases internal things when they cease;
But rather, when conditions (pratyaya) exist they will arise, and when conditions are completely exhausted they will be destroyed.”
If you understand this knowledge in that way, you will overcome any extreme view (sarvāntadṛṣṭi).
What then are extreme views (antadṛṣṭi)?
‘Extreme (anta)’ means discontinuity (uccheda) and continuity (nitya), and that which is not originated and ceased is beyond discontinuity and continuity and thus pure, and therefore it is purified when concerned with any extreme view (sarvāntadṛṣṭi).
In that way, son of good family, the bodhisatva becomes skilled in knowing the entrance into the dependent origination (pratītyasamutpādapraveśajñanakuśala) and free from any extreme view (sarvāntadṛṣṭi).
’phags pa nam mkha’ mdzod kyis źus pa | bam po gsum pa |
rigs (4) kyi bu de la ji ltar na byaṅ chub sems dpa’ rten ciṅ ’brel par ’byuṅ ba la jug pa’i śes pa la mkhas te | mtha’ gñis su lta ba thams cad daṅ bral ba yin źe na
rigs kyi bu ’di la byaṅ chub sems dpa’ ’di sñam du sems te |
gaṅ rten pa de ni ci yaṅ ma yin pa |
gaṅ (5) rten pa de ni dṅos po med pa |
gaṅ rten pa de ni yoṅs su ma grub pa |
gaṅ rten ciṅ ’brel par ’byuṅ ba de ni mi rtag pa | sdug bsṅal pa bdag med pa | źi ba |
gaṅ rten ba de la ni bdag med | sems can med | srog med | gso ba med | skyes bu med | gaṅ zag med | (6) śed las skyes med | śed bu med |
gaṅ rten pa de la ni yaṅ dag par ’byuṅ ba gaṅ yaṅ med |
gaṅ rten pa de la ni ci yaṅ med pa | rtsol ba med pa | stoṅ pa | mtshan ma med pa | dben pa | rgyu ba med pa | ma spros pa | spros pa med pa ste |
de’i phyir skye ba ni chos kho na skye | ’gag (7) pa ni chos kho na ’gag ste |
’di la bdag gam | sems can nam | srog gam | gso ba’am | skyes bu’am | gaṅ zag gam | śed las skyes sam | śed bu med ces bya’o ||
chos gaṅ dag rten ciṅ ’brel bar ’byuṅ ba de dag la ni skye ba ci yaṅ med ciṅ bdag po med de |
de’i (271a1) phyir chos thams cad ni rtswa daṅ | śiṅ daṅ | rtsig pa daṅ | lam daṅ | mig yor lta bu źes bya ste |
ji ltar phyi rol gyi dṅos po rnams skye ba na skyed par byed pa med | ’gag pa na yaṅ ’gog par byed pa med pa de bźin du naṅ gi chos rnams skye ba na yaṅ skyed par byed pa (2) med | ’gag pa na yaṅ ’gog bar byed pa med de |
gźan du na rkyen rnams yod na ’byuṅ gi rkyen ma tshaṅ na ’gog go sñam du sems te |
de ltar na śes pa la sbyor ba ni mthar lta ba thams cad rab tu spoṅ ṅo ||
de la mthar lta ba gaṅ źe na |
mtha’ źes bya ba ni chad pa daṅ rtag pa ste | gaṅ de (3) mi skyed ciṅ rnam par mi ’jig pa ni chad pa daṅ rtag pa daṅ bral ba ste | de’i phyir dag pas na mthar lta ba thams cad rnam par dag pa ste |
rigs kyi bu de ltar na byaṅ chub sems dpa’ rten ciṅ ’brel bar ’byuṅ ba la ’jug pa’i śes pa la mkhas te | mthar lta ba thams cad daṅ bral (4) ba yin no ||