The Enlightened Heart of Buddhahood
The Enlightened Heart of Buddhahood
The Enlightened Heart of Buddhahood
A Study and Translation of The Third Karma pa Rang byung rdo rjets Work on
Tathagatagarbha
The De bzhin gshegs pa'i snying pogtan la dbab pa
by
Kurtis R. Schaeffer
Master of Arts
University of Washington
1995
Program Authorized~(
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Date_ _ _ _ _'-_"7_"II-I1..--.:..'t-+f~'1.>LS_ _ _ _ _ __
Table of Contents
Abbreviations .................................................................................................................... ii
Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 1
Chapter One- The Life of Rang byung rdo rje ............................................................6
Chapter Two- The Textual Corpus of Rang byung ..................................................14
Chapter Three- Rang byung and Dol po pa Shes rab rgyal mtshan......................25
Chapter Four- Explication of the Snying bstan ..........................................................37
Chapter Five- Apophatic and Kataphatic Tensions in the Snying bstan ................72
Olapter Six- The Pronouncement on the Enlightened Heart of Buddhahood ................ 93
Chapter Seven- Diplomatic Edition of the Snying bstan.........................................1l0
BibliographyOne- Tibetan.................................................................................................................. 132
Two- Sanskrit ................................................................................................................ 140
Three- Secondary .........................................................................................................143
Four- Works on Apophasis and Kataphasis ............................................................ 165
Appendix One- Kong sprul's outline of the Snying bstan (Tibetan/English) ...... 168
Appendix Two- Indian canonical works quoted in the Snying bstan ...................173
Appendix Three- Song on kungzhi and snying po from Rang byung mgur .......... 174
Appendix Four- Chapter titles of the Zab mo nang don ...........................................178
Appendix Five- Fragments from the Zab mo nang don auto-corrunentary .......... 179
Appendix Six- Chronology of Rang byung's Life from Si tu.................................181
Appendix Seven- Colophons from Rang byung mgur ............................................ 183
Abbreviations-
Blue Annals: George Roerich's translation of the Deb ther sngon po.
D: Dkon mchog yan lag's edition of the De gshegs snying po
IBK: Indogaku Bukkyogaku Kenkyu/ Journal of Indian and Buddhist Studies
JADS: Journal of the American Oriental Society
JIP: Journal of Indian Philosophy
JIABS: Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies
PEW: Philosophy East and West
R: edition of the De gshegs snying po found in the Rumtek edition of the Rnam
shes ye shes
Rantagotra: Ratnagotravibhagasastra/Uttaratantra
Si tu: Si tu's history of the Karma Bkat brgyud school, the Sgrub brgyud karma
nang don
ii
Acknowledgements-
I would like to thank my primary advisor in this project, Prof. Leonard van
der Kuijp. He directed me to Rang bylUlg rdo rje's De gshegs snying bstan when I
expressed an interest in Tibetan formulations of tathiigatagarbha thought, and
graciously devoted one term of his Tibetan Literature class to the reading of this
work. This was invaluable for my lUlderstanding of Rang bylUlg's text. Thanks
are also due to my two other teachers and thesis advisors, Prof. Collett Cox, who
aided me greatly in the formulation and presentation of this work, and Prof.
Richard Salomon. I thank both for assistance with the present work and for the
several years of excellent instruction in Sanskrit which I have received from
them. I would also like to thank Dr. Jeff Schoening and Mr. Cyrus Stearns for
their kind assistance. Finally, I would like to thank Mr. Ken McLeod for
providing me with his translation of the Snying bstan in the early stages of my
study.
ill
iv
snying po gtan la dbab pa, or De bzhin gshegs pa'i snying po bstan pa) blends
scriptural quotations from both sidra and tantra with Rang byung's own words,
creating an evocative picture of the relation between the primordially pure
enlightened state- symbolized by the Enlightened Heart (snying po)- human
existence, and Buddhahood. While Rang byung has relied heavily on the
Gzhan stong pas, differences can be discerned in their thought. This chapter
merely begins to untangle a complicated relationship that will require a
considerable amount of research in order to provide anything approaching a
complete picture.
Chapter four is an explication of the ideas of the Snying bstan. In brief, the
Enlightened Heart (snying po) is present as a precondition for human existence,
throughout human existence, and at the time of awakening, of. Buddhahood. In
order to highlight this idea I will present the thought of Rang byung's work in a
four-fold interpretive model which is intended to represent the existential
moments or phases through which the Enlightened Heart moves, all the while
remaining unchanged from an absolute standpoint by this movement. These
moments are:
The term "Enlightened Heart of Buddhahood"Before I tum to the body of the work, it seems warranted that I should
comment at the outset on my decision to translate the term snying po, by the
phrase "Enlightened Heart." 'This is, of course, the central theme of Rang byung's
text, and the translation proffered here is somewhat unorthodox.
"Enlightened Heart" is a translation of snying po which attempts to evoke a
feeling of centrality and vitality, while also trying to retain a personal and
emotive feeling that translations like "nucleus," "nature," or "essence" seem to
loose. It certainly would not do as a translation of the Sanskrit word garbha,
"womb" or "matrix," but the Snying bstan is an indigenous Tibetan text.
Therefore in this context it is appropriate to focus on the variety of meanings of
the Tibetan term itself. In a Tibetan translation of an Indian work it might be
more appropriate to choose terms which give precedence to the semantic range
of the original term. But even when snying po is considered merely as
translationese, the matter is not so simple. The fact that the Tibetan translators
used the term snying po as a translation for Sanskrit hrdaya, as in Shes rab gyi pha
rol tu phyin pa'i snying po'i mdo for Prajililpiiramitahrdyasutra, known to us as The
Heart Sutra, clearly indicates that snying po had a range of meanings which
included the notion of "heart".
Deriving from the root snying, which means the physical heart, snying po is
used in Tibetan phrases such as srog gi snying po, "the heart of life", and the don
gyi snying po, "the heart of the matter," in which it acts much as our English
Deb ther drnar po, composed between 1346 and 1363; the Second Zhwa dmar
Mkha' spyod dbang po's (1350-1405) Chos rje thams cad mkhyen pa rang byung rdo
rje'i rnam thar tshigs bead rna; 'Gos 10 tsa ba Gzhon nu dpal's (1392-1481) Deb ther
sngon po or Blue Annals, written between 1476 and 1478; Dpa' bo Gtsug lag
'phreng ba's (1504-1566) Dam pa'i chos kyi 'khor los bsgyur ba rnams kyi byung gsal
bar byed pa mkhas pa'i dga' stan, completed in 1565; Si tu Pa:r) chen Chos kyi 'byung
gnas' (1700-1774) Sgrub brgyud karma kam tshang brgyud pa rin po che'i rnam par
thar pa rab 'byams nor bu zla ba chu sel gyi phreng ba; and Sman sdong mtshams
pa's Chos rje karma pa sku 'phreng rim byon gyi rnam thar mdor bsdus dpag bsam khri
Toghan Temiir (reigned 1332-1368). The Blue Annals (Roerich 1988 pp.488-493)
contains a full account of Rang byung's life, and mentions him numerous times in
connection with other religious figures of the time. Finally, modem English
retellings of his life, based on Tibetan sources, have been compiled by Nik
Douglas and Meryl White (1990), and Karma Thinley (1980).
Here I shall present a paraphrase of the Peking edition of the Deb ther dmar
po, "The Red Annals". It is considerably shorter than either Dpa' bo Gtsug lag
'phreng ba's Mkhas pa'i dga' stan or Si tu's work. Nevertheless it is the earliest
account of Rang byung's life that we now have2. An aquaintance with this text
will also allow us to determine which narrative events are present in the later
texts that are not present in this one. To aid in this project I have provided a
chronology of Rang byung's life incorporating all of the dates mentioned in Si
tu's biography as an appendix. The presence of these events in the later texts
could indicate that the later writers possessed other earlier biographical works
on Rang byung that are no longer extant, though it is also possible that certain
events are constructed by analogy from other biographies.
I have annotated the geographical names in this section using the classic
works by Ferrari and Wylie, as well as references to The Blue Annals. I have also
cross-referenced the place names with the maps contained in the back of Dorje
and Kapstein's invaluable reference book, volume two of Dudjom Rinpoche's The
Nyingma School afTibetan Buddhism. For the portions of the biography in which
Rang byung travels to the Yuan Mongol court, I have received help from
Petech's Central Tibet and the Mongols.
A paraphrase of the Deb ther dmar po, Peking edition, 1981. (pp.94.22-106.19).
2 But see Petech (p.2-3) for his reservations about the authenticity of the Karma Bka' brgyud
chapter of the Deb ther dmar po.
[95.22] Rang byung rdo rje was born on the eighth day of the first month of
the Wood Male :Monkey Year Q"anuary 21,1284). His father was known as
010S
a public offering ceremony in GIang 'khor, Ding ri, where he received blessings
from the holy statue of Pha dam pa sangs rgyas. 3 TIley also went to Skyid
grong4, where, in the presence of the Spyan ras gzigs (Avalokitesvara) statue,
the enlightened mind awoke in Rang byung.
[96.12] Between the ages of three and seven he met 0 rgyan pa5 in Sbud krar
sang6. 0 rgyan pa cared for him, and he was granted the lay disciple's vow.
[97.9] When he was seven years old he took novice vows from the abbot
Kun ldan shes rab, and he was given the name "Rang bytmg rdo rje," which was
the secret name of his previous embodiment (Karma Pakshi)7. In Las stod grod
lung8, he saw 0 rgyan pa as Bde mchog during a ceremony. He met Rgod
tshang pa in pure and impure visions9 . The Lord of Sbud krar malO told him to
proceed quickly to Mtshur phu ll, and he did so.
[97.23]
]n
thE' Horse Year (1294), the knots in the channels of Rang byung's
body wert' untipd, and an impartial primordial awareness arose within him)2
3 Ferrari (r 1 ~ npll' '+4) tells us that in 1097 Pha dam pa sangs rgyas, the Southern Indian
famtlu .. /"T thl' Illi byed practices, made GIang 'khor his Tibetan home. GIang 'khor is
mentionl'!.! thr"u~hout the chapter on Zhi byed in the Blue Annals (pp.867-981). See also
Dorjl' and ..... dfhILin, map four.
4 See Ferrari (p.l 't, note 552), and Dorje and Kapstein, map four.
5 0 rgyan pa I{in chen seng ge dpal (1229/1230- 1309) was a disciple of Rgod tshang pa (11891258). SL'C Hillr' Annals (pp.696-702).
6 This seems 10 be the monastery of Rgod tshang pa and 0 rgyan pa in Las stod. See Blue
Annals (p.198 and p.698), where it is spelled Sbu tra.
7 On the name "Rang byung rdo rje" and Karma Paksi see Kapstein (1985). This name seems
not to have been very secret, as Karma Paksi uses is continuously in his auto-biography.
See Karma PakSi'i rang mom (p.2.3 and passim).
8 See Ferrari (p.66, p.153, note 542, and p.l54, note 547).
9 Deb ther dmar po (p.97.15); nyams snang dag snang
10 Deb ther dmar po (p.97.17); Sbud krar rna mgon. Blue Annals (p.489) specifies that Mahakala
1 and Snyags bdag gave him this order.
1 This is the abbatial seat of the Karma Bka' brgyud, founded in 1189 by Dus gsum mkhyen
pa (1110-1193), See Blue Annals (pp.474-480), and Dorje and Kapstein, map six.
12 Deb ther dmar po (pp.97.22-98.1); Ius kyi rtsa mdud grol zhing ye shes phyogs med du shari
[98.4] When he was eighteen years old (1301) he was fully ordained by
Abbot Gzhon nu byang chub and Disciplinary Instructor Dge 'dun rin chen. He
received instruction in the five principal subjects13 from Shakya gzhon nul4.
From Snye mdo pa Kun dga' don grub he received the complete teaching cycles
of Pha dam pa sangs rgyas and 0 rgyan pa. From Bla ma Rdzogs ldan gnam
mtsho ba he received instructions of the Dwags po Bka' brgyud and the teaching
cycles of his previous two embodiments l5 .
[98.17] In pure visions16, in actualized form, and in dreams Rang byung met
with Sakyamuni, Akl;;obya Buddha, Amitclbha Buddha, Gandhahasti Buddha,
Samantabhadra, Mafijugho~a, Avalokitesvara, Gtlhyapati, Maitreya,
Gandhahasti, Saraha, Nagarjuna, Asanga and Vasubandhu, (99.1) Dharmakirti,
Padmasambhava, Tilopa, Kamalasila, Vimalamitra, Mi la ras pa, Sgam po pal
Rgod tshang pa and others.
[99.7] He visited Mdo khams17 and Sa skyal8. In Lha steng, Mdo khams he
miraculously stopped a great fire blazing in the forest. He traveled to Sgam po
and was received by Rdo rje dpal rtsegs. He quelled the fighting in Kolati19, to
the East. At Gnas 5g020 in Mdo kham5, and at Khyung rdzong21 in Mtshur phu
o rgyan pa came to Rang byung in pure visions, a taught him the remainder of
the previous Karmapa's instructions.
10
[99.17] Having travelled to Dbus from Mdo khanlS, he was received by lords
of the land in such places as Gnyan chen thang lha22 . At Mtshur phu he was
received by the Dharma Protector Lcam dral. In Lhasa Rang byung offered a
golden parasol for the top of the Jo bo Sakyamuni statue. While staying in Gang
dkar, he encountered signs which indicated that he should travel to the Kong
p023 region to benefit beings there. He settled the dispute in Kong po using
both religious and civil guidelines24
[100.1] In the Rkungs Hermitage25 at Mtshur phu he sawall the imler
charmels, energies and vital points, and thus came to know the astrological times
of the exterior planets and stars. He composed a treatise on astrology26. At
Mtshur phu he also erected a temple with a gilded roof27. In Gru bzhi28 .he
established the Bde chen Hermitage29.
[100.11] While at Bde chen Hermitage, Rang byung saw a sign which
indicated that he should travel to Dwags po and Kong po, and thus proceeded to
those places. He founded Nag phu Hermitage30. At Lkog phrang31 he
composed a commentary on the inner meaning of the secret mantra32. In Shar
phyogs las kyi gshin rje'i gnas33 he saw reality as it is.
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
3
30
I
32
33
11
[100.20] In the Tiger Year (1326) Rang bylmg went to Dbus, reconciling a
disagreement between Mtshal pas and Khams pas while there. He journeyed to
Mdo khams and restored the Skar rna temple34. Understanding the teachings of
Nagarjuna, he composed a commentary on the Dharmadhatustotra35 .
[101.1] In the first month of the Serpent Year (1329) Rang byung made a
bridge over the Sog chu River36. Exhorted by Spyan ras gzigs he took up retreat
in Nags phu hermitage. While there a prophecy came to him, indicating that he
should journey to the palace of the Yuan emperor. In the summer of the Serpent
Year the Wisdom DakiI).i came to him and taught him the essence of the Rgyud
kyi rgyal po'i bum pa37. He then took up retreat in Rtsa ri38.
[101.12] An invitation from the Mongol Emperor Thog Themiir39 was sent to
Rang byung, carried by Mgon po tshal ching40 . Rang byung was promoted4l in
the seventh month of the Sheep Year (1331). He travelled to Dbus, and on the
Lhasan central plain he was met by Ti shri Kundga' rgyal mtshan42 . On the way
to China there was much thunder and snowfall, and an eclipse occurred. By
these signs Rang byung knew that the Emperor would soon die, so he returned
to Mtshur phu. In the second month of the Monkey year (1332) he resumed his
journey. He established a community in Kyin jang hu43. On the eighteenth day
of the tenth month he arrived at the Yuan court.
34 Si tu (p.2l2.3) reads; dpalldan karma'i gstug lag khang. The Blue Annals (p. 409) locates
this in Khams. See Dorje and Kapstein, map seven.
35 This commentary is not extant.
36 Sog is another name for Mongolia. Petech (p.63) identifies this river as a left bank tributary
of the Nag chu, or Salween. See Dorje and Kapstein, map seven.
37 Unidentified.
~~ South of Dwags po. See Ferrari (p.127, note 262). See Dorje and Kapstein, map eight.
40 Reigned 1329-1332. See Petech (p.I43).
41 See Petech (p.87), and Schuh (1977).
Deb ther d11Ulr po (p.lOl, line 15); btegs. I am not sure what manner of promotion this refers
to.
42 See Petech (p.86).
43 See Petech (p.74).
12
[102.4] On the day of the full moon, in the first month of the Bird Year (1333),
he met the Emperor Toghan Themtir in Ta'i tu44 . He then travelled to 2hal ta 45
and settled a dispute. On the day of the full moon, in the fifth month of the Dog
Year (1334) he was promoted, and the Mtshur phu Valley was granted tax
exemption46.
[103.1] Rang byung then took leave of the Emperor and travelled to Rtse
lnga47 and Mi nyag 'gar48. In Mi nyag he restored an old temple and established
the abbatial see. He travelled through Dmar khams 49 to Skar rna, and on the
twenty-fifth day of the eighth month of the Pig Year (1335) he arrived in 'Dam50.
He was received by the landlords of Dbus Tsang. In the ninth month of 1335 he
arrived in Mtshur phu.
[103.11J In the winter of that year he stayed in Bsam yas, at Mchims phu
Peking, he left the eighth month of the Mouse Year (1336), staying in 'Dam for
fifteen days before proceeding to the Yuan court.
[104.6J In the eighth month of the Ox Year (1337) he saved many people in
the Yuan court from an earthquake that he had foreseen by leading them to a
safe open plain.
[104.12] Up to this point Tshal pa Kun dga' rdo rje claims to have "quoted
form the longer and shorter biographies of His Holiness [Rang bytmg rdo rje]
himself." But from this point on the work has been "copied from chronicles
13
heard, from disciples, from the account by Dkon mchog 'byung gnas, and from
the writings of Bkra shis 'bum."
[105.9] Among the activities of his last years, Rang byung had a nza1JcJala52
painted in the palace at Ta'i tu, the Yuan court, featuring many Bka' brgyud pa
teachers.
[105.18] In the eighth month of the Horse Year (1338), at an assembly of
Mongol officials, Rang byung said "I, a yogin, am like a cloud. Mayall those who
wish to grasp the meaning of my teachings quickly do so." At dawn of the fifth
day of the fifth month of the Rabbit Year (1339), not waking from his sleep, he
passed on, just like the cloud to which he had compared himself [106.1].
52 Kun dga' ~do rje refers to a bios bslangs, that is, a mm:u;iala which "uplifts the mind" and
prepares It for meditation.
Extant textsWhile the Third Zhwa dmar Chos dpal ye shes (1406-1452) is reported to
have heard the Collected Works of Rang byung (Rang byung ba'i bka' 'bum)
from one Bka' bzhi pa Rig pa'i ral gri in the early fifteenth century1, no such
collection has come down to us. I have been able to locate twenty-four works by
Rang byung in the Tibetan collection of the East Asian Library of the University
of Washington. These are fully cited in the bibliography. Here I will briefly
categorize them, and, where possible, indicate their date and place of
composition.
Rang byung wrote several works on Phyag rgya chen po (Mahamudra) system,
so treasured among Bka' brgyud pas, including what is perhaps his most popular
text, the verse text Nges don phyag rgya chen po'i smon lam2 . Other works include
the Rlung sems gnyis med, the Phyag rgya chen po lhan cig skyes sbyor gyi khrid yig,
which, according to it's colophon was written in Wood Male Mouse Year (1324),
at Bde chen stengs, a hermitage above Mtshur phu Monastery; and finally the
Phyag rgya chen po gangga rna'i gzhung sa bcad and Phyag rgya chen po gangga rna' i
'grel pa, a topical outline and commentary on Tilopa's Phyag rgya chen po gangga
ma'i gzhung, also known as the Phyag rgya chen po'i man ngag (Mahamudropadesa)3.
The colophon to these last two state that they were written at Mtshur phu
Monastery in the Sheep. Year, possibly 1307 or 1319.
1 See Blue Annals (p.548). This is mentioned also in Si tu (p.489.6-7), which states;
kong por rim pas byon te ba yo dgon dang nye ba dgon sar rgya mtsho sgang du re
zhig bzhugs nas / sog dbon bka' bzhi pa rin chen bzang po / ston grags kyi mtshan gzhan
rig pa'i ral gri zhes pa'i drung du / thams cad mkhyen pa rang byung rdo je'i bka' 'bum
yongs su rdzogs pa'i lung .... gsan zhing /
2 This text has been tranlsated by Erik Schmidt in Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche (1992). See also
Ramon Prats' work (1988) on the smon lam by 'Jigs med gling pa, where he points out two
lines in that work taken from Rang byung's Phyag chen smon lam.
3 In Gdams ngag mdzod (volume five, pp.33-36), and in Sde dge Bstan 'gyur (#2303).
15
yig; the Gcod bka' tshoms chen mo'i sa bead which consists of a topical outline of and
commentary on Ma gcig lab sgron's Shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa zab mo gcod kyi
man ngag gi gzhung bka' tshonls chenm05; the Tshogs las yon tan kun 'byung; the
lengthy Gcod kyi tshogs las rin po che'i phreng ba 'don bsgrigs bltas chog tu bdod pa
gcod leyi lugs sor bzhag; the Ma lab sgron la gsol ba 'debs pa'i mgur ma; the Zab mo
bdud kyi gcod yul kyi khrid yig, and finally the Gcod kyi nyams len.
A work on the Six Yogas of Naropa has come down to us, the Zab lam nii ro
chos drug gi gsa! byed spyi chings khrid yig dang bcas pa, otherwise known as the
Karma pa rang byung rdo rjes mdzad pa'i chos drug gser zhun mar grags so.
Three works by Rang byung are available in the Rin chen gter mdzod; two
siidhana texts, entitled Rtsa gsum driZ sgrub and Rta mgrin bde gshegs thugs driZ; and
a philosophical work on the Rdzogs chen Snying thig system of Vimalamitra,
known as the Knrma snying thig, entitled Nyams len lag khrigs ma' i khrid ngo mtshar
/afakilllulLl.
A collpltillIl 01' short versified songs of realization, numbering over onehundred, dfl' d\'dildble as the Rang byung rdo rje'i mgur mam .. This hundred-folio
text in dbli~ 1IIcd contains numerous dates of composition in the concluding
verses of individual songs.
A small two-folio text on Bde mchog is extant, entitled Bde mchog Iha lnga'i
bskang ba.
: Janet Gyatso (1985) has discussed Rang byung's involvement with Grod.
In Gdams ngag mdzod, (volume nine, pp.456-466).
16
mdzod kyi glu 'i don gsal bar byed pa tshig gi rgyan dri ma med pa 'i sgron me. 6
Rang byung's verse work on tathagatagarbha, which draws together strands of
thought from Mahayana, Tantra, and Mahamudra, is titled De bzhin gshegs pa'i
snying po bstan pa. The texts runs four folios. There is no information about the
date or place of its composition.
The Rnam shes ye shes 'byed pa'i bstan beos concisely outlines in verse how the
conceptual modes of consciousness (rnam shes) transform into the five modes of
primordial awareness (ye shes), and how these relate to the enlightened bodies
(sku) of Buddhas. This text runs only three folios. The colophon states that it
was written in the Hog Year, most likely 1323, at Bde chen steng.
Rang byung's most famous, and perhaps most difficult work is yet another
verse text, his Zab mo nang don, on the Anuttarayogatantras. This eleven-chapter
work is thirty-two folios in lengtll. 7 According to a colophon provided by Kong
sprul, it was written in the Water Male Dog Year, 1322, at Bde chen steng.8 The
colophons to the present redactions say only that it was written in the Dog Year.
Finally, a work on astrology, the Rtsis leyi bstan beos kun las btus pa'i rtogs pa,
has come down to us. 9 From Si tu's biography (p.205.5) we know that this text
was composed at the Spungs hennitage around Mtshur phu Monastery,
between 1313 and 1320.
Aside from the work done by Schuh on the last mentioned astrological text,
none of available writings of Rang byung rdo rje have received any scholarly
attention. Given his fame among the Bka' brgyud pas, and the breadth of topics
6 I thank Mr. Cyrus Stearns for bring this text to my attention. Roger Jackson's review article
on Guenther's recent work (1994) contains a survey of the scholary literature on Saraha's
Doha.
17
upon which he wrote, it is hoped that he will receive more attention in the
future.
Non-extant texts of Rang byungSeveral texts are attributed to Rang bytmg in the biographies that have not
come down to us. I mention them here, listing them as they occur in Situ, in
order to facilitate their eventual rediscovery, and to illustrate further the breadth
of Rang bytmg's work.
Kun spyod kyi 'grel pa (Si tu 200.2); probably a commentary to the Kun tu
bzang po spyod pa'i smon lam, which closes the Avata1J1sakasutra.
Dgyes rdo brtag gnyis kyi 'grel pa (Si tu 201.5); a commentary on the
Hevajratantra. This work was composed sometime between 1301 and
1310.
Dkon brtsegs kyi bsdus don (Si tu 209.1); possibly a summary text on the
Ratnakilta Sutras.
Zab mo nang don byi rnam bshad (Si tu 210.2); The auto-commentary to his Zab
mo nang don, often referred to as the Rang 'grel. This text was written
between 1324 and 1326. It seems to have been arotmd tmtil this century,
as Kong sprul makes reference to its contents.lO
Rnal 'byor gsum snying gi 'grel pa (Si tu 213.1); possibly a commentary on the
Rnal 'byor gsum gyi snying po gsal ba shes bya ba (TriyogahrdayaprakaSa), Sde
Dge#1371.
10 I have heard that an unpublished copy of this work exists at Rumtek monastery, Sikkim.
18
Kun bzang gi spyod pa'i smm1lam (Si tu 213.1); possibly an independent work
of Rang bylUlg, but curiously similar to the first-mentioned work.
Commentaries on the writings of Rang byung rdo rjeA number of commentaries on Rang bylUlg's writings are available.
However, these commentaries cover only four of his texts, the Phyag chen smoo
lam, the Rnam shes ye shes, the De bzhin gshegs pa'i snying po bstan pa, and the Zab
mo nang don. The later three, all in seven syllable verse, seem to have been
treated as something of a trilogy by the tradition, as can be seen by the
groupings of the commentaries. I will list and briefly describe these works in
chronological order.
Dwags rams pa Chos rgyal bstan pa (1449-1524), a disciple of the Seventh
Karma pa Chos grags rgya mtsho (1454-1506), has written a massive
commentary of over four-hlUldred folios on the Zab mo nang don, entitled Dpal
rdo rje'i tshig zab mo nang gi don gyi Igrel bshad serns leyi rnam par gsal bar byed pa'i
rgyan. This work contains an extensive discussion of de bzhin gshegs pa'i snying po
in the section on the first chapter of the Zab mo. The colophon indicates that the
work was completed in the Wood-Female-Hare Year, 1495.11
Dkon mchog 'bangs/yan lag, the Fifth Zhwa Dmar (1525-1583), has written
commentaries on the later three of the above mentioned texts. His work of
annotations (mehan bu) to the Rnam shes ye shes is entitled Rnam shes dang ye shes
brtag pa zhes bya ba'i bstan beos bzhugs so. This economical text consists of brief
additions to Rang bYllllg's verse, connected by dots to the point in the verse
where they are to be inserted while reading}2 The root text and the annotations
are both in dbu med, "headless" cursive, and thus the small annotations are
sometimes difficult to read. He has performed a similar annotation for the De
11 See Dwags ram pa Chos rgyal bstan pa, (p.802.4).
12
See Wayman (1984) on this style of commentary.
19
gshegs snying po, the De bzhin gshegs pa'i snying po gtan la dbab pa zhes bya ba'i
bstan beos. TIle writing of these two texts is mentioned in Si tu's Karma kam
tshang, and they can be dated to 1566)3 Finally, Dkon mchog 'hangs has written
a full-fledged commentary on the Zab rna nang don, the Rje rang byung rdo rjes
mdzad bla na med pa'i rgyud 'grel zab rna nang don gyi stan thun.
Si tu Pal} chen Chos kyi 'byung gnas (1700-1774) has written a fifty-folio
commentary on the Phyag chen smon lam, entitled Nges don phyag rgya chen po'i
gshegs snying bstan, respectively entitled Rnam par shes pa dang ye shes 'byed pa'i
bstan beos leyi tshig don go gsal du 'grel ba rang byung dgongs pa'i rgyan ees bya ba
bzhugs so, and De bzhingshegs pa'i snying po bstan pa'i bstan beos kyi rnam 'grel rang
byung dgongs gsal ees bya ba bzhugs so. Kong sprul's commentary on the Zab rna
nang don, the Rnal 'byor bla na med pa'i rgyud sde rgya mtsho'i snying po bsdu pa zab
rna nang gi don nyung ngu'i tshig gis rnam par 'grol ba zab don snang byed ces bya ba
bzhugs 50, is also written in the interlineary style. All three of these works are
well organized with topical outlines (sa bead), and contain numerous quotes from
Indian sources. Kong sprul also uses the three root texts to comment upon each
other.
13 Si tu (volume 2, p.10S.7). I thank Prof. Leonard van der Kuijp for pointing this passage out
tome.
~~ This has recently been translated as Mahilmudra Teachings of the Supreme Siddhas.
See Hookham (1991 pp.172-173).
.
20
Mkha' khyab rdo rje, the Fifteenth Zhwa nag Karma pa (1871-1922), has also
commented upon the above three texts: His work on the Rnam shes ye shes is the
Rnam par shes pa dang ye shes 'byed pa'i bstan beos kyi mehan 'grel rje bstun 'jam pa'i
dbyangs kyi zhallung nor bu ke ta ka ari rna med pa'i 'od; on the De gshegs snying po,
the De bzhin gshegs pa'i snying po bstan pa'i bstan beos kyi mchan 'grel byams mgon
dgyes pa'i zhallung nor bu dbang po dri rna med pa'i 'od; and on the Zab mo nang don,
the Zab mo nang gi don gsal bar ston pa'i gzhung bde blag tu rtogs par byed pa'i mehan
'grel rdo rje sems dpa'i zhallung nor bu rnam par snang ba dri med pa'i 'od.
However, Mkha' khyab has done little more than reproduce Kong sprul's
commentaries relieved of all canonical quotations. The topical outlines are
identical, save for a few slight differences. The value of Mkha' khyab's texts lies
in their printing style. While Kong sprul's commentary makes no differentiation
between root text and commentary, Mkha' khyab's texts identify the words of
the root text within the interlineary commentary by enlarging them. It is thus
possible to use Mkha' khyab's works to discern the root text in those of Kong
spntl.
Finally, mention should be made of the works of Mi bskyod rdo rje, the
Eighth Karmapa (1507-1554). While it appears that he wrote no commentaries to
any of Rang byung's works, he frequently draws from them in his own work)6
The precise relationship between the two scholar's views, however, remains to
be studied.
It is both tragic and somewhat baffling that the collected works of such a
highly revered figure in Tibetan history should be lost. One can now only guess
16 See appendix for Zab mo nang don rang 'grel fragments found in a work of Mi bskyod, the
Sku gsum ngo sprod kyi rnam par bshad pa. See also the Rje ye bzang rtse ba'i rgyud gsum gsang
ba dang pa1J chen shiikya mchog ldan gyi sde mchog rnam bshail gnyis leyi mthar thug gi 'bral bu
gzhi dus ley gnas lugs llam dus Icyi rnal 'byor rnams la dpyadya bdud rtsi'i dri mchog, in the
Rnal 'byor rgyud kyi rman bshad sags (volume 3, pp.249-347).
21
at the size and contents of Rang byung ba'i bka' 'bU1n received by the third Zhwa
dmar in the fifteenth century.
Editions of the Snying bstanThe Snying bstan is a short work consisting of two-hundred and twenty-six
lines of seven syllable verse. It is quite terse in some places, and thus
occasionally difficult to understand without the aid of commentaries. We
currently possess five different editions of the text, three of which are embedded
within the three commentaries to it that have come down to us.
Two modem editions are found appended to the Rumtek xylographic
reprints of the Zab mo nang don and the Rnam shes ye shes. These two redactions
agree almost entirely in terms of textual variants
Dkon mchog 'bangs/ran lag (1525-1583) comments on the Snying bstan by
means of annotations (mchan bu), which are connected by lines of dots to the
verse. This has the advantage of allowing the root verses to stand free of the
annotations, so that one can read them with or without commentary. This text is
in dbu med, and the annotations are sometimes difficult to discern.
The interlineary commentaries of both Kong sprul and Mkha' khyab contain
the Snying bstan embedded within them. Mkha' khyab's text distinguishes the
root text by enlarging its words within each line of commentary. Kong sprul's
commentary makes no word-size differentiation. As mentioned previously,
Mkha' khyab's work is a reproduction of that of Kong sprul, and thus can be
used to determine which words are commentary and which are root in Kong
sprul's work.
22
23
line goes to, followed by the annotation. The annotations can corne at the
beginning of a line, in which case I have indicated their positions by
_(verse word)- (armotation).
Annotations corning in the middle of a verse are usually cormected to a tsheg
(dot) between words, and are indicated by
(verse word)_- (annotation).
In some cases it is unclear whether an annotation should preceed or follow a
verse word. This situation is indicated by
(verse word)- (armotation).
This system has much the same effect as Dkon mchog 'bangs handwritten text:
TIle reader can read the root verse by itself, and can also easily refer to the
commentary.
The footnotes provided for the edition include all variants from Z and R,
discussions of these variants, and an identification of quotations as well as the
Sanskrit version of those quotations where available. I have also indicated
where Rang byung has clearly alluded to or paraphrased his Indian sources, and
have cited the relevant passages. Further, I have indicated where verses of
Textual apparatus of the translationTIle reliance on Dkon mchog bangs' annotations for the translation of the
text have prompted me to use the brackets { } where I have incorporated his
words into the translation itself. The brackets [ ] are used where I have added a
word-: most often a copula or a noun in place of a prono1.m- in order to make up
for the laconic style of the verse. The footnotes provided for the translation
include discussions of translation choice, references to quotations from Indian
SOurces as well as to other translation of those quotes, as well as short
24
Chapter Three- Rang Byung rdo rje and Dol po pa Shes rab rgyal mtshan (12921361): Rang bytlllg as a Gzhan stong pa?l
While the life story rec01.m.ted in Chapter One from the Red annals is
interesting in its own right, it does little to situate Rang byung as a thinker in the
religious philosophical milieu of early fourteenth-century Tibet. To do any
justice to this difficult task one would have to consult a wide variety of
biographical, expository, and polemical literature in order to come to terms not
only with the thought of Rang byung himself, but of his contemporaries as well.
To contextualize a relatively minor work such as the Snying bstan is perhaps
more difficult, for if a text does not come under any polemical fire in writing, of
course, we have no record of the ways in which it might have been important at
the time of its composition. Indeed, this is the case with the Snying bstan. I have
as yet found no mention of it earlier than the sixteenth century, when Dkon
mchog yan lag annotated both it and the Rnam shes ye shes.2
In this chapter I wish to take up one issue that bears upon Rang byung as a
religious thinker situated within a particular historical setting. This issue is his
position vis-a-vis the gzhan stong (emptiness of other) doctrine of Dol po pa Shes
rab rgyal mtshan (1292-1361). Recent scholars have alluded to Rang byung's
affinity, purported or actual, withgzhan stong3 , and thus it seems the appropriate
time to explore this relation more closely. The relation between Dol po pa,
generally recognized as the innovator of the gzhan stong view, and Rang byung
1 This chapter would not have been possible without the generous guidance and assistance of
Mr. Cyrus Stearns. He discussed the issues at length with me, and helped me locate
passages from the writings of Dol po pa. I thank him also for providing me with drafts of
2 several unpublished manuscripts which he is presently preparing.
The Zab mo nang don, however, is elluded to in the Spyi Zan ring mo, a defense of the Bka'
brgyud teachiiigs, in a way that suggests that this anonymous work was composed during
Rarig byung's lifetime. It states (152.3-4); da lta'i bla rna I tsi gu 'dis mdzad pa'i / Zab mo
nang don / 'jig rten gsum sgron /
3
I have not found this curious name attributed to Rang byung elsewhere.
See Hookham (1991) and Ruegg (1988, p.1280).
26
rdo rje is perhaps quite complicated, and may never, due to lack of specific
historical or biographical materials, be fully reconstructed in our time. The
availability of new texts, particularly Rang byung's auto-commentary to the Zab
mo nang don, will most likely allow us to tmderstand this matter more fully.
27
Rnam shes ye shes 'byed pa by Rangjung Dorje that his view on Tathagatagarbha
[sic] accords with Shentong ...."9
In short, these claims seem to be both historically and critical-philosophically
inaccurate. In the biographies currently available there is only one meeting
between the two figures recorded, and according to Si tu this comes between
1320 and 1324. 10 Here we see Rang byung prophesying a great change in the
spiritual outlook of Dol po pa. The passage runs;
"At that time [Rang byung] met with the great Onmiscient Dol po pa. [Rang
byung] said, "You will come to realize a distinct and noble view which is unlike
~ Hookham (p.136).
10Hookham (p.174).
See Situ (p.208.1-.2). The year 1320 can be found at (p.207.2), and the year 1324 at (p.209.3).
28
your present one." Though at that time he [Dol po pal had chosen the Emptiness
of Self Middle Way system, not long after that he came to know just as it is the
pith of Emptiness of Other, the Great Middle Way."l1
It is known that the Zab mo nang dan, Rang bytmg's major work, was written
relationship. But this limited knowledge does not warrant the generalizations
made by Hookham. As Cyrus Stearns has pointed out to me, it is more likely
that Rang byung was influential in the development of Dol po pa, given that
Rang byung was his senior, as well as a highly revered figure of the time, and
given that his major works were completed by the time of Dol po pa's realization
of gzhan stong.
For Kong sprul, Rang byung and Dol po pa are both to be considered Gzhan
f.
29
two great scholars this must be acknowledged, and is interesting in its own right.
Nevertheless it begs the question, "What is a Gzhan stong paT. I do not intend to
discuss the philosophical ramifications of this title- a project far to large. Rather I
wish merely to differentiat two types of classification in which Rang byung may
or may not be considered to be a Gzhan stong pa, one based on the nahrre of the
ideas presented and one based on the terminology employed. In making this
l
1I,1~ Pt"t?I1
stong whidl did not strictly adhere to Dol po pa's claims, was sufficently general
enough to include more mainstream thinkers from the Bka' brgyud schools.1 5
This allows Kong sprul to include Rang byung and Dol po pa under one
philosophical position, the (newly reformulated) gzhan stong.
The second, and far narrower sense, in which one might be considered a
30
concept, perhaps more attractive to the historian than to the traditional exegete.
The value of this category is that it compells the historian to cafefully attend to
the actuallangauge of the the two writers, a procedure perhaps overlooked in
the face of the traditional assimilation. Dol po pa is now recognized as the
innovator of a powerful rhetoric of newly coined technical terms, including the
phrase gzhan stong, "emptiness of other", which he opposed to rang stong,
"emptiness of self". These two tenus where the kingpins of a larger set of
opposing tenns, such as kun gzhi ye shes, the "universal ground primordial
awareness", also coined by Dol po pa, and kun gzhi rnam shes, the "universal
ground consciousness ".1 6 In several texts these terms, and others more familiar,
where employed by Dol po pa in long (one might say relentless) lists of
contrasting pairs, with one half being descriptive of the absolute, the gzhan stong,
and the other half the relative, the rang stong.1 7
So, from a rhetorical standpoint, one would be considered a Gzhan stong pa if
one promoted this body of peculiar tenninology in a manner similar to Dol po
pa. This would include such figures as the Jo nang pa Taranatha (1575-1635), the
Sa skya pa scholar Shakya mchog ldan (1428-1507), the Eighth Karmapa Mi
bskyod rdo rje (1507-1554)18, and Kong sprul, all of whom have positively
employed the term Gzhan stong.
A slavish adherence to either one of these classifications can obscure the
particularities of anyone thinker. The latter, terminologically-based definition
can obscure similarities. For instance, were one to agree with the ideas of Dol po
pa, but for sectarian reasons not be able to use his rhetoric in defense or support
of those ideas, one would not be considered a Gzhan stong pa according to the
latter definition. Conversely, this classification may obscure differences, as is
31
most likely the case with the above-mentioned scholars, Taranatha and Shakya
mchog ldan. Or, as it seems Kong sprul has done, one may employ all the terms
of Dol po pa in order to assimilate a divergent view to his.
The idea-based classification can gloss over differences if sufficiently broad
enough, and can exclude relatively similar systems if suffiently narrow. From a
critical-historical point of view, each may be used as a corrective for the other, to
point out differences or similarities that the other may lead us to overlook.
The issue of whether Rang byung rdo rje is a Gzhan stong pa should be
considered under both of these rubrics. In terms of the latter, rhetorical,
definition, Rang byung is as of yet provisionally disqualified. The term gzhan
stong can be found in none of his extant writings. The situation with kun gzhi ye
shes is somewhat more complicated. Though the term does not occur in any of
the extant writings, it may occur in his auto-commentary to the Zab rna nang don.
Kong sprul alludes to this, but does not quote the auto-commentary directly.1 9
Mi bskyod rdo rje also mentions Rang byung in the context of kun gzhi ye shes,
but neither mentions nor quotes a source for this.20 At this point in time, then,
there is far more reason to divide Rang byung and Dol po pa in tenus of the
terminology of gzhan stong than there is to conflate them.
The former, philosophically based definition is much more difficult to
approach, for to properly research this one would need to have a thorough
knowledge of the thought of both Rang byung and Dol po pa. This may in fact
never be possible, for while the major works of Dol po pa are now available, it is
19 See his Rnal 'byor bla na med pa'i rgyud sde rgya mtsho'i snying po bsdus pa zab mo nang gi don
nyung ngu'i tshig gis mam par 'grol ba zab don snang byed l17b.4-18a.1J; I'dir rang 'grellas I
khor 'das thams cad kyi gzhir gyur pa'i chos nyid de bzhin nyid la kun gzhi'i sgrar 6sungs
nas de'i nang gses dag pa dang bcas la kun gzhi'i ye shes dang sa bon tharns cad pa'I cha
kun gzhi rnam shes su gsungs te serns la dag rna dag gnyis su dbye I kun gzhi'i rnam
shes las 'khor ba snang ba'i tshul dang kun gzhi'i ye shes las myang 'das snang ba'i tshul
sgrub byed theg pa gong 'og gi khyad par dang beas pa gsungs so I
20 See his Rje ye bzang rtse ba'i rgyud gsum gsang ba dang Part chen shilkya mchog ldan gyi sde
mchog rnam bshad gnyis kyi mthar thug gi 'bras bu gzhi dus kyi gnas lugs / lam dus k:t{i mal 'byor
mams la dbyad pa bdud rlsi'i dri rna mchog, contained in Rnal 'byor rgyud kyi mam bshad sogs
volume three lp.301.3-.4J.
32
fairly clear that we possess only a fragment of the complete works of Rang
bylUlg. Further, in order to address the claims of Kong sprul, one would have to
develop a detailed accolUlt of his particular gzhan stong system and its place in the
non-sectarian movement. This task will also aid in beginning to separate Dol po
pa from Kong sprul.
Nevertheless, even a cursory study such as I now offer suggests several
philosophical differences between the two fourteenth-century thinkers. Here I
will compare just two small passages from the writings of Rang bylUlg with
several passages of Dol po pa's B/q;z' bsdus bzhi pa.21
The first passage has been referred to already in the last chapter. This verse,
taken from one of Rang bYllllg's songs, claims that the universal grolUld is the
basis of both cyclic existence and liberation. The pivotal point between the two
states is between realization and non-realization:
~ I thank Mr. Stearns for providing me with a draft translation of this text.
23 Better here would be rtogs, which I translate as "realize".
Rang byung mgur [p.97.6-7].
33
realized it is brass,"
Intrestingly enough, as his scriptural support for his argument Dol po pa cites
a verse from the Ratnagotra which Rang byung also includes in the Snying bstan;
As it is before so it is after,
Abiding essentially unchanging. 25
Dol po pa concludes from this verse that realization or non-realization is
totally superfluous to the the eternal purity of the tathagatagarbha. For Rang
byung this verse more likely indicates that the Enlightened Heart remains pure
24 Bka' bsdus bzhi pa [21b.5-22a2 (Collected works p.404-40S)J;
nyon mongs rnam rtog mam shes tshogs 'di yang / /
rtogs na chos sku ma rtogs dri ma zhes / /
bzhed pa rnam la bdag ni ma phod te / /
rjogs ldan chos dang mthun par mdzod cig ces / /
thaI mo sbyar nas skad gtong gros 'debs so I /
rtogs na gSer yin ma rtogs ra gan yin / /
rtogs na rta yin ma rtogs ba land yin / /
rtogs na snang ba ma rtogs mun pa yin / /
rtogs na sman yin rna rtogs dug yin zhes / /
'dod pa mams dang khyad par ci mchis gzigs / I
All passages from Dol po pa's Bka' bsdllS bzhi pa have been translated by Cyrus Stearns. I
25 have altered certain terms for consistency with the rest of the present work.
I?,ka' bsdus bzhi pa' i rang 'grel (f.31.2-.3 [Collected Works p.645]);
)1 ltar sngar bzhin phyis de bzhin / /
'gyur ba med pa nyid du gnas so zhes
)1
34
despite its total immanence within the non-realized state. Despite their mutual
favoring of this verse, it is clear that they do not agree on the relation between
realization and the absolute.
The next passage that I wish to discuss comes from chapter nine of the Zab mo
nang don. Here Rang bytmg tells us that the Enlightened Heart encompasses
both the the prescencing (snang 00) of relative truth (kun rdzob bden pa), and the
emptiness of the absolute truth (don dam bden pa). Further, the Enlightened
Heart, including both truths, is naturally present within sentient beings. He
states;
11
Statements such as this are certainly not acceptable for Dol po pa, for they
represent a confusion of the absolute with the relative. In the Bka' bsdus bzhi pa
he lays out the view that he is criticizing;
26
27 Zab 11W nang don (22b .6-23a.l).
Sde dge Bka' 'gyur #447.
35
If that is asserted, the consequence would be that even all suffering and its
origin are absolute liberation. 30
And finally I he challenges the reader;
If the two truths, and cyclic existence and liberation, are identical in
essence,
Examine whether it L~ feasible or not to separate
The Enlightened Heart of the Blissful One and the adventitious impurities!31
Of course, for Dol po pa this separation would be impossible. To bind both
relative and absolute truth to a single essence is to make it impossible to
28 Bka' bsdus bzhi pa (f.3a.6-3b.l [Collected Works p.367-368]);
bden gnyis rgyal khams gnyis su mi 'byed par / /
snang ba gan yin kun rdzob bden pa dang / /
stong pa gang yin don dam bden par 'dodd /
snang ston de dag ngo bo dbyer med pas / /
29 ngo bo gcig la Idog pa tha dad smra I I
Bka' Qsdus bzhi pa (f.3b.4-.5);
snang tshang kun rdzob 'khor ba yin na ni I /
30 don dam snang ba'ang kun rdzob 'khor bar 'gyur I I
Bka' bsdus bzhi pa (f.3b.5-.6);
'dod na sdug bsngal kun 'byung thams cad kyang I I
31 don dam myang 'das yin par ilial bar 'gyur II
Bka' bsdus bzhi pa (f.4a.5-.6 [Collected Works p.369]);
bden gnyis 'khor 'das ngo bo gcig na ni I I
bde gshegs snying po glo bur dri rna dang I I
bral du rung ngam mi rung brtag par mdzod I I
36
distinguish the delusory phenomenal world and the liberated state; A Buddha
appearing in this world would be subject to the relative truth status, and
paradoxically, all beings would be enlightened anyway. The distinctions
between the two states would be reduced to meaninglessness. This is
unacceptable for Dol po pa.
This preliminary investigation is enough to show that, though both Rang
byung and Dol po pa are considered to be Gzhan stong pas by Kong sprul and
others, on certain issues at least they cannot be so easily assimilated. Thus from
the perspective of the history of religious thought we are, at this stage of
research, not warranted in uncritically following Kong sprul's labeling of Rang
byung rdo rje.
The purpose of the present chapter is to present and interpret the course of
thought in the Snying bstan in a manner that allows the reader to follow the
implicit logic of the work. It is synthetic in that it draws the various elements of
thought evoked in the work together in a hierarchy, which, though implied
throughout the work itself, is somewhat artificial in its arrangement.
Being quite terse in some passages, the Snying bstan is occasionally quite
obscure, and it is not always immediately apparent what place any individual
verse holds within the overall structure of the text. Rang byung alternately uses
creative poetic imagery, standardized epithetic lists, or technical terms and
systems which rely upon citations from a variety of canonical works, all resulting
in a dizzying panoply which lasts but two-hundred and thirty verse lines. An
external organizational framework as well as exegesis will, hopefully, aid in a
rich reading of this work.
Certainly Kong Sprul's topical outline (sa bead) of the work, is a valuable
resource for breaking down the text into its component parts. 1 For the most
part, it simply and clearly describes the subject matter of each verse or set of
verses, enabling the reader to quickly grasp the progression of the work. I wish
to step back from such a pragmatic ordering of the work, and reorganize it in
order to shed light upon the following questions: According to the Snying bstan,
what is the function of the Enlightened Heart, and what is its relation to
phenomenal life, humanity, and Buddhas or Buddhahood? Further, what is the
reason for our bondage in cyclic existence, given the existence of the Enlightened
38
Heart? The Snying bstan does strive to provide answers to these questions and I
l
2 While the Snying bstan begins by stating that the Enlightened Heart is the source of all
phenomenal life as well as human spiritual life, it does not dwell on its role as the
~el1spring of inanimate phenomena such as rocks, mountains, or hats. This is left an
~p1icit assumption, in contrast to other formations of Buddha Nature thought such as that of
Dogen, who explicitly equates insentient phenomena with Buddha Nature. See Kim
(p.124).
39
(don dam bden pa), as well as the various manifestations of the Mind as such which
constitute the relative truth (kun rdzob). The path is the process of cultivating
awareness and merit. The result is Buddhahood which is both intrinsically and
extrinsically beneficial. Rang byung states;
The meaning of the ground is the two truths free from the extremes of
eternn.lism and nihilism.
Through the highest path, the two accumulations free from the extremes of
exaggeration and denigration,
While obtaining the result, the two benefits free frmn becoming and extinction,
May we meet with teachings which are without error. 3
The second organizational tool that Rang byung mentions is a four-fold
scheme revolving around purification. These are the ground of purification, that
which needs to be purified, that which purifies, and the purified result. In Rang
byung's words;
40
ground
ground of purification
phenomenal
grOtmd/path
purifier / to be purified
post-phenomenal
result
purified result
re-phenomenal
"
"
41
The pre-phenomenal phase: the Enlightened Heart as the ground from which and in
which the totality of existence appears.
1. The supportive, stable aspect of the Enlightened Heart, which remains the same
throughout the subsequent phasesThe second verse which Rang byung presents to us in the Snying bstan is the
famous passage from the lost Mahayanabhidharmasutra, which has been used
both to describe the universal ground consciousness (kun gzhi rnam shes,
alayavijnana) and the Enlightened Heart (de gshegs snying po, tathagatagarbha). In
this context it sets the stage for a discussion of the vicissitudes of the Enlightened
Heart. Rang byung has certainly taken the verse from the Ratnagotravyakhya;
42
2. The potentializing, energetic aspect of the Enlightened Heart, which dwells within
sentient beings and propels them toward Buddhahood.
The potentializing aspect of the Enlightened Heart is that part which is within
all beings in some sense, propelling them, compelling them toward Buddhahood.
Its presence is the sole reason that beings are capable of bringing and end to the
vicious cycle of existence ('khor ba, Sa1J1Sara). The problem situation in which
humans find themselves, however, is that while the Enlightened Heart is present
within, humans, with their deluded manner of conceptualizing and emotionality,
are incapable of perceiving it. Rang byung begins the Snying bstan with a verse
from the Ratnagotra-vyakhya which spells out this conundrum;
; See Tak (p.291-293).
8 Sny~ng bstan lines 15-16
Snymg bstan lines 17-18.
43
Rrlll~ ~yung
states;
The site /,,( ('.velie existence and liberation] is the Enlightened Heart
of tht' S. rpcreign.
[Even] faulty pervasive conceptualization
Is situated within the purity of the mind. 12
9 Snying bstan lines 4-7. This verse, which is quoted in the Ratnagotra-vyakhya, is attributed the
Mahaytmabhidharmasufra by both Dkon mchog 'bangs and Kong sprul. Tak (p.224) states
that the source is unknown.
~~ rna rig kun rtog, *avid.ya parikalpita
Snying bstan lines 30-32.
12 Snying bstan lines 27-29.
44
It can be seen from the last two sections that dividing the Enlightened Heart
The phenomenal phase: the bewildered subjective awareness which binds one to cyclic
existence, and the objective phenomena correlative to that awareness.
1. The intitial error which causes cycliC existence,and the resulting state of ignorance,
which binds one to cyclic existence.
As mentioned above, the bewildered mode ('khrul pa) of human existence
emanates from nowhere but the Enlightened Heart itself. The Enlightened Heart
is said to be beginningless, and bewilderment also shares that quality.
4S
so. In other words, if the Enlightened Heart is naturally pure, liberated from the
outset, and if humanity is endowed with the Enlightened Heart, how does
bewilderment come to be?14 In another passage, the "location" of cyclic existence
is given;
The site [of cyclic existence and liberation] is the Enlightened Heart
of the Sovereign.
[Even] faulty pervasive conceptualization
Is situated within the purity of the mind. 1S
These two verses, however, only speak to the "temporal" (or rather
atemporal) and "locational" aspects of the origins of bewilderment. Indeed the
Zab mo nang don, Rang byung does address the mechanism by which cyclic
existence is first turned;
14 This is one of the most troubling questions for Enlightened Heart thought, and trends of
Buddhist thought that posit some type of original purity in general. That this was a
debated issue in Rang byung rdo rje's time and intellectual circle can be seen in the letter of
questions that Klong chen pa addressed to Rang byung, where he asks this very same
question (See Klong chen pa's Rgyal ba rang byung rdo rje la phul ba'i dri yig, p.374).
15 Snying bstan lines 27-29.
~6 See Kapstein (1992) for a discussion of a Rdzogs chen origin myth.
7 Zab rno nang don f.2b.4-S;
Rgyu ni sems nyid thag rned la / /
rgya chad phyogs lhung rna rnchis kyang / /
de nyid rna 'gags rol pa las / /
ngo bo stong la rang bzhin gsal / /
mam pa 'gag med cir yang 'char / /
de nyid rang gis rang rna rig / /
46
In this passage "Mind as SUdl" (serns nyid) is essentially synonomous with the
"Enlightened Heart" (snying po). Here the Mind as such just plays, and thus
aspects (rnam pa) of the phenomenal world spring forth. The fact that aspects
shine forth is in itself not problematic. The problematic situation arises when the
Mind as such, the Enlightened Heart, un-knows itself (rang gis rang rna rig), or
becomes ignorant with regard to its own status. Dkon mchog yan lag, in his
commentary to this verse of the Zab rno nang don, provides a humorous simile,
saying that this process of un-knowing is like "a foolish old man traveling around
in search of himself."18 From this the whole process of dualistic mentation
ensues, for as Dkon mchog yan lag tells us in his annotations to the Snying bstan,
when the Mind as such un-knows itself, defiled subjectivity (nyon yid, kli~tamanas)
apprehends the mind as an ego, a self.1 9
This is the limit of the search for origins in the Snying bstan or the Zab mo nang
don. The next question that might be asked is, "Why does the Mind as such unknow itself?" These two texts leave this question unanswered. Rather, they
move forward to describe deluded human consciousness, and to prescribe
means for extricating oneself from this situation.
2. The mind and subjectivity, the ordinary mental states brought about by ignorance,
and the varieties of consciousness which stem from the mind and subjectivity.
Rang byung begins his discussion of the phenomenal world directly
follOwing the opening verses on the Enlightened Heart itself;
See Rje Rang byung rdo rjes mdzad pa'i bla na med pa'i rgyud 'grel zab mo nang don gyi gtong
19 thun (p.15.2); rgan pos blun pos rang nyid 'tshol du phyin pa la dpe tsarn du mdzad dng /
Annotation to Snying bstan line 35; serns nyid rang gis rang rna rig nas sems la nga bdag
tu 'dzin pa'i nyon yid.
47
,das). These phenomena act as the objects which are desired or rejected, and thus
act as the base of habitual propensities (bag chags, vasana). Habitual propensities
are of two types; white, good, and black, bad. The former compel human beings
to engage in correct thinking (yang dllg rtog) about reality, while the latter compel
humans to think incorrectly (yang dllg rna yin par rtog pa). These two modes of
thought lead, respectively, toward liberation or toward continued cyclic
existence. The "condition," or the vehicle by which these habitual propensities
cycle, is the universal ground (kun gzhi), which in this case must be construed as
the universal ground consciousness (kun gzhi rnam shes, alayavijf1ilna).
Rang byung continues his description of the devolution into deluded
consiousness with the following verse;
extends the metaphor begun by Rang byung: Compositional factors (du 'byed,
sa1J1Skara) stir up action (las, karma) and defilements (nyon mongs, kleSa) which are
;~
48
likened to water. Following this the five aggregates (phung po, skandha) twelve
sense powers (skye mched, ayatana) and eighteen sense spheres (khams, dhatu),
which then are compared to the "grotmd" (sa) upon which which all phenomena
appear. This progression from the absolute state, the Mind as such (serns nyid) to
deluded consciousness is fully and more systematically presented in the first
chapter of the Zab mo nang don. 22
Another device which Rang bytmg makes use of in his discussion of the
phenomenal world is the Yogacara concept of the three natures (rang bzhin gsum,
22
23 See Zab mo nang don, f2b.4-3b.2
Snying bstan lines 80-90.
49
from this reification is conceptuality (rtog pa) which is relative (gzhan dbang,
24
Se~ Takasaki (1966, pp.902-903), and King (1991 p.42-48) for further discussions of the
tnsvabhava theory and tathagatagarbha thought. For a general account of the three nature
theory see Nagao's article, "The Buddhist World View as Elucidated in the Three-Nature
Theory and Its Similes," (1991, chap.6) The trisvabhava are not mentioned in the Ratnagotra or
he Surtiila1!lkilra, the two works which Rang byung seems to rely on most heavily. His
25 source for this doctrine is thus uncertain.
Snying bstan lines 40-43.
50
The site [of cyclic existence and liberation} is the Enlightened Heart
of the Sovereign.
[Even] faulty pervasive conceptualization
Is situated within the purity of the mind.
;~
51
reality inherent within sentient beings. Rang byung quotes the Ratnagotra on this
point;
Snying bstan. This type of teaching would more likely occur in a meditation
manual. Instead Rang byung provides two similes which poetically illustrate the
process. The first one is taken from the Ratnagotra, which in turn borrows it
from the Dhiirm:ziriijasutra. 29 He states;
Having presented the simile, Rang byung proceeds to compare beryl to the
mind;
52
(sbyor lam, prayogamarga), which are the first and second of the five paths. Objects
of knowledge, which comprise the three-fold conceptual cycle of agent, action,
and act,34 are purified on the seven impure grounds, being the first seven of the
ten grounds (sa bcu, daSabhuml) of the bodhisattva. The first of these seven
corresponds to the third path, the path of seeing (mthong lam, darsanamarga),
while two through seven correspond to the earlier stages of the fourth, the path
of cultivation (sgom lam, bhiivanamarga). Finally, obscurations to meditative
32 See Buswell and Gimello (1992 p.7-9) for summary charts of some of the more prevalent
schemes involving paths and grounds; Guenther (1986 p.232-256); Dayal (1978 p.270-291).
For a quick reference chart combining the five paths, ten grounds or levels, and the thirty
even factors, see Guenter (1975 volume one pp.241-244).
33 See Dkon mchog yanlag's annotations to the Snying bsfan line 120.
34 See annotations to line 120.
53
54
The post-phenomenal phase: primordial awareness (ye shes), the epistemological status
of buddhahood which transcends bewildered subjective awareness.
What I have termed the post-phenomenal phase is perhaps the most artificial
element of the model. In actuality, the modes of primordial awareness are
integral to the enlightened bodies of Buddhahood, and cannot be separated from
their activities, as will be apparent in the ensuing discussion. This of course
means that the post and re-phenomenal phases are identical. Nevertheless, in
order to clearly deliniate the various types of awareness which are actualized at
the moment of Buddhahood, as well as the differences between primordial
awareness and human consciousness (rnam shes), I felt that the creation of a
separate category was merited.
~en
55
56
conceptualizing. It is rather like the sky, constantly present to behold the clouds
and so forth, but itself unchanging, unaffected by the clouds of bewilderment.
Rang byung also discusses the four-fold scheme of primordial awareness,
which is canonically formulated in chapter nine of the Sutriila1Jlkara.46 This
consists of mirror-like awareness (me long Ita bu ii ye shes, iidarsanajiiiina),
sameness (samatii, mnyam nyid) awareness, discerning (so sor rtog pa,
pratyave~a1Ja)
43
44
45
46
57
brgyad) transform from their deluded state into the enlightened state. This is
referred to as a basic revolution (gnas 'gyur, ii~rayapariivrtti).48 As Takasaki has
noted49, within Yogiieiira thought this basic revolution came to mean that the
tilayavijiiilna transforms, that is, loses its former status as the base of deluded
human existence and revolves into a new status, that of the enlightened bodies.
In tathiigatagarbha thought, however, this revolution can be only apparent, for the
enlightened bodies are inherent throughout human existence, in the form of the
garbha. The basic revolution then comes to refer to the removal of obscurations
and the subsequent revelation of the inherently pure nature.
Rang bytmg discusses this basic revolution more fully in his Rnam shes ye shes
bstan beo!', where he uses a four-fold scheme of enlightened bodies50, adding the
essential hody (ngo bo nyid kyi sku, svabhiiviknkizya) and a five-fold scheme of
primordicl1 rlWrlreness, adding the awareness of the expanse of reality (ehos
dbying~
consciousll~~
linked to the enlightened body of reality. This awareness in turn becomes the
source of the three subsequent types. The seventh consciousness, afflicted
subjective consiousness revolves into the sameness awareness, which
corresponds to the enlightened body of communal enjoyment. The sixth
47 See Griffiths (1994) for an extended discussion of these types of awamess in relation to the
three Buddha bodies. See also Wayman (1971).
:: See Nagao (1991, p.254) for a diagram of Sthiramati's formulation of these transformations.
5 See Tak (pp.41-44). .
o See Makransky and Sakuma for discussions of the relation between the three and four body
theories.
58
rnnm shes
ye shes
sku
mnyam nyid---->
"
sprul sku
chos sku
59
In the Rnam shes ye shes Rang byung summarizes these four bodies and five
types of primordial awareness by equating them with the universal ground and
the Enlightened Heart;
The actualization of the nature of the five primordial awarenesses and the four
enlightened bodies is Buddhahood.
That which is endowed with the impurities of mind, subjectivity, and
consciousness is the universal ground.
[When this is} free from impurity, it is called the Enlightened Heart of the
Sovereign. 54
Thus it appears that even within the context of the eight groups of
consciousness, for Rang byung the transformation from the phenomenal phase
to the enlightened post-phenomenal phase is a process of the removal of
impurity from the naturally enlightened state, the Enlightened Heart.
In the Snying bstan Rang byung discusses the four types of primordial
awareness in a less systematic manner, not mentioning the fifth type. The first of
these, mirror-like, is merely alluded to in the following passage;
54 Rnam shes ye shes; See Dkon mchog yan lag's annotated edition (p.457);
ye shes lnga dang sky bzhi yi / /
rang bzhin mngon gym sangs rgyas te / /
sems yid mam par shes pa yi / /
dri mar ldafi gang kun gzhi yin / /
55 Snying bstan lines 162":164.
56 See Dkon mchog yan lag's annotations to line 162.
60
thus this passage seems to be in accord with at least this particular canonical
formulation. 57
Sameness primordial awareness, which is the result of the basic revolution of
the defiled subjective consciousness, is explained as follows;
bya), emotional defilement (nyon mongs), and absorbtion in trance (snyoms 'jug)59,
it becomes the primordial awareness which is aware of self and other as
essentially the same.
Of discerning primordial awareness, Rang byung states;
[The enlightened activities] are not referred to by the term "compositional factors",
[But rather by the term] "discerning primordial awareness".60
According to Dkon mchog yan lag this awareness knows each individual
human being with their particular mental characteristics, seeing throughout all
worlds. 61 As with the mirror-like awareness, here Rang byung is at pains to
differentiate this enlightened awareness which acts in the world from any type of
worldy knowledge which is created through cause and condition by
compositional factors.
Finally, Rang byung makes a parallel comment regarding the fourth type of
primordial awareness;
61
to extoll the virtues of Buddhahood and its activity in the world for the sake of
bewildered humans. The technical details of the basic revolutions (gnas 'gyur)
which link the defiled modes of consciousness to these enlightened modes are
not mentioned. This is left to the Rnam shes ye shes, which has yet to receive
modern scholarly treatment.
In this post-phenomenal moment I have also chosen to include Rang byung's
particular formation of a verse from the Sutrala1!zkiira (9.66) dealing with the
tllree enlightened bodies;
62
Rang byung paraphrases this verse by mrning it on its head and refering to
three types of eternal primordial awareness, which he then associates with the
three enlightened bodies. He states;
63
Finally the refrain of the Snying bstan returns, emphasizing the inseparability
of the transcendent and the immanent modes of reality. Rang byung states;
The re-phenomenal phase- The bodies and qualities of Buddhahood: The realized status of
a Buddha which is at once transcendant from and immanent in the phenomenal
world.
64
in the world to aid humans, they are not negatively effected by the pitfalls of
human consciousness.
First, however, he alludes to the source of these qualities, and then procedes
to list them. 1his list seems to be based exclusively on chapter three of the
Ratnagotra, and consists of three groups of associated qualities: the ten powers,
the four types of fearlessness and the eighteen exclusive properties.72
Rang byung begins with a terse statement regarding the origin of the
qualities;
Rang byung's Zab mo nang don, in the context of the origin, or devolution of
phenomenal life itself,74 There "unimpeded play" is attributed to the Mind as
such, whid1 in turn is desribed as having a three-fold stucture: Its nature (rang
bzhin) is empty (stong pa), its essence (ngo bo) is radiant (gsaZ ba), and its aspects
(rnan1I'a) an' 1lI1impeded ('gag med).75 Phenomenal life is the radiance of
multifarioll!- d~Pffts continuously shining forth from the playfuhl.ess of the Mind
as SUd1.
In his comments to the present verse, Kong sprul uses this same structure to
65
Heart of the Sovereign as that which is endowed with this tritme emanational
structure.76 111is would mean that aspects (rnam pa) of phenomenal life and the
beneficent qualities (yon tan) of Buddhahood both come from the Enlightened
Heart, and that they both emanate due to that same triune structure. It is
understandable, then that Rang byung would be at pains to differentiate the
enlightened qualities from the characteristics of the world of cyclic existence. I
will return to this after presenting the sixty-four qualities.
The following qualities are divided into two sets of thirty-two. The first set is
attributed to the enlightened body of reality. The second set, whidl Rang byung
does not list, belong to the two form bodies, the body of communal enjoyment
and the emanational body?7
Rang byung paraphrases the Rntnagotra, listing the qualities in the same order
as that work. First are the ten powers;
On these ten powers are based the [four types ofl fearlessness:
The enlightenment of all phenomena, the teaching of obstacles,
The teaching of the path, and of cessation. [Regarding this] there L"
no quarrel whatsoever. 79
76 See Kong sprul's commentary to the Snying bstan (f.13b.5-6); sangs rgyas kyi snying po de
nyid ngo bo stong zhing rang bzhin gsal Ia marn pa rna 'gag par rol pa'i cha la / chos sku'i
77 yon tan so gnyis dang / gzugs sku'i yon tan so gnyis te
7 See Ratnagotra 3.27-28 (Tak p.349).
78 Snying bstan lines 62-66. See Ratnagotra 3.5-6 (Tak pp.338-339).
9 Snying bstan lines 67-69. See Ratnagotra 3.8-9 (Tak p.340).
66
of awareness and activity, and are not static attributes. Given this description..
the enlightened body of reality seems to be an interrelated structure of salvific
actions.. rather than a single mental or physical entity.
The second set of thirty-two defines the physical characteristics of a great
person (mahapuru~a), in otherwords a Buddha manifest by means of a commtulal
body or an emanation body. Of these Rang bytmg says only;
67
compositional factors",
68
The leitmotif of the Snying bstan- "As it is before, so is it after." The indivisibility of
the pre-phenomenal, phenomenal, post- and re-phenomenal; The indivisibility of
cyclic existence and awakened existence.
Despite the stages of the spiritual path, then, Buddhahood is always present
in a fundamental sense. This leads Rang byung to restrict the sense in which any
69
the identity of the physical body (Ius) with the enlightened bodies (sku). This
seems to be a development of the Mahayanistic equation of cyclic existence and
liberation, brought to its most personal, bodily conclustion. In the following
passage he links the qualities (yon tan) of Buddhahood with the physical body
(Ius), and asserts that the crucial moment in the realization of this fact is the
removal of the transformation of consciousness (rnam 'gyur, pariIJiima) that give
rise to dualistic thought. He states;
70
prarra), and essential points (thig Ie, bindu) with the two enlightened form bodies,
the communal enjoyment body and the emanation body.
don. 92 Still, even there the Enlightened Heart plays an important role, laying the
groundwork in the first chapter for the ensuing discussion.93
Finally, I would like to draw attention to a recurring phrase in the Snying
(chos sku)- are fully existent in their pure presence. Thus Rang byung writes that
it is uncertainty about the qualities existing "just as they are" right now that leads
to the vicious cycle of reification and affliction.95 He then goes on to exhort the
reader to recognize this and thereby actualize the capability of the enlightened
qualities just as they are;
90 Snying bstan lines 103-109.
91 Snying bstan lines 110-112.
~ See also the fragments from the Zab mo na11g don gyi rang 'grel in the appendix.
9 See the Zab mo nang don (2a.4).
9: yin la yin bzhin duo See Snying bstan lines 81, 91, 199.
. See Snying bstan lines 80~90.
.
71
Therrfi 're. I r.111 '11 do not realize that cyclic existence and liberation
ar(' rum-dual, of a single essence, then you are bewildered.
When y"u realize this, you are free.
Even though the thought and the thinker are not two,
Taking them as two is the ground of cyclic existence.
When you see the non-dual essence,
The Enlightened Heart of the Sovereign becomes actualized. 98
96 Snying bstan lines 91-92.
97 Rang byung mguT (f.97:6-7). See Appendix for a full edition and translation of this song.
98 Rang byung mgur (f.98.1-.3)
One of the most striking features of the Snying bstan, and of tathagatagarbha
thought in general, is its presentation of positive affirmations of an absolute
which cannot by its very nature be apprehended through language, or even
thought. Indeed, "Enlightened Heart" is a name for the unnameable. The eighth
Karmapa, Mi bskyod rdo rje (1507-1554), has said that "'Enlightened Heart of
Buddhahood' is the name of the self whidl is selfless."l This conundrum
embodies the way in which negatively tinged affirmations of the absolute reality
are used in the Snying bstan. In this dlapter I wish to discuss this under the
rubric of apophatism and kataphatism, or negating language and affirming
language.
D.S. Ruegg has mentioned several times that tathagatagarbha thought is
positive in its use of language, in contradistinction with Madhyamaka thought,
with its emphasis on all phenomena being empty (sunya, stong pa) and without
essence (n*svabhava, ngo bo med pa). He states;
"The relation between a positive or mystical current and a negative or analytical
one- for example a cataphatic approach and positive theory and an apophatic
approadl and negative theory concerning insight and Awakening- or between
the Emptiness of the heterogeneous (gzhan stong) and the Emptiness of ownnature (rang stong) theories of sunyatii and the tathiigatagarbha can provide the
comparativist with interesting and methodologically instructive cases of opposed
theories and approaches existing in tension."2
I wish to continue the work on this subject that Rueg has brought to Buddhology
by elaborating upon his suggestive comments. First I will provide a brief sketch
of negative/ apophatic and positive/kataphatic language, summarizing the
history and development of this pair of interrelated concepts as they have
appeared in Christianity and Neo-Platonism. Following that I will sketch
I See his Dbu rna gzhan stong srnra ba'j srollegs par phye ba'i sgron me (f.Bb.I); de bzhin gshegs
pa'i snying po ni bdag med pa'i bdag gi ming du rtogs shing /
2 See Ruegg (1989 p.lO).
73
Apophatism and kataphatism in western thoughtApophatism and kataphatism have a long history in the west.3 These two
terms have their origin in Greek philosophy, and are defined by Aristotle as
follows: "'Assertion (kataphasis) is a statement affirming one thing of another:
negation (apophasis) is a statement of something away from another."'4 Mortley
traces the discussion of the relative merits of positive or negative language to
Plato's dialogue the Parmenei.des, in which Plato concludes that since the One, the
absolute reality is outside of time, it therefore is beyond description, knowledge,
or perception. All that we can do is say what the One is not.5 It is in the Enneads
of the Neo-Platonist Plotinus (205-270 c.e.) that this theme is taken up again and
given the formation that would fuel the Neo-Platonist discussion of apophatism
and kataphatism.6 Proclus (c.412-484 c.e.) was to provide the fullest synthetic
Neo-Platonic treatment of the relationship of language to the One in his Platonic
Theology.7
The Christian discussion of this topic can be traced from Justin in the second
century C.E., through Clement, and Origen. In Greek Christianity the fourth
3 I have included a bibliography of publications on apophatism and kataphatism, most of
which will not be referred to in this discussion. Nevertheless, these works have provided a
necessary background for my appropriation of these concepts for use in a Buddhological
context, and will provide further researchers with a solid foundation in the literature. Raoul
Mortley's From Word to Silence is the most thorough discussion of the literary-historical
devolopment of these interrelated concepts. See also Nicholas Gendle's work "The
Apophatic Approach to God in the Early Greek Fathers."
4 On Interptretation 17a25, translated by Mortley in his two-volume work From Word to Silence
(volume 1, p.126). All references to Mottley are to this work. .
5 See Mcg~ The Foundations of Mysticism (p.33) and Mortley (volume 1, p.129).
6 For a translation of Enneads 6.9, which is the locus classicus for the Nco-Platonic discussion of
language and the One, can be found in O'Brien, The Essential Plotinus (pp.72-89).
7 See Mortley (volume 2, p.97-119).
.
74
8 See Pelikan, Christianity and Classical Culture, and Gendle, "The Apophatic Approach to God
in the Early Greek Fathers."
9 See McGinn (pp.157-182), and Mortley (volume 2, pp.221-241). A translation of The Mystical
Theology can be found in Jones (1980).
10 Mortley (v.2 p.45).
11 Mortley (v.2 p.4S).
75
Apophasis was the prefered mode of discourse about the absolute for the
Neo-Platonists, as well as the Cappadocian fathers, Gregory of Nazianzus, Basil
of Caesarea, and Gregory of Nyssa. Jerome Pelikan describes the theology of
these three thinkers as follows;
"Against any and all "fabulous imaginations," ..... natural theology was in the first
instance negative theology: its subject matter was, as Basil of Ceasarea put it. ..
"inexressible by the human voice," and it was "incomprehensible to human
reason"; it was outside every linguistic system of meaning, and it was outside the
analytic and reflective powers of the rational soul. Negative theology was
indispensible, because resorting to either language or thought in hopes of
comprehending the Incomprehensible was like playing a children's game and
deluding oneself into imagining that the fantasy was for real."12
Certainly, the same could be said for the problem of expressing the absolute in
Buddhism. A fear of the hypostatizing power of positive language was the
primary impetus for developing apophatic language.
That notwithstanding, if one wants to talk about the absolute, one has no
choice but to use language. This is the dilemma faced by writers throughout
religious literary history wanting to speak of the transcendent, be it the One,
God, or Tathagatagarbha. If the primary disadvantage of language is that it posits
entities, and would reify the absolute in this very positing, then the alternative is
to use language to say what the absolute is not: The absolute is not created, not
time-bound, not a thing, without a beginning, etc. This would seem to avoid the
problems entailed in a positive reference. And yet this negative reference can
never be perfectly carried out in language, because even in a negative statement
the absolute is still being refered to as some "thing" whidl does not have certain
properties. The structure of any single proposition, positive or negative,
objectifies the absolute.
It is for this reason that Sells has characterized apophasis as a type of
language that talks about the absolute through an oscillation between negations
and affirmations:
12 Pelikan (pp.41-42).
76
"In order to claim that the transcendent is beyond names .... I must give it a
name, "the transcendent." Any statement of ineffability, "X is beyond names,"
generates the aporia that the subject of the statement must be named (as X) in
order for us to affirm that it is beyond names..... To say "X is beyond names," if
true, entails that it cannot then be called by the name "X." In tum, the statement
"it cannot then be called X" becomes suspect, since the "it," as a pronoun,
substitutes for a name, but the transcendent is beyond all names. As I attempt to
state the aporia of transcendence, I am caught in a linguistic regress."13
14 Sells (p.l2).
15 McGinn (p.l77).
77
constant effort is to provide the imagination with approaches which combine the
familiar with the unfamiliar. That process of modifymg the familiar image is the
negative process. .... For Plotinus the negative method is like the stonecutter's
chisel: it reshapes the given by removing part of it."16
It is the tension between apophatism and kataphatism that fuels this manner of
speaking about the absolute. I shall return to this after a discussion of Ruegg's
view on tathagatagarbha as a kataphatic notion.
.Ruegg on tathagatagarbha as kataphaticRuegg has mentioned the apophatic-kataphatic distinction several times17,
but his fullest treatment of the topic occurs in his collection of Jordan Lectures,
tathagatagarbha "... .is not a referring term for any entity (bhava), but a
metatheoretical expression or counter."l8 While the description of tathagatagarbha
as not being a referring term is reminiscent of the above discussion of the One
not being an object to which language can refer, Ruegg does not explain what he
means by "metatheoretical" in this context. It would not seem appropriate, for
instance, to speak of a "theory of a theory" here. Thus I would imagine that what
Ruegg intends here is that tathflgatagarbha is "beyond theory."
Ruegg formulates the main theme of his observations as follows:
I'lL.. tathagatagarbha ....has been described cataphatically by the positive terms
'permanent', 'immutable', 'blissful', etc., it is not because this reality is regarded as
78
hypostatically (bden par grup pa). Inasmuch as such a definition uses terms in a
descriptive and systematic context without, however, applying them to a thing
regarded as an entity having self-existence (svabhava), it is perhaps what might be
called metatheoretical; that is, it does not refer to some objective, first-order
entity."19
Ruegg's description of the tathagatagarbha as kataphatic accords with what Sells
and MortIey might characterize as the positive content remaining after an
apophatic statement. He continues in this vein:
"....The tathiigatagarbha and paramlltman theories in Buddhism, together with the
procedure of characterization of the absolute by inversion in relation to the
relative, may be seen as intended to neutralize and cancel both atmavada and
aniitmtwiida in so far as they represent a binary pair of conceptually antithetical
positions that the Buddhist Middle Way is to transcend. Thus, at a certain stage
in Buddhist thought, these theories serve as a sort of metatheory that founds a
metalinguistic description of the absolute- which is itself inexpressible within the
binary pair structure of discursive thinking (vilmlpa) and the four positions of the
tetralemma (catu~koft), and hence in a language presupposing positive and
negative entities. "20
Ruegg provides an excellent summary of the linguistic role of tathagatagarbha,
holding an absent place for the absolute, beyond subject-object predication,
beyond affirmation and negation. The properties which he attributes to the term
79
bstan. First, however, I would like to return to Sells and Mortley in order to
emphasize the nuances in the relationship between apophatism and kataphatism.
The creative tension between apophatism and kataphatismAccording to both Sells and Mortley, there can be no apophatic statement
without a prior kataphatic assertion. "There is no negative without a positive: we
can have no negative theology without firstly tl1e enunciation of certain
statments of positions, and certain images. Negative theology is parasitic of
positive theology, and will not be able to function until the assertion of positve
statements has been carried out. "22 Apophatism is not merely the refusal to say
anything about the absolute. It is a linguistic maneuver that intends to transform
one's view of the subject at hand. Moreover, it is not the total negation of a
positive statement, for this would reify the absolute as an entity that holds its
objective status precisely because it does not contain certain properties. A
meaningful statement about the absolute occurs when a positive assertion and its
negation are held together. Both steps are indispensible. Without assertion
there is no subject, no context, and without negation the subject becomes reified
as an object.
The positive assertion to be negated cannot be just any assertion. Apophasis
occurs within a system of propositions that should make sense on its own. Thus
the kataphatic statement must hold a valid position within one's theory of the
absolute. For instance, one would probably not say that the absolute is entirely
made of peanut butter, and then proceed to negate this. This would give the
21 Ruegg (1977 p.34).
22 Mortley (v.2 p.252).
80
81
Three ways in which apophatism and kataphatism work together in the Snying bstanThe oscillation between negation and affirmation forms one of the primary
underlying structures of the Snying bstan. The reader is drawn in by images of
the tathagatagarbha as the source of all life, which are then deconstructed, only to
be reinstated with an object-less connotative power at the end of the text.
Despite the apophatic reversals to which the assertions are subject, it is clear that
the tone of the text is positive, kataphatic. The text does indeed wish to elucidate
the absolute. But to do this only through assertion would be to draw the
absolute down into the confines of dualistic concephlalization. Even though the
absolute is named, "tathagatagarbha," this name occurs within an apophatic
"opening up to vastness." This apophatic kataphatism is not unkown in Christian
writings. Pelikan has shown that the Cappadocian fathers used certain positive
terms, such as the Holy Spirit, with apophatic connotations. Of such terms he
25 Mortley (v.2 p.2S3).
82
Snying bstan, as well as several of Rang byung's other works. The first, and most
prevalent, is where a kataphatic statement or series of statements is made, and
following that an apophatic statement is made which delimits the referential
power of the former statements. The second process, akin to the first, is that in
which a kataphatic and apophatic statement are simultaneously employed and
rejected. Finally, several reflexive acts are attributed to the absolute which
appear to be wholly positive, but upon closer inspection are seen to be
paradoxical, and thus contain an apophatic element implicit within them.
83
The site {of cyclic existence and liberation} is the Enlightened Heart
of the Sovereign.
[Even] faulty pervasive conceptualization
Is situated within the purity of the mind.
84
previous lines. By relegating the end of cyclic existence to the status of a mere
conventional term (tha snyad pa, vyavahttra), Rang byung cautions the reader
against positing an absolute gap between ordinary human existence and the
enlightened state of Buddhahood. For, as we shall see, the two states are
identical. With these next lines he altogether pulls the rug out from under the
preceding affirmations of the existence of the Enlightened Heart
"If the texts affirm that the paramartha [ultimate meaning, KS.] is ineffable, this
means that discursive language cannot grasp its very nature; for such language is
inextricably bound up with pragmatic and discursive usage (vyavahara) and the
dichotomizing conceptual construction (vikalpa) inherent in discursive
proliferation (prapanca). "31
Despite this restriction of referential capacity with which Rang byung reins in
his opening statements, the reader is not left with a blank slate. To be sure, the
Enlightened Heart retains its place as the topic of the work despite its attenuated
position. The main apophatic point is that phrases such as "Enlightened Heart"
and "the beginning and end of cyclic existence" do not refer to objects within the
structure of dualistic consciousness. Further, language is so bound to this mode
or ordinary consciousness that any single proposition almost universally leads to
30 Snying bstan line 35.
31 Ruegg (1989 p.45).
85
the reification of the subject at hand. Nevertheless, regardless of the fact that the
term "Enlightened Heart" is effective only on the linguistic level, the Enlightened
Heart has a "meaning" (don, artha) which informs human existence. The
following two lines, eschewing a simple kataphatism, yet allude to a truth
beyond affirmation.
and IIhaation.
Tlti .. , . .
tlot
If
86
Here one is told that the absolute, the highest truth, can neither be affirmed
nor denied. Apophatism plays a far stronger role in these verses, where the
very act of predication, either affirmitave or negative, is called into question.
Nevertheless, kataphatism can be discerned at two levels. First, in the double
negation, "not non-existent," coming in the second line of the first verse a type of
real status is implied of the absolute, even if this status is beyond predication.
Here an affirmation is hinted at through the negation of negation. Second, the
absolute is given a name, "utterly pure truth," (yang do.g don) at the conclusion of
the second verse. Like the "Enlightened Heart" in the preceding discussion, this
kataphatic naming follows upon the apophatic process, and thus means to stand
beyond affirmation and negation. Again, the two are seen to stand in tension,
creating a text that is at once inspirational in its vision of the highest truth, and
critical towards its own ability to capture that truth.
The verse from the Sutrala1J1kiira that Rang byung quotes toward the end of
the Snying bstan also illustrates this principle.
87
3. Apophatism implicit in logic ofkataphatic statement: reflexive activityThis last type of description of the absolute predicates an activity for the
highest truth, but the logic of the activity reduces the predication to absurdity,
thus revealing an apophatic moment within the affirmation. This is done by
attributing reflexive activities to the absolute such as self-production, selfknowing, and self-presencing or appearance. The paradox of these actions stems
from a breakdown in the standard of causality where the agent is separate from
the object on which it performs the action. In order to complete these reflexive
35
36
37
38
88
actions, the agent is also the object. It acts upon itself. To do this the agent must
in some sense precede the action, and thus must, paradoxically, precede itself.
For instance, in order to create oneself, one must already exist as something
which is able to create, thus one cannot create oneself because one is already
there. This leads to an infinite regress in which one must forever precede
oneself. Similarly, if one is to know oneself, one must divide oneself into a
subject that knows and and object that is known. But, to fully know oneself the
subject must also be known, and so must be made an object. This entails yet
another subject.... ad infinitum.
Two examples of the reflexive activity of the absolute occur at the end of the
89
separation between actor and acted-upon, while still providing a name for that
which transcends conceptualization. In yet another example of apophatism and
kataphatism acting in tension, it is the very paradoxical nature of self-production
that places the absolute beyond the pale of our ordinary linguistic-conceptual
conventions. In fact, the absolute is the only "thing" for which reflexive activity
makes any sense at all. MortIey provides a useful explanation;
"The highest principle is the only being who knows himself, who sees himself,
who names himself, who comprehends himself; his is his own mind, his own
eye, his own mouth, and his own form. He conceives himself, he sees himself,
and speaks himself.. ... There is a negation implicit in all this which is the negation
of the ordinary human self-relation. Ordinary human experience differentiates
between each of the bodily functions, of epistemological functions: the human
persona knows a difference between itself and its eyes, ears and mouth. It
likewise knows a difference between itself and its conceiving, thinking and
speaking abilities, since these are all object-directed. They are not capable of
reflexive action, since one cannot self-think, self-conceive, or self-speak: such
activity is possible only for the highest being. "41
Self-presencing (rang snang) is another reflexive activity which refers to the
absolute. In this case, however, the emphasis is on the identity of of the absolute
reality and phenomenal reality, and the futility of grasping or repelling the
phenomenal world. If the phenomenal world is the self-appearance of the
absolute, this means that the ordinary human is also the absolute. Therefore,
what point is there to desire or loath that which is essentially identical with the
one who desires or loathes?
90
91
Snying bstan, is present in many Tibetan and Indian works. As a general theory
of the relation between language and the absolute reality, this could certainly be
a helpful analytical tool with which to study a variety of texts. Concepts of
45 Reugg (1989 p.44).
46 Gregory (1984 p.131).
92
original purity, which seem for the most part to be treated kataphatically, are
widespread throughout Tibetan literature. Nevertheless these concepts must in
most cases be brought in agreement with the apophatic themes of emptiness and
exlusion from the subject-object dichotomy. Indian Buddhist studies dealing
with themes other than the tathiigatagarbha, may also profit from a nuanced
model of apophatism and kataphatism. For example, Nagarjuna's
1 I have translated D's gtan Ia dbab pa by "Prounouncement". Z and R's bstan pa would be "A
Teaching on the Enlightened Heart"
2 Dkon mchog yan lag states that the end of cyclic existence is when there is recognition (rang
ngo shes pa), presumably of one's inherently pure nature.
3 As was mentioned in the introduction, the parentheses { } indicate that I have filled in the
verse based Dkon mchog yan lags annotations. In rare cases, such as the present one, I
have also used Kong sprul's commentary to the Snying bstan (4b.1). Unless indicated, all
such parentheses will refer to Dkon mchog yan lag's notes.
4 Reading Z, R's kyis, for this agrees with both the Tibetan critical and Sanskrit editions.
5 Dkon mchog yan lag states that this sheath is the "impure co-emergent un-knowing."
6 This is reminiscent of the ninth simile showing how the tatlulgatagarbha is concealed by
impurities. See Ratnagotra verse 1.124 (Tak p.276).
71his verse occurs in the Ratnagotra-vyakhya 1.41. See Tak (p.224), Obermiller (p.178).
8 khoms (dhatu): here this is a synonym for snying po. See Dkon mchog yan lag's annotation to
line nineteen. In his annotation to line eight he states that this is the cause of Buddhahood
(sangs rgyas kyi rgyu).
9 gnas: Dkon mchog yan lag states that another name for this support is the universal ground
(kun gzhi, alaya), which consists of a mixture of primordial awareness (ye shes) and
consciousness (mam shes).
94
95
And is the productive cause of the coming into being {of both cyclic existence and
libera tion}.
The causal condition is explained as the universal groundl7. (21-26)
The "support" [of cyclic existence and liberation] is the Enlightened Heart
of the Sovereign.
[Even] faulty pervasive conceptualization
Is situated within the purity of the mind. (27-29)
96
97
25 Dkon mchog yan lag states (annotation to line SO) that the following verse is a presentation
of the essence of the Enlightened Heart, which he glosses rather tersely with four attributes;
presence (snallg ba), cognizance (rig), emptiness (stong pa), and bliss (bde ba). These,
presumably, are the aspects which cannot be considered to be either true or false.
26 lines 50-,1;1 are a restatement of a verse from the Hevajratantra (II.iii, v.36; Snellgrove 1959,
Part One, p.(8), of which Dkon mchog yan lag quotes a part (annotation to line 50). The
verse, uSl'(1 to explain the nature of the aggregates (phung po) and sense spheres (khams) is
as follow . . ;
Naturdlh unborn from the beginning,
Neilhl'r true nor false,
All i... ih'O('rtl>d to be like the moon in water.
Theft'lnn', ml>ditators, so should you understand.
27 tha mul gl .. fv..,,.oJ This is a key term in Mahinnudra thought, and is present at the beginnings
of the tr<hlilinn in Tibet. Sgam po pa (1079-1153) equates ordinary awareness with the
absolull' truth (.1"1/ dam bden pa), as well as with co-emergent primordial awareness (lhan cig
sk1/e~ 11oJ', Iff .. lit,,) which follows upon realization (rtogs pa). See his Tshogs mchod chen rna
(ColfeLlt'J Work.. , volume two p.100.2, 101.3 and passim). See Namgyal (p245) for a
translation of this passage from Sgam po pa, as well as for his own discussion of ordinary
awareness (pp244-247).
28 cllos dbyings; Skt. dharmadhtilu.
29 The identity of the dharmadhatu and tathtigatagarbha has been discussed by Takasaki (1966(a,
and by Habito (1985) and (1986). See Ratnagotra 1.28 and the commentary (Tak p.197-198)
where the fact that the dharmadhiitu pervades all living beings is one of the reasons that all
beings possess the tathtigatagarbha.
30 This line and the previous are consistent with Ratnagotra verse 154 (Tak p.300), quoted in
the Snying bstan (lines 93-96).
31 Dkon mchog yan lag states (annotation to lin 57) that even though the value or meaning
(don) of the Enlightened Heart cannot be known perfectly through language, it is
nevertheless necessary to teach in in order to overcome the five faults, which are; l.
despairing that one will never attain Buddhahood; 2. despising other sentient beings; 3.
taking the impurities to be truly existent; 4. taking the benificent qualities to be nonexistent; 5. pridefully thinking that one is the best.
98
On these ten powers are based the [four types of] fearlessness:
The enlightenment of all phenomena, the teadling of obstacles,
The teaching of the path, and of cessation. [Regarding this] there is
no quarrel whatsoever. (67-69).35
32 Reading Z R nyid
33 Dkon mchog yan lag states (annotation to line 58) that it is the play of presence (snang ba),
luminosity (gsal), cognizance (rig), and bliss (bde ba) that gives rise to the qualities. This is
almost the same as the four-fold set that he attributed to the Enlightened Heart in annotation
to line 50, with the exception that here luminosity stands in place of emptiness.
Undoubtedly there is an explication of this set of terms to be found in early Bka' brgyud
literature, though I have yet to locate such a passage.
34 See Tak (p.338), Obermiller (p.259).
35 See Tak (p.339), Obermiller (p.260).
99
100
Furthermore, the nature of the two enlightened bodies of form, {the communal
body and the emanation body},
[Exhibits] thirty-two characteristics, [as well as] minor marks. (101-102)
101
In order to be cleansed of the three coveringsDefilements, objects of knowledge, [and] indifference[The mind] is completely purified on the [paths of] accumulation and
connection, on the seven impure grounds,
And the three purified grOlU1ds. 47 (119-123)
43
44
45
46
47
make a guess as to which sources Rang byung is drawing from for his incorporation
Yogtictira concepts into this text.
Elaborating on this verse,Dkon mchog yag lag employs the four-fold scheme of purification
(See Rang byung's Prayer of the Great Seal, verse seven). He equates the channels, breath
and essential points with the basis of purification (sbyang gzhi), the two form bodies with the
purified result (sbyangs byas), and the impurity (ma dag) with that to be purified (sbyang bya).
Buddruss (1980) shows that vai{lurya cannot mean lapis lazuli, as it is often taken to. See also
Finot (1896) where he argues for vai{lurya as "cats-eye." In Tibetan literature, however, we
find different colors of vailfurya , which we can also find for beryl. See also Winder (1990).
Reading Z R's bu, as 'byung is intransitive
This simile is taken from the Ratnagotra-vyakhya 1.2 (Tak p.150-151, Obermiller p.119-120).
See Chapter three, section on the phenomenal phase.
102
At that
to this order
48 A related burning stick- consciousness methaphor can be found in the Hevajratantra (II.iii. 37;
see Snellgrove pUr, p.98). It concerns, however the coming into being of consciousness.
49 These signs (mtshan) appear to be the concepts (rtog pa) of these experiences, which are
divorced from the actual experience and then clung to. I have not been able to locate any
other works that discuss this four-fold group of signs. Dkon mchog yan lag states
(annotation to line 128) that the concepts of cleansing and antidote are cleared away by
perceiving suchness, a perception which is a non-conceptual awareness which apprehends
birth, existence, and quiescence as identical. On the eighth ground (sa brgyad pa) of the tenfold series of grounds only the sign of the result remains.
50 Dkon mchog yan lag states (annotation to line 129) that the "time" is when one is free from
even the sign of the result.
51 See Ratnagotra-vyakhya 1.26 (Tak p.193), where the nature of the Buddha's body is likened
to the sky. Dkon mchog yan lag (annotations to lines 129-130) equates the attributes with
light rays of intelligent compassion, and the flowers with the salvific activity of the two form
bodies.
52 Ratnagotra 1.47 (Tak p.230-231, Obermiller p.183).
53 Ratnagotra 1.51b (Tak p.234).
103
54 Dkon mchog yan lag (annotation to line 140) attributes this faulty view to the Gcer bu pa, or
Nirgrantha Jainas. See Ratnagotra-vyiikhya 1.33 (Tak p. 203).
55 According to Dkon mchog yan lag (annotation to line 142) these are learning,
contemplation, and meditation.
56 A Buddha is said to be seen by ordinary humans, despite being totally unaffected by its
involvement in the world. See Ratllagotra 1.69-79 (Tal< p.253-254). Dkon mchog yan lag
identifies (annotation to line 144) these compositional factors as the work of discerning
primordial awareness which instantly knows the minds of all sentient beings.
57 Line 149 ends rather akwardly with a genitive, to which Dkon mchog yan lag adds; ming
du brjod, "is called."
58 The third of the four primordial awarenesses. See Sutrala1Jlkiira verse 9.72 (Limaye p.141).
104
Given this explanation, {the two form bodies and their enlightened activities} are
not merely in some other [person's mental] continuum. 61
If that were so, primordial awareness would exist only in the continuum of
another.
If that is posited, primordial awareness [itself] becomes erroneous. (159-161)
Then even
mi ITor
59 Dkon mchog yan lag (annotation to line 153) provides a simile for this. He states that this is
like the appearance of an horse or a cow in a magic show to the magician and the spectator.
Both see the same magical illusion despite the fact that one knows that it is unreal, and one
does not.
60 See Ratnagotra 2.50 (Tak p.328).
61 Dkon mchog yan lag (annotation to line 159) indicates that they are not merely the pure
visions (dag snang) of a disciple. This seems to allude to an issue that was a matter of current
debate.
62 See Ratnagotra-vyiikhyii 1.16-15 (Tak 173-175)..
105
106
107
108
72 Dkon mchog yan lag tells us that learning, contemplation, and meditation are three types of
discriminating awareness (shes rab, prajilii).
73 Lines 217-220 are Ratnagotra verse 2.32. See Tak (p.323) and Obermiller (p.249).
74 Z and R have absolute truth (don dam) in place of benificent qualities. This variation could
be based on Ratnagotra verse 2.32, where don dam occurs.
75 This verse is reminiscent of Ratnagotra verse 1.153, which Dkon mchog 'bangs quotes. The
verse runs;
The highest truth of the Self-arisen
Can be realized only by confidence.
The brilliant disk of the sun
Cannot be seen by those with no eyes.
It is interesting to note that Tak (p.296) glosses over the term self-arisen (rang byung,
svayambhu), with the term Buddhas. While this is not doubt a correct identification, this
substitution obscures a fascinating epithet, whose history and meaning deserves study in its
own right.
109
76 This concluding play on words indicates that Rang byung considered this text to be a part of
the Vajmyana, despite the overwhelming presence of ideas and scriptural citations from
Mahayana sources.
Here it seems warranted to present Dkon mchog yan lag's colophon;
"Adamantine" is the unchanging Buddha, and travelling on that path is the "vehicle".
Either the Victor's sons arriving on that [vehicle] or the indestructable Enlightened Heart of
Buddhahood, is the base which does not move throughout the totality of cyclic existence and
liberation. Therefore, this is the Adamantine Vehicle. It has been taught in the Uttaratantra
(Ratnagotra 1.I44a-b, Tak p.284, Obermiller p.l42);
The [triune] nature of this [essence] is the body of reality
Suchness, and the matrix.
Therefore, the resultant enlightened body of reality and the causal matrix are of an
unchanging essence, [which is] suchness.
These annotations where composed by the fifth Zhwa dmar.
10
III
15
112
gzhan_- zhig
min_- te snga ma'i 'khrul pa kha rgyud nas 'byung ba'o
20
25
14 R ci
15 Z R rtogs
16 Z R te
17 Z rtag
113
30
35
40
18 Rde
19 Z Rrni
20 Z R bsgrub
21 Z R yis
22 Z Rkun
23Z tu
24Z R pas
25 Z Rrdzun
114
45
de_-yang
min_- te rtog pa yin pas so
_rtog med- rmi lam du byung ni rgyu med kyang she ba rmis nas bu
yid bsam pa Itar
~ugs-semssnang
50
26 Z R rtogs
27 R te
28 Z R rtogs
29 Z R 'gyur ba'i
30 Z Rphyes
31 Z R rtogs
32 Z R bkag
33 Z Rrdzun
34 Unes 50-51 are a paraphrase of Hevajra Tantra lI.iii, v.36, as Dkon mchog yan lag points out
by quoting part of that verse.
.
35 lines 52-61 are quoted by Mi bskyod rdo rje in his commentary to Karma Paksi's Sku gsurn
ngo sprod (Sku gsurn ngo sprod levi marn par bshad pa mdo rgyud bstan pa rntha'dag gi e warn
phyag rgya, volume 3, pp.95.6-96.2)
36 lines 50-53 are quoted by Dkon mchog yan lag in his commentary on Rang byung's Zab rna
nang don; .19.2
115
55
60
116
65
70
48 K zag bzad pa for zhi ba ni. Tak p.339, n.15 notes that the Chinese has what corresponds to
Sanskrit asravakaya, to which zag bzad corresponds.
49 See Ratnagotra 3.5-6 (Nakamura p.175);
I gnas dang gnas min las mams kyis I Imam smin dang ni dbang po dang I
Ikhams mams dang ni mos pa dang I Ikun 'gro'i las dang bsam gtan sogs I
Inyon mongs dri rna med pa dang I I gnas ni rjes su dran pa dang I
Ilha yi mig dang zhi ba dag I Imkhyen pa'i stobs ni mam pa bcu I
50 Z R bcu'o
51 Z R gnas
52 d. Ratnagotra 3.8 (Nakamura p. 177);
Ichos kun rdzogs par byang chub dangl Igegs ni 'gog par byed pa dangl
Ilam ston pa dang 'gog ston lal Imi 'jigs pa ni mam pa bzhil
117
75
80
53 Z R mi nyams pa
54 For lines 70-78 see Ratnagotra 3.11-13 (Nakamura p.177);
/'khrul pa ea co mi mnga' stel Iston la dran pa nyams mi mnga'i
Imnyam par rna bzhag thugs mi mnga'i /'du shes sna tshogs kyang mi mnga'i
Ima brtags btang snyoms mi mnga' ste I /'dun pa brtson 'grus dran pa dang I
Ishes rab rnam grol mam grol gi I lye she gzigs pa nyams mi mnga' I
lIas mams ye she sngon 'gro dang I I dus la ye shes sgrib pa med I
Ide Itar beo brgyad 'di dang gzhan I Iston pa'i rna 'dres yon tan yin I
55 Numbers thirteen through eighteen, in brackets, are placed above the annotations in Dkon
mehog yan lag's text.
118
85
90
95
56 Z
57 Z
58 Z
59 Z
60 Z
61 Z
62 Z
R yin
R rtogs de
R gzings
R rtog la
R len
R gi
Rgis
119
100
105
63 Z Rma yin
64 Lines 93-95; Ratnagotra 1.154-155; (Jolmston p.76);
napaneyamataJ.:t kirhcidupaneyarh kirhcana /
dra~tavyarh bhUtato bhutarh bhutadarsl vimucyate / I 154
st.inya agantukairdhatuJ.:t savinirbhagalak~al)aiJ.:t I
asunyo 'nuttariardharmairavinirbhagala4a:t:laiJ.:t / / 155
The Tibetan runs (Nakamura pI47-149);
I'di la gsal bya ci yang med / /gzhag par bya ba cung zd med /
/yang dag nyid la yang dag Ita I /yang dag mthong na mam par grol /
Imam dbyer beas pa'i mtshan nyid can / /g10 bur dag gis khams ston gi I
Imam dbyer med pa'j mtshan nyid can I Ibla med chos kyis stong ma yin I
65 Lines 101-112 are quoted by Mi bskyod rdo rje in his commentary to Karma PakSi's Sku
gsum ngo sprod (Sku gsum ngo sprod levi rnam par bsJuul pa mdo rgyud bstan pa rntha'dag gi e warn
phyag rgya, volume 3, pp.94.5-95.1)
66 Z R Ius de bdag dang phwa dbang phyug I
67 Z R de
120
110
115
68 Z Rsbyang
69 In explicating this verse Kong sprul cites Rang byung's Zab 11W nang don, as well as a
commentary, which could well be the non-extant autocommentary, the Zab mo nang don
gyi rang 'grel. The whole passage in Kong spul runs (21a.4- 21b.5):
De dag kyang tharns cad mkhyen pa rang byung zhabs nyid kyis zab rno nang gi don
las gsal bar gsungs te / dag pa'i gnas skabs Ia dgongs nas /
sku gsum rtsa dung thig Ie can / /[not yet located)]
zhes dang/ rna dag pa'i gnas skabs la dgongs nas /
de ltar phung po kharns skye rnched / /
rtsa dung thig Ie las grub pa / /
dri rnar bcas pa'i sems nyid las / /
byung ste di bcas spruI skur gsungs / /[Zab rno f.5b.2-3]
zhes dang/ de'i 'greI par /'dir sngags kyis thegs pa nas / skye ba sangs rgyas spruI
pa'i skur gsungs pa'i don / phung kharns skye rnched rim gyis rdzogs pa'i tshe /
rnehog gi sprullra dri rna dang beas pa gzugs kyi sku yin no / dri rna rned par
sbyangs pa na bha gin ehos kyi dbyings yin la / zla ba beu ni sa beu'i rang bzhin
gyi bsnyen par rdzogs pa ni ye shes / rna ni mkhan po / phru rna ni chos gos / ngag
gi bzlas pa ni a haIp. / de Ius sbyong pa la sogs pa ni dbang bskur bar byed pa 'od zer
chen po'i tshul/ de gnas skabs bzhi rdzogs pa ni sku bzhi'i sangs rgyas su bzhugs
kyang rna rtogs pas 'khor ba'i Ius su gyur to / zhes brtag gnyis sogs kyi lung dang
beas rgyas pa r gsungs pa bzhin no I
70 Source unknown
71 Z Rdang
72Z Rsbyong
121
120
125
79 Z Rsnyo~
80 Z R sbyong
81 Z R spangs
82 Z R rtogs
122
130
135
83 This eloquent metaphor also occurs among the concluding verses of the Zab nw nang don
(31b.2-3);
rgyal ba nam mkha'i sku can ye shes nyi ma'i dkyil 'khor las I I
phyogs bcu'i 'jig rten kun tu gzugs sku 'khor ba ji srid ston I I
84Rmi
85 Z R rna dag rna dag dag pa dang
86 lines 131-143 are quoted by Mi bskyod rdo rje in his commentary to the Sku gsum ngo sprod
(volume 3, pp.96.5-97.1).
87 lines 131-134 Ratnagotra 1.47; in Sanskrit (Johnston p.40.7);
asuddho 'suddhasuddho 'tha suviSuddho yathatram I
sattvadhaturiti prokto bodhisattvastathagataJ:t I I
The Tibetan runs (Nakamura p.77);
Ima dag rna dag dag pa dang I I shin tu rnam dag go rim bzhin I
Isems can byang chub sems dpa' dang I Ide bzhin gshegs pa zhes brjod do
This verse is also quoted in a somewhat altered form in the Zab nw nang don (2a.4):
rna dag rna dag dag pa dang I I
shin tu rnam dag go rim bzhin I I
sems can lam Ia gnas pa dang / I
de bzhin gshegs mams rim pa bzhin I I
Mi bskyod rdo rje also cites this verse, again slightly altered, as a quote from the Snying
bstan (Sku gsum ngo sprod commentary volume 3. p96.5);
rna dag rna dag dag pa dang I I
.
shin tu rnam dag go rim bzhin I I
sems can byang chub sems dpa' dang I I
de bzhin gshegs pa'i rim pa gsum I /
123
140
145
88ZRd
89 Z R snga
90 Line 136 is Ratnagotra 151c; the full verse runs (Johnston p.41.20-21);
do~agantukatayogad gw:taprakrtiyogatal). I
yatha purvarp. tatha pascadavikaritvadharmata I I
The full Tibetan rendering is (Nakamura p.81);
Inyes pa glo bur dang Idan dang I lyon tan rang bzhin nyid Idan phyir I
Iji ltar sngar bzhin phyis de bzhin I /'gyur ba med pa'i chos nyid do I
91 Z gyis
92 Z R skad
93 Z RIta
124
150
155
125
te_- sangs rgyas la ye shes yod dng de la sems can 'khrul pa snang na
yin_- pas ye shes 'dzin rtog can du 'gyur TO
sem<> (dn
126
170
175
180
127
185
190
128
195
200
116 Dhannadhatustotra (ehos kyi dbyings su stod pa) v.24 (Peking #2010, v.46, p.31.5.7);
I chos dbyings gang phyir bdag ma y'in I Ibud med ma yin skyes pa min I
I gzung ba kun las mam gral ba I IJi ltar bdag ces brtag par bya I
117 Z R bzhin
118 Z Rda
119 Z Rma
129
210
215
120 lines 205-208 are Satrala1J1kara verse 9.25 (Sde dge Bstan 'gyur v.123, f.9b.5-6);
Iji ltar lcags Ia cha ba dang I Imig la rab rib zhi ba Itar I
Isang rgyas sems dang ye shes la I Iyod dang med par mi brjod do I
The Sanskrit runs (Levi, p.38);
dahasantiryatha lohe darsane timirasya ca I
cittajnane tatha bauddhe bhavabhave da sasyate II 25
121 Z tshul R tshu
122 K whol~ line missing
123 Z R mkhyen
124 lines 209-216 are MaJliiytma'lJi1!ISaka vs.2-3. As Bhattacharya (1931, p.4) has pointed out, there
were two Tibetan translations of this text. That quoted by Rang byung accords with
Bhattacharya's text number two (ie. Sde dge Bstan 'gyur #3833), (Bhattacharya p.2l);
dam pa'i don du skye med phyir I
de nyid du ni grol ba'ang med I
mkha' bzhin sangs rgyas de bzhin te I
serns can dang ni mtshan nyid cig II
pha rol tshu rol skye med pas I
rang bzhin my a ngan 'das pa'ang med I
de bzhin 'dus byas mngon par stong I
kun mkhyen ye shes spyod yul yin II
The Sanskrit runs (Tucci 1986, pp201-202);
svabhavena na cotpanna nirvrtas ca na tattvataJ:t I
yathakasa:qt talhii buddhiiJ:t sattvas caivaikalakl?al}iiJ:t II 2
paravaral1l na cotpannaJ:t svabhavena pratityajaJ:t I
te 'pi sonya hi saI}lskaraJ:t sarvajnajnanagocariiJ:t II 3
130
220
125 Z R pa'i
126 Unes 217-220 Ratnagotra are 2.32 (Nakamura p.165):
Iphra phyir thos pa'i yul min te I I don dam yin phyir bsam pa'i min I
Ichos nyin zab phyir 'jig rten pa'i I Isgam pa 1a sags yul rna yin I
In Sanskrit (Johnston p.84);
srutasyavi~ayaJ:t sau~~myaccintayaJ:t paramarthataJ:t I
laukyadibhavanayasca dharmatagahvaratvataJ:t I I 32
127 Z R don dam
128 Z rtog
129 Rantagolra verse 1.153a-b. The full verse runs (Nakamura p.143):
I rang byung mams kyi don dam ste I I dad pa nyid kyis rtogs bya yinl
Inyi ma'i dkyil 'khor 'od 'bar ba I Imig med pas ni mthong ba med I
131
225
230
130 Z Rdpal
131 Z gis
132 Rantagotra v.1.144a-b. The full verse runs as follows (Nakamura p.135):
/,di yi rang bzhin chos sku dang I Ide bzhin nyid dang rigs kyang ste
Ide ni dpe gsum gcig dang ni I IInga mams kyis ni shes par bya I
The Sanskrit runs Oohnston p.69):
svabhavo dharmakayo 'sya tathata gotramityapi I
tribhirekena sa jfieyal). paficamhisca nidarsanailJ. II
Karma PakSi, the Second Karmapa (1204-1283). Karma PakSi rang rnam- The
Autobiographical Writings of the Second Karma-pa Karma PakSi and Spyi Ian ring
mo. Gonpo Tseten, Palace Monastery, Gangtok. 1978.
_ _. Sku gsum ngo sprod. In Gdams ngag mdzod. Jam mgon kong sprul, Ed.. N.
Lungtok and N. Gyaltsan, Delhi. 1971. Volume 6, pp.225-239. (Erroneously
attributed to Rang byung rdo rje in table of contents of Gdmns ngag mdzod).
_ _. Rgya mtsho mtha' yas kyi skor-Texts From the Monumental Systematic
Presentation of the Whole of Buddhist Theory and Practice by H.H. The Third Black
Hat Karma-pa Rang-byung-rdo-rje. Gonpo Tseten, Palace Monastery, Gantok.
1978. Two Volumes. (Erroneously attributed to Rang byung rdo rje).
Klong chen pa Dri med 'od zer (1308-1364). Rgyal ba rang byung rdo rje la phul ba'i
rdo r jes ",dZlld bla na med pa'i rgyud 'grel zab mo nang don gyi ston thun.
Kargyud Slmgrab Nyamso Khang, Darjeeling. 1979.
_ . De bzhin gshegs pa'i snying po gtan la dbab pa zhes bya ba'i bstan beos bzhugs
so. In Selected Writings on Vajrayana Buddhist Practice. 1979. Volume 1,
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_ _. Rnam shes dang ye shes brtag pa zhes bya ba'i bstan beos bzhugs so. In
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133
Mkha' khyab rdo rje, the Fifteenth Zhwa nag Karma pa (1871-1922). De bzhin
gshegs pa'; snying po bstan pa'; bstan bcos Icyi mchan 'grel byams mgon dgyes pa';
zhallung nor bu dbang po dr; rna med pa'i 'od ces bya ba bzhugs so. In The
Collected Works ofH. H. the Fifteenth Zhwa nag Karma pa Mkha' khyab rdo rje.
Rumtek. n.d. Volume 12, pp.243-279.
_ _. Rnam par shes pa dang ye shes 'byed pa'; bstan bcos kyi mchan 'grel rje bstun
'jam pa'i dbyangs kyi zhallung nor bu ke ta ka dri rna med pa'i 'od ces bya ba bzhugs
so. In The Collected Works ofH. H. the Fifteenth Zhwa nag Karma pa Mkha'
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_ _. Zab mo nang g; don gsal bar ston pa'; gzhung bde blag tu rtogs par byed pa'i
mchan 'grel rdo rje serns dpa'i zhallung nor bu rnam par snang ba dr; med pa'; 'od
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Mkha' spyod dbang po, the Second Zhwa dmar (1350-1405). Chos rje thams cad
mkhyen pa rang byung rdo rje'; rnam thar tshigs bcad mao In The Collected
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_ _. De bzh;n gshegs pa'; snying po bstan pa'; moo sbyar bzhugs so. In The
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Sgam po pa Bsod nams rin chen, alias Dwags po Lha rje (1079-1153). Mgon po zla
'odgzhon nus mdzad pa'; Tshogs chos legs mdzes mao In Collected Works (Gsung
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_ _. Rje dwags po rin po che'; Tshogs mchod chen mo. In Collected Works (Gsung
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__. Theg pa chen po rgyud bla rna' i bstan beos snying po'i don mngon sum lam gyi
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_ _. De bzhin gshegs pa'i snying po bstan pa'i bstan beos kyi rnam 'grel rang byung
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_ _. Rnam par shes pa dang ye shes 'byed pa'i bstan bcos kyi tshig don go gsal du
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_ _. Rnal'byor bla na med pa'i rgyud sde rgya mtsho'i snying po bsdu pa zab mo
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_ _. Gzhan stong dbu rna chen po'i Ita khrid rdo rje zla ba dri 1na med pa'i 'od zero In
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_ _. Shes bya kun khyab. In Kongtrul's Encyclopedia of Indo-Tibetan Culture Parts
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Dol po pa Shes rab rgyal mtshan (1292-1361). Kun gzhi'i rab tu dbye ba khyad par
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_ _. Bkn' bsdu bzhi pa'i rang 'grel. In The Collected Works (Gsung 'bum) of Kunmkhyen Dol-po-pa Shes-rab-rgyal-mtshan. Lama Ngodrup and Sherab Drimay,
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_ _. Theg pa cehn [sic] po rgyud bla ma'i bstan beDs legs bshad nyi ma'i 'od zero
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Dwags ram pa Chos rgyal bstan pa (1449-1524). Dpal rdo rje'i tshig zab mo nang gi
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Dpa' bo Gtsug lag phreng ba. Dam pa'i chos kyi 'khor los bsgyur ba rnams kyi btJUng
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Blo gros mtshungs med. Theg pa ehen po rgyud bla ma' i bstan beDs kyi nges dan gsal
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'Ba' ra ba rgyal mtshan dpal bzang (1310-1391). Gsang ba nges don dgangs bshad rin
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_ _. Rje ye bzang rtse ba'i rgyud gswn gsang ba dang palJ chen shakya mchog ldan
gyi sde mchog rnam bshad gnyis kyi mthar thug gi 'bras bu gzhi dus kyi gnas lugs /
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In Rnal'byor rgyud kyi rnam bshad sogs. KlUlsang Topgyel and Mani DorjiJ
_ _. Dbu ma gzhan ston smra ba'i srollegs par phye ba'i sgron me zhes bya ba
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Mon rtse pa klUl dga' dpalldan (1408-1475?). Chos rgyal'bar ra pa'i rnam thar pa.
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_ _. Gcod kyi nyams len bshugs so. In Phyag chen rgya gzhung. Tsondru Senge,
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_ _. Gcod bka' tshoms chen mo'i sa bead. In Gdams ngagmdzod. Jam mgon kong
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_ _. Chos rje rang byung rdo rjes mdzad pa'i rlung sems gnyis med. In Gdams ngag
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_ _. Chos rje rang byung zhabs kyi phyogs bsgribs mdzad pa tshogs las yon tan kun
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_ _' Rje rang byung rdo rjes mdzad pa'i gcod kyi tshogs las rin po che'i phreng ba
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_ _. Rje rang byung rdo rdes mdzad pa'i gdon tshogs dgu ma dang da bdag drug
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_ _. Nyams len lag khrigs ma'i khrid ngo mtshar can bzhugs so, alias Karma snying
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_ _" Ston pa thams cad mkhyen pa'i skyes rabs phreng/ bcu phrag gsum dang bzhi ni
dpa' bo'i ste/ phyi nas rang byung rdo rjes bdun lhag pa'i/ drug cus brgya rtsa
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_ _. De bzhin gshegs pa 'i snying po bstan pa. In Zab mo nang gi don zhes bya ba'i
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Doha mdzod kyi glu 'i don gsal bar byed pa tshig gi rgtjan dri rna med pa'i sgron
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_ _ . Bde mchog Lha Lnga 'i bskang ba karma pa rang byung rdo rje mdzad pa. In Rare
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_ _. Rnam shes ye shes 'byed pa'i bstan bcos bzhugs so. Rumtek, n.d. Includes
De bzhin gshegs pa 'i snying po bstan pa.
_ _. Pha brgyud thabs kyi brgyud pa fa gsol ba debs pa rje Rang byung rdo rjes so.
I
_ _. Phyag rgya chen po gangga rna 'i 'grel pa. In Gdams ngag mdzod. Jam mgon
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_ _. Phyag rgya chen po gangga ma'i gzhung sa bead. In Gdams ngag mdzod.
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_ _. Phyag rgya chen po lhan cig skyes sbyor gyi khrid yig. In Gdams ngag mdzod.
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_ _. Ma lab sgron La gsol ba 'debs pa'i mgur rna bzhugs so. In Gcod tshogs rin chen
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_ _. Rtsis kyi bstan beos kun las btus pa'i rtogs pa. See Schuh (1973), p.34.
_ _. Zab mo bdud kyi geod yul gyi khrid yig. Jam mgon kong sprul, Ed.. N.
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_ _. Zab mo nang gi don zhes bya ba'i gzhung bzhugs. Rumtek, n.d. Also
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139
_ _. Zab lam na ro chos drug gi gsaZ byed spyi chings khrid yig dang bcas pa: Karma
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_ _. Rang byung rdo rje'i mgur mam. Kunchhap, Bidung, Tashigang, Bhutan.
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Rong zorn Chos kyi bzang po (11th cent). Rong zom chos kyi bzang gi mdzad pa'i
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Si tu Pat). chen Chos kyi 'byung gnas (1700-1774). Sgrub brgyud karma kam tshang
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This outline occurs in Kong sprul's commentary to the Snying bstan. On the
right-hand side of this chart the first number [K] refers to the folio and line of
Kong sprul's text where the outline point occurs, the second [Mkh] to the page
and line of Mkha' khyab rdo rje's commentary which follows that of Kong sprul,
and the third number refers to the line of the diplomatic edition.
1. rntshan bstan pa
2. phyag 'tshal ba
3b.1/245.2/2-3
4a.3/245.4/4-14
4a.4/246.1/ 4-11
5a.6/247.3/12-14
6a.5/247.4/15-203
6a.6/247.5/15-34
6b.1/247.6/15-18
6b.6/24B.2/19-20
7a.2/248.3/21-26
7a.5/248.5/27-29
7b.4/249.2/30-32
8a.2/249.4/33-34
4.2 yang dag pa rna yin pa dang yang dag gi kun rtog bshad pa (3)
8b.3/249.5/35-49
4.2.1 yang dag pa rna yin pa'i kun rtog la brten nas 'khor ba'i tshul
8b.4/249.6/35-39
%.1/250.4/40-43
10a.1/251.2/44-49
11a.5 / 252.1 / 50-138
11a.6/252.2/5O-57
13b.3/253.5/58-112
13b3/253.6/58-61
13b.6/254.1/62-112
13b.6/254.2/62-100
14b.3/255.2/67-69
15a.4/255.6/70-79
16a.3/257.2/80-90
169
18a.5/259.5/101-102
18b.4/259.6/103-109
21a.1/260.5/110-112
21b.5/261.1/113-138
21b.6/261.2/113-1l8
22a.5/261.5/119-123
4.4.1 rgyu med pa dang rgyu phyi rol du mi 'thad pa mdor bstan 26a.4/264.3/139-143
4.4.2 yid dag pa dang ma dag pa'i shes pa bshad
27a.3/265.3/144-149
27b.6/265.6/150-156
28a.1/266.1/150-153
29b.2/267.2/ 157-174
31a.1/268.2/159-161
31a.6/268.5/162-164
31b.4/269.2/165-170
32a.5 / 269.5 /171-174
33a.5/270.1/175-180
34a.2/270.6/181-191
34a.3/271.1/181-184
34b.l/271.3/185-188
34b.4/271.5/189-191
35a.l/272.1/192-203
35a.3/272.2/192-193
36a.6/273.4/1%-197
37a.2/273.6/198-199
37a.6/274.2/200-201
170
36b.3/274.4/202-203
38a.2/274.5/204-224
38a.4/274.6/204-208
4.5.2 'phags pa klu sgrub kyi teg pa chen po nyi shu pa'i lung
38b.4/275.4/209-216
39a.3/276.2/217-220
39b.2/276.6/221-224
40b.1/277.5/225-231
40b.l/277.6/225-227
5.2 smonlam
4Ob.6/278.3/228-231
171
2. homage
3. summary with scripture (2)
3.1 passage from the Abhidhaml1lsutra
3.2 from the Hevajratantra
4. extensive explanation (5)
4.1 elaboration of the meaning of the Abhidharma scripture (6)
4-14
4-11
12-14
15-203
15-34
15-18
19-20
21-26
27-29
30-32
33-34
35-49
35-39
4.2.2 the root of cyclic existence brought forth by accepting and rejecting
40-43
44-49
50-138
50-57
58-112
5s.:61
62-112
62-100
62-66
67-69
70-79
80-90
91-100
101-112
101-102
103-109
110-112
113-138
113-118
119-123
124-128
172
129-138
139-203
139-143
144-149
150-156
4.4.3.1 how the object and subject of the five senses appear
15()...153
154-156
157-174
157-158
4.4.4.2 faulty assertion maintaining that they are only in another continuum 159-161
4.4.4.3 setting forth an example of not being pervaded by error regarding
appearance, erroneous assertions [are refuted]
162-164
165-170
171-174
175-180
181-191
181-184
185-188
189-191
192-203
4.4.7.1 the meaning of not being similar to the self of the non-Buddhists
192-193
4.4.7.2 the meaning of not being similar to the pacification of the Hearers and
Solitary Realizers
194-195
196-197
198-199
200-201
202-203
204-224
204-208
209-216
217-220
221-224
225-231
225-227
228-231
Appendix Three- A song on the universal ground (kun gZhl) and the Enlightened
Heart (snying po) from the Rang byung rdo rje'i mgur rnam: [f.97.5- 98.51
Reference has been made to this pleasing song in chapters three and six, so it
seemed appropriate to provide an edition and translation of the entire work.
Rang byung's songs in general are interesting both as literature and for their
philosophical content. They also provide a more intimate view into the lived
experience of study-contemplation-realization than do more systematically
oriented texts such as the Snying bstan. An interesting stylistic variant occurs in
line four, where eight syllables are used in place of the usual seven.
Na mo guru / /
175
ces pa'i rngur rna 'di stod lung rgyal gyi mdo ru / /
lug mo zla ba dgu yi yar ngo la / /
chos rje rang byung rdo rje yis / /
sgom chen ngar ma dpon g.yog la gsungs pa'o / /
2 Read rtogs.
176
177
i 1
,
I
From time to time throughout this work I have made reference to certain
passages in Rang byung's Zab rno nang don. I present here the chapter titles of
that work in order to briefly indicate the context in which these references occur.
Each title occurs at the end of the chapter.
1. Mdor bstan pa dang rgyu rkyen pa spyir bstan pa ste dang pO'O / / (3b.2)
2. Mngal du Ius grub pa'i tshul te gnyis pa'o / / (Sb.4)
3. Lus kyi rtsa rgyas par bstan pa ste gsum pa'o / / (9b.2)
4. Rlung gyi gryu tshul bstan pa ste bzhi pa'o / / (14a.1)
5. Thig Ie gsum bstan pa ste lnga pa'o / / (18a.2)
6. Rnam shes dang ye shes gzhi Ia 'bras bu'i 'breI bstan pa ste drug pa'o / /
(20b.3)
7. Snod Ia sbyar Ia bstan pa ste bdun pa'o / / (21b.2)
8. Kun brtags kyi lha 'byung ba'i tshul bshad pa ste brgyad pa'o / / (22b.5)
9. Chos kyi sbyang gzhi dang sbyong byed pa bstan pa ste dgu pa'o / / (25b.4)
10. Lam dang rim pa sbyar ba ste bcu pa'o / / (26b.6)
11. Rtsa lung thig Ie bsdu pa'i tshul bstan pa ste bcu gcig pa'o / / (30a.4).
It is unfortunate that the Zab mo nang don gyi rang 'grel is not available to us.
It seems to have been in use up to the end of the nineteenth century, for Kong
sprul refers to it in his commentary on the Zab mo. In its absence, it seems
worthwhile to report on any quotes from it found in other works. While
perusing Mi bskyod rdo rje's (1507-1554) commentary to Karma PakSi's (12041283) Sku gsum ngo sprod, I came across two quotes from the Rang 'grel that deal
with the Snying po. While I have not yet had the time to scan all two-thousand
one-hundred and forty pages of Mi bskyod's work of dense dbu med, I think it
probable that one would find more fragments. Here I present what I have
found so far.
Sku gsum ngo sprod kyi rnam par bshad pa mdo rgyud bstan pa mtha' dag gi e warn
phyag rgya, volume 3, p.93.2-.5:
Dpal karma pa Rang byung rdo rje rgyal ba chen po zab mo nang don gyi rang
'grellas / rdo rje Ius de bzhin gshegs pa'i snying po las snang ba rgyu mthun
pa'i rab tu zab pa'i gzugs kyi sku mtshan dang dpe byad thams cad dang ldan pa
dri ma med pa nyid dri ma dang bcas pa'i Ius la gnas par gsungs pa dang / sems
dri ma dang bcas pa nyon mongs pa'i sbubs du mas dkris pa 'di sangs rgyas
snying po gnas dang gnas ma yin pa mkhyen pa la sogs pa'i stobs dang / mi 'jigs
pa dang / ma 'dres pa'i chos mams kyi yon tan dang ldan par bzhugs so zhes
bya ba nang gi don shin tu lkog tu gyur pa ngag mngon du bstan pa /
volume 3, p.97.5-98.4
180
Zab rno nang don gyi rang 'grellas / bsarn gyis rni khyab pa'i tshul 'chad pa ni /
sangs rgyas kyi snying po dri rna rned kyang nyon rnongs dang shes bya dri rna
rntha' dag rna spangs kyi bar du sangs rgyas su rni 'gyur ba khams kyi don dang
/ da Har sangs rgyas kyi yon tan drug eu rtsa gnyis rdzogs par yod kyang _ ?
ba'i nang 5U ehud pa'i nor bu Itar bras bu dU5 kyi yon tan rni snang bas / chos
kyi dbyings shin tu dri rna rned pa'i rgyu rnthun pa dkar po'i chos kyis rna
bskyed na nus pa rni 'byin pa yon tan gyi do zhes 'byung ba marns la'ang glan ka
brjod par 'gyur la / de ltar brjod pas me nyes so snyarn na / rgyal ba sras dang
slob mar beas pa dag la skyon min la skyon bzung ba las nyes pa ehe ba ci zhig
yod / de Ita na yon tan ye rdzogs kyi rdzogs rim sangs rgyas rang chas Stl gdod
nas thob par bzhugs kyang slar sangs rgyas dgos so zhes rang byung rgyal bar
chen po bzhed de /
Appendix Six- Chronology of Rang byung's life taken from Si tu 's biography-
These are all of the dates mentioned in Si tu's biography of Rang byung. The
events that I briefly mention occur between the date provided and the following
date, and not necessarily on the date mentioned itself. This list should provide
easy access to Si tu's discussion of specific periods of Rang byung's life, as well as
facilitate comparision between Si tu's text and the Deb ther drnar po, summarized
in Chapter One.
monastery.
1303: water hare year [199.6]- meets with 'Jam dbyangs rin chen rgyal mtshan of
182
1329: earth serpent year [212.71- in solimde at Tsa ri, receives invitation from
Mongol emperor.
1331: iron sheep year [213.6]- journeys to Central Tibet.
1332: ape year [216.1]- arrives at the Mongol court
1334: wood dog year [218.4]- rehtrns to Tibet, travels to Mtshur phu.
1336: fire male mouse year [221.4]- resides at Bsam yas mchims phu, remms to
Mongol court.
1337: ox year [222.6]- saves patrons of Mongol court from earthquake.
1338: tiger year [226.2]- prophesies his own passing.
1339: earth female hare year [226.3]- dies at Mongol court.
Appendix Seven- Colophons of songs in the Rang byung rdo rje mgur rnam which
mention date and place of composition.
The colophons to the songs of Rang byung's collection of spiritual songs are a
valuable resource for establishing a chronicle of his literary career.
Approximately one-third of them provide both a place and a date of
composition. Unfortunately, among the latter only a few of these provide both
parts of the year name, the element and the animal. Nevertheless, through
careful comparison with Si tu's biography one should be able to determine the
exact date of many of the songs. At the very least these partial dates can be used
to confirm his presence in certain places. I present here every colophon which
states the time and place of composition in order to aid in this project.
24.3-4: ces pa 'di ni sa pho khyi 10 [1298] ston zla ra ba'i tshes brgyad la dben
gnas khyung rdzong du tshogs mchod kyi dus su gsungs pa'o / /
25.7: ces pa 'di sa pho phag [1299] la dbyar zla ra ba'i tshes bcu gsum la khyung
rdzong dbang bskur mdzad pa'i gral du gsungs pa'o / /
26.7: zhes sa phag [1299] 10 dbyar zla bring po'i bcu gsum la khyung rdzong du
gsung pa'o / /
33.2: rin po che Rang byung rdo Ije stag 10 zla ba dgu pa'i tshes bco lnga la 'gro
phur gsungs pa '0
/ /
34.1-2: chos rje Rang byung rdo Ije brug 10 zla ba lnga pa'i tshes lnga la lha
steng gyi ri khrod du gsungs pa'o / /
35.3: 'brug 10 zla ba bcu pa'i tshes brgyad kyi nub mo tshogs mchod kyi gral du
lha stengs su gsungs pa '0 /
37.1: 'brug 10 bla ba bcu pa'i tshes bcu'i nub mo tshe 'khor gyi gral du lha steng
su gsungs pa'o / /
184
38.2: ehos rje rang byung rdo rje 'brug 10 zla ba bcu gnyis pa'i tshes gsurn la lha
steng gi ri khrod du gsungs pa'o I I
39.1: ees pa 'di sbrullo zla ba beu pa la lha stengs su gsungs pa'o I I
43.6-7: chos rje Rang byung rdo rjes yis sbrulla zla ba bcu gcig gi nyi shu
drug la lha stengs su gsungs pa '0 I I
52.5: rta'i 10 la lha stengs su
53.5: rta 10 zla ba bcu gcig pa'i snyi shu la lha steng su Rang byung rdo rjes
gsungs pa'o I I
56.4-5: chos rje Rang byung rdo rje yis ngo khro'i nag 'khrug bsrurn pa'i du su
ko la u'i gtsug lag khang du I lug 10 zla ba bcu gnyis pa'i nyi she brgyad las
gsungs pa'o I I
67.2: chos kyi rje Rang byung rdo rje yis I I byi 10 zla ba bdun pa'i tshes gsum la
tsha ri tra ye shes kyi 'khor 10 yi gnas sgo I dpal gyi blang gong du gsungs
pa'ol
69.1: ees pa'i rngur rna 'di byi 10 zla ba bdun pa'i tshes bcu gsum la tsa'a ri tra
bkras shis ljong du gsungs pa'o I I
73.1-2: byi 10 zla ba bdun pa tshes bcu bdun la tsa'a ri tra'i g.yu rntsho 'gro du
gsungs pa '0 I I
74.3-4: ees pa'i mgur rna 'di byi 10 zla ba bdun pa'i nyi shu gnyis la tsa ri tra'i
bkras shis ljongs su gsungs palo I I
76.5: chos rje Rang byung rdo rje yis byi 10 zla ba bdun pa nyi shu gnyis la tsa ri
tra'i bkra shis Ijong du mdzad pa'o I I
79.2: mal sbyor Rang byung rdo rjesl byi 10 zla ba bdun pali nyi shu gsum gyi
nub mo
81.3: byi 10 zla ba bdun pali nyi shi bdun la gnas tsa ri'i bkra shis ljongs su gsungs
p'oll
185
88.1: ees pa 'di giang 10 zia ba bdun pa'i tshes brgyad Ia / ehos rje Rang byung
ngo la / /ehos rje Rang byung rdo rje yis / / sgom chen ngar ma dpon g.yog
la gsungs pa'o / /
102.2: lug 10 zla ba dgu pa'i tshes beo lnga la / ehos rje Rang byung rdo rje / bod
kyi gnas chen bu rag shar gyis ri khrod du gsungs pa '0
/ /
135.2: phag 10 zla ba beu gnyis pa'i tshes beo lnga la bde chen steng du gsungs
pa'o / /
137.7: zhes pa 'di byi ba lola bde chen steng gi ri la byon dus gsungs pa'o / /
160.1: ees pa'i mgur ma 'di stog lola ga ram spangs su gsungs so / /
161.7: zhes bya ba 'di chos rje Rang byung rdo rjes lug 10 pa bde chen du shes
rab 8gom chen la gdams pa'o / /
164.6-7: chos rje rin po che Rang byung rdo rje'i yos bu 10 zla ba brgyad pa'i
tshes ben bdun Ia karma'i ri khrod sgang dgon du gsungs so / /
173.1: ees pa 'di ni lug lola lhun grub steng su dbyar bzhugs mdzad pa'i dus / /
gong
md 'j
gdan 'dren _ _ yon bdag mams kyi mehod pa bul ba byas nas