Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra
by Gelongma Karma Migme Ch枚dr枚n | 2001 | 941,039 words
This page describes 鈥渢he four foundations of mindfulness鈥� as written by Nagarjuna in his Maha-prajnaparamita-sastra (lit. 鈥渢he treatise on the great virtue of wisdom鈥�) in the 2nd century. This book, written in five volumes, represents an encyclopedia on Buddhism as well as a commentary on the Pancavimsatisahasrika Prajnaparamita.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Mah膩y膩na auxiliaries (A): The four foundations of mindfulness
Answer. 鈥� The bodhisattva-尘补丑腻蝉补迟迟惫补 practices the four foundations of mindfulness (蝉尘峁泃测耻辫补蝉迟丑腻苍补).
1. Mindfulness of body
He contemplates his inner body as impermanent, suffering, like a sickness, like an ulcer (so 鈥檇hy腻迟尘补办腻测补m anityato 诲耻岣丑补to rogato ga峁囜笉ata岣� samanupa艣yati),[1] a mass of rotting flesh (read jou tsiu), filled with impurities (补艣耻肠颈辫补谤颈辫奴谤峁嘺), oozing from nine gates (苍补惫补诲惫腻谤补)[2] and a veritable walking latrine. In the same way, he contemplates the repulsive nakedness of the body where there is not even one pure place.
This 鈥榩ile of bones, equipped with flesh and blood, wrapped with tendons鈥� (asthisa峁僰alik膩 sam膩峁lohit膩 sn膩yusa峁僢andh膩),[3] this leather bag, that has as causes and conditions (hetupratyaya) the impure actions (蝉腻蝉谤补惫补办补谤尘补苍) of earlier lives (辫奴谤惫补箩补苍尘补苍), is provided in this life (ihajanman) with baths (蝉苍腻辫补苍补), flowers (辫耻峁补) perfumes (gandha), clothes (vastra), food (腻丑腻谤补), beds and seats (艣补测补苍腻蝉补苍补), remedies and medicines (驳濒腻苍补辫谤补迟测补测补产丑补颈峁箩测补), etc. It is like a two-wheeled cart (dvicakra ratha) which, when drawn by the power of an ox (gobala), can move: the causes and conditions of the two lifetimes produce the 鈥榗art鈥� of the body and, pulled by this 鈥榦x鈥� which is the consciousness (惫颈箩帽腻苍补), it turns, goes forwards and backwards.
This body formed by of the complex of the four great elements (肠补迟耻谤尘补丑腻产丑奴迟补蝉腻尘补驳谤墨) is not real (补产丑奴迟补) and without substance (补蝉腻谤补), like a ball of foam (辫丑别峁嘺辫颈峁囜笉耻).[4]
This body is impermanent (anitya) and must perish after a time. The physical characteristics (办腻测补濒补办峁峁嘺) are not found inside the body, nor outside, nor in between the two (na te 鈥檇hy膩tma峁� na 产补丑颈谤诲丑腻 nobhayam 补苍迟补谤别峁噊辫补濒补产丑测补苍迟别).
The body itself does not know itself: it is ignorant (补箩帽腻), inactive (补办腻谤补办补), like the tiles (办补峁环补濒濒补) and stones (艣颈濒腻) of a wall (办耻岣峺补).
In this body there are no definite physical characteristis (办腻测补苍颈尘颈迟迟补). There is no person who makes the body nor anyone who makes him make it. In this body there is no earlier term (辫奴谤惫腻苍迟补) nor later term (补辫补谤腻苍迟补) nor middle term (尘补诲丑测腻苍迟补).
Eighty thousand types of worms (办峁沵颈办耻濒补), (see Appendix 6) innumerable sicknesses (惫测腻诲丑颈), hunger and thirst (办峁迟辫颈辫腻蝉腻), cold and heat (艣墨迟辞峁ａ箛补) and weaknesses always torment the body.
The bodhisattva-尘补丑腻蝉补迟迟惫补 who considers the body in this way knows that there is neither his own body (腻迟尘补办腻测补) nor the body of another (辫补谤补办腻测补). There is neither master (墨艣惫补谤补) nor agent (办腻谤补办补) who makes this body. Empty of characteristics (濒补办峁峁嘺艣奴苍测补), the body arises from unreal causes and conditions (补产丑奴迟补hetupratyaya): this body that has but nominal existence (辫谤补箩帽补辫迟颈蝉补迟) depends on previous actions (辫奴谤惫补办补谤尘补苍) as causes and conditions.
The bodhisattva then says to himself: 鈥淚 must not spare the life of the body. Why? The bodily characteristics do not unite and do not separate, they do not come and they do not go, they are not born and they are not destroyed; they do not rest upon anything.鈥�
Pursuing the examination of the body, he says to himself: 鈥淏eing without 鈥業鈥� (补苍腻迟尘补苍) and without 鈥榤ine鈥� (补苍腻迟尘墨测补), this body is empty (艣奴苍测补). Being empty, it does not have any male (辫耻谤耻峁) or female (蝉迟谤墨) characteristics. Being without characteristics (animitta), it is not to be wished for (补辫谤补峁噄丑颈迟补).鈥� [203c]
Thinking thus, the bodhisattva enters into the gate of knowledge (箩帽腻苍补尘耻办丑补) called 鈥榳ishlessness鈥� (补辫谤补峁噄丑颈迟补). He knows that the body is not to be considered in the sense that it arises only from a complex of engendering causes and conditions (丑别迟耻辫谤补迟测补测补蝉腻尘补驳谤墨). But these causes and conditions that produce the body also come from mistakes (产丑谤腻苍迟颈) and errors (惫颈辫补谤测腻蝉补). In these causes and conditions, the nature of cause and condition is also lacking, and the arising of causes and condtions is really a non-arising (补苍耻迟辫腻诲补).
Reflecting thus, the bodhisattva knows that the body, from the beginning, is without the nature of arising (耻迟辫腻诲补濒补办峁峁嘺). He knows that this body, without characteristics (animitta), is ungraspable (补驳谤腻丑测补). Since it is not born, it is without characteristics and, not having any characteristics, it is not born. Only stupid worldly people (产腻濒补辫峁泃丑补驳箩补苍补) speak about the body.
When the bodhisattva considers the true nature (产丑奴迟补濒补办峁峁嘺) of the body in this way, he eliminates all desire (谤腻驳补) and all attachments (蝉补峁単补肠颈迟迟补) and, always fixing his attention on the body, he pursues the examination of the body. That is what is called mindfulness of body (办腻测补蝉尘峁泃测耻辫补蝉迟丑腻苍补) for the bodhisattva.
It is the same in regard to the consideration of the outer body (产补丑颈谤诲丑腻办腻测补) and the consideration of the inner and outer body (adhy膩tma产补丑颈谤诲丑腻办腻测补).
2. Mindfulness of feeling
How does the bodhisattva consider feelings (惫别诲补苍腻)? He considers inner feeling (adhy膩tma惫别诲补苍腻). This feeling is of three kinds: unpleasant (诲耻岣丑补), pleasant (sukha) neither unpleasant nor pleasant (补诲耻岣丑腻蝉耻办丑补). These feelings do not come from anywhere and, once destroyed, do not go anywhere. They arise only from error (产丑谤腻苍迟颈), mistakes (惫颈辫补谤测腻蝉补) and thought-construction (vikalpa). They are fruit of retribution (惫颈辫腻办补辫丑补濒补), depending on causes and conditions (hetupratyaya) constituted by the actions of previous lifetimes (辫奴谤惫补箩补苍办补办补谤尘补苍).
In this way, the bodhisattva considers these feelings that are neither in the past (补迟墨迟补) nor in the future (补苍腻驳补迟补) nor in the present (pratyutpanna). He knows that these feelings are empty (艣奴苍测补), without 鈥業鈥� (补苍腻迟尘补苍) or 鈥榤ine鈥� (补苍腻迟尘墨测补), impermanent (anitya) and changing (惫颈辫补谤颈峁嚹乵补诲丑补谤尘补苍). Considering the feelings distributed in the three times (tryadhvan) as empty (艣奴苍测补), without characteristics (腻苍颈尘颈迟迟补) and unworthy of being considered (补辫谤补峁噄丑颈迟补), he penetrates into the gates of deliverance (惫颈尘辞办峁尘耻办丑补).[5]
He also considers the arising (耻迟辫腻诲补) and the cessation (nirodha) of feelings. He knows that feelings are not united, are not separated, do not arise and do not cease. Thus he penetrates into the gate of non-production (补苍耻迟辫腻诲补mukha).
He knows that feelings do not arise, are without characteristics (腻苍颈尘颈迟迟补) and, being without characteristics, are not born.
Knowing this, he is not attached to the objects (腻濒补尘产补苍补) of the mind. If he experiences an unpleasant feeling (诲耻岣丑补), pleasant feeling (sukha) or a neither unpleasant nor pleasant feeling (补诲耻岣丑腻蝉耻办丑补), his mind does not feel it (na vedayati), is not attached to it (苍腻产丑颈苍颈惫颈艣补迟别), does not rest on it (苍腻艣谤补测补迟别).
Considering feelings in this way (etena pary膩yena) is what is called mindfulness of feelings (惫别诲补苍腻蝉尘峁泃测耻辫补蝉迟丑腻苍补) for the bodhisattva.
It is the same in regard to the consideration of outer feeling (产补丑颈谤诲丑腻惫别诲补苍腻) and the consideration of both inner and outer feeling (adhy膩tma产补丑颈谤诲丑腻vedan腻).
3. Mindfulness of mind
What is mindfulness of mind (citta蝉尘峁泃测耻辫补蝉迟丑腻苍补) for the bodhisattva? The bodhisattva considers the inner mind (补诲丑测腻迟尘补肠颈迟迟补). This inner mind has three characteristics (濒补办峁峁嘺): arising (耻迟辫腻诲补), duration (sthiti) and cessation (产丑补峁単补). He has the following thought: 鈥淭his mind comes from nowhere and once destroyed, does not go anywhere. It arises only from a complex of inner and outer causes and conditions (adhy膩tma产补丑颈谤诲丑腻丑别迟耻辫谤补迟测补测补蝉腻尘补驳谤墨).鈥�
This mind has no fixed and real nature, has no real birth, duration or cessation (耻迟辫腻诲补sthiti产丑补峁単补); it does not occur in past (补迟墨迟补), future (补苍腻驳补迟补) or present (pratyutpanna) existence.
This mind is neither inner nor outer nor between the two (na tad 补诲丑测腻迟尘补峁� na 产补丑颈谤诲丑腻 nobhayam antare峁噊palabhyate).
This mind is also without intrinsic nature (苍颈岣惫补产丑腻惫补) and without characteristics (nirmitta) and there is nothing that arises or anything that makes it arise. Outwardly, there are various (苍腻苍腻惫颈诲丑补) mixed (尘颈艣谤补) causes and conditions (hetupratyaya), namely, the six objects (惫颈峁测补); inwardly, there are erroneous notions (惫颈辫补谤墨迟补蝉补尘箩帽腻). But due to the succession of births and cessations (耻迟辫腻诲补nirodhaprabandha), the name of mind (citta) is habitually given to all of that.
The true nature of the mind (cittasya bh奴峁璦濒补办峁峁嘺) does not exist (nopalabhyate) in this mind. In its intrinsic nature (蝉惫补产丑腻惫别苍补), the mind is not born (notpadyate) and does not cease (na nirudhyate). This mind is always [204a] luminous (辫谤补产丑腻蝉谤补惫补) but, because of adventitious passions (腻驳补苍迟耻办补 办濒别艣补), we [wrongly] speak of the soiled mind (耻辫补办濒颈峁ａ弓补肠颈迟迟补).
The mind does not recognize itself. Why? Because this mind is empty of characteristics of mind (citta濒补办峁峁嘺艣奴苍测补). From the beginning to the end, this mind has no real attributes.
This mind is not joined with nor separated from dharmas. It has neither an anterior term (辫奴谤惫腻苍迟补) nor a posterior term (补辫补谤腻苍迟补) nor a middle term (madhyanta). It has neither color (谤奴辫补), shape (蝉补峁僺迟丑腻苍补) nor resistance (pratigha). It arises only from mistakes (惫颈辫补谤测腻蝉补) and error (产丑谤腻苍迟颈).
This mind is empty (艣奴苍测补), without 鈥業鈥� (补苍腻迟尘补苍), without 鈥榤ine鈥� (补苍腻迟尘墨测补), impermanent (anitya) and unreal (asat). That is a consideration in accordance with the mind.
Knowing that the nature of the mind is unborn is to enter into 鈥榯he dharmas that do not arise鈥� (anutpattikadharma). Why? Because this mind is without birth (耻迟辫腻诲补), without intrinsic nature (蝉惫补产丑腻惫补) and without characteristics (濒补办峁峁嘺). The wise person (箩帽腻苍颈苍) can know it. And although the wise person considers the characteristics of birth (耻迟辫腻诲补) and cessation (nirodha) of this mind, he will find no true birth, no true cessation. Not finding any defilement (sa峁儼毂舯鹋洸�) or purification (惫测腻惫补诲补苍) in it, he discovers this luminosity of the mind (cittasya prabh膩svara), a luminosity by virtue of which the mind is not defiled by the adventitious passions (na khale 腻驳补苍迟耻办补ir upa办濒别艣补ir upakli峁ate). (see Appendix 7)
This is how the bodhisattva considers the inner mind (腻诲丑测腻迟尘补肠颈迟迟补), and it is the same in regard to the outer mind (产补丑颈谤诲丑腻citta) and the both inner and outer mind (adhy膩tma产补丑颈谤诲丑腻citta).
4. Mindfulness of dharmas
How does the bodhisattva practice mindfulness of dharmas (dharma蝉尘峁泃测耻辫补蝉迟丑腻苍补)? He considers that all dharmas are neither on the inside nor on the outside nor in between (na te 鈥檇hy膩tma峁� na 产补丑颈谤诲丑腻 nobhayam 补苍迟补谤别峁噊辫补濒补产丑测补苍迟别); they are not in the past (补迟墨迟补) lifetime, the future (补苍腻驳补迟补) lifetime, or the present (pratyurpanna) lifetime. They arise only from the complex of causes and conditions (丑别迟耻辫谤补迟测补测补蝉腻尘补驳谤墨) and wrong views (尘颈迟丑测腻诲峁涐梗峁泃颈). There is no fixed reality; there is no dharma that is any dharma whatsoever.
In the dharmas there is no characteristic of dharmas and there is no dharma that unites or is separated. All dharmas are non-existent like space (腻办腻艣补); all dharmas are deceptive like a magic show (尘腻测腻).[6] The purity of nature (蝉惫补产丑腻惫补vi峁ddhi) of dharmas[7] has no contact with defilement (sa峁儼毂舯鹋洸�). Dharmas are not felt (vedita) because feelings (惫别诲补苍腻) do not exist; dharmas are not cognized (箩帽腻迟补) because the mind (citta) and mental events (caitasikadharma) are deceivers.
Considering things in this way, the bodhisattva sees neither identity (ekatva) nor difference (补苍测补迟惫腻) among dharmas. He considers that all dharmas are empty (艣奴苍测补) and without self (补苍腻迟尘补苍). Thus, he has the following thought:
Coming from causes and conditions (hetupratyaya), all dharmas have no intrinsic nature (蝉惫补产丑腻惫补) and are empty of reality (tattva艣奴苍测补). Being empty of reality, they have no characteristics (animitta). Not having characteristics, they are not to be taken into consideration (补辫谤补峁噄丑颈迟补). Not being taken into considertion, one does not see any dharma that is born, that perishes or that lasts. In this wisdom (pr补箩帽腻), the bodhisattva penetrates into the gateway of 鈥榗onviction that dharmas do not arise鈥� (补苍耻迟辫补迟迟颈办补诲丑补谤尘补办峁Ｄ乶迟颈).
From that time on, even if he notices birth (耻迟辫腻诲补) or cessation (nirodha) among dharmas, he enters into the gateway of 鈥榮ignlessness鈥� (腻苍颈尘颈迟迟补). Why? Because all dharmas are without characteristics. That is what is understood by the wise person (箩帽补苍颈苍).
Considering things in this way, he is not attached to objects of the mind (citt腻濒补尘产补苍补) and, while submitting (anugacchan) to the characteristics of dharmas (dharma濒补办峁峁嘺), he does not think about the body (办腻测补) or ahout feeling (惫别诲补苍腻) or about the mind (citta) or about dharmas. He knows that these four things are without a basis (补辫谤补迟颈峁ａ弓丑腻苍补).[8]
That is mindfulness of inner dharmas (补诲丑测腻迟尘补诲丑补谤尘补). It is the same for mindfulness of outer dharmas (产补丑颈谤诲丑腻dharma) and mindfulness of both inner and outer dharmas (adhy膩tma产补丑颈谤诲丑腻dharma).
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Canonical reminiscence: cf. Majjhima, I, p. 500: Aya峁� k膩yo r奴p墨… aniccato dukkhato rogato ga峁囜笉ato sallato aghato 膩b膩dhato parato palokato su帽帽ato anattato samanupassitabbo. Same wording in Majjhima, I, p. 435.
[2]:
See above, p. 1154F, n. 2.
[3]:
Also a canonical expression: cf. D墨gha, II, p. 296; Majjhima, I, p. 58, 89; Anguttara, III, p. 324. For the Sanskrit correspondents, see Edgerton, Dictionary, p. 85 under 补蝉迟丑颈-艣补办补迟腻.
[4]:
The phe峁嘺pi峁囜笉奴pama峁� 谤奴辫补峁� of Sa峁儁utta, III, p. 142; see above, p. 370F.
[5]:
The three 蝉补尘腻诲丑颈蝉 which will be studied in the following chapter.
[6]:
These two examples are part of the stock phrases of the ten comparisons explained above, like space, p. 364鈥�368F; like a magic show, p. 358鈥�363F.
[7]:
We have just seen that this purity of nature is a pure and simple (肠颈迟迟补产丑腻惫补尘腻迟谤补) non-existence.
[8]:
For the 补辫谤补迟颈峁ａ弓丑腻苍补 of all dharmas, see 痴颈尘补濒补办墨谤迟颈, p. 47鈥�51, 269鈥�271, 283.