Groundless Paths: The Prajnaparamita Sutras, The Ornament of Clear Realization, and Its Commentaries in the Tibetan Nyingma Tradition

898 Pages·2012·17.18 MB·English

by  Karl Brunnholzl

T S A D R A
G
r o u n d l e s s
P
a t h s
T he P rajnäpäram itä S ü tras, The Ornament of
Clear Realization, an d Its C om m entaries in th e
T ib etan N yingm a T ra d itio n
KARL BRUNNHÖLZL

G roundless P aths
T he T sadra F o undation Series
published by Snow Lion Publications
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GROUNDLESS PATHS
The Prajnäpäramitä Sütras,
The Ornament of Clear Realization,
and Its Commentaries in the Tibetan Nyingma Tradition
Translated and introduced by
Karl Brunnhölzl
Snow Lion Publications
ITHACA, NEW YORK
Snow Lion Publications
P. O. Box 6483
Ithaca, NY 14851 USA
[phone]
www.snowlionpub.com
Copyright © 2012 Tsadra Foundation
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced without prior
written permission from the publisher.
Printed in USA on acid-free recycled paper.
Typeset by Stephanie Johnston based on a design by Gopa & Ted2, Inc.
Drawing of Patrul Rinpoche by Chris Banigan.
ISBN-10: 1-55939-375-0
ISBN-13: 978-1-55939-375-1
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
O-rgyan-jigs-med-chos-kyi-dbaň-po, Dpal-sprul, b. 1808.
[Selections. English. 2012]
Groundless paths : the Prajňápáramitá sutras, the Ornament of clear
realization, and its commentaries in the Tibetan Nyingma tradition /
translated and introduced by Karl Brunnholzl.
p. cm. — (The Tsadra Foundation series)
Includes translations from Tibetan.
Chiefly based on Tsoň-kha-pa Blo-bzaň-grags-pa s Legs bšad gser
phreň.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13: 978-1-55939-375-1 (alk. paper)
ISBN-10: 1-55939-375-0 (alk. paper)
1. Abhisamayálaňkára--Criticism, interpretation, etc.--Early works to
1800. 2. Rňiň-ma-pa (Sect)--Doctrines--Early works to 1800.1.
Brunnholzl, Karl. II. Tsoň-kha-pa Blo-bzaň-grags-pa, 1357-1419. Legs
bšad gser phreň. III. Title.
BQ1955.07513 2012
294.3’85—dc23
2011030232
Contents
INTRODUCTION 19
TRANSLATIONS 35
The General Topics of The Treatise on the Pith Instructions on
Prajnaparamita, The Ornament of Clear Realization1 37
Presentation of the body of the text 58
Detailed explanation of the branches 71
Explanation of the knowledge of all aspects 72
Generation of bodhicitta (the nature of the path) 72
Receiving the instructions (what purifies the generation of
bodhicitta) 79
The branches conducive to penetration (the fruition of the
instructions) 114
The foundation of practice 124
The focal object of practice 134
The aim of practice 136
The practice of donning the armor of the mahàyàna 138
The practice of engagement 142
The practice of the equipments 156
The practice of final deliverance 185
Detailed explanation of the branches of the knowledge of the path
(the means of attainment) 186
The branches of the path 186
The path of Sràvakas 199
The path of pratyekabuddhas 201
The path of seeing 204
The function of the path of familiarization 210
The path o f familiarization a s aspiration 211
Its benefit 213
6 Groundless Paths
The path of familiarization as dedication 213
The path o f familiarization as rejoicing 214
The path o f familiarization a s accomplishment 215
The pure path o f familiarization 216
Detailed explanation of the branches of the knowledge of entities
(what is to be relinquished) 219
The nature o f the knowledge o f entities 219
The reasons for presenting closeness and distance 220
The divisions of the factors to be relinquished and their remedies 225
The nature of the training 228
The aspects of the training 231
Explaining the actual path of seeing 231
Detailed explanation of the complete training in all aspects—
the cause that makes one gain mastery 235
Explaining the aspects to be trained in 235
The trainings own nature 274
The qualities to be attained 276
The flaws to be rejected 278
The defining characteristics to be known 283
The factors conducive to liberation (what is to be relied on in the
mind stream) 289
The time of the arising of the special training 291
The irreversible persons 294
What makes one attain buddhahood (the supported) 302
What purifies the twofold buddha realm (the support) 303
The cause for promoting the welfare of others in this buddha
realm, the training in skill in means 303
Detailed explanation of the branches of the culminating training—
the result over which mastery is to be gained 309
The culmination of the path of preparation 310
The culmination of heat 310
The culmination of peak 311
The culmination of poised readiness 312
The culmination of the supreme dharma 312
The culmination o f the path o f seeing 313
The culmination of the path of familiarization 337
The culmination of the uninterrupted path 346
Its factors to be relinquished 347
Contents 1
Detailed explanation of the branches of the serial training (the cause
of stabilization) 355
The serial training that is the path 355
The serial training that makes the path special 356
The serial training that makes the path pure 357
Detailed explanation of the branches of the instantaneous training
(the result of stabilization) 358
The instantaneous training in terms of nonmaturation 358
The instantaneous training in terms of maturation 359
The instantaneous training in terms of the lack of characteristics 359
The instantaneous training in terms of nonduality 359
Detailed explanation of the branches of the dharmakàya (the fruition
of having engaged in the trainings) 360
The svàbhàvikakâya 362
The wisdom kàya 363
The sàmbhogikakàya 363
The nairmànikakàya 364
The nature of enlightened activity (their activity) 367
A Word Commentary on The Treatise on the Pith Instructions on
Prajnàpâramitâ, The Ornament of Clear Realization 397
Presentation of the body of the text 400
Detailed explanation of its branches 406
The explanation of the knowledge of all aspects 406
Generation of bodhicitta 406
Receiving the instructions (what purifies the generation of
bodhicitta) 409
The branches conducive to penetration (the fruition of the
instructions) 414
The foundation of practice 422
Its focal object 424
Its aim 425
The armorlike practice (the practice of donning the armor
through motivation) 425
The practice of engagement 426
The practice of the equipments 427
The practice of final deliverance 437
8 Groundless Paths
The detailed explanation of the branches of the knowledge of the
path (the means to attain the knowledge of all aspects) 438
The branches of the path 439
The knowledge of the path of knowing the path of ¿ravakas 440
The knowledge of the path of knowing the path of
pratyekabuddhas 441
The path of seeing 443
The function of the path of familiarization 447
The path of familiarization as aspiration 447
Its benefit 448
The path of familiarization as dedication 449
The path of familiarization as rejoicing 450
The path of familiarization of accomplishing the qualities 451
The pure path of familiarization 451
The detailed explanation of the branches of the knowledge of entities
(what is to be relinquished) 454
The nature of the knowledge of entities 455
The reasons for presenting closeness and distance 455
The divisions of the factors to be relinquished andt heir remedies 456
The nature of the training that is the manner of practicing it 458
The equality of the training 460
The fruition of having practiced in this way 460
Detailed explanation of the branches of the complete training in
all aspects—the cause that makes one gain mastery 463
The aspects to be trained in 464
The training s own nature 469
The qualities to be attained 471
The flaws to be rejected 472
The defining characteristics to be known 473
The factors conducive to liberation (what is to be relied on in
the mind stream) 483
The time of the arising of the special training 485
The persons who are the supports for the arising of the special
training in the mind stream 487
What makes one attain buddhahood (the supported) 498
What purifies the twofold buddha realm (the support) 499
The cause for promoting the welfare of others in this buddha
realm (the training in skill in means) 500