Verse I.12

Ratnagotravibhāga Root Verse I.12

Verse I.12 Variations

अतर्क्यत्वादलाप्यत्वादार्यज्ञानादचिन्यता
शिवत्वादद्वयाकल्पौ शुद्‍ध्यादि त्रयनर्कवत्

atarkyatvādalāpyatvādāryajñānādacinyatā
śivatvādadvayākalpau śuddhyādi trayanarkavat

E. H. Johnston as input by the University of the West.^[1]

བརྟག་མིན་ཕྱིར་དང་བརྗོད་མིན་ཕྱིར། །
འཕགས་པས་མཁྱེན་ཕྱིར་བསམ་མེད་ཉིད། །
ཞི་ཉིད་གཉིས་མེད་རྟོག་མེད་དེ། །
དག་སོགས་གསུམ་ནི་ཉི་བཞིན་ནོ། །

Dege, PHI, 109-110

Because of being inscrutable, because of being inexpressible,
And because of being the wisdom of the noble ones, it is inconceivable.
Because of being peaceful, it is free from the dual and without

conceptions.
[In its] three [qualities] such as being pure, it is like the sun.

When the Clouds Part, Brunnhölzl, 342. ^[2]

譬如貧人舍地有珍寶藏

彼人不能知寶又不能言

http://cbetaonline.dila.edu.tw/en/T31n1611_p0815b04

Non analysable, inexprimable,

Connu des [seuls] êtres sublimes, il est inconcevable.

Paix, il est libre des deux [voiles] et de la pensée ;

Sa pureté et ses deux autres qualités l’assimilent au soleil.

Charrier, Christian and Patrick Carré. Traité de la Continuité suprême du Grand Véhicule. Plazac: Éditions Padmakara, 2019.

RGVV Commentary on Verse I.12

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Because of being inscrutable, because of being inexpressible,

And because of being the wisdom of the noble ones, it is inconceivable.

Because of being peaceful, it is free from the dual and without conceptions.

[In its] three [qualities] such as being pure, it is like the sun. I.12

In brief, the reality of cessation should be understood as being inconceivable for three reasons. For which three [reasons]? [It is inconceivable] because of not being the sphere of scrutiny through the four permutations of nonexistence, existence, [both] existence and nonexistence, or neither; because of being inexpressible through any terms, voices, articulations, avenues of speech, etymologies, designations, conventions, or expressions; and because of being what is to be personally experienced by the noble ones. {J12} {D80b}

How should it be understood here that the reality of cessation is free from the dual and without conceptions? {P81b} It is as the Bhagavān said [in the Anūnatvāpūrṇatvanirdeśaparivarta]:

Śāriputra, the dharmakāya is peace,^[3] having the nature of being free from the dual and having the nature of being without conceptions.^[4]

"The dual" here refers to [the dual obscurations of] karma and the afflictions. "Conception" refers to improper mental engagement,^[5] the cause of the arising of karma and the afflictions. By virtue of realizing the natural cessation of this [improper mental engagement], there is no manifestation of the duo [of karma and the afflictions] or conception. Consequently, there is absolutely no arising of suffering. This is called "the reality of the cessation of suffering." However, it is not that the reality of the cessation of suffering is explained by virtue of the destruction of any phenomenon. As [the Sarvabuddhaviśayāvatārajñānālokālaṃkārasūtra] says at length:

Mañjuśrī, in what lacks arising and lacks ceasing, mind, mentation, and consciousness^[6] do not operate. Wherever there is no operation of mind, mentation, and consciousness, there is no improper mental engagement through which any [false] imagination could be taking place. Those who engage in proper mental engagement do not cause ignorance to arise. In those in whom ignorance does not arise, the twelve links of [saṃsāric] existence do not arise. This is nonarising.^[7]

As [the Śrīmālādevīsiṃhanādasūtra] says:

However, Bhagavan, the cessation of suffering is not the destruction of phenomena. The name "cessation of suffering," Bhagavan, indicates the dharmakāya of the Tathāgata, which is beginningless, unproduced, unborn, unarisen, without extinction, free from extinction, permanent, eternal, peaceful, everlasting, naturally pure, free from the cocoon of all afflictions, and endowed with inseparable {P82a} and inconceivable buddha attributes that far surpass the sand grains in the river Gaṅgā [in number]. {D81a} Bhagavan, this very dharmakāya of the Tathāgata that is not freed from the cocoon of the afflictions is called "tathāgata heart."^[8]

Thus, the presentation of the reality of the cessation of suffering in its entire detail should be understood according to the sūtras.

The paths of seeing and familiarization that [consist of] nonconceptual wisdom are the causes for attaining this dharmakāya of the Tathāgata, which bears the name "cessation of suffering." [This wisdom] is to be understood as resembling the sun by way of being similar to it in three ways for the following reasons. By virtue of being similar to the orb [of the sun’s] being completely pure, it is free from all stains of the proximate afflictions.^[9] By virtue of being similar to [the sun’s] being what makes forms manifest, it shines its light on all aspects of knowable objects. By virtue of being similar to [the sun’s] being the remedy for darkness, it serves as the remedy for all aspects of what obstructs seeing reality. {J13}

As for "what obstructs," due to the rising of their latencies, passion, hatred, and bewilderment, which are preceded by mentally engaging in focal objects that have the characteristic of being unreal entities, arise. For naive beings, it is by virtue of these latencies that unreal entities that lack the nature of those [entities that they seem to appear as], through the arising of passion, serve as the causes for [appearing] as something that looks pleasant; through the arising of hatred, as something that looks antagonistic; or, through the arising of bewilderment, as something that looks obscure. In those who take such causes of passion, hatred, and bewilderment, which do not accord with reality, as their focal objects, improper mental engagement {P82b} completely occupies the mind. In those whose minds are occupied with improper mental engagement, any affliction among passion, hatred, and bewilderment manifests. Due to this, they commit actions with body, speech, and mind that arise from passion and {D81b} also commit such actions that arise from hatred and from bewilderment. In turn, from these actions, there will be the succession of rebirths.

In this way, improper mental engagement manifests in naive beings who possess those latencies, grasp at [certain] characteristics, and engage in them as their focal objects. From that, the afflictions arise. From the arising of the afflictions, actions arise. From the arising of actions, there is the arising of birth. So all aspects of the afflictiveness of afflictions, karma, and birth^[10] of naive beings operate by virtue of not realizing and not seeing the single basic element in just the way it is in true reality.

[However,] this [afflictiveness] should be seen in the same manner as a thorough investigator [sees] who does not see any characteristics or focal objects of this [afflictiveness]. When neither characteristics nor focal objects are seen, true reality is seen. Thus, these phenomena are completely and perfectly realized by the Tathāgata as being equal by virtue of their equality. In this way, [the Tathāgata] does not see characteristics and focal objects, which are nonexistent, and sees ultimate reality, which is existent, in just the way it is in true reality. By virtue of [this seeing and nonseeing, the Tathāgata] completely and perfectly realizes the equality of all phenomena through the wisdom of equality, in which neither of these two [nonexistent characteristics and the existent ultimate reality] is to be removed or added. This [realization] should be understood as the remedy for all aspects of what obstructs the seeing of true reality. Through the arising of this [remedy], [the Tathāgata] knows^[11] that [his mind] is absolutely disassociated and disconnected from the counterpart [of this remedy, that is, everything that obstructs seeing true reality]. {P83a} The paths of seeing and familiarization that consist of nonconceptual wisdom and are the causes for attaining the dharmakāya are to be understood in detail according to the sūtras by following the prajñāpāramitā [sūtras].

atarkyatvādalāpyatvādāryajñānādacinyatā/

śivatvādadvayākalpau śuddhyādi trayanarkavat//12//

samāsato nirodhasatyasya tribhiḥ kāraṇairacintyatvaṃ veditavyam/ katamaistribhiḥ/ asatsatsadasannobhayaprakāraiścaturbhirapi tarkāgocaratvāt/ sarvarutaravitaghoṣavākpathaniruktisaṃketavyavahārābhilāpairanabhilāpyatvāt/ āryāṇāṃ ca pratyātmavedanīyatvāt/

tatra nirodhasatyasya kathamadvayatā nirvikalpatā ca veditavyā/ yathoktaṃ bhagavatā/ śivo'yaṃ śāriputra dharmakāyo'dvayadharmāvikalpadharmā/ tatra dvayamucyate karma kleśāṃśca/ vikalpa ucyate karmakleśasamudayaheturayoniśomanasikāraḥ/ tatprakṛtinirodhaprativedhād dvayavikalpāsamudācārayogena yo duḥkhasyātyantamanutpāda idamucyate duḥkhanirodhasatyam/ na khalu kasyaciddharmasya vināśādduḥkhanirodhasatyaṃ paridīpitam/ yathoktam/ anutpādānirodhe mañjuśrīścittamanovijñānāni na pravartante/ yatra cittamanovijñānāni na pravartante tatra na kaścitparikalpo yena parikalpenāyoniśomanasikuryāt/ sa yoniśomanasikārapra yukto'vidyāṃ na samutvāpayati/ yaccāvidyāsamutthānaṃ tad dvādaśānāṃ bhavāṅgānāmasamutthānam/ sājātiriti vistaraḥ/ yathoktam/ na khalu bhagavan dharmavināśo duḥkhanirodhaḥ/ duḥkhanirodhanāmnā bhagavannanādikāliko'kṛto'jāto'nutpanno'kṣayaḥ kṣayāpagataḥ nityo dhruvaḥ śivaḥ śāśvataḥ prakṛtipariśuddhaḥ sarvakleśakośavinirmukto gaṅgāvālikāvyativṛttairavinirbhāgairacintyairbuddhadharmaiḥ samanvāgatastathāgatadharmakāyo deśitaḥ/ ayameva ca bhagavaṃstathāgatadharmakāyo'vinirmuktakleśakośastathāgatagarbhaḥ sūcyate/ iti sarvavistareṇa yathāsūtrameva duḥkhanirodhasatyavyavasthānamanugantavyam/

asya khalu duḥkhanirodhasaṃjñitasya tathāgatadharmakāyasya prāptiheturavikalpajñānadarśanabhāvanāmārgastrividhena sādharmyeṇa dinakarasadṛśaḥ veditavyaḥ/ maṇḍalaviśuddhisādharmyeṇa sarvopakleśamalavigatatvāt/ rūpābhidhyaktikaraṇasādharmyeṇa sarvākārajñeyāvabhāsakatvāt/ tamaḥpratipakṣasādharmyeṇa ca sarvākārasatyadarśanavibandhapratipakṣabhūtatvāt/

vibandha punarabhutavastunimittārambaṇamanasikārapūrvikā rāgadveṣamohotpattiranuśayaparyutthānayogāt/ anuśayato hi bālānāma bhūtamatatsvabhāvaṃ vastu śubhākāreṇa vā nimittaṃ bhavati rāgotpattitaḥ/ pratighākāreṇa vā dveṣotpattitaḥ/ avidyākāreṇa vā mohotpattitaḥ/ tacca rāgadveṣamohanimittamayathābhutamārambaṇaṃ kurvatāmayoniśomanasikāraścittaṃ paryādadāti/ teṣāmayoniśomanasikāraparyavasthitacetasāṃ rāgadveṣamohānāmanyatakleśasamudācāro bhavati/ te tatonidānaṃ kāyena vācā manasā rāgajamapi karmābhisaṃskurvanti/ dveṣajamapi mohajamapi karmābhisaṃskurvanti/ karmataśca punarjanmānubandha eva bhavati/ evameṣāṃ bālānāmanuśayavatāṃ/ nimittagrāhiṇāmārambaṇacaritānāmayoniśomanasikārasamudācārāt kleśasamudayaḥ/ kleśamudāyāt karmasamudayaḥ/ karmasamudayājjanmasamudayo bhavati/ sa punareṣa sarvākārakleśakarmajanmasaṃkleśo bālānāmekasya dhātoryathābhūtamajñānādadarśanācca pravartate/

sa ca tathā draṣṭavyo yathā parigaveṣayanna tasya kiṃcinnimittamārambaṇaṃ vā paśyati/ sa yadā na nimittaṃ nārambaṇaṃ vā paśyati tadā bhūtaṃ paśyati/ evamete dharmāstathāgatenābhisaṃbuddhāḥ samatayā samā iti/ ya evamasataśca nimittārambaṇasyādarśanāt sataśca yathābhūtasya paramārthasatyasya darśanāt tadubhayoranutkṣepāprakṣepasamatājñānena sarvadharmasamatābhisaṃbodhaḥ so'sya sarvākārasya tattvadarśanavibandhasya pratipakṣo veditavyo yasyodayāditarasyātyantamasaṃgatirasamavadhānaṃ pravartate/ sa khalveṣa dharmakāyaprāptiheturavikalpajñānadarśanabhāvanāmārgo vistareṇa yathāsūtraṃ prajñāpāramitānusāreṇānugantavyaḥ/

應知偈言

不思量無言智者內智知以如是義故不可得思議清涼不二法及無分別法淨顯現對治三句猶如日

此偈明何義略明滅諦有三種法以是義故不可思議應知以何義故不可思議有四義故何等為四一者為無二者為有三者為有無四者為二偈言非有亦非無亦復非有無亦非即於彼亦復不離彼故滅諦有三種

法應知者此明何義滅諦非可知有三種法何等為三一者非思量境界故偈言不可得思量非聞慧境界故二者遠離一切聲響名字章句言語相貌故偈言出離言語道故三者聖人內證法故偈言內心知故又滅諦云何不二法者及云何無分別者如不增不減經中如來說言舍利弗如來法身清涼以不二法故以無分別法故偈言清涼故何者是二而說不二所言二者謂業煩惱言分別者所謂集起業煩惱因及邪念等以知彼自性本來寂滅不二無二行知苦本來不生是名苦滅諦非滅法故名苦滅諦是故經言文殊師利何等法中無心意意識行彼法中無分別以無分別故不起邪念以有正念故不起無明以不起無明故即不起十二有支以不起十二有支故即名無生是故聖者勝鬘經言世尊非滅法故名苦滅諦世尊所言苦滅者名無始無作無起無盡離盡常恒清涼不變自性清淨離一切煩惱藏所纏世尊過於恒沙不離不脫不異不思議佛法畢竟成就說如來法身世尊如是如來法身不離煩惱藏所纏名如來藏如是等勝鬘經中廣說滅諦應知又以何因得此滅諦如來法身謂於見道及修道中無分別智三種日相似相對法應知偈言彼真妙法日故何等為三一者日輪清淨相似相對法以遠離一切煩惱垢故偈言清淨無塵垢故二者顯現一切色像相似相對法以一切種一切智能照知故偈言大智慧光明故三者對治闇相似相對法以起

一切種智對治法故偈言普照諸世間故又以何者是所治法所謂依取不實事相虛妄分別念生貪瞋癡結使煩惱此明何義愚癡凡夫依結使煩惱取不實事相念故起於貪心依瞋恚故起於瞋心依於無明虛妄念故起於癡心又復依彼貪瞋癡等虛妄分別取不實事相念起邪念心依邪念心起於結使依於結使起貪瞋癡以是義故身口意等造作貪業瞋業癡業依此業故復有生生不斷不絕如是一切愚癡凡夫依結使煩惱集起邪念依邪念故起諸煩惱依煩惱故起一切業依業起生如是此一切種諸煩惱染業染生染愚癡凡夫不如實知不如實見一實性界如彼如實性觀察如實性而不取相以不取相故能見實性如是實性諸佛如來平等證知又不見如是虛妄法相如實知見如實有法真如法界以見第一義諦故如是二法不增不減是故名為平等證智是名一切種智所治障法應如是知以起真如智對治法故彼所治法畢竟不復生起現前偈言能破諸曀障覺觀貪瞋癡一切煩惱等故又此得滅諦如來法身因於見道中及修道中無分別智廣說如摩訶般若波羅蜜等修多羅中言須菩提真如如來真如平等無差別如是等應知

Other English translations

Obermiller (1931) ^[12]

It is unthinkable, since it cannot be analysed，

Is unutterable and revealed (only) to the Saint,

It is quiescent by being devoid of the two (causes of Phenomenal Existence);

The other 3 attributes, purity and the rest

(Suggest) a resemblance with the sun.

Takasaki (1966) ^[13]

Because of its being beyond speculation and explanation,

And because of its being the knowledge of Saints,

Unthinkability [of the Doctrine should be known];

Because of quiescence it is non-dual and non-discriminative,

And three [qualities], purity etc., are akin to the sun.

Fuchs (2000) ^[14]

Not being an object of conceptual investigation, being inexpressible,

and [only] to be known by noble ones, the Dharma is inconceivable.

Since it is peace, it is free from the two [veils] and free from thought.

In its three [aspects of] purity and so on it is similar to the sun.

Textual sources

Commentaries on this verse

Academic notes

Digital Sanskrit Buddhist Canon Unicode Input
Brunnhölzl, Karl. When the Clouds Part: The Uttaratantra and its Meditative Tradition as a Bridge between Sūtra and Tantra. Boston: Snow Lion Publications, an imprint of Shambhala Publications, 2014.
DP ’gog pa.
Taishō 668, 467b.
YDC (295) explains that improper mental engagement, in its coarse form, refers to wrong notions, such as clinging to what is impermanent as being permanent. In its subtle form, it consists of all conceptions of dualistic appearances. This improper mental engagement dwells within the luminous nature of the mind, the dharmadhātu, just like clouds in the sky (see Uttaratantra I.52–63).
In the Yogācāra system, the typical triad of "mind (citta/sems)," "mentation (manas/ yid)," and "consciousness (vijñāna/rnam shes)"refers to the ālaya-consciousness, the afflicted mind, and the remaining six consciousnesses.
D100, fol. 297a.7–297b.2.
D45.48 (dkon brtsegs, vol. cha), fol. 272a.2–5. I follow Schmithausen’s emendation of °garbhaḥ sūcyate to °garbhaḥ ity ucyate.
Throughout, both the Uttaratantra and RGVV use the terms "afflictions" and "proximate afflictions" (upakleśa) as synonyms. This differs from the standard abhidharma use of these terms as specifically referring to the six primary afflictions versus the twenty secondary afflictions. Here, however, the use of upakleśa (lit. "close afflictions") might indicate the close association of the obscuring cocoon of the afflictions with the tathāgata heart. CMW (481–82) remarks that in the specific context of the changelessness of the tathāgata heart during the phases of sentient beings and bodhisattvas, RGVV on I.51 speaks of both afflictions and proximate afflictions. According to CMW, "afflictions"in this context refers to the dense afflictions of sentient beings while "proximate afflictions"indicates the subtle afflictions of the latent tendencies of ignorance in bodhisattvas.
Among the twelve links of dependent origination, the afflictiveness of afflictions corresponds to ignorance, craving, and grasping, the afflictiveness of karma to formations and becoming, and the afflictiveness of birth to the remaining seven links. Mipham Rinpoche’s commentary on the Madhyāntavibhāga (’Ju mi pham rgya mtsho 1984e, 769.5–770.2) explains that the afflictiveness of afflictions consists of (a) the causes of wrong views, (b) the causes of the three poisons (passion, aggression, and ignorance), and (c) the striving for rebirth. The remedies for (a)–(c) are the realizations of the three doors to liberation—emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, respectively. The afflictiveness of karma consists of the formation of virtuous and nonvirtuous actions. Its remedy is the realization of the door to liberation that is nonformation. The afflictiveness of birth consists of (a) being born in a new existence, (b) the minds and mental factors that occur in each moment after having born in that existence up through dying, and (c) the continuum of rebirth (the state of dying, the state of birth, and the intermediate state). The remedies for (a)–(c) are the realizations of the lack of birth, the lack of occurrence, and the lack of nature, respectively.
I follow MB prajñāyate against J pravartate.
Obermiller, E. "The Sublime Science of the Great Vehicle to Salvation Being a Manual of Buddhist Monism." Acta Orientalia IX (1931), pp. 81-306.
Takasaki, Jikido. A Study on the Ratnagotravibhāga (Uttaratantra): Being a Treatise on the Tathāgatagarbha Theory of Mahāyāna Buddhism. Serie Orientale Roma 33. Roma: Istituto Italiano per il Medio ed Estremo Oriente (ISMEO), 1966.
Fuchs, Rosemarie, trans. Buddha Nature: The Mahayana Uttaratantra Shastra. Commentary by Jamgon Kongtrul and explanations by Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso. Ithaca, N. Y.: Snow Lion Publications, 2000.

[1] Digital Sanskrit Buddhist Canon Unicode Input

[2] Brunnhölzl, Karl. When the Clouds Part: The Uttaratantra and its Meditative Tradition as a Bridge between Sūtra and Tantra. Boston: Snow Lion Publications, an imprint of Shambhala Publications, 2014.

[3] DP ’gog pa.

[4] Taishō 668, 467b.

[5] YDC (295) explains that improper mental engagement, in its coarse form, refers to wrong notions, such as clinging to what is impermanent as being permanent. In its subtle form, it consists of all conceptions of dualistic appearances. This improper mental engagement dwells within the luminous nature of the mind, the dharmadhātu, just like clouds in the sky (see Uttaratantra I.52–63).

[6] In the Yogācāra system, the typical triad of "mind (citta/sems)," "mentation (manas/ yid)," and "consciousness (vijñāna/rnam shes)"refers to the ālaya-consciousness, the afflicted mind, and the remaining six consciousnesses.

[7] D100, fol. 297a.7–297b.2.

[8] D45.48 (dkon brtsegs, vol. cha), fol. 272a.2–5. I follow Schmithausen’s emendation of °garbhaḥ sūcyate to °garbhaḥ ity ucyate.

[9] Throughout, both the Uttaratantra and RGVV use the terms "afflictions" and "proximate afflictions" (upakleśa) as synonyms. This differs from the standard abhidharma use of these terms as specifically referring to the six primary afflictions versus the twenty secondary afflictions. Here, however, the use of upakleśa (lit. "close afflictions") might indicate the close association of the obscuring cocoon of the afflictions with the tathāgata heart. CMW (481–82) remarks that in the specific context of the changelessness of the tathāgata heart during the phases of sentient beings and bodhisattvas, RGVV on I.51 speaks of both afflictions and proximate afflictions. According to CMW, "afflictions"in this context refers to the dense afflictions of sentient beings while "proximate afflictions"indicates the subtle afflictions of the latent tendencies of ignorance in bodhisattvas.

[10] Among the twelve links of dependent origination, the afflictiveness of afflictions corresponds to ignorance, craving, and grasping, the afflictiveness of karma to formations and becoming, and the afflictiveness of birth to the remaining seven links. Mipham Rinpoche’s commentary on the Madhyāntavibhāga (’Ju mi pham rgya mtsho 1984e, 769.5–770.2) explains that the afflictiveness of afflictions consists of (a) the causes of wrong views, (b) the causes of the three poisons (passion, aggression, and ignorance), and (c) the striving for rebirth. The remedies for (a)–(c) are the realizations of the three doors to liberation—emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, respectively. The afflictiveness of karma consists of the formation of virtuous and nonvirtuous actions. Its remedy is the realization of the door to liberation that is nonformation. The afflictiveness of birth consists of (a) being born in a new existence, (b) the minds and mental factors that occur in each moment after having born in that existence up through dying, and (c) the continuum of rebirth (the state of dying, the state of birth, and the intermediate state). The remedies for (a)–(c) are the realizations of the lack of birth, the lack of occurrence, and the lack of nature, respectively.

[11] I follow MB prajñāyate against J pravartate.

[12] Obermiller, E. "The Sublime Science of the Great Vehicle to Salvation Being a Manual of Buddhist Monism." Acta Orientalia IX (1931), pp. 81-306.

[13] Takasaki, Jikido. A Study on the Ratnagotravibhāga (Uttaratantra): Being a Treatise on the Tathāgatagarbha Theory of Mahāyāna Buddhism. Serie Orientale Roma 33. Roma: Istituto Italiano per il Medio ed Estremo Oriente (ISMEO), 1966.

[14] Fuchs, Rosemarie, trans. Buddha Nature: The Mahayana Uttaratantra Shastra. Commentary by Jamgon Kongtrul and explanations by Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso. Ithaca, N. Y.: Snow Lion Publications, 2000.

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