Ornament of Abhidharma: A Commentary on Vasubandhu's Abhidharmakosa

The Library of Tibetan Classics is a special series being developed by the Institute of Tibetan Classics aimed at making key classical Tibetan texts part of the global literary and intellectual heritage. Eventually comprising thirty-two large volumes, the collection will contain over two hundred distinct texts by more than a hundred of the best-known authors. These texts have been selected in consultation with the preeminent lineage holders of all the schools and other senior Tibetan scholars to represent the Tibetan literary tradition as a whole. The works included in the series span more than a millennium and cover the vast expanse of classical Tibetan knowledge — from the core teachings of the specific schools to such diverse fields as ethics, philosophy, linguistics, medicine, astronomy and astrology, folklore, and historiography.

Ornament of Abhidharma: A Commentary on Vasubandhu’s Abhidharmakośa

Chim Jampaiyang (ca. 1245–1325)

This lengthy work by a scholar of the Kadam school is the most authoritative Tibetan commentary on Vasubandhu’s Treasury of Abhidharma (Abhidharmakośa), a classic of Buddhist psychology and phenomenology. Chim’s Ornament of Abhidharma (Mdzod ’grel mngon pa’i rgyan) presents a detailed exposition of Vasubandhu’s text alongside a critical treatment of many of the text’s central topics.

In terms of stature and authority, the Treasury of Abhidharma rivals Buddhaghosa’s contemporaneous Theravada classic, The Path of Purification, and deals with such central themes as the nature and causal dynamics of emotions, the typology of mind and mental factors, different heightened meditative states, and karma and its diverse manifestations. Vasubandhu’s work also covers the Buddhist theory of the evolution of both the cosmos and the life within.

Chim’s exposition of this important Buddhist classic is the greatest flowering of Abhidharma studies in Tibet. To this day this monumental work is used as a key textbook in the great monastic universities. It is a veritable encyclopedia, covering all areas of classical Indian Buddhist knowledge.

The single greatest Tibetan commentary on one of the most well-known and cited works of classical Indian Buddhism — now presented for the first time in English.

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"This latest release from the estimable Library of Tibetan Classics presents one of the great works of Tibetan Buddhist scholarship: a thirteenth- century commentary by the Kadampa scholar Chim Jampaiyang on Vasubandhu’s classic Treasury of Abhidharma (Abhidharmakośa). Vasubandhu’s fifth-century work both summarized and critiqued contemporaneous Abhidharma doctrines, and Chim’s work continued this veritable tradition. Chim incorporates the perspectives of a broad range of both earlier and later Abhidharma and Mahāyāna traditions — making this one of the great compendiums of Abhidharma scholasticism in the Buddhist world. This excellent translation will surely become a go-to source on such topics as the psychology of the afflictions, karma, cosmology, and the meditative practices leading to liberation. Moreover, Chim’s work well illustrates the robust rhetorical style of traditional Buddhist debate. The translator and editors have clearly laid out this interchange and sourced Chim’s extensive array of quotations. This is an impressive translation of an impressive work, a requisite for anyone interested in Abhidharma theory and practice, which remain remarkably alive and well to this day."

— WILLIAM S. WALDRON, Middlebury College

Chim Jampaiyang’s virtuoso commentary on Vasubandhu’s classic work provides an unmatched window into the intricate system of Abhidharma thought, as it was mastered and taught for centuries by Tibetan scholars. Ian James Coghlan’s adept translation of this influential, encyclopedic resource will be of great use to scholars and students, and represents a significant contribution to the study of Buddhist philosophy in English.

— JONATHAN C. GOLD, author of Paving the Great Way: Vasubandhu’s Unifying Buddhist Philosophy

Message from the Dalai Lama

THE LAST TWO MILLENNIA witnessed a tremendous proliferation of cultural and literary development in Tibet, the Land of Snows. Moreover, due to the inestimable contributions made by Tibet’s early spiritual kings, numerous Tibetan translators, and many great Indian paṇḍitas over a period of so many centuries, the teachings of the Buddha and the scholastic tradition of ancient India’s Nālandā monastic university became firmly rooted in Tibet. As evidenced from the historical writings, this flowering of Buddhist tradition in the country brought about the fulfillment of the deep spiritual aspirations of countless sentient beings. In particular, it contributed to the inner peace and tranquility of the peoples of Tibet, Outer Mongolia — a country historically suffused with Tibetan Buddhism and its culture — the Tuva and Kalmuk regions in present-day Russia, the outer regions of mainland China, and the entire trans-Himalayan areas on the southern side, including Bhutan, Sikkim, Ladakh, Kinnaur, and Spiti. Today this tradition of Buddhism has the potential to make significant contributions to the welfare of the entire human family. I have no doubt that, when combined with the methods and insights of modern science, the Tibetan Buddhist cultural heritage and knowledge will help foster a more enlightened and compassionate human society, a humanity that is at peace with itself, with fellow sentient beings, and with the natural world at large.

It is for this reason I am delighted that the Institute of Tibetan Classics in Montreal, Canada, is compiling a thirty-two-volume series containing the works of many great Tibetan teachers, philosophers, scholars, and practitioners representing all major Tibetan schools and traditions. These important writings are being critically edited and annotated and then published in modern book format in a reference collection called The Library of Tibetan Classics, with their translations into other major languages to follow later. While expressing my heartfelt commendation for this noble project, I pray and hope that The Library of Tibetan Classics will not only make these important Tibetan treatises accessible to scholars of Tibetan studies, but will create a new opportunity for younger Tibetans to study and take interest in their own rich and profound culture. Through translations into other languages, it is my sincere hope that millions of fellow citizens of the wider human family will also be able to share in the joy of engaging with Tibet’s classical literary heritage, textual riches that have been such a great source of joy and inspiration to me personally for so long.

The Dalai Lama

The Buddhist monk Tenzin Gyatso

Special Acknowledgments

THE INSTITUTE OF TIBETAN Classics expresses its deep gratitude to the Ing Foundation for its generous support of the entire cost of translating this important volume. The Ing Foundation’s long-standing patronage of the Institute of Tibetan Classics has enabled the Institute to support the translation of multiple volumes from The Library of Tibetan Classics. We are deeply grateful to the foundation for offering us the opportunity to share many of the important texts of the Tibetan tradition with wider international readership, making these works truly part of the global literary, intellectual, and spiritual heritage.

We also thank the Scully Peretsman Foundation for its generous support of the work of the Institute’s chief editor, Dr. Thupten Jinpa, enabling him to continue to oversee the ongoing translation work of key Tibetan texts as the chief editor of The Library of Tibetan Classics.

Publisher’s Acknowledgment

THE PUBLISHER WISHES TO extend a heartfelt thanks to the following people who have contributed substantially to the publication of The Library of Tibetan Classics:

Pat Gruber and the Patricia and Peter Gruber Foundation

The Ing Foundation

We also extend deep appreciation to our other subscribing benefactors:

Anonymous, dedicated to Buddhas within

Anonymous, in honor of Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche

Anonymous, in honor of Geshe Tenzin Dorje

Anonymous, in memory of K. J. Manel De Silva — may she realize the truth

Dr. Patrick Bangert

Nilda Venegas Bernal

Serje Samlo Khentul Lhundub Choden and his Dharma friends

Kushok Lobsang Dhamchöe

Tenzin Dorjee

Richard Farris

Gaden Samten Ling, Canada

Evgeniy Gavrilov & Tatiana Fotina

Ginger Gregory

Rick Meeker Hayman

Steven D. Hearst

Heidi Kaiter

Paul, Trisha, Rachel, and Daniel Kane

Land of Medicine Buddha

Diane & Joseph Lucas

Elizabeth Mettling

Russ Miyashiro

the Nalanda Institute, Olympia, WA

Craig T. Neyman

Kristin A. Ohlson

Arnold Possick

Quek Heng Bee, Ong Siok Ngow, and family

Randall-Gonzales Family Foundation

Andrew Rittenour

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the Sharchitsang family

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Kestrel Slocombe

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Richard Toft

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Tsadra Foundation

the Vahagn Setian Charitable Foundation

Ellyse Adele Vitiello

Nicholas C. Weeks II

Claudia Wellnitz

Bob White

Kevin Michael White, MD

Eve and Jeff Wild

and the other donors who wish to remain anonymous.

Contents

General Editor’s Preface

Translator’s Introduction

Technical Note

Ornament of Abhidharma

A Commentary on the Verses of the Abhidharmakośa

1.  Introduction

Preliminary points (1)

Explaining Abhidharma and Treasury (2–3)

Contaminated and uncontaminated phenomena (4–5)

Unconditioned phenomena (5–6):

Space, Analytical cessation, Nonanalytical cessation

Synopsis of the eight parts

PART I. ELEMENTS

2.  Conditioned Phenomena

Core taxonomies of conditioned phenomena (7)

Synonyms of aggregates (7–8)

3.  The Nature of the Five Aggregates

The aggregate of form (9–14):

The five sense faculties, The five sense objects, Nonindicative form

The aggregates of feeling, discernment, and formation (14–15)

The aggregate of consciousness (16–17)

4.  Aggregates, Bases, and Elements

The most condensed taxonomy (18)

Rejecting the consequence of too many elements (19)

Defining aggregates, bases, and elements (20)

The purpose of teaching aggregates, bases, and elements (20)

Set number (21–22)

Fixed sequence (22–24)

How other taxonomies are subsumed in these three (25–28)

5.  Categories of Elements

Five that are demonstrable and so on (29–31)

The investigative and analytical (32–33)

Five possessing a focal object and so on (34–36)

Three types of derivation (37)

Five such as substantial existence (38–39)

Objects to be eliminated by the path of seeing (40)

View and nonview (41–47)

Three, such as those known by two and so on (48)

PART II. FACULTIES

6.  The Nature of the Faculties

Definition of faculty (1–4)

Set number of faculties (5–6)

The nature of the faculties (7–9)

Taxonomies of the faculties (9–13)

How the faculties are obtained and relinquished (14–17)

How one possesses the faculties (17–21)

7.  The Generation of Conditioned Phenomena

Synopsis

How physical states arise (22)

8.  The Generation of Mental factors

How nonphysical states arise (23):

Definition of minds and mental factors, Substantial versus nominal, The presentation of realms and levels, Which mental factors occur in the retinue of which consciousness, The meaning of the term

Determinate mental factors (24–27):

Universal mental states, Virtuous mental states, Afflicted mental states, Nonvirtuous mental states, Specific-afflicted mental states

Indeterminate mental factors (28–31)

Differentiating similar mental factors (32–34)

9.  Fourteen nonassociated formative factors

Overview (35–36)

Obtainment (37–39)

Nonobtainment (39–40)

Homogeneity (41)

The state of nondiscernment (41)

The meditative attainment of nondiscernment (42)

The meditative attainment of cessation (43–44)

The faculty of lifeforce (45)

The four characteristics (45–47)

Collection of nouns, predicated phrases, and letters (47–48)

10.  Causes, Results, and Conditions

The six causes (49–55):

Active cause, Coemergent cause, Homogeneous cause, Concomitant cause, Omnipresent cause, Cause of karmic maturation

The five results (55–61):

Result of karmic maturation, Result of natural outflow, Result of conscious effort, Dominant result, Separational result

The four conditions (61–66):

Objective condition, Dominant condition, Causal condition, Immediately preceding condition

Desire-realm minds and form-realm minds (67–68)

Formless-realm minds and uncontaminated minds (68–71)

Twenty minds (71–73)

PART III. COSMOLOGY

11.  Classification and Attributes of Sentient Beings

Sentient beings in the three realms (1–3)

The five types of reincarnating beings (4)

Abodes of consciousness and beings (5–8)

12.  Birth of Sentient Beings

Birth processes (8–12)

Attributes of birth (13–17)

13.  Twelve Links of Dependent Origination

Existence of sentient beings (18–19)

Dependent origination in three phases (20–25)

How the twelve links are subsumed in the three afflicted states (26)

Classification of cause and effect (26–27)

Explaining the meaning of the sūtras (28)

Continuous dependent origination (28–36)

Metaphors for the links (36–37)

14.  Birth, Food, and Death

The four types of existence (37–38)

Foods that sustain life (38–41)

The death of sentient beings (42–44):

The mind at the moment of death, The process of death, What happens after death

15.  The Physical Cosmos

The stages and dimensions of the physical cosmos (45–49)

Mount meru and the oceans (49–53)

The continents (53–57)

16.  The Domains of Sentient Beings

The domains of unfortunate births (58–59)

The domains of demigods

The domains of gods (60)

The seasons (61–62)

The domains on Mount Meru and in space (63–74)

Physical measure and lifespan of beings (75–85)

17.  Units of Measurement and Other Matters

The measure of matter (85–88)

The measure of time (88–89)

Eons (89–95)

Universal monarchs (95–97)

The destruction of world systems (97–102)

PART IV. KARMA

18.  The Theory of Action

The nature of karma (1–2)

Indicative form (2–3):

Indicative form of the body, Indicative form of speech

Nonindicative form (4–6)

Distinguishing indicative and nonindicative form (7–12):

Difference of nature and level, Classification of virtue, nonvirtue, and neutral states

19.  Detailed Classification of Indicative Form

Overview (13)

Pratimokṣa vows (14–17)

Absorption and uncontaminated vows (17–18)

How vows are possessed (19–25)

How vows are obtained (26–37)

How vows are relinquished (38–42)

Difference of karmic agent (43–44)

20.  Elaboration of Karma Found in the Sūtras: Part 1

Classification in three divisions (45–48)

Karma to be experienced (49–59)

Classification in four, such as white and black (59–63)

Silence and purification (64)

Positive and negative action (65–66)

Ten virtuous and ten nonvirtuous actions (66–86):

Indicative and nonindicative form, Motivation, Basis, Nature of action, The number of karmic paths that arise simultaneously with intention, How they are possessed, Results

Karma and its results (87–94)

Appropriate and inappropriate karma (94)

Projecting karma and completing karma (95)

21.  Elaboration of Karma Found in the Sūtras: Part 2

The three obscurations (96–97)

The five heinous acts (98–105)

The five near-heinous acts (106–12)

Merit, action, and basis (112–25):

The outcome of generosity, How to give, Excellent fields of generosity, Heavy and light karma, The basis of merit and action, The giving of Dharma, Twelve branches of scripture

The three conducive factors (125)

The three karmas engaged by cognition (126–27)

PART V. NEGATIVE TENDENCIES

22.  The Nature of Negative Tendencies

The ten processes (1)

The six main negative tendencies (1–11)

23.  The Typology of Negative Tendencies

Pervasive and nonpervasive negative tendencies (12–13)

Those focusing on the contaminated and uncontaminated (14–16)

How they increase (17–18)

Those that are nonvirtuous or neutral (19)

The roots of nonvirtuous and neutral states (20–22)

How one possesses them (23–28)

How phenomena {and minds} become their objects (29–32)

The sequence of their arising (32–33)

Causes giving rise to them (34)

24.  The Taxonomy of the Contaminants and So On in the Sūtras

Contaminants (35–36)

Floods and bonds (37)

Appropriators (38)

The meaning of the name negative tendency and so on (39–40)

Fetters (41–45)

Ties (45)

Branch afflictions (46)

Entanglements (48–49)

Stains (49–51)

Their specific attributes (51–58)

The five obscurations (59)

25.  How Negative Tendencies Are Eliminated

The actual method of abandoning negative tendencies (60)

Types of antidotes (61–62)

Perfect knowledge, the result of abandoning negative tendencies (63–70)

PART VI. PATHS AND BEINGS

26.  The Four Noble Truths

Overview (1)

The four noble truths, the focal object (2–4)

27.  The Stages of Realization

Overview (5)

The path of accumulation (6–16):

The practitioner of the path, Calm abiding, Generating insight, The general principles of the path, Detailed explanation of the path of accumulation

The path of preparation (17–25)

The path of seeing (25–29)

28.  Classifications of Ārya Beings

Eightfold classification of ārya beings (29–32):

Āryas previously freed from attachment, Serial abandoners

Enterers and abiders in stream entry (33–34)

Enterers and abiders in once return (35–36)

Enterers and abiders in nonreturn (37–43):

Enterers and abiders in the state of arhat (44–45)

29.  Specific Attributes of Ārya Beings

Specific level and path (45–49)

Specific elimination and nonarising (50)

Specific principle of result (51–53)

The wheel of Dharma (54)

Specific realm and classification (55–57)

Specific type and degeneration (57–58)

Specific upgrade of intellectual faculty (58–62)

Sevenfold classification of ārya beings (63–64)

Twofold classification of ārya beings (64–65)

30.  The Path of Realization

Classification of the path (65–66)

The path conducive to enlightenment (67–79):

Substantial existence and nominal existence, Sequence of the seven divisions, Nature of the factors, Faith through knowledge, The ten attributes of a nonlearner

PART VII. EPISTEMOLOGY

31.  Perseverance, Knowledge, and View

Distinguishing perserverance, knowledge, and view (1)

The nature and types of knowledge (2–7)

Set number (8–9)

Aspects of knowledge (10–14)

Levels and the basis of knowledge (14–15)