Text 22.3 (Commentary)

[Guhyagarbha-Tantra, Text section 22.3]

Those who hanker for conceptual elaboration
Of the subject-object dichotomy
Enter into conceptual thoughts,
And so apprehend differences.
Distinctions are indeed arrayed in the levels,
But these are paths which progress to the Secret Nucleus. [3]

[Tibetan]

gzung-'dzin spros-la 'chel-ba-yis /
rnam-rtog zhags-pas so-sor 'dzin /
sa-rnams khyad-par bkod-pa yang /
gsang-ba'i snying-por 'gro-ba'i lam / [3]

Commentary:

[ii. The second teaching that other paths are steps in its direction (comments on Ch. 22.3):]

Those (-yis) living beings who hanker for conceptual elaboration (spros-la 'chel-ba) of the external object (gzung) and the internal subject ('dzin) or mind, and who then wander in the three spheres of existence, enter into (zhugs) endless conceptual thoughts (rnam-rtog) of outside, inside, extraneous entitles and so forth. And so they apprehend differences (-pas so-sor 'dzin), which are suffering.

The master Dignāga says in his Eulogy to Mañjughoṣa (T. 2712):

Apart from conceptual thought.
There is nothing at all
Which is called saṃsāra.

And in the Introduction to the Madhyamaka (T. 3861) it says:

At the outset, the expression "I"
Brings attachment to the self;
And the expression "mine"
Creates attachment to objects.
Obeisance to he who resorts to compassion
For the sake of living beings
Who are powerless as a rotating irrigation wheel.^[1]

In this way, when sentient beings of varying degrees of acumen, who wander in saṃsāra, apply themselves (to the teaching), hierarchical distinctions are indeed arrayed (khyad-par bkod-pa yang) in the levels (sa-rnams) and the paths of the different vehicles.

But these are paths which progress to the ('gro-ba'i lam) natural Secret Nucleus (gsang-ba'i snying-por), and are not themselves the actual unerring and complete path. On their conclusion, one is obliged to enter into that (complete path).^[2]

[iii. The third concerning those types to whom it must not be spoken (comments on Ch. 22.4):]

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Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Tibetan zo-chun 'phyan-ltar rang-dbang med-pa-yi.

[2]:

This clearly pinpoints kLong-chen Rab-'byams-pa's view of the Guhyagarbha as an Atiyoga text. Cf. NSTB, Book 1, Pt. 1. pp. 17b-28a, on the theg-pa'i rim-pa dgu: and Pt. 4, pp. 169a-190a, on the superiority of Atiyoga over lower vehicles.