Text 3.8 (Commentary)

[Guhyagarbha-Tantra, Text section 3.8]

... As for all these (vehicles) too: They concern respectively the dichotomy of object and subject: the outer and inner dependent origination; [the realisation that] this apprehension is exaggerated from bewilderment; the productive nature of deeds and of the results of deeds; and the conclusion revealing that which is uncovered, will not be covered and cannot be covered by deeds or the results of deeds. [8] ...

[Tibetan]

de-dag thams-cad-kyang gzung-ba-dang 'dzin-pa'i / phyi-nang-gi rten-cing 'brel-par 'byung-ba dang / 'dzin-pa 'khrul-pa-las 'dogs-pa [rtogs-pa]-dang / las-dang las-kyi 'bras-bu chud mi-za-ba-dang / las-dang las-kyi 'bras-bus mi-gos / gos-par mi-'gyur / gos-su med-par ston-pa'i mthar-thug-go [8]

Commentary:

The third (the exegesis of the meanins of these vehicles, comments on Ch. 3.8):

As for all these (de-dag thams-cad) doctrinal categories taught within the five vehicles too (kyang), they belong to or concern respectively: the vehicle of pious attendants who, surpassing the intelligence of ordinary beings who uphold (the existence of) gross external objects, know indivisible atomic particles to be the ultimate truth—i.e. they acknowledge a dichotomy of (-pa'i) the object (bzung-ba) without (compounded) self, and (dang) an inner mind or series of indivisible time moments, also without (compounded) self. in this way they apply an antidote for the apprehension by a subject ('dzin) of the components as a self (or inherently existing entity).

Then there is the vehicle of self-centred buddhas who know that the outer (phyi) dependent origination is false because objects of external appearance do not ultimately exist even as indivisible atomic particles, but are relatively understood to resemble a reflected image arising in a pool of water, and who know that, when there is ignorance, (saṃsāra) emerges from habitual tendencies as far as old age and death but that when ignorance is reversed the cycle of saṃsāra is also reversed as far as old age and death. They thus realise that the selfhood of the individual and the selfhood of phenomena which externally appear are nonexistent. So it is that, they meditate on inner dependent origination (nang-gi rten-cing 'brel-bar 'byung-ba) and apply an antidote for the apprehension of selfhood in external objects, which comprise half of phenomena.^[1]

Then there is the vehicle of bodhisattvas who actualise the two kinds of selflessness. They are held to be superior because the bodhisattva establishes, in addition to the previous one-and-a-half parts of selflessness (realised by self-centred buddhas), that the intellect or antidote which is the subject of that meditation, i.e. this mental apprehension ('dzin-pa) of inner phenomena as a self, is itself [exagerated ('dogs-pa)] from (las), or an object of bewilderment ('khrul-pa), and he has the realisation (rtogs-pa)^[2] that it too is non-existent.

The vehicle of sods and humans reveals the productive nature of (chud mi-za-ba-dang) causal deeds (las). positive and negative, and of the results of deeds (las-kyi 'bras-bu), which individually ripen.

Accordingly, it says in the Hundred Parables on Deeds (T. 340):

Deeds are productive even over a hundred aeons.
Once the (appropriate) provisions and time have been obtained.
Their results will ripen in corporeal beings.

This surpasses the tenet of the Outsiders that deeds are without results.^[3]

Further, on the necessity of attaining liberation dependent on the vehicle of sods and humans, the Jewel Garland (T. 4158) says:

If the doctrinal tradition of human beings is well practised.
Progress to the sod realms is not remote;
If the doctrinal tradition of the sods is well practised.
Liberation is sradually approached.

And (in the Collection of Meaningful Expressions. T. 213):

The correct view for a mundane being
Is to possess that which is great;
Even in a thousand lifetimes
One will not turn to evil existences.

And then the supreme vehicle of the unsurpassed secret mantras is the conclusion (mthar-thug-go) or realisation revealins (ston-pa'i) the abidins nature, which is uncovered (mi-gos) with respect to body, will not be covered (gos-par mi-'gyur) with respect to speech, and cannot be covered (cos-su med-par) with respect to mind by those deeds or the results of deeds (las-dang las-kyi 'bras-bus). There are no ordinary appearances because the three media (of body, speech and mind) are known to be the three primordial maṇḍalas (of buddha-body, speech and mind).

[ii. Particular Exegesis of the Mature of Living Beings who are the Object of these Instructions and of their Doctrines (155.6167.1):]

The two topics (discussed in this section) respectively demonstrate that the nature of saṃsāra is reality and that the nature of the doctrine is inexpressible.

The former. on the nature of living beings who are the object of these instructions (156.1-160.3), has six sections. namely: the background motivation; the appearance of saṃsāra through ignorance; the teaching that from the very moment of this appearance its nature is reality; the teaching that bewildering appearances are the miraculous display of mind; the baseless and groundless nature of bewildering ideas: and the teaching that conceptual thought is the display of pristine cognition.

[The first, (the background motivatation. comments on Ch. 3. 9):]

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Footnotes and references:

[1]:

On śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, see above notes 62-67. The distinction between the outer and inner pratītyasamutpāda which deal respectively with physical elements and mental components, is drawn in e.g., NSTB, Book 1, Pt. 3, p.125a.

[2]:

kLong-chen Rab-'byams-pa here reads rtogs-pa. Cf. Lo-chen Dharmaśrī, gsang-bdag dgongs-rgyan. p. 130.4, who reads 'dogs-pa, Both interpretations have been included.

[3]:

I.e. the view of "those of no understanding" (ma-rtogs-pa) and of the Aiśvara and Nihilists among "those of wrong understanding” (log-rtogs-pa). See NSTB, Book 1, Pt. 1, pp. 11b-16a.