Vasubandu's Thirty Verses on the Realization of Mere Concept (Trimsika Vijñaptimatratasiddhi)

Vasubandu's Thirty Verses on the Realization of Mere Concept (Trimsika Vijñaptimatratasiddhi) Commentary by Tenshin Reb Anderson Roshi Preface In his brief work of thirty verses, Vasubandu describes the conscious and unconscious psychological processes that give rise to the perception of self and other, the reification of their apparent separation, and the afflictive phenomena that arise dependent on such reification. He also describes these phenomena in both their superficial and ultimate modes. Thus he provides a means of studying and realizing the Middle Way through meditation on our psychological experience. The following material is a partially edited transcription of classes and Dharma talks given at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center during the 1994 Fall practice period. This is a work in progress which we hope to fill out with future classes and seminars early in the next century. Tenshin Reb Anderson October 1999 Vijñaptimatratasiddhi Trimsika-vijñapti-karika Thirty Verses of Vasubandhu 1. Whatever, indeed, is the variety of ideas of self and elements that prevails, it occurs in the transformation of consciousness. Such transformation is threefold, [namely,] 2. the resultant, what is called mentation, as well as the concept of the object. Herein, the consciousness called alaya, with all its seeds, is the resultant. 3. It is unidentified in terms of concepts of object and location, and is always possessed of [activities such as] contact, attention, feeling, perception and volition. 4. In that context, the neutral feeling is uninterrupted and is not defined. So are contact, etc. And it proceeds like the current of a stream. 5. Its (i.e. alaya's) dissipation occurs in arhatship. Associated with this process and depending upon it occurs the consciousness called manas, which is of the nature of mentation. 6. Endowed with the four types of defilements, constantly concealed and undefined, involving self-view, self-confusion, self- esteem and self-love, 7. And also possessed of other forms of contact, etc. (i.e. attention, feeling, perception and volition) born of such (self-view etc.) and made of such (self-view, etc.). It is not found in the worthy one, nor in the state of cessation nor in the supra-mundane path. 8. Such is the second transformation. The third represents the acquisition of the sixfold object, and this is either good, bad or indeterminate. 9. That [acquisition of the sixfold object] is associated with wholesome psychological conditions, both universal and particular, and similarly with primary as well as secondary defilements. That includes the threefold feeling. 10. The first [i.e., universals] are contact, etc. Yearning, resolve, memory together with concentration and wisdom are particulars. Confidence, shame and remorse, 11. The triad consisting of absence of greed, etc., effort, diligence and non-violence are wholesome [psychological conditions]. The [primary] defilements are lust, aversion and confusion, 12. pride, view and doubt. Furthermore, anger, enmity, hypocrisy, malice, envy, avarice along with deception, 2 13. fraudulence, self-esteem, violence, shamelessness, remorselessness, deceitfulness, stupidity, lack of confidence, sluggishness, indolence and forgetfulness, 14. distraction, inattentiveness, worry, sloth, reflection and investigation-these are the secondary defilements, the last two being twofold [defiled and non-defiled]. 15. The arising of the five forms of consciousness, together or separately, within the foundational consciousness is like the waves in the water. 16. The manifestation of mental consciousness takes place always, except in the sphere of non-perception, in the two attainments and in the state of torpor occasioned by insensibility and absence of thought. 17. Thus, thought involves this transformation of consciousness. For that reason, what has thus been thought of does not exist. Therefore, all this is mere concept. 18. Consciousness, indeed, possesses all seeds. Its transformation occurs in a variety of ways. It proceeds on the basis of mutual dependence as a result of which such and such thoughts are born. 19. Karmic dispositions, together with the two dispositions of grasping, produces another resultant when the previous resultant has waned. 20. Whatever thought through which an object is thought of as a substance, that indeed is a fabrication. It is not evident. 21. A dependent self-nature is a thought that has arisen depending upon conditions. However, the absence of the one prior to it is always the accomplished. 22. Thus, it [i.e., the accomplished] should be declared to be neither identical nor different from the dependent, like impermanence, etc. When that [i.e., the dependent] is not perceived, this too is not perceived. 23. The non-substantiality of all elements has been preached for the sake of [establishing] the threefold non-substantiality of the three types of substances. 24. The first is non-substantial in terms of characteristics. The other, again, is one that possesses no self-nature and, as such, is a different [form of] non-substantiality. 25. [The third is] the ultimate meaning of events, because it is also suchness. Since it remains such all the time, it, indeed, is a mere concept. 26. As long as consciousness does not terminate in mere concept, so long will the dispositions for the twofold grasping not cease. 27. Indeed, one who, on account of one's grasping, were to place some thing before herself [saying]: “This is mere concept,” will not stop at “mere-ness.” 28. When consciousness with object is not obtained, then there being no object, one is established in the state of mere concept, for there is no grasping for it. 29. It is without thought and without object. It is also the supramundane knowledge. Through the destruction of the twofold depravities, there is reversion of the source [of such depravities]. 30. This, indeed, is the realm free from influxes. It is unthinkable, wholesome and stable. It is the serene body of release. This is called the doctrine of the Great Sage. Dharma Talk October 5, 1994 I hope that during this practice period we can discover, clarify, and develop the ultimate concern of our life. "Ultimate concern" is another way to express faith. so I would like to begin by considering our faith. I don't want to talk you into something. I can tell you about my faith and encourage you to discover what your faith is, what your ultimate concern is. It might very well be the same as mine; we'll see. I like the expression "ultimate concern" because it protects us from the usual idea of faith as "I believe in something over there." Some people may believe in something as good, but they may not be intimate with it. Ultimately, what are you concerned with? In the end, when it comes down to the end of your life and the beginning of your life, what is it? 3 The root of the word "concern" is "to relate to, to be involved with." It refers to being mixed in a sieve, before sifting, before you're separated. You can be together with something, and then a moment later, the sieve can shake, and you're separated from it. What is the ultimate thing that you are concerned with, that you're together with, and that you can also be separate from? Each of us gets to find that out. My ultimate concern is enlightenment. This is the same as saying that my ultimate concern is zazen. Ultimate concern also means that which you would give everything else up for. What is it that I trust; that by taking care of, everything else falls into place? As far as I can tell, in the Zen tradition, the ultimate concern of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas was enlightenment. They spent their whole lives as Bodhisattvas thinking of one thing – enlightenment, Bodhi. When they were thinking about other things, they were just in error, which they then would confess and repent, which is also part of the practice. I'm pointing to the mind which is prior to this separation between people and enlightenment, between delusion and enlightenment. It's also prior to the distinction between the possible and impossible. A lot of people have said to me that enlightenment seems to be too lofty; they don't even like to think about it. We don't use the word very much; it's almost taboo. It is fine to say that you don't think enlightenment is possible for you. We're talking about something prior to your opinion of possible and impossible, something more basic; something more fundamental than whether you or I or anybody has ever been enlightened, or can be. I'm not concerned with opinions about whether or not enlightenment is possible. I am interested in studying the mind which makes the distinction between delusion and enlightenment. I am interested in studying the evolution of the mind of delusion, the psychology of ignorance and attachment. Later, we will study a text which shows how the mind evolves to create a sense of self and other, to develop a sense of separation, of delusion and enlightenment; how the mind evolves in order to create objects, form attachments and then cause various kinds of afflictions. Before studying such a teaching I would like us to be clear about our basic concern. When I say that all the Bodhisattvas have always only thought of one thing and never anything else - I don't mean that they necessarily go around saying "Bodhi, Bodhi" all the time. To always think of Bodhi doesn't mean you are always thinking of the word "Bodhi." It means that you're thinking of something which is never stuck anywhere, that you're constantly thinking of what is never stuck, that you're constantly thinking of what is always free.

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