The Relationship between
the Madhyamakapañcaskandhaka and the Ratnāvalī:
With a Focus on the Parallel Passages in the Definitions of
the Defiled Elements
Y
OKOYAMA
Takeshi
1. Introduction
Candrakīrti s Madhyamakapañcaskandhaka (MPSk), preserved only in its Tibetan translation, is a concise treatise which explains the fundamental elements (dharmas) of human existence and introduces Buddhist beginners to the theory of non-self. The main part of this text is devoted to presenting the Abhidharma categories of the Sarvāstivādas and the author, in some parts, adds in supplements and modifications on the basis of the Madhyamaka thought. Due to the character of the text, the MPSk has become one of the most significant sources used to investigate the Madhyamaka s understanding of Sarvāstivāda theories.
In order to clarify the background to the establishment of the MPSk, in this paper, I investigate its relationship to Nāgārjuna s Ratnāvalī (RᾹ). As far as this relationship is concerned, Uryūzu 1978 pointed out that the theory of the interdependency of the Great Elements (mahābhūtas) in the MPSk, which notes the absence of their intrinsic nature, is based on Nāgārjuna s theory of non-self as regards the elements (dharma-nairātmya)
presented in the first chapter of the RᾹ.1) As I demonstrated in my previous paper, Yokoyama
2014, the section concerning the categories in Abhayākaragupta s Munimatāla
ṃ
kāra(MMA) is based on the MPSk. As regards this section of the MMA, a recent Sanskrit text, Li and Kanō 2015, has been published and thus it is now possible to assemble some parts of the Sanskrit passage of the MPSk from the MMA. These Sanskrit passages of the MPSk present new evidence of its relationship to the RᾹ.
RᾹ. Then, I indicate their relationship on the basis of the fact that there are parallel passages in the definitions of the defiled elements.
2. Identical Defiled Elements found in the MPSk and the Fifth Chapter of the
RᾹ
The fifth chapter of the RᾹ is devoted to the description of the correct conduct of the bodhisattvas. It begins with a presentation of the defiled elements, which are those which
should be abandoned.2) As regards those defiled elements, the following nineteen are
identical in the MPSk and the RᾹ: anger (krodha), enmity (upanāha), concealment (mrakṣa), adherence (pradāśa), deceptiveness (māyā), dissimulation (śāṭhya), jealousy
(īrṣyā), stinginess (mātsarya), absence of shame vis-à-vis oneself (āhrīkya),3) absence of
shame vis-à-vis others (anapatrāpya), arrogance (mada), non-diligence (pramāda), conceit (māna), greed (lobha), torpidity (styāna), drowsiness (middha), restlessness (auddhatya),
regret (kauk
ṛ
tya), and doubt (vicikitsā).4)3. Parallel Passages in the Definitions of the Defiled Elements
In respect of those nineteen elements, parallel passages can be found in the definitions of the following eight: anger, concealment, adherence, dissimulation, jealousy, arrogance,
restlessness, and regret.5) Here I present their definitions and translation, and indicate the
parallel parts in bold. Anger:
MPSk: khro ba ni sems rab tu khrug pa o // de la gnod sems ni sems1) kyi yul la kun nas mnar
sems pa yin la / khro ba ni sems can daṅ sems can ma yin pa i yul la yaṅ kun nas mnar sems pa tsam mo // rnam par tshe ba ni khros par gyur pas so sor ma brtags2) par gźan dag la khu tshur daṅ
thal lcag la sogs pas rab tu rdeg par byed pa i rgyu yin no // des na gnod sems daṅ(3rnam par tshe
ba ma yin pa i sems3) rnam par khrug pa tsam ni khro ba o // 1) sic read sems can. 2) btags
P 3) om. P (D 262b3–5, P 301a3–5)
Anger is fury (prakopa) of the mind. Here, while malice (vyāpāda) is a [specific] rage (āghāta)
against sentient beings, anger is a general rage, not only against sentient beings but also against non-sentient beings. Violence (vihiṃsā) is a cause of provoking someone, who becomes angry, to hit others with a slap or a fist without consideration. Thus, general fury of the mind, which is not malice or violence, is anger.
MMA: krodhaḥ sattvāsattvaviṣayaṃ cittaprakopamātram / pratyutpannam āgamya yā tasyaiva cetaso raudratā sa roṣaḥ // (p. 30, ll. 15–16)
RᾹ: krodhaś cittaprakopo V.3 (p. 132, l. 10)
Concealment:
MPSk: chab pa ni kha na ma tho ba rab tu mkhyud1) pa ste / phags pa rnams kyis smad pa ni
kha na ma tho ba o // de rab tu mkhyud2) pa ni gźan la rab tu mi ston pa o // de ni chab pa ste / gaṅ
gis gaṅ zag de kha na ma tho bas bdag ñid śin tu sbags śiṅ mi gtsaṅ bar byed pa o // 1) 2) 'khyud
P (D 262b5–6, P 301a5–6)
Concealment is hiding evil. Something that is condemned by venerable people is evil. Hiding it
means not exposing [it] to others. That is concealment. Due to this [element], one pollutes himself and makes himself impure with evil.
MMA: pāpapracchādanaṃ mrakṣaḥ // (p. 30, l. 17) RᾹ: pāpapracchādanaṃ mrakṣaḥ V.3 (p. 132, l. 12)
Adherence:
MPSk: tshig pa ni sdig pa la rab tu źen1) pa o // chos gaṅ daṅ ldan pas sdig pa las mi zlogs2) pa
ste / mche ba am sen mos bzuṅ ba ltar sdig pa rab tu bzuṅ nas gnas pa ni tshig pa o // 1)
gnas P
2) ldog P (D 262a2–3, P 300a8–b1)
Adherence is clinging to evil. When [ones mind is] associated with this element, he does not get away from evil. Like seizing between one s teeth or by one s nails, seizing evil and staying [with it] is adherence.
MMA: pradāśaḥ pāpaprasaṅgitā / dantair iva pāpaṃ pradaśya sthiteḥ // (p. 29, l. 16) RᾹ: pradāśaḥ pāpasaṅgitā // V.3 (p. 132, l. 13)
Dissimulation:
MPSk: g-yo ni sems kyi mi (1dran pa1) ste / g-yo i ṅo bo2) ni g-yo ñid do // de la g-yo źes bya ba ni
chos gaṅ daṅ ldan pas sems kyi rgyun gya gyu ba ste / ji ltar gnas pa i tshul daṅ tshul ma yin pa mi ston pa mi dran3) źiṅ mi gsal bar źugs pa ni g-yo źes bya o // 1)
sic read draṅ ba. 2) om. D 3) sic
read draṅ. (D 262a4, P 300b2–4)
Dissimulation is non-straightfowardness of the mind. The essence of being dissimulative is the nature of dissimulation. Here, what we call dissimutation is the element, and when [one s mind being] associated with this, [one s] mental continuity is distorted. Not displaying correct and incorrect things as they are and making [things] non-straightfoward and unclear is called
dissimulation.
MMA: yaddharmayogād yathāvasthitanyāyānyāyāvedanena kauṭilyenāsphuṭipravrṭtiḥ / tat śāṭhyaṃ
cittasantānajihmatā // (p. 29, l. 18–p. 30, l. 1)
RᾹ: śāṭhyaṃ cittasaṃtānajihmatā / V.4 (p. 132, ll. 14–15)
Jealousy:
MPSk: phrag dog ni gźan gyi yon tan gyis gduṅ ba ste /1) chos gaṅ daṅ ldan na gaṅ daṅ gaṅ du
pha rol la2) thos pa daṅ / tshul khrims daṅ / gtoṅ ba daṅ / gzugs la sogs pa i yon tan tshogs pa ñe bar
dmigs pa de daṅ der gaṅ zag de la naṅ du śin tu gduṅ ba byuṅ ste / chos de ni phrag dog ces bya bar brjod de / 3) de ni phrag dog gi kun tu4) sbyor ba o // 1) om. D 2) du D 3) D inserts chos. 4) du D (D 259a1–2, P 297a3–4)
Jealousy is being tormented by the merits of others. When [ones mind is] associated with this element, every time he recognizes merits such as knowledge, morality, giving, or good looks in others, a severe torment arises in him. That element is called jealousy. That is a fetter (saṃyojana) of jealousy.
MMA: īrṣyā paraguṇais tāpaḥ // (p. 27, l. 19) RᾹ: īrṣyā paraguṇais tāpo V.4 (p. 132, l. 16)
Arrogance:
MPSk: rgyags pa i1) kheṅs pa ste dregs pa o // gaṅ gi stobs kyis gźan la brñas pa daṅ bcas pa i lus
daṅ sems kyi rgyun byuṅ2) ba o // 1) sic read pa ni. 2) byuṅ D (D 262a1–2, P 300a7–8)
Arrogance is being haughty, or haughtiness. When influenced by this [element], physical and
mental continuity, which possesses sarcasm toward others arises.
MMA: mado darpo dṛptatā yadbalāt pareṣu sāvagītakāyacittasantāno bhavati // (p. 29, l. 14) RᾹ: mado darpaḥ V.6 (p. 134, l. 1)
Restlessness:
MPSk: rgod pa ni lus daṅ sems rab tu ma źi ba ñid daṅ / ji ltar rluṅ daṅ brel bas chu steṅ du bskyod na chu kluṅ gi chu i cha steṅ du byuṅ ba ni rgod pa o // de bźin du sems las byuṅ ba gaṅ lus daṅ sems ma źi bar jug pa i rgyu mtshan ni rgod pa o // (D 262a7–b1, P 300b7–8)
Restlessness is physical and mental non-tranquilness. For example, when the surface of water is
blown by the wind, part of the water arises upwards. That is restlessness. Similarly, the mind concomitant, which is a cause of making the body and the mind non-tranquil, is restlessness.
MMA: ––––––6)
RᾹ: auddhatyaṃ kāyacittāpraśāntatā // V.32 cd (p. 144, ll. 7–8)
Regret:
MPSk: gyod pa ni ṅan par byas pa i dṅos po la phyis gduṅ źiṅ mya ṅan byed pa ste / phyi nas gduṅ ba las byuṅ ba i yid la gcags pa ni gyod pa o // (D 262b1–2, P 300b8–301a1)
Regret is being tormented and distressed afterwards about things which have been done badly.
Repentance which arises later from torment is regret. MMA: ––––––6)
RᾹ: kaukṛtyaṃ kukṛte śokaḥ paścāt tāpasamudbhavaḥ / V.33 (p. 144, ll. 9–10)
In those definitions, the parallels correspond to the core or the key passage of each definition. In addition to this, as far as I investigated, these parallel phrases cannot be found in the definitions in other available Sarvāstivāda or Yogācāra texts. Therefore, they can be presented as evidence for the relationship between the MPSk and the RᾹ.
4. Conclusion
In this paper, I presented new evidence for the relationship between the MPSk and the RᾹ on the basis of the parallel passages in the definitions of the defiled elements. Due to the fact that there are no parallels in the definitions of the other eleven elements, I cannot definitively conclude that the author of the MPSk based his theories on or referred to the RᾹ when he composed his text. However, the identical theory of the interdependence of the Great Elements, which Uryūzu 1978 pointed out, indicates that the MPSk possibly belongs to the same doctrinal tradition as the RᾹ as far as the Madhyamaka theories are concerned. Similarly, bearing in mind those parallel passages in the definition of the defiled elements, it is also possible to consider that they belong to the same doctrinal tradition in part as regards the Abhidharma theories as well.
Notes
1) See RᾹ, I.83–90. 2) For the list of the defiled elements in the fifth chapter of the RᾹ and a problem concerning their number, see Hahn 1982. 3) ahrīkatā in the RᾹ; āhrīka in the MMA.
4) Sensual-desire (kāmacchanda) and malice (vyāpāda) are also found in both texts. However, the MPSk does not regard them as major elements to be defined. It uses these terms in the definitions of other elements. 5) For the definition of drowsiness, while the MMA and the RᾹ include the same phrase
middhaṃ nidrā, the MPSk does not include it. 6) The MMA indicates the terms of restlessness and regret in the enumeration of the envelopments (paryavasthānas). However, it does not present their definitions.
Abbreviations and Primary Sources
MMA Li Xuezhu 李学竹, and Kanō Kazuo 加納和雄, eds. Bonbun kōtei Muni ishu shōgon dai isshō (fol. 48r4–58r5): Chūgan goun-ron ni motozuku issaihō no kaisetsu 梵文校訂『牟尼意趣荘厳』第 一章（fol. 48r4–58r5）：『中観五蘊論』にもとづく一切法の解説. Mikkyō bunka 密教文化 234 (2015): 7–44.
MPSk Phuṅ po lṅa'i rab tu byed pa (Pañcaskandhaprakaraṇa). D no. 3866 ya 239b1–266b7, P no. 5267 ya 273b6–305b5.
RᾹ Nāgārjuna's Ratnāvalī. Ed. Michael Hahn. Bonn: Indica et Tibetica Verlag, 1982.
Secondary Sources
Hahn, Michael. 1982. On a Numerical Problem in Nāgārjuna s Ratnāvalī. In Indological and Buddhist Studies, ed. L. A. Hercus et al., 161–185. Canberra: Faculty of Asian Studies.
Uryūzu Ryūshin 瓜生津隆真. 1978. Chūgan-gakuha ni okeru Abidaruma: Gesshō zō Goun-ron kanken 中観学派におけるアビダルマ：月称造『五蘊論』管見. In vol. 3 of Sanzōshū 三藏集, ed. Serikawa Hiromichi 芹川博道, 185–192. Tokyo: Daitō Shuppannsha.
Yokoyama Takeshi 横山剛. 2014. Muni ishu shōgon (Munimatālaṃkāra) ni okeru issaihō no kaisetsu: Gesshō zō Chūgan goun-ron tono kanren wo megutte 『牟尼意趣荘厳』（Munimatālaṃkāra）におけ る一切法の解説：月称造『中観五蘊論』との関連をめぐって. Mikkyō bunka 密教文化 233: 51–77.
Key words Candrakīrti, チャンドラキールティ, Madhyamakapañcaskandhaka, 中観五蘊論,
Nāgārjuna, ナーガールジュナ, Ratnāvalī, 宝行王正論, kleśa, 煩悩
