Chapter VII · NOTES.
Reading edition
“A child said, what is the grass? fetching it to me with full hands; How could I answer the child? I do not know what it is, any more than he.”
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Nirvikalpo ‘smi ciddipo nirahankaravasanaḥ Tvaya ahankarabijena na sambaddho ‘smi asanmaya (31)
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Yathâ bhûtatayâ na ahammano na tvam na vâsanâ Atmâ çuddhacidabhasaḥ kevalo yam vijṛbhate. (44)
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Lakṣyâl lakṣaṇam anyac cet syât tal lakṣyam alakṣanam.
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Rûpâdi vyatirekena yathâ kumbho na vidyate, Vâhyâdi vyatireṇa tathâ rûpam na vidyate.
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Notes in this chapter
Note 1 · Cf. the following which is extracted from the Questions of King Milinda (Sacred Books of the East, vol. XXXV, 133): “If there be a soul [disNote 2 · The following is a somewhat free translation of the original Chinese of Kumârajîva, which pretty closely agrees with the Sanskrit text publiNote 3 · The Sanskrit text does not give this passage. (return)Note 4 · Abstracted from Pingalaka’s Commentary on the Mâdhyamika Çâstra, Chapter VII. The Chinese translation is by Kumârajîva. (return)Note 5 · The passage in parentheses is taken from Chandrakîrti’s Commentary on Nâgârjuna, pp. 180-181. (return)Note 6 · The Twelve Nidânas are: (1) Ignorance (avidyâ), (2) action (sanskâra), (3) Consciousness (vijñâna), (4) Name-and-form (nâmarûpa), (5) Six SeNote 7 · From a Chinese Mahâyâna sutra. (return)Note 8 · The Pâli Jâtaka, no. 222. Translation by W. H. Rouse. (return)Note 9 · Warren’s Buddhism in Translations, p. 214. (return)Note 10 · On the Completion of Karma, by Vasubandhu. Nanjo, No. 1222. (return)Note 11 · The Distinguishing of the Mean, by Vasubandhu. Nanjo, 1248. (return)Note 12 · “Manhattan’s Streets I Saunter’d, Pondering.” I might have quoted the whole poem, if not for limitation of space. (return)Note 13 · The Avatamsaka Sûtra, Chinese translation by Buddhabhadra, fas. XXXIV. (return)Note 14 · That is the Dharmakâya personified. (return)Note 15 · In Hindu philosophy space is always conceived as an objective entity in which all things exist. (return)Note 16 · This should be understood in the sense that “God maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on theNote 17 · The four views are: That the physical body is productive of impurities; that sensuality causes pain; that the individual soul is not permaneNote 18 · That is to say: The Dharmakâya, that assumes all forms of existence according to what class of being it is manifesting itself, is sometimes Note 19 · Asanga’s General Treatise on Mahâyânism. (Mahâyâna samparigraha). (return)Note 20 · The Avatamsaka Sûtra, chap. 13, “On Merit.” (return)Note 21 · This is by no means the case, for some of the Mahâyâna sûtras are undoubtedly productions of much later writers than the immediate followersNote 22 · “Purvapranidhânabala” is frequently translated “the power of original (or primitive) prayer.” Literally, pûrva means “former” or “original” Note 23 · “I am the father of all beings, and they are my children.” (The Avatamsaka, the Pundarîka, etc.) (return)Note 24 · To get more fully acquainted with the significance of the Sukhâvatî doctrine, the reader is advised to look up the Sukhâvatî sûtras in the SNote 25 · Niyuta is an exceedingly large number, but generally considered to be equal to one billion. (return)Note 26 · All these are unhuman forms of existence, including demons, dragon-kings, winged beasts, etc. (return)Note 27 · Our thoughtful readers must have noticed here that the conceptions of the Buddha as entertained by the Mahâsangika School (Great Council) clNote 28 · The Mahâparinibbâna sutta. (return)Note 29 · The notion that great men never die seems to be universal. Spiritually they would never perish, because the ideas that moved them and made tNote 30 · Compare this to the transfigured Christ. (return)Note 31 · May I venture to say that the conception of God as entertained by most Christians is a Body of Bliss rather than the Dharmakâya itself? In sNote 32 · The reader must not think that there is but one Pure Land which is elaborately described in the Sukhâvatî Vyûha Sûtra as the abode of the TaNote 33 · Cf. I Cor. XI. 19 et seq. (return)Note 34 · Kern’s English translation (S. B. E. Vol. XXI), Chap. III, p. 80. (return)Note 35 · It should be noted here that the idea of universal salvation was lacking altogether in the followers of Hînayânism. But what distinguished iNote 36 · To all these questions, the King, having received a uniform denial, exclaims in excitement: “Then, thus, ask as I may, I can discover no NâgNote 37 · “I am absolute, I am the light of intelligence, I am free from the defilement of egoism. O thou that art unreal! I am not bound by thee, theNote 38 · Then comes the conclusion: “In reality, there is no such thing as the ego-soul, nor is there any mine and thine, nor imagination. All this iNote 39 · What do they exactly understand by “svabhâva” whose existence is denied in a particular object as perceived by our senses? This has never be