Abbidbarmasamuccaya The Compendium of the Higher Teaching (Philosophy) by Asanga Originally translated into French and annotated by \WALPOLA RAHULA English version from the French by SARA BOIN-WEBE, prod an) Ly ® lait ASIAN HUMANITIES PRESS ‘Fremont, California“This boole was orginally published in French as Le Compendium de a supercdocrine (Phlosopbie) (Abbidbarmasamuccaye) dAsanga, Pubvicaons de ole fangaise dEstéme-Onent, vo. LOXVIN, Paris cole fancabe dExuéme-Orent, 1971. It is here wanslated 1x0 English and published with kind permission of the Ecole franeaise txzéme- Orient. Library of Congres Cataloging in Publistion Data sang Uabhidharmasamaccaya English] Abhidharmasamuccaya = the compendium ofthe higher teach sng (Philosopty)/ by Asenga ranslated and annesated by Walpola ala ;Engish version by Sara Bovn- Webb, pom ‘Transat from the French version of the original sans. Inclies bibliographical references and index ISBN 089581-941-4 (loth: alk. pape) Tile: Compendium of the higher teaching (philosophy? 1, Walpola Rahul IL, Boin-Webb, Sar. ‘BQ 3080.A2522 A3413 2000 294 395-de21 00-080590 Copyright © 2001 by Sara Boin-Webbs All ights reserved. No pat of this book may be reproduced, stored in a revieval system, or ans sited, in any form or by any means, elecronic mechanical, photo copying, recocding or otherwise, without the wiiten permission ofthe publisher except for brief passages quoted in a review: Table of Contents AarenOs y ‘ACINONIEDENENTS. Bs Inmovvcnon 1. Asanga x 1, Abbidhaemasamuceaya xvi Ul. The Translation svi {MIE COMPENDIUM OF THE HIGHER TEACHING I. The Compendium of Characteristics (Laksaniasamuceaya) curren One Section One; Three Dharmas (standha, dba ayaa). 1 Section Two: Dain of Aspe (praprabibed) 29 Curren Two--Grouping (samgraba) a Gurren Trmei—Conjunction (samprayaga) m CChagren Foor—Accompaniment (samaneagama) 7 1. The Compendium of Determining (Viniécayasamuceaya) Cartan Ome—Determining the Truths (Satyavintscaya) ‘Section One: Dubbhasatya a1 Section Two: Samudayasatya 4 Section Three: Nirodbasatya 133 Section Four: Margasana. Mo Gurr Two—Determining the Teaching (Dbarma- insscaya) 18 Cauprm Ti=Determining Aquisiions (Praptivintscaya) Section One: Definition of Individuals (pudgala avastband). 196 Section Two, Definition of Comprehension Cabbisamayavyavasthana). a8 (Gurren Fors—Determining Dialectic (Sarmbathya ins$696) nn me Gvossant Sanskrit English 237 Arrest. Rivtrw J. W. oF Jone 21 eee 301Abbreviations [A= Anguttaranihaya (PTS 00, except where otherwise ced) ‘Abhidh-sam = Abbidbarmasamuccaya, ed. V. V. Gokhale (Journal ofthe Bombay Branch, Royal Asiatic Soctety, NS. vol. 23, 1947), and ed. Pralhad Pradhan, Visvabharat, Santiniketan, 1950 Abhisaigaha = Abbidbammathasangaha, ed. Devemita, Co Tombo, 1929 Bacau: Sectes = Andié Bareau, Les Sectes Bouddbiques du Petit. Vebicule, BFEO, Paris, 1955 BEFEO = Bullerin of the EFEO BHS = Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Bodh, bhOmi = Bodbisatteabhami, ed. U. Wogihara, Tokyo, 1930 D = Dighanikaya (PTS ed) Databhiomi » Dasabbamikasaira, ed. J. Rabder, Paris and Towvain, 1926 Dhp = Dbammapada PTS ed.) Dhpa = Dhp Afbakatba, the Commentary on the Dhp (PTS ed) Dhs = Dhammasangani (PTS ed.) DhsA » the Commentary on the Dhs (PTS ed) IBFEO = Ecole Frangaise d'Extréme-Orient Gokhale see Abhidh-sam HistBudCey. = Walpola Rahula, A History of Buddbiom in Ceylon, Colombo, 1956 Histind.Liz = M. Winternite, A History of Indian Literature, vol. 1, Caleuta, 1927, vol Tl, 1933; repr. Delhi, 1993 IQ = Indian Historical Quarterly iy = Ieeuttaka (PTS ed.) JA Jataka, ed. Fausbell, London, 1877 RAS = Journal of the Royal Astatie Soctety“ Abbreviations Katha = Katbavattbu (PTS ed.) Koss = LAbbidharmahota de Vasubandbu tr and ann. L de La Vallée Poussin, Pars, 1923-31, repr. 1971 Kosakiviki ~ Abbidharmabosahariba, ed. V. V. Gokhale, JRAS, Bombay Branch, vol. 22, 1946 lank = Lankavaiarasaira, ed. Bunya Nanjo, Kyoto, 1923 M= Maybimanikaya (TS ed.) MA = the Commentary on M (PTS ed) Mhv « Mabavamsa (PTS ed.) Nez = Cullaniddesa (PTS ed.) Pancavim » Paricavimsarisdbasrikaprajhaparamit, ed. Nalinaksa Dutt, Landon, 1934 Pradhan ~ see Abhidh-sam PTS = Pali Text Society, London, then Oxford Pug = Puggalapana (PTS ed) 5 ~ Samyuttanibaya (PTS ed.) Samdhi = Samdbinirmocanasttra, LExplication des Mystere, Tibetan texted, and tr. Etienne Lamotte, Louvain and Pasi, 1935 Samgraha = La Somme du Grand Vébicule dAsanga (Maba "nasamgraba), i. ienne Lamowte, Louvain, 1938, cep. 1973 Siddhi = Vipaptimavraiasiddbi, La Siddbi de Hiuan-Tsang, and ann. L. de La Vallée Poussin, Paris, 1928 Smp = Samantapasadiba, Commentary on the Vinays, Co- ombo, 1900 sn = Suttanipata (PTS ed.) SnA = Suttanipata Aubakatba (Paramatthajotika WD, Comsmen- tary on Sn (PTS ed.) Soualamkara = Mahayanasdiralambara, ed. Sylvain Levi, Paris, 1907 Trimsikx = Viplaptimatratasiddli, deus traits de Vasubandu, Virnsatiea et Trims, ed. Sylvain Levi, Pars, 1925, "The Life ~ The Lyf of Vasu bandbu by Paramartba (499- te J. Fakakusu, Toung Pao 5, 1904; offpr. Leiden, 1904 Ud = Liana (PTS ed) Yoh = Vibbanga (PTS ed) Vism © Visuddbimagea (PTS ed) 3, Abbreviations wi ‘Tiles mentioned in the notes (not in above lis Demiévile, P., “Le Yogacarabhami de Saigharaksa,* BEFEO XUV, 2 419540, pp, 339-136 Edgerton, BHSD = F. Edgerton, Buddbist Hybrid Sanserit Dict. nary, New Haven, 1953, repr. Delhi, 1970, 1998 Frauwaliner,E,, On the Date of the Buddbist Master of the Law Vasuibandbu (SOR Ill, ISMEO), Rome, 1951 PISD = Pali Text Society's Palt-English Dictionary, London, 1921, repr. 1972, Delhi, 1994 Sarathchandra, ER,, The Buddbist Psychology of Perception, Colombo, 1958 Sichetbatsky, Th, Buddhist Logic, 2 vols, Leningrad, 1930, repr. ‘New York, 1962, Delhi, 1993 ‘Tucci, G., Om Some Aspects of the Doctrines of Maitreyanaiba) ‘and Asanga, Calcutta, 1930 ‘Tucci, G., Minor Huddbst Texts IGOR IX, IsMEO), Rome, 1956, repr. Delhi, 1986 Ui HL, "Maitreya as an Historical Personage.” in Indian Studies fn Honor of Charles Rockwell Lanman, Cambridge, Mass. 1929 Wayman, A., Anabsts of the Sravakabbams Manuscript, Uni. (California Press, 1961 Relevant titles not mentioned above or published since original French version appeared Guenther, Herbert V., Philosophy and Psychology in the Abbi- eng the fron whch hots ve frat eta we} Tau, Sy of mma’ Uf of Wsubandh a the date of Venn” JAS, 108, 1.359 phan slr ncn p17, Nolen 8 los dante de Vatu ENED MID, 3950, On we"Kutor ef he Mahayanunsliy, Zoe fr nde und emt C908, yp. 215-2.) Taam, “The Date of Vaan the ‘Grew mouit ritsopher Tada Sud in Hono of Chars Ret She honlnenakot” pp #998 Ona, The Date ef Vib Seat Tisery of dia Psapp. 9-4 We ‘itr of na oat Cal, v0, ISB, OL Te 1938, p35 6 Trawler, on tbe Dao ut aster of te Ln Vedra, pict th Schetachy, Puss Lge Cotes Buc X20, pars 0 Leningrad 19 1p, Alex Way, Anas of te Seduabaet Moma ce p19 15. Kiely, erimasongant Vibbates Pagalpatat, Dhan Yama, abtna an Kataupon the Prajtaparamita. Asafiga established the Yogicira CVijnanavada) system with his monumental work, the Yogacarabbamicasiea What the Abbidhamma Pijaka in Pal is forthe Theravadins, the Jhdnaprasibana for the Sarvastivadins, the Mabaprajidptramitasasira for the Madhyamikas, the Yogacarabbamisastra is for the Yogscarins 1. ABIIDHARMASAMUCCAYA The Abbidharmasamuccaya is an extremely imporant text of the Mahayina Abhidharma. It contains nearly all the ‘main teachings of the Mahayana and can be considered as the summary of all the other works by Asanga. The method of teat ‘ment ofthe subjects in this work isthe same as the traditional ‘method found in the texts of the Pali Abhidhamma which pre- ceded it by several centuries, such as the Dhammasangant, Vibbanga and Dhatukatha: posing & question and answering it All the long explanations—they are rare—which appear in the ‘work serve to answer a specific question, The Abbidbarmasamuccaya is divided into two pars: 1. Laksanasamuccaya (Compendium of Characteristics) and 1, Viniscayasamuccaya (Compendium of Determining), Each part contains four sections. Past Part Chapter One is divided into two sections. In Section One, entitled “Three Dharnas,”" the five shandbas aggregates), eigh teen dbatus (elements) and twelve ayalanas (spheres) are treated in detail 2s regards their enumerations, characteristics, definkions, etc. Section Two, entiled "Division of Aspects® 16 In Prodan ion dhs chapter vided it hee sce n accor hance wih the Chinese vesin. However, 38 can easy besten the thet Seaton in fn the conintion of he seta nd tha a eon for uch 2 vison. In Use rg Sarat pbc by Gokhale thi ston cone loves the second wehout any divs nirotuction ax (Prabiraprabbeda),” examines the same shandbas, dbatusand fdyatanas from sey diferent points of view, such as substance dnd designation, conventional and ulimate, conditioned and Shoonditioned, worldly and transcendental, time and. space, ‘Conditioned Origination, etc, with a view to showing that there {eno self (atman) in any sense in these categories, “The shore Chapter Two, entled "Grouping® (samgraba), sudies the shandbas, dbatus and dyatanas by classing them in ‘leven groupings according to their 1, characteristics laksana), grclements (dbatu), 3, sypes (210, 4. sates (aoastbd, 5.2880 ations Gabayed), 6. space (dese), 7. time Chale), 8 partial (ehadesa), 9. complete Csakala), 10, mutual anyonya) and 11 absolute (paramartba), The aim of this study is wo give a synthetic view of the topics ‘Chapter Three, also shor, is entdled "Conjunction" (sam _prayoga) and examines the physical and mental phenomena as, Combinations in various circumstances and conditions in difes- tent realms, The object ofthis study is to demonstrate that the Conjunction and disjunction of things such as feling (vedand) fre only in the mind Ceittamatra) and thatthe notion thatthe bell Gaiman) feels, perceives, wishes, remembers, i false ‘Chapter Four, the shortest inthe whole work and entitled “Accompaniment” Gamanudgama), studies beings with regard to their seeds (bya) inthe three realms (dma, rapa, arpa), swith regard to their mastery Ceasitd) of worldly and tan- scendental vitues and their good, bad or neutral practice (camuidacira). Whoever understands this sees the increase and decrease of dharmas and abandons attachment and repugnance Canunayapratighapraban, Second Part: Compendium of Determining Chapter One, devoted to the Four Noble Truths, i the longest and is divided into four sections. 17 The eto of eatet andthe sabes css inthis Seton ae ‘het a the inthe eat of he Data of te Pal Abin,x Introduction Section One deals withthe fist Noble Truth, dubkbasatya, “Truth of Sullexing” The dubbhasaya includes the animate and inanimate worlds, The animate world inelides all beings born into either the infernal word of the world of animals, of pretas Coungry ghosts) of mankind, of devas and brabmas. The inani mate world encompasses an unlimited number of universes in the ten directions of space, and these systems devolve or remain devolved, evolve or remain evolved, will devolve or evolve ‘constantly and uninterrupted Dubbba, ised in its eight forms (birth, old-age, disease, death, tc.) is dealt with under the different aspects: dubkba as ordinary suffering (dublhadubkbata), 2s wansformation (oxparinamadubkbata) and 2s a conditioned state (samskara- dublbaia) Forhermore, there is a study of conventional Geamort and absolute (paramartina) points of view. “The four characteristics of dubkha, namely, anita (impes: manence), dubbha (suffering), sane (empty) and anaima (uon-sel are explained in detail Dealt wich here is the momen- tariness of matter (rapasjaksanikatd, the atom is defines here as having no physical body (nibsartra) and is determined by the intellect by means ofthe ultimate analysis of the mass of mater “This discussion has the sim of penesrating the non-realty of the substance of mater ‘At the end of this Section, the antarabbava (intermediate existence) and the gandharva are discussed within the context of death, Secion Two deals with the second Noble ‘Truth samudaya, “he origin of dubkha” As the main exposition, tryna ties,” craving) is referred to as the origin of suffering However, i the dealled study, the hlesas, “defilements* and actions predominated by the deflements (Wesadhipateya: hharma) ate considered a8 samudaya. After listing the main ‘lesa (Sic oF ten in nurnben, the author explains their character {stes Caksana), emergence (utthana), objects (alambana), conjunction (samprayoga), synonyms (paryaja—24 in. num bbe), divergences (oipratipatt), realms (dhan), groups Gulkaya) snd abandonment (prabana) Inirstuction si ‘Under actions dominated by the deflements (blesadbs seyakarma), diferent categories of karma such as kusala and ‘aiwsala, sadharana snd asadbarana, balavat and durbala, ‘punya, apunya and antipya, drstadbarma, upapadya and Gparaparyaya, et, are studied in detail ‘At the end of this Section, the second Noble Truth is de- fined as the cause (bet, origin (samudaya), source (prabbave) and condition (pratyaya) of rebirth and continuity Section ‘Three explains Nirodha (Nirvana) from twelve points of view sich a¢ characteisics Uaksana), profundity Gambbina), convention Game), absoluie sense (param Artha), e- Then thiny-four synonyms (paryaya) of Nicodha ate defined one ater the other in order to show why it (Nirodha) is ‘designated by this or that term, and atthe end ofthe Section the four characteristics ofthe third Noble Truth are given as cessa- tion (nirodha), peace (ata), excellence (pranita) and release (obsarana) ‘Section Four deals with the fourth Noble Truth. According to the original Pat texts, the fourth Noble Truth is always de- fined as the Noble Eightfold Path (anho attbangulho mageo) However, the way in which Asafiga treats the Truth of the Path Comargasatya) is totally different, and the Noble Eightfold Path {does not appear in its traditional place. According t0 him, the Path (marga) consists of five categories: 1. Sambbaramarga (Path of Preparation): this consists of ‘moral practice (Sila), control of the senses (Indniesu gupta ddeara), meditation (Samathavipasyand, etc, practiced by the ‘ordinary man (pribagjan) 2. Prayogamarga (Path of Application: tis leads to the stcquistion (with the aid of the preceding path) of good roots (husalamala) conducive to the penetration of the Truths (ni vedhabbagiya) up to a certain point and to different degrees. 3. Darcanamarga (Path of Vision) this leads to 2 profound vision of the Taths. Expressions encountered in the Sosras* 1H SIN 47, AB AY 186 210,