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dossier : The Abhidharma. Part four

Chapters 6, 7 and 8 of the Abhidharmakosha
Now that the origin and nature of the sufferings of samsara have been identified, and its causes and effects have been understood, all that is left to do is learn how to leave it all behind. This is the focus of chapters 6, 7 and 8.

Chapter 6: Practitioners and the result of the path: the cessation of suffering
The path and its practitioners (Tib: lam dang gang zag = lam path, and gang zag = person, practitioner).
The practitioner and the path are the two objects of purification.

This chapter provides a description of realized beings and an explanation of the different degrees of realization according to the four states of noble beings. These are defined as "those who have entered the stream", "those who only return once", "those who will not return" and arhats. People who have attained these different states are liberated from samsara.
The path, or methods taught by the Buddha, is the antidote to suffering. The Abhidharmakosha provides different meditation methods that focus, for example, on body posture, on how to settle one’s mind on the breath, etc. These methods lead to the cessation of strong emotions.

" Settle the thoughts on inhaling and exhaling without effort or constraint; leave the body and the mind as is; using only the memory count from one to ten."
La Vallée Poussin: L'Abhidharmakosa de Vasubandhu, chapter 6

Chapter 7: Wisdom
The path toward liberation from suffering is none other than the quality of wisdom (Skt:Jnyanas) (Tib: ye shes).
Wisdom is developed in stages. It is expressed through different kinds of knowledge and abilities until the practitioner reaches the state of Arhat. The qualities of wisdom acquired by beings on the path to Buddhahood are described here in detail.

"The Buddha himself expressed this through these words: "If someone plants a small root of virtue in the field of merit of the Buddhas, he will have an excellent destiny at first and attain Nirvana thereafter."
La Vallée Poussin: L'Abhidharmakosha de Vasubandhu, chapter 7

Chapters 6 and 7 have given a general explanation of nirvana. The stages of purification will now be described.

Chapter 8: States of meditative concentration
This is a description of the different states of concentration named "the four dhyanas". On the basis of meditative concentration, a state of equipoise is attained. The practice of shamatha (Tib: zhi gnas) gives one-pointed stability and calmness to the mind. Once this pacification has been attained, vipashyana meditation (Tib: lhag mthong) reveals the quality of wisdom.
The different stages of meditative concentration and their characteristics are developed in this chapter.
These various forms of concentration aim at pacifying the mind and reducing the strength of emotional afflictions and suffering. Through this purification, the qualities of lovingkindness, compassion, joy and equanimity mature in the mindstream.
"Those who rejoice in the qualities of others cultivate lovingkindness quickly and easily, as opposed to those who enjoy discerning others’ shortcomings."
Abhidharmakosha: op. cit, chapter 8.

"The five subjects" of the Abhidharmakosha
The five bases of knowledge (Tib:gzhi lnga) are a classification of phenomena according to the Vaibhashika school. The Abhidharmakosha is explained through them.
1 - snang ba gzugs kyi gzhi: The first point is concerned with form; it describes how forms appear.
2 - gtso bo sems kyis gzhi : The second is about the principal mind, comprised of the six consciousnesses: seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, tactile sensations and the mental consciousness.
3 - 'khor sems byung gi gzhi: Mental events are the reactions that follow initial perception and give rise to volition based on habitual tendencies.
The second and third points are the source of samsara ; karma is based on them, as is the emotional component of the mind which is perpetuated through various forms of conditioning.
These three points together form the basic of dualistic clinging, e.g. perception of a subject and an object.
4 - ldan min 'du byed kyi gzhi: This group includes that which belongs neither to the sphere of mind nor of mental events, for example impermanence, life, death, etc.
5 - 'dus ma byas pa'i gzhi: cessation due to discrimination, cessation not due to discrimination, and space.
The first four points concern that which is conditioned, impure or contaminated by suffering (Tib:zag bcas). The fifth refers to that which is not conditioned, pure (Tib: zag med).
These are the principal subjects of the Abhidharmakosha.

Part 5 : Presentation of the Abhidharmasamuccaya by Asanga >>>

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