The Viniscayasasamuccaya : The Collection of Explanations

Chapter 1 The Explanation of the Four Noble Truths 1- The Truth of Suffering

1.The Truth of Suffering concerns the inanimate world and the animate, that is the universe and its inhabitants. Asanga treats this subject in the chronological order that follows:

The inanimate world
The Buddhist teachings, particularly those belonging to the Mahayana, explain that there exist an unlimited number of universes in the ten directions of space. These systems are in the process of constant evolution, continually going through the phases of development, duration, destruction and void.

The animate world
It comprises the six classes of beings of the desire realm: those of the hell realms, the hungry ghosts, the animals, the humans, the jealous gods and the gods; and also the beings of the form and the formless realm belong to it.

The suffering of these worlds can be described in three aspects:
There is the 'suffering as manifest suffering' which is the ordinary pain of life, there is the 'suffering due to change' and the 'suffering inherent in the conditionned state'.

The 'suffering as manifest suffering' in the human realm is described through eight examples:the suffering of birth, old age, sickness, death, loss of something pleasant, encountering the unpleasant or unwanted, the strife of obtainig things and the difficulty of protecting them.

Asanga explains that all things posses four characteristics: they are impermanent, carry suffering, are empty and devoid of a self-entity.

Material substance is empty of reality
When analysing atoms or molecules which make up material substance, no such thing as an indivisible, independently existing particle can be found. Matter can be diveded in ever tinier particles indefinetely. Through analysis one can come to understand that an indivisible particle could not possibly assemble with other particles in order to form greater entities. Assembling two particles implies that they have sides in different directions, therefore they still can be divided. Through realizing the impossibility of an indivisible particle, one understands the absence of reality of material substance.

The suffering of death
Finally, Asanga gives a description of the suffering of death, and particularly of the following intermediate state (skt:antarabhava; tib: bar do), which a sentient being experiences between two incarnations. These erring beings are literally called « smell eaters »(skt: gandahrava; tib: dri za).

« The intermediate state is experienced by someone who acted predominantly in a negative way as something like a black bull, or a dark night. A virtuous person will see it as white material or a bright star-lit night. »
Asanga: L'Abhidharmasamuccaya

2- The Origin of Suffering

The second Noble Truth is in part a description of the cause of suffering and in part an explanation of the origin or source of rebirth in cyclic existence.

In a general sense, thirst or desire is given as the origin of suffering. In a more detailed analysis, it is the mental obscurations and the actions performed under their influence which are considered the direct cause of suffering.

After enumerating the principal mental obscurations (skt: klesha, tib: nyon mongs), the author goes on to explain their characteristics, their appearance, their objects, their conjunctions, their synonyms, their differences, etc.

Actions based on mental disturbances (emotions) have karmic results, which are described in detail.

3- The Truth of Cessation

The truth of the cessation of suffering, a state where all disturbing emotions permanently are made not to arise, is approached in twelve different ways, such as through its characteristics, its profundity, its truth on a relative level and on an ultimate level and so on. Then, thirty four synonyms of the word « cessation » are enumerated.

« What is the supreme state of this cessation? It is the cessation practised by of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, which is nirvana without fixation, because it is based on their detemination to give benefit and happiness to all living beings. »
Asanga: The Anthology of Special Topics of Knowledge, translated and commented by Walpola Rahula

At the end of this section the four characteristics of this third Noble Truth are given: It is nirvana having the nature of
1.cessation, because it is devoid of impurities (mental obscurations)
2.tranquility, because it is devoid of suffering
3.excellence, because it is the basis of happiness and purity
4.true deliverance, because it is the basis of permanent well-being

4- The Truth of the Path

The truth of the path is the practice which leads to fully understand suffering, to give up its origin, and to cultivate the path in order to realize cessation. In this regard, there are five paths:

1.The path of accumulation or of preparation consists of the practice of ethical discipline due to the control of the senses, the practice of learning, reflecting and meditating, done by the ordinary practitioner.

2.The path of joining or of application leads through further application of the methods of the previous path to acquiring the virtuous roots for the « four factors conducive to insight » which will allow penetration into true reality.

3.The path of seeing is the direct seeing of the reality of all objects, beings and of the self: devoid of constructs and lacking self-entity. It leads to the supreme insight into the Four Noble Truths.

4.The path of meditation is the cultivatation of the higher practices after having attained the path of seeing. It comprises the practice of meditative absorption and the 37 bodhi-factors (skt: bodhipakasadharma; tib: byang chub yan lag sum bcu rtsa dun) which lead to enlightenment. In this presentation, the eightfold path (skt:asta aryamarganga; tib:'phags lam yan lag brgyad) does not hold the same central place as in the textes of the pali canon. The 37 factors discribe the paths leading to mental abiding and penetrating insight and the combination of both. Asanga gives instructions for developing them in accordance to the capacity of the practitioner.

5.The path of perfection is the realization of the attainment of freedom after having interrupted all that has to be abandonned. Asanga describes the supreme meditative absorption which leads to perfect enlightenment: This vajra-like samadhi (skt: vajropamasamadhi; tib: rdo rje lta bu'i ting nge 'dzin) is the great abandonment – the final truth of cessation, where all disturbances are exhausted, the seeds of the two obscurations along with their tendencies discarded and one obtains freedom from all further arising of defilements.

At this stage of meditation, « one remains unharmed by all the obscurations to be discarded while possessing the power to overcome them. »
Asanga: L'Abhidharmasamuccaya

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