INTRODUCTION [SPOKEN BY KPSR]

This text, the Sherab Raltri, Sword of Prajna, by Mipham Rinpoche, summarizes many important points from the sutras and tantras.  There are two important spontaneously written texts in which Mipham expresses his vision of Buddhist teaching.  They are this 1Sword of Prajna of the Completely True Meaning, and 2 The Precious Torch of Certainty. Many great masters say Mipham wrote five "sword" texts and five "lotus" texts, named for the scepters in the hands of Manjushri.  To reach enlightenment is the main purpose of this text, of course.  But in particular, among the three prajnas, hearing, contemplating, and meditating, this text focuses on contemplation.  It is an overview that tells how to contemplate thoroughly what we have studied.

     When the Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies was established in 1967, this was the first course in the Nyingma department.  The root text was written by Mipham Rinpoche at the request of Lhagsam Tenpa Gyaltsen, a famous master in his own right.  Mipham wrote a short commentary, which I studied in Tibet; but I couldn't find it or any other commentary that had been brought to India.  I did have some notes that Mipham made in the text, and I used them.  I started writing every day, on the blackboard, and students would copy it down.  By the end of the year the whole thing was done.  Every year there would be another ten or twelve students, and the same thing would happen again.  Everyone thought we should publish this, but we didn't.  Later, when I was in New York, some students wrote and asked if it could be printed, and if anything would need to be changed.  When I went back to Nepal, I made some corrections and edited the text with the help of some students there.  Then the Tibetan version was printed.
  Guru Rinpoche wrote a famous commentary on the Manjushri-nama-sa.mgiti, called the 3Blazing Lights of the Sun and Moon.  That seemed auspicious, so I adopted the title for this commentary.

Unsurpassably great and glorious former teacher,
Supremely kind crown jewel of the learned and accomplished,
Jetsun Manjushri emanating in human form,
Known as Jamgon Mipham Chokle Namgyal Gyamtso,
Supreme in glory and goodness, producing a hundred and eight Commentaries setting forth the intended meaning
Of the sutras and tantras of the Victorious One.

     This treatise teaches without error the vast and profound piths of the mahayana sutras and tantras.  The subject expressed is the two truths.  It is expressed in terms of the four correct reasonings.  The fruition is the great treasure of the eight confidences.  That is the way in which this great text was composed.  This treatise, the Sword of Prajna of the Completely True Meaning is one of four very famous commentaries.  It is supreme among commentaries that explain without error difficult points of words and their meanings.  This commentary on the Sherab Raltri 4 is entitled the Blazing Lights of the Sun and Moon.  These days the precious teachings of the Buddha in general have been harmed and diminished, particularly in Tibet, the Land of Snow, by the army of the red Chinese.  In this situation, replenishing the blaze of the former teachings from the remaining embers was supremely kind.

    Born in Riwoche in Khams he indisputably went to the heights level of learning, discipline, and nobility. Born and remaining a glorious lord of the teachings and beings,  This is Khenchen Palden Sherab, glorious, good, and excellent.  It was he who composed this.

    In 1967, in Varanasi, when the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies was established, this text was presented to students at the institute as lectures about Khen Rinpoche's own Nyingma tradition.  As no commentary on it had reached India, Khen Rinpoche, with supreme compassion for those under his care, newly composed this one.  Until now, it remained as an active course, and so it could not be requested that it be published.  Now after 13 auspicious presentations of those lectures, Khen Rinpoche has responded to new requests to publish it, from the country of America.

    Greatly moved by these requests and the approach of this supreme occasion, he gave the order to print this, and the pure requests of those sitting at his feet were accomplished. After thirteen times sending a lamp to beings, in the 2530th year of the teacher's passing in his sthavira-aspect, in the seventh tibetan month, tenth day, by these requests that this be printed, auspiciousness increased.

 In the wind-chariot of the two accumulations, excellently leading the four forces 5 of the army of the ten powers 6,
 You overcome the warfare of the gods of desire 7 and their host is overcome;
 While with the sharp fangs and claws of the four fearlessnesses 8, you drink from the skulls of vicious feuding elephants 9, the eternalists and nihilists.
 Knowing the nature and extent of dharmas 10, having removed the darkness of the two obscurations from the place of snow-mountains,11 by your generosity there are the two yogic disciplines.12
 In the center of the wheel of 112 13 spokes you, the supremely exalted lion of men, Siddartha, bestow auspicious fortune. 14

 Blazing with the deathless splendor of a thousand radiant marks, 15
Liberated 16  from a lotus blossom in the middle of a lake,
 You are the nirmanakaya who overcomes the phenomenal world,17
 My beautiful crown-ornament until the heart of enlightenment.

REQUEST BY MIPHAM TO MANJUSHRI 18

A hundred devotional petals crown the lotus anthers of teaching. 19
Dharma Lord, 20 I always offer you reverent homage. 21
You who are the ever-youthful lion of speech,
Bestow on these beings shining intelligence, filling the sky.

PRAISE TO SARASVATI OR TARA 22

 In the expansive lotus-garden of speech of all the conquerors,
 With 100,000 melodious blooms of holy Dharma,
 You are a singing swan 23 that shines as bright as moonlight.
 May you now enjoy the vast lake of my mind

SUPPLICATION TO THE VIDYADHARAS OF THE THREE LINEAGES

 The secret streams of truth of the three collections of tantra 24
 By a gulp of analysis swallowed into the belly of intellect. 25
 Are regurgitated as excellent teaching, as with Agastya. 26
 I praise a hundred times the former rigdzins and rishis.

PRAISE TO LONGCHENPA

 At the council of well-written teachings, the sagely teacher,
 In a bowing throng of attendant-ministers 27 unbiased in learning,
 On his elephant vehicle, 28 which is the great perfection,
 Surveying all like Indra, with a thousand different eyes, 29
 Confidently manifesting the hundred pointed vajra 30
 Whose prongs are the points of teaching, debate, and composition,
 Wearing a crown that is set with gems of many traditions,
 The incomparable lord of learning who is known as Longchenpa,
  Is renowned as a king of the gods of a kind not seen before
 His fame surpasses even that of the lord of the world. 31

PRAISE TO MIPHAM

 A thousand elephants of vicious self-serving contention,
 Arrogant, with no gentle thoughts of any kind,
 You overcome and have no thought of enduring them,
 The lion of speakers, with far-reaching laughter of proper reason,
 Is the victorious one called Mipham Chokle Namgyal.

MIPHAM'S PRAISE TO HIS GURUS

 By the sharp vajra-weapon of scripture and proper reason,
 Opponent asuras' arrogant power 32 is overcome.
 Gracious one who sees the excellent path of truth,
 Prevail among spiritual friends like Indra among the gods.

 After these poetic expressions of homage, like beautiful white lotus petals strewn to welcome a teacher, now there is this terma-prophesy by the tamer of beings Sangngag Lingpa: 33

 An emanation named Mipham of the great translator Nub
 An especially noble master of mind-terma will arise.

 Also here is a terma-prophesy manifested by the power of the great terton Tatung Dudjom Trolo 34:

 By Mipham Gyamtso the host of extremes will be transformed.
 The conqueror of all the doctrines of wrong view,
 Will make the radiant secret mantra clear as day.

 In accord with these and 35 the vajra prophesies of Padmasambhava, the second buddha of Uddiyana and others, you the omniscient intrinsic form, the supremely excellent omniscient embodied essence of all the victorious ones of mantrayana, the lion of vajra teachers, appear in the form of a spiritual friend.  Mastering the eight great treasures of confidence 36 and the four discriminating knowledges, 37 you are an authority on ordinary and extraordinary fields of knowledge, beyond the scope of thought.  In particular, revealing in an extraordinary way the well-taught word of the Sugata, the profound and vast intentions of the sutras and tantras, uniquely analyzing without depending on others 38, you, the jetsun inseparable from Manjushri, are truly omniscient and great in vision, a learned and accomplished master.  You, the jetsun guru who possesses objectless compassion, whose very name is so awesome that we hesitate to utter it 39, are famed as Mipham Jamyang Namgyal Gyamtso or Jampel Gyepe Dorje throughout the three worlds. 40  The completely certain truth formerly well-taught by you in this Sherab Raltri is what I shall explain.
   The explanation has three parts. 41  These are the name or title, the main part of the teaching so entitled, and the final conclusion.
 

First overall part.

 The title of the text is the don rnam par nges pa shes rab ral gri, The Sword of Prajna, that Ascertains 42 All the Details of the True Meaning.

The meaning of the subject

Nubchen Sanje Yeshe 43 says in the Lamp of Meditation that Illuminates the Pith of Meditation: 44

  The cause of certain knowledge of truth is prajna contemplating an example, a reason, 45 and a conclusion reached by correct reasoning. 46 These are evaluated by individually-discriminating prajna.

 The profound and vast meaning told in the Buddha's teachings in the sutras and tantras and the commentaries on their intention, accords with the way things are.  This is revealed as profound, completely certain prajna through the process of true and genuine correct reasoning.  This prajna cuts all at once like a sword through the nets of non-realization, wrong understanding, and doubt. That is the contents of this text.

 The title expresses this by joining the example and the meaning.47  That intended meaning is named by the title in order to clear away stupidity about the conventional.  The Lankavatara Sutra says:

 If no names are given,
 Everyone in the world will be confused.
 Therefore, to clear away confusion,
 The Protector used names.

 Second overall part: the main text that teaches what the title denotes.

Within that are:

1. the ancillary parts of the composition that are good in the beginning,
2. the meaning of the composition that is good in the middle, and
3. the meaning of the conclusion that is good at the end.

The ancillary parts of the composition that are good in the beginning

 Here there are the expression of offering and the promise to compose the text.  Each of the two is presented in verse.

I. The expression of offering:
 

 The Doctrine never possesses any kind of confusion.
 It has completely abandoned any kind of error.
 It is mind without any doubt about the three meanings.
 Let us bow to the treasure of Manjushri's knowledge.

The Doctrine

 "The Doctrine", grub mtha' 48 in Tibetan, is the translation of the Sanskrit  "siddhanta."  The Doctrine is the ultimate goal 49 of examination and analysis by scripture and correct reasoning.  It is the certain knowledge at the end of establishing.  Beyond this there is nothing further to establish.

 "Confusion" cannot resolve the way things are.  Non-confusion can. 50  These arise respectively as worldly doctrine, and The Doctrine beyond the world. 51

1 As for the FIRST, The second Buddha of Uddiyana said in his Oral Instruction on the Mala of Views:

 The countless wrong views in the worldly realm are summarized under four headings, phyalwa, gyang phen, mur thug, and mu tek 52

 Likewise, there are two kinds of paths beyond the world.  These are the vehicle of philosophical characterization, and the vajrayana.  The great translator Kawa Paltsek 53 says in his Explanation of the details of Views:

 There are both the worldly and the world-transcending.
 Like articles of gold, they appear from a single substance.
 The levels of their appearance are five times three plus two, 54
 Being known, these should be left alone and accepted.

 Regarding the Buddhist view that is beyond the world, FIRST, the Buddhist teachings of The Doctrine are scriptural pramana. 55  As such, they have none of the faults of confusion.  The reason is that the one who taught them is the Buddha Bhagavat.  He has completely abandoned all errors of the two obscurations, 56 along with the habitual patterns which are the seeds of their continuation.57  The doctrine was taught by this great being whose knowledge is the vision of perceptual pramana. 58
  The way of establishing this highest truth as The Doctrine, is to establish it as scriptural pramana, established teaching purified by the three analyses. 59  This is done through a process of correct reasoning.  This process uses the three kinds of inferential reasoning 60 in such a way that the three modes of correct reasoning are all complete. 61  From so doing comes certainty without doubt.  This certainty is the essence of profound intelligence.  It is the great treasure of knowing Manjushri. 62  Again, let us pay homage with the three gates to the great treasure of you, Manjushri, arising by your blessing. 63

 In regard to this, due to the correct reasoning of productive action, 64 homage is expressed chiefly to the pramana of the teachings.  If this is established in a syllogism, it is said:

"The dharmin "Buddhist doctrine" has no confusion; because it was taught by the Buddha, who has completely abandoned all error." 65

 If it is established that Buddhist doctrine was taught by the Buddha, then the following are established, showing that the three modes 66 are complete:

1) the presence of the reason, "non-error," in the subject, "Buddhist doctrine."

2) the forward [universal] entailment: 67 "What is taught by the Buddha is certainly without confusion," and

3) the reverse [universal] entailment: 68  "What is confused was certainly not taught by the Buddha."

First it was taught that, since the Buddha has no error, therefore the teaching no error.  Now it is taught that, since the teaching is authentic, the Buddha must also be authentic.

 To prove this, when all the errors of the two obscurations, together with their habitual patterns, have been completely abandoned, ultimate knowledge, wisdom, arises.
 Whoever has this ultimate knowledge can teach the path properly.  Doing so depends only on the cause of compassion.  The great compassion is the extraordinary cause attained by the Buddha. 69
 Therefore, in regard to the Buddha Bhagavat, there are the cause of the benefit for oneself, complete renunciation-realization, and the cause of the benefit for others, the completed power of wisdom and loving-kindness.  From these arise all the teachings of the holy Dharma, in accord with the faculties, power of mind, and thoughts of those to be tamed.  If any of these is practiced, its own particular fruition will be attained.  In that sense they are non-deceptive.  Therefore, Buddhist doctrine is established as non-deceptive. 70  The Prajnaparamita Sutras say:

 After attaining omniscience, the wheel of Dharma is turned. 71

They also say:

 If we have not attained omniscience, we cannot turn the wheel of Dharma

Glorious Dharmakirti says in the tshad ma rnam 'grel:

 The one who has gone there has the meaning of realization. 72

The Buddha's regent Maitreya says in the Abhisamayalankara:

 Whoever has the authentic truth, has the omniscience of the sages and can teach all their different kinds of teaching.73

The great teacher Naagaarjuna in the bla na med par bstod pa, says:

 Whoever knows clearly the solitary object of knowledge,
 Will resolve completely all of the objects of knowledge.74
 I therefore prostrate to a guru such as that
 Who in such a way is equal and otherless.

Also Asanga says in the Suutraala.mkaara:

 Truly liberated from all the obscurations,
 You possess the knowledge that pervades all objects.
 Mighty one, the tamer of everyone in the world,75
 I prostrate to you who are completely liberated.

Also the great teacher Ashvagho.sha says In his Hundred and Fifty Praises:

 Whether powers of mind are supreme or not
 Whether they may be the lesser, middle, and greater
 And all the limitless divisions of their aspects,
 Are not realized by anyone but you.

Also he says:

 You alone, by wisdom,
 Encompass every object,
 By everyone but you
 Some objects are left out.

Also he says:

 You do good even without urging.
 You are kind to others without a reason,
 A good friend, even for those who have not met you;
 A helper and counselor that we do not need to know.76

Also he says:

 If we should try to do this with even our flesh and blood
 Why even speak of how to view all other things?
 Doer of good deeds you even gave your life
 For the beings who asked you, by your bodies and lives,
 You have ransomed a hundred times the bodies and lives
 Of those given over to slayers of embodied beings.

The great pandit Vimalamitra says in his commentary on the Uttering the name of Manjushri, 'jam dpal mtshan brjod, Manjushri-nama-sa.mgiti:

 In connection to the wishes of all sentient beings, you liberate them from the fetters of the kleshas.  As many dharma-teachings as have been explained are one in being antidotes for taming the kleshas.

 The great teacher GekpÈ Dorje,77 in his commentary on the king of tantras the gsang ba'i snying po, the  'grel pa spar khab 78, says:

 These teachings are so-designated79
  From his knowledge and what they accomplish
 But they appear differently
 By differences between minds. 80

 The great teacher Dharmakiirti, in his auto-commentary on the first chapter of the tshad ma rnam 'grel the stong phrag phyed dang bshi pa says:

  Again, to take another approach, the words that exhaust defects are not deceptive. Therefore, this inference should be made:

 In teaching what is to be accepted and rejected
 together with the means by which that should be done,
  Which is the principal benefit of certainty,
 As He was non-deceptive, this should be inferred.
 What is to be accepted and rejected and what are the means of   doing that are non-erroneous teachings.  They are non-deceptive.    For example, the way in which the four noble truths are explained is  non-deceptive.  Familiarity with this is a pre-requisite for the benefit of  beings.  Moreover the non-deceptive object of this should be    proclaimed to be non-deceptive,

 1.  because to do otherwise would be contradictory
 2.  because to say that a teacher who explains it is unnecessary is a wrong and fruitless teaching. 81

And also Dharmakiirti says:

 When someone's words, by being pramana,
 Are non-deceptive, people follow them.
 Their words then attain to being scripture.
 People will not do what does no good82.

 "Words whose pramana is not confused" is the definition of scripture, rlung.  Therefore, what is the same as what is said in the scriptures is also scripture by the power of its pramana.

 Also the great teacher Asanga says in the sdud pa 83

 Why is Buddhist doctrine true?  Here is what has been said.  The   teachings do not disagree with actual reality.  If this is seen, its    meaning becomes the cause of complete purity.  That is the meaning  of its being true.  Moreover, Buddhist doctrine is free from the six   faults and has the three virtues.  Therefore it is not deceptive.  Rather,  it is established as scriptural pramana, the teachings of holy Dharma.84

As for these six faults and three virtues, the SadÈ, Asanga's Five Works on the Bhuumis says:

No benefit, wrong benefit, possessing benefit;85
Merely heard, merely contentious, genuinely established;86
Hypocritical, unkind, eliminating suffering:87
Free from these six faults, the treatises have these three virtues.

1)  "Without benefit," means not having the benefit of truly establishing liberation.

2)  "Wrong benefit," or "wrong sense" means falling into the extremes of eternalism and nihilism, saying things injurious to the Dharma and so forth. When these two faults are absent, then Buddhist doctrine is true and possesses benefit.

3) "Merely heard," means just repeating what has been heard.

4)  "Merely contentiousness," means merely searching out faults in others.

Buddhist doctrine that is free from these faults is sincerely or genuinely established.

5) "Hypocritical" means that attesting to the dharma for motives that are not right.

6)  "Unkind" means being without the compassion that wishes to protect sentient beings from suffering.  When it is free from these two faults, Buddhist doctrine is the holy Dharma that eliminates the suffering of samsara.

 The teachings of Buddhist doctrine remedy the cause of samsara, the kleshas, and their fruition, the sufferings of the three lower realms of samsara.  Therefore, it is established that the teachings are scriptural pramana and unconfused.  Vasubandhu's rnam bshad rigs pa,  says:

 They remedy all the enemies, the kleshas,
 And protect us from the lower realms of samsara,
 Because of these virtues of remedy and protection
  The teachings 88 are never other than these two virtues.89

 The regent, Lord Maitreya, says:

 Whoever has what is meaningful, fully connected to Dharma,
 Is taught to abandon all the kleshas of the three realms.
 Whoever teaches the beneficial virtues of peace
 Is taught to be a sage and irreversible.90

Also he says in the Uttaratantra:

 What is spoken only in terms of Conqueror's teachings
  Explained with a mind that is undistracted from that,
 In accord with the path of attaining liberation,
 Like the words of the Sage himself should be received on the head.91

Also:
  The natural state of all the knowable dharmas of the phenomenal world of samsara and nirvana is taught as the true path of emptiness and interdependent arising, and therefore the Buddhist teachings are established as the unconfused doctrine of scriptural pramana.

The great teacher Nagarjuna says: 92

 For whomever emptiness and interdependent arising
 Are of one meaning in the madhyamaka path,
 I prostrate to such a sage, who is a master
 Of the secret that is unequalled and supreme.93

 Thus, the Buddha taught the teachings included within the stages of the nine vehicles, as many as there are within the scriptural doctrine of holy Dharma, in accord with the nature, capabilities, and wishes of those to be tamed.  If we practice these with devoted aspiration, the particular fruition of each will be gained without deception.  Therefore, it is taught that the doctrine is not confused. For that reason, the Second Buddha of Uddiyana said:

 All the vehicles, on their own level, are true doctrine without contradiction.94

 As this is extensively taught there and elsewhere, if we have faith in all the doctrine and do not close our eyes to the intelligence of pure perception, that will be the first opening of the great gate of the path of liberation.

 SECOND, the Buddhist teachings of Holy Dharma are The Doctrine or scriptural pramana.  By reason of their being established as unconfused, the one who taught them, the Buddha Bhagavat, is established as a great being of pramana.  As such, he has eradicated and completely abandoned all the errors of ignorance.  He knows and sees all knowables with unobscured perception.  The pramana of the teachings depends on the pramana of the teacher.  As for the pramana of the teacher, the cause is explained as the intent of perfect benefit.  For that reason, from the perfect activity of the teacher arises the perfect fruition.  This has the benefit for oneself that one is a sugata, and the benefit for others that one is their protector.  The great teacher Dignaga says in the first praise of the tshad ma kun btus95

 Becoming authentic 96 should be regarded as
 For the benefit of every sentient being.
 I prostrate to the teacher, the Sugata and protector.97

 Also in his auto-commentary he says:

  The FIRST topic is a praise to the Buddha Bhagavat.  By having a perfect cause and fruition, he has become authentic.  That is the reason for my arousing devotion to him. 98
  The perfect cause is his perfect intention and perfect action on it.  It is explained that his wish is to benefit beings.99  The action is to teach the teachings to sentient beings. 100
  The fruition is perfection of the two benefits, those for oneself and others.
  The perfect benefit for oneself is becoming a sugata.  This should be understood in three senses.  1) The benefit of supreme beauty is like having excellent personal form. 2) The benefit of irreversibility, is like a plague being well-cured. 3) The benefit without exceptions is like a vase being well-filled.  These three benefits are without desire for externals.  Therefore this perfection of the benefit for oneself is beyond being learned and unlearned alike.101
  As for the perfection of the benefit for others, through the benefit of liberating them, we are their protectors.102  Having prostrated to the teacher who has such virtues,...

The great teacher Vasubandhu says:

 The one who has eternally conquered all darkness,
 leading beings out of the mire of samsara,
 I prostrate to this teacher of things as they are.

 According to the teacher mtho btsun grub:

 Having abandoned all the other teachers,
 I go for refuge to you Bhagavan.
 If someone should asks why, it is because
 You have no faults, but only excellence.

 THIRD, given that this teaching, purified by the three analyses, is an unequalled way of entering into complete liberation, what is to be proved is that the teacher who has perfect intention, application, and fruition is a being of unequalled pramana.  This can be established beyond doubt by syllogistic proofs, using the three kinds of inferential pramana in which all of the three modes of syllogism are complete.  In syllogistic form:

The dharmin, "the teacher, the Buddha," is an authentic being; because the teaching is scriptural pramana; for example, like that of the great rishis.

 As for the teaching being The Doctrine, scriptural pramana:

 It is established that the teacher who spoke it was the Buddha.  So the FIRST mode is there, presence of the dharma in the subject.
   When teaching is scriptural pramana, it is certain that the teacher of it is a buddha, an authentic being.  That is the second mode, the forward entailment.
 When the teacher is not an authentic being, it is certain that the scriptural teaching is not pramana.  That is the third mode, the reversed entailment.
 After the process of correct reasoning with the three pramanas, if confidence in the non-deceptive certain knowledge of such a teacher and teaching arises within our being, that is supreme faith.  This is also the ultimate essence of refuge and supplication.  It is also the root of the path of liberation, and of blessings entering into our being, the single root of a multitude of good things. 103  The second buddha of Uddiyana Padmasambhava says that if we have ultimate devotion, we will receive blessing, and if we are free from doubt our wishes will be fulfilled:

 If our minds are devoted, 104 blessings will enter in.
 By being free from doubt, our wishes are established

 Also the omniscient great pandit Shantarakshita says in his auto-commentary to the Madhyamakala.mkara:

  What is spoken by the Tathagata is good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end.  Like fine gold being smelted, cut, and polished, it will not be harmed by perception, inference, or his own words in the scriptures.  This wisdom unmixed with samsaric things, 105 is completely undisturbed by their total clutter.  By this wisdom, having seen suchness, 106 you Buddha are the leader of the divine and human realms.  You are the crown of them all.  They offer garlands to adorn your two lotus feet, as master and guru of all the world.  Who, having known you, would not generate faith, practicing from the heart with complete detachment?

Thus: 107

 Whoever relies on that surmounts degeneracy,
 With undeceived certainty in the guru and the three jewels,
 Grasping that from now onward to the bone core of the heart,
 I go for refuge until the essence of enlightenment.

 Now there is a kind of analysis

 This precious certain knowledge is essentially non-deceptive.  It is unequalled intelligence free from the murkiness of doubt, possessing a thousand undefiled rays of light. 108  Since this is the great treasure of your knowledge, Manjushri, I bow to you.  Or again, since that intelligence without doubt arises from the blessing of the great treasure of your knowledge, Manjushri, I bow to you. 109
 That comes chiefly from the process of correct reasoning of the cause depending on the fruition. 110 I express homage to the chief of all benefits.  Moreover, for these words of the root verses that express homage, the first verse refers to the jewel of the holy Dharma, the second to the jewel of the Buddha, and the third to the jewel of the sangha. 111  To you I bow as the embodiment of these three excellencies, the great treasure of jetsun Manjushri's knowledge.
 The purpose of this expression of homage is to benefit oneself by showing why these people are holy beings, 112 and also to gather the two accumulations.  The benefit for others, is to inspire their faith in the teachings and teacher. The mdo rgya cher rol pa says:

 The wishes of a person who possesses merit are established.

The great teacher Nagarjuna says:

 It is not fruitless, when authors of the treatises
 Express their homage to the teacher and teaching. 113
 By so doing they give us inspiration. 114

The ched du brjod pa'i tshoms says: 115

 For persons who have accumulated merit,
 There can be no harm arising from others
 Or obstacles of maras and of gods.

II. The promise to compose the text

 Its vastness and profundity are hard to realize,
 As for the amrita of the Sugata teachings,
 For whomever wishes to experience it,
 May this light of understanding be completely granted.

 The absolute is free from all the complexities of existence, non-existence, and so forth.  Therefore, it is profound.  The relative is the bhumis, paramitas, and so forth.  Its vastness is difficult to realize.  These are the Sugata's teachings of the mahayana.
   Those teachings are like amrita.  May whatever fortunate ones wish to experience their taste or to practice them be granted the light of undefiled understanding of the excellent teachings 116 of this Sword of Prajna.  May it be produced within their being.  The teacher Nagarjuna says:

 The holy ones do not make many promises;
 But if they ever promise something difficult,
 It is as if their promise had been written in stone.
 Even if they die, they do not relinquish it.

How the topic of composition is good in the middle

 the subject to be analyzed is the two truths.  The analyzer is the two correct reasonings.  With the teaching of the fruition of what is to be analyzed, that makes three parts.  As for the FIRST:

 The Buddhas taught the Dharma
 In terms of 117 the two truths,
 The relative truth of the world
 As well as the absolute truth.

 The perfect buddha bhagavans taught something like 84,000 gates of Holy Dharma.  In as many of these as were taught, briefly, what is spoken about relies completely on the two truths.  These are the relative truth of the world and the ultimate truth beyond the world.  As for the meaning of the worldly one, the Prasannapada of Chandrakirti says:118

 Here the world consists of the well-known skandhas.
 Worldly truth 119 is what depends on these.

 Since they arise in dependence on the skandhas, imputed individual beings are the world.120

 So he and many others have said. 121  No better realization is possible than realization of the nature of the two truths as they are.  It should be known that, in the progression of the nine vehicles, realization of the nature of the two truths becomes ever more profound. 122
 Here, to give a provisional analysis of the details of the system of the two truths, 123 there are the essence, semantic analysis, 124 definition 125, divisions and purpose, five altogether.
 

1) the essence of the relative is the objects contemplated by mind and the five sense-powers.  All these are objects of thought. 126  The essence of the absolute is the sphere of individual and personal wisdom free from mind, free from all the extremes of complexity.

2)  the semantic analysis, 127  of truth in the phrase "relative truth".  Natureless, illusory appearance is the confused viewpoint of transient relative.  This viewpoint is "truth" insofar as its identifying characteristics 128 are not deceptive.  It is also "truth" in the sense that it leads us to absolute truth, our ultimate aim. Since the dharmas of path and fruition are not deceptive, in that sense, relative truth is called "truth".

3)  the definition of relative truth, is the truth of "dharmas that are not beyond the sphere of mind and that will not bear analysis."  The definition of the absolute is that of "nature beyond mind where conceptions are completely pacified."

4)  the two divisions are the relative and absolute truths.  The yab sras mjal ba'i mdo  says:

 There are two kinds of truth by which the world is known
 No other distinctions are heard, and they are self-sufficient.
 These are the absolute truth and the relative truth.
 There is no such thing as any third kind of truth.

 Because of the needs of worldly beings, within the relative, the distinction of true and false was made.  As appropriate kinds of symbolic knowledge for this purpose, the classifications were created of the true relative and the false relative.

 The true relative is the appearance of objects to a mind in which the six senses are not defective.
 The false relative is the appearance of objects to the mind in which the six senses are defective, seeing hairs before the eyes and so forth. 129

5) regarding the purpose, the bden gnyis says:

 Those who know the distinction of the two truths
 Are not to be deceived by the Sage's words.
 Having collected all the accumulations,
 They will go to the other shore, perfection.

The meaning of the composition that is good in the middle

 Within this there are two sections

1.  the short teaching of the two correct reasonings
2.  the extensive teaching in terms of the four correct reasonings.

I. The short teaching of the two correct reasonings:

 With regard to the natures of these same two truths,
 If we enter into the non-erroneous mind of certainty,
 The good eye of the two immaculate pramanas
 Is the excellent view that is to be established.

 The two objects of analysis 130 are the natures of relative truth and absolute truth.  If philosophical analysts want to enter properly into these by means of 131 certain, unerring awareness, they must establish the excellent/ supreme view like a good eye that ascertains awareness of its two aspects.  These two aspects are:

1) the pramana of conventional analysis without the faults of error
2) the pramana of absolute analysis.

These are pramana and madhyamaka respectively.  They  support each other, like the well-known emblem of two lions with crossed necks.132

II. The extensive teaching of analysis by the four correct reasonings.

 The action 133 of these is the four reliances.  The fruition is explained as the eight great treasures of confidence.  First, the three first correct reasonings are explained together, and then the reasoning of proper establishing is explained.

 FIRST there is the general teaching of appearance as interdependent origination; then the explanation of the particularizations of the correct reasonings of essence, cause, and effect.  The meaning is summarized under those three.

A. FIRST The general teaching of appearance as interdependent origination:

 Thus, regarding these appearances
 The pattern of their arising is interdependence
 Therefore, something that is not dependent
 Like a lotus in the sky will not appear

 How in the world are there these appearances of samsara and nirvana?  Certainly and definitely, they all arise 134 interdependently from causes and conditions.  What is other than that, with no dependence on causes and conditions, never appears within the scope of mind.  For example, a lotus flower in the sky never appears.  For that reason, all knowables that can be named should be understood as interdependent-arising-emptiness.  To think interdependent arising is only the arising of conditioned things from their causes is a very small vision of that universal necessity. 135  If all things that are unconditioned do not also arise interdependently, there will be no equality between them.  The great teacher Nagarjuna says:

 Whatever arises interdependently
 Is to be explained as emptiness.
 The classification which depends on that
 Is itself the path of madhyamaka.
 Except in terms of interdependent arising
 No dharmas can be said to be existent.

 "But what is interdependent arising?"  There are three aspects: the meaning of the word, the essence, and the divisions.

1) The meaning

 The Sanskrit word pratitya samutpada means interdependent arising.  The two volume grammar, sgra sbyor bam po gnyis pa says: 136

  Pratityasamutpada means interdependent arising.  Pratitya means dependent or conditional.  sam is sambandha, which means connected together.

  utpada is a word for arising.  Outer and inner dharmas do not arise autonomously.  They arise from an assembly of causes and conditions.  In dependence on previous causes, other things arise unobstructedly later and later still.  Therefore, this is called interdependent arising.

Glorious Chandrakirti says in the Madhyamakavatara:

 That which arises interdependently
 Is characterized as meeting and working together. 137
 

2) The essence

 These dharmas, summarized under the inner and outer, never arise without a cause.  They do not arise from non-causes, such as causeless eternal creators other than themselves, the self, time, or a god 138  Their arising is called interdependent because each thing arises in dependence on being connected to the assembly of its own particular causes and conditions.
3) The divisions

 The divisions are external and internal interdependent arising.

a) External interdependent arising

 All external dharmas arise interdependently as the sprout does from the seed.

b) Inner interdependent arising

 Inner dharmas, the skandhas of sentient beings, high, middle, and low, arise interdependently in the style of the twelve links of interdependent origination, as exemplified by the arising of the sprout from the seed.

4) How these in turn are divided

a) external interdependent arising should be known in terms of the seven causal connections and six conditional connections.

1) The seven causal connections as they apply to the seed are

1 the sprout
2 the leaves
3 the stalk
4 the hollow within the stalk
5 the pith
6 the flower
7 the fruit.

 From the former stage, the later stage arises, produced by the power of closely related causes. 139  So it is taught.

2) The six conditional connections are:
1 earth
2 water
3 fire
4 air
5 space
6 time.

 According to the stages, there are firmness and endurance, gathering, ripening, increasing, expansive openness, and gradual change. 140

These co-producing conditions produce a six-fold association between sprout and fruit.

b) In inner interdependent arising, when there is connection of causes, there are the twelve links of interdependent origination.  What are those?  The sutras say:

  Interdependent arising is like this:  since this exists, this arises.  Because of this having arisen, this arises.
  In this case:

 1) Conditioned by ignorance, there are 2) formations.
 3) Conditioned by formations, there is consciousness.
 4) Conditioned by consciousness, there are name and form. 141
 5) Conditioned by name and form there are the six ayatanas.
 6) Conditioned by the six ayatanas there is apprehension 142 of objects.
 7) Conditioned by apprehension, there is feeling.
 8) Conditioned by feeling, there is craving.
 9) Conditioned by craving, there is clinging. 143
10) Conditioned by clinging, there is transmigration.
11) Conditioned by transmigration, there is birth.
12) Conditioned by birth there is old age and death.

 There also arise pain, lamentation, 144 suffering, unhappiness, and disturbance.  Thus only this great heap of suffering arises.  By the cessation of ignorance old age, death, suffering and so forth, this great heap of nothing but suffering, will cease.

  Conventionally speaking, when the previous ones of these twelve links exist, the later ones will subsequently arise.  By the arising of the previous ones, the later ones are produced.  If the former ones do not exist and have not arisen, neither will the later ones.  Since they will not arise, the heap of suffering will cease.
 As for the associated conditions, suffering arises from the kleshas, including ignorance, 145 being objects of attention, 146 and having been associated with the inner senses and so forth. 147  Karma also arises like that.

The seven-fold name and form etc. of suffering, 148
1) The inner earth element is solidity.
2) Inner water is wetness
3) Inner fire is heat, digestion of food and such.
4) Inhalation and exhalation of the breath and so forth are the inner air element.
5) Open orifices are the element of space.
6) Arising of the element of consciousness is produced when there has been the condition of the six elements being brought together.

 The eye-consciousness arises by bringing it together its support the eye-power or organ, perceived form, light, unobscured space, and mental attention 149.  Awareness is joined to the appropriate other-entity, and it is known.
 Consciousness arises from its preceding moment of closely associated150 consciousness, and therefore is seen to remain as a continuous stream.  Without preceding closely-associated causes, the one who has thoughts cannot arise, any more than a sprout can arise from a stone, or light from darkness.  This continuity of the clear insight of consciousness, as it arises in someone well-trained in reading and so forth, is observed arising form earlier to later, in unbroken continuity.
 If the assembly of causes is entirely complete, then how will the stream be broken at the time of death?  This stream is like a viable seed.  If it has the conditions of water, manure, heat, moisture and so forth, it will inevitably grow; or it is like the continuous flow of a great river. 151  Thus all outer and inner dharmas arise from the necessary associations of just the causes and conditions that each requires.  If they are not all there, these dharmas will not arise.  If they are all there, these dharmas certainly will arise.  That is the nature of interdependent origination.
 From beginningless time within the continual movement 152  of this stream, there is no ego to be its producer, no owner etc. at all.  The causes do not think, "I will produce these fruitions."  They arise having the five interdependent connections of cause and effect.

What are these?

1.  While the seed still exists unceasingly, the sprout does not arise.  The sprout arises after the seed ceases.  Therefore, the seed is impermanent.

2.  After the seed ceases, the sprout does not arise after a gap.  The ceasing of the seed and the arising of the sprout occur unbrokenly like the beam of a balance swinging up and down.

3.  The seed and sprout are two, since in terms of essence and action they are not one.  Nor does the earlier change into  the later. 153

4.  Since the diminishing of the seed yields the augmentation of the sprout, by a small cause a big fruition is established.

5.  From a wheat seed a wheat sprout arises.  From the goodness of merit, doesn't there come a succession of good causes and fruitions?  Outer and inner causes and effects should be known to have these five kinds of causal accord.  For example, Lord Nagarjuna said:

 Recitations of texts, lamps, and mirror reflections,
 Burning glasses and insults, reverberating echos,
 As well as the skandhas that are linked in the chain of rebirth,
 Should be understood by the wise as never transferring. 154

B. The explanation of the particularizations of the correct reasonings of 1) essence, 2) cause, and 3) effect.

 Within that there are the explanations of:

1) the correct reasoning of dependence of the fruition on the cause
2) the correct reasoning of productive action
3) the correct reasoning of suitable establishing
4) the correct reasoning of nature. 155

1) The correct reasonings of dependence of the fruition on the cause and productive action,

 There are the main subject and its purpose.

a. The main subject:

 If all the assembly of causes is there,
 Their productive action produces the fruition.
 However many individual fruitions there may be,
 Each depends on its own cause.

 The 'phags pa dgongs pa nges par 'grel ba'i mdo, says:

 Correct reasoning should be understood to be of four kinds:

1) the correct reasoning of dependence
2) the correct reasoning of productive action
3) the correct reasoning of suitable establishing
4) the correct reasoning of nature.

 Moreover the bstan bcos chos mngon pa sna tshogs kun las btus pa says:

   As for the Dharmic effort of analyzing dharmas, if it is asked how many kinds of correct reasoning there are, it is said that there are four kinds of correct reasoning.  These are the correct reasoning of dependence, the correct reasoning of productive action, the correct reasoning of establishing reasons, and the correct reasoning of nature.

FIRST To briefly explain the general meaning of these four correct reasonings,

FIRST: The meaning of "correct reasoning."

Jamgon Mipham says:

 Why is it called correct reasoning, rigs pa?  Because it is suitable or reasonable, rigs pa nyid, that the nature of dharmas is as it is and, therefore, it is called rigs pa, correct reasoning.  Also whatever is analyzed in accord with this is called correct reasoning.156

 Also the lion of teachers rang zom dharmabhadra says:

  "Correct reasoning, 157" in Sanskrit is called nyaya.  Since nyaya consists of the nature or real state of things, the nature of things as they are, it is called correct reasoning.
  Yukti or samyukti, since it is proper, is also called correct reasoning.  Thus, correct reasoning should be known to consist both of both the way each thing is and the mind in accord with that.
  In terms of to verbal etymology, nyaya means "to attain."  Since what is attained is indestructible 158, it is called correct reasoning.
 Yukti is good connection. It consists of good connection of words.  Nyaya consists of irrefutability.  Pratipada also means irrefutability.  A proposition that cannot be refuted by being contradicted by any words and thoughts at all, but can be well-established is called correct reasoning.  Whatever characteristics and reasons produce such knowledge also are also are included in "correct reasoning."  These should be known as correct reasoning in the overall or general sense.

SECOND, The definition of the four correct reasonings in general

 "From the power of the things themselves all dharmas, having the nature of interdependent arising, are established in a way free from exaggeration and denigration."  That is the definition of correct reasoning.  The theg chen tshul 'jug, says:

  In regard to this, as for the manner of the four correct reasonings, in general the definition is that "all dharmas are established to arise by interdependent origination."

THIRD, individual definitions of the four correct reasonings.

1   "Establishment by the collective power of the causes in terms of the fruition" is the definition of the correct reasoning of the producing cause. 159
2   "Establishment of the collective power of the fruition in terms of the cause" is the definition of the correct reasoning depending of the fruition. 160
3      "Establishment by that which is the nature of each dharma" is the definition of the correct reasoning of nature.161
4      "Establishing the way of knowables in regard to cause, fruition, and essence through correct reasoning from the power of the things themselves" is the definition of the correct reasoning of suitable establishing. 162

  The former text says:

 Establishment in terms of the fruition is the correct reasoning of productive action.  Establishment in terms of the cause is the correct reasoning of dependency.  Establishment in terms of the essence is the correct reasoning of nature.  Correct  reasoning itself, produced without defilements, is establishing.  This is the correct reasoning of proper establishing.

 FOURTH, that which is removed by the four correct reasonings, or their action.

1  The correct reasoning of productive action removes doubts about causal production.  If the assembly of causes is not complete, the fruition will not arise.

2  The correct reasoning of dependence removes doubts about the fruition being completely dependent on the cause.  An effect that does not depend on its cause is not possible.

3  The correct reasoning of nature removes doubts about essences, since it establishes the essences of the relative and the absolute.

4  The correct reasoning of suitable establishing removes doubt about correct reasoning itself.  This is because the nature of the two truths is truly established by the pramanas of perception and inference.

 The former text says:

 As for the four things removed by these correct reasonings, respectively they clear away doubts about production, the established 163, the essence, and correct reasoning.

FIFTH The objects and validity 164 of the four correct reasonings.

 Before debating both debaters must establish a dharmin that is established by shared perception or appears the same to both of them 165 and is indisputably established for them both.  Otherwise the objects to be examined and analyzed by means of the four correct reasonings cannot be established.  For example, If the particular object 166 someone calls "fire" is not hot and burning, it is the wrong object for fire.  The former text says:

  As for the objects and validity of these, if the object of the nature is undefiled, and if the object is not wrong, reasoning is properly classified as correct reasoning of nature.  Similarly, if the objects of production, establishment, and correct reasoning are undefiled and if their objects are not wrong, these are properly classified as correct reasoning.
  The object of nature being undefiled is like its being expected that a burning glass will heat.

 The wrong object is like saying that fire, rather than water, means what a deer bathes in.  That is the wrong object for a hot fire.  The others too are joined to what is proper for them.

SIXTH The fault of excess,167 over-application, fault of the four correct reasonings.

 When didactic conceptual reasoning in the scope of consciousness alone produces great obstinate rigidity, and this becomes extreme, there will be the fault of reification or materialism.  Here the theg chen tshul 'jug says:

  Here are the excesses of the four correct reasonings: if by the correct reasoning of nature there is exaggerated extreme establishment,168 all things will not be eliminated.  In the end, we will become exponents of self-existing causes.
  As for excess 169 of the correct reasoning of productive action, all action and effort will not be eliminated.  In the end we become exponents of doers of acts. 170
  If the correct reasoning of dependency is excessive, all powers will not be eliminated.  In the end we become exponents of causation by creator deities.
  If the correct reasoning of proper establishing is excessive, all occasions of correct reasoning will be faultless.  Then in the end pride will manifest.
  When exponents of materialism and reification establish things, they are established mostly by excess in the correct reasonings of nature and of direct 171 perception. 172  Therefore, the right measure/ scope and excess of these should be told.

  What the great teacher Chandragomin says in the rigs pa sgrub pa'i gron me is mostly in accord with the above.  The tshad ma'i mdo says:

   Whoever instructs in nature from the path of conceptual fixation harms the long continuation of the Sage's teachings.  When those with the authentic Dharma of the Tathagata depart into something else, this should be refuted.

 As the profound nature of that is not within the scope of conceptual arguers, if we search for dharmata through conceptual argument alone, we are far from the Sage's teachings, and they will have been damaged.  Rather than that, wrong expositions and bad expositions of the profound nature, the intended meaning of the teacher, the Sage, should be refuted.

 For that reason, the great teacher Nagarjuna said:

 Whatever arises interdependently
 Has no cessation and it has no birth;
 It is neither nothingness nor eternal;
 It is without coming and without going;
 It is neither different things nor one.
 It completely pacifies complexity.
 To those who are the teachers of that peace,
 The speakers who are perfect buddhas,
 In homage to those holy ones I prostrate.

 According to these special praises, the immaculate essence of the excellent teaching of the excellent teacher Shakyamuni, the supreme King of Exponents of the path of correct reasoning within these three realms of samsara, is the subject, the two truths.
 One of these two truths is not refuted and the other established.  Appearance is interdependent arising.  Interdependent arising is emptiness.  These two are inseparable in essence, like fire and heat.  Existence and non-existence, both and neither, the four extremes; birth and cessation; eternalism and nihilism; going and coming; these eight complexities and so forth, in the union of appearance and emptiness, are like the eight examples of illusion.  Ground, path, and fruition are on an equal footing, and become all-pervading.
 If we realize this excellent profound certainty, having established the view of buddhism, we have reached its life-source, the profound pith.  If we do not know this, having fallen into the places of excess of the four correct reasonings, as explained above, we will be far from establishing the view of the buddha.  Knowing how to do this is very important.
 That is how the way of existence of things is to be evaluated.
 The evaluating mind in accord with that is called pramana or correct reasoning.  When the knowable objects of correct reasoning have been analyzed in terms of the three aspects of cause, fruition, and essence, these are said to be the correct reasonings of productive action, dependence, and nature respectively.  When within these objects of analysis exaggeration has been cut through, producing a proper style of affirmation and negation, that is the correct reasoning of proper establishing.  So it is taught.
 For objects that are directly perceived, the evaluator is the pramana of direct perception and for hidden or indirect objects 173 the evaluator is the pramana of inference.  There are these two.  Though inference has a hidden object, through the power of inference,  the dharmin is grasped as pramana, so that, in the end, it becomes directly perceived.  However, that direct perception can reach only its nature.
 Though some production and dependence are also part of the nature of things, they are gathered together within the correct reasoning of nature alone.  What resolves the style of all correct reasonings, and makes them praiseworthy 174 is the correct reasoning of nature.  Having reached this, there is a suitable benefit with no need to establish anything else, just as the reason why fire is hot needs no further explanation.  Thus rang zom mahaapandita says:

 The aspects of nature, production, dependence, and proper establishing, the so-called four correct reasonings, are indeed establishable; but so that those of little learning and small mind may have easy realization, reasons conforming to the correct reasoning of nature alone should be told them.

 Such mental analysis in accord with the nature of things is known as the correct reasoning abiding in the power of things themselves. 175
 Since the way things are is unerringly evaluated, the meaning of this kind of correct reasoning cannot be appropriated by the others.  Both conventional and ultimate pramana are said to dwell in the power of the things themselves.  Thus, that fire is naturally hot is, relatively speaking, its nature, or the way it is.  That fire is natureless is its nature, or the way it is absolutely speaking.   By combining these two pramanas, the way things are is unerroneously resolved, but this is not to say it will be so for every single verse.

TWO Thus, having briefly explained the general meaning of that, now there is the main topic of the text, the correct reasoning of productive action.
 

 For external causes, eg the seed, water, and manure and for inner causes, eg mental object, the senses, and so forth, when the assembly of causes is all present, there is the power of producing the fruition, eg the sprout, consciousness etc.  From that being so, this is called the correct reasoning of productive action.  The dgongs pa nges par 'grel pa'i mdo, says this about it:

 The correct reasoning of production is like this.  By whatever causes and whatever conditions dharmas occur 176 or are established, saying what actions produce the arising of these is called the correct reasoning of causal production. 177

 The great teacher Asanga says in the Shravaka Bhumi from the Yogacara-bhumis:

   As for the skandhas, which are produced by their own causes and their own conditions, their own action produces the joining of those causes and those conditions.  Thus, for example, the eye produces looking at forms.  The ear produces the hearing of sounds,... and so on up to the mind produces knowledge of dharmas.  Form is made to appear within the sphere of apprehension of the eye,... and so on up to dharmas are made to appear within the sphere of apprehension of the mind.  Moreover the kind of productive action of these on one another with the configurations and means by which this comes about is called the correct reasoning of productive action.

  The Dharma manifesting King Trisong Detsen in his summary of the bka' yang dag pa'i tshad ma mdo says:

 What is called the correct reasoning of productive action is described in terms of actions and causes.  By the action of what and what else this and that are produced, ascertaining that such and such producers 178 are the causes and conditions, it is taught that what is produced 179, such and such fruitions, are produced.

 As for the correct reasoning of dependence,  whatever fruitions there are, sprouts, consciousness, etc., all those objects have their own individual causes that produce them.  They must certainly depend on the seed, the sense powers, and so forth.  This is called the correct reasoning of the dependency of the fruition on the cause.  The dgongs pa nges par 'grel ba'i mdo, says:

  The correct reasoning of dependence is like this:  By such and such causes and such and such conditions composite things arise, and whatever conventionally imputed things arise, these are called the correct reasoning of dependency.

The Yogacara-Shravaka-Bhumi says:

  The correct reasoning of dependence is like this:  In brief, dependence has two aspects, the dependence of arising and the dependence of imputation. 180  The dependence of arising is like this:  By whatever causes and whatever conditions the skandhas arise, those skandhas depend on those causes and conditions.

  The dependence of imputation is like this:  By whatever assembly of names, of words, and of letters the skandhas are imputed, those skandhas are dependent on those assemblies of names, words, and letters.

 These are called the dependency of arising and dependency of imputation of the skandhas.

 the bka' yang dag pa'i tshad ma'i mdo btus pa says:

  The correct reasoning of dependence is said to be the correct reasoning of dharmas and their effects.  Compounded things, whatever is imputed to those things conventionally, and whatever fruitions arise, these and their causes and conditions are taught to be in a relationship of dependence.

Classification of causes and fruitions

 It may be asked, "Well what kinds of cause and fruitions are there?"  As for the classification of the causes, conditions, and fruitions of arising, there are six causes, five fruitions, and four conditions.

A Regarding the six causes, the Abhidharmakosha says:

 Producing cause and co-emergent arising
 Equal situation, equality possessing,
 All pervading and ripening;
 Causes are said to be of these six kinds.

 As for these six,

1  The producing cause

 The Abhidharmakosha says:

 The producing cause produces another from itself.

 With regard to the producing cause the Vaibhashika school says that it is all dharmas other than the fruition itself.  If so, all causes and non-causes are included within this.
 The FIRST division, the producing cause with power, is like attributing to the sprout dependency on the seed.
 The SECOND, the producing cause without power, is like saying that the sprout is uncompounded and arises within formless mind, like the skandhas of hell.  Classifying these 
181 producing causes without power as causes is done simply on the basis that arising was not hindered.  Though it is said that some of these 182 may also have an indirect power, only producing causes with power need to be considered. 183  This is the general classification for all causes.
 So that the producing cause will not be obscured, among the kinds of causes in a situation, a certain number of causes are taught.  Within the classification of the producing cause, the direct cause 184 and co-producing condition 185 are taught.

a. The direct cause is like the sprout arising from the seed and so forth, or the arising of a later consciousness from an earlier one. 186

b. The co-producing condition is like water and manure for the seed or the perceived condition and the sense-power within awareness.
   Moreover, there are the producing causes like that of the seed producing a sprout and like a lamp shining inside a vase in a dark house.  Also ten kinds of producing cause are taught.  The dbus mtha' rnam 'byed:

 As for the ten producing causes there are arising
 Duration, support and supported, becoming and separation.
 Other, and belief, understanding, and attainment;
 The eye, food, a lamp, and fire and so forth
 Are the examples that are presented of them;
 As are a sickle, and also knowing how to make things,
 As well as smoke, and inner causes, the path, and so forth.

1) The producing cause of arising is like the arising of the eye-consciousness from the eye organ.
2) The producing cause of duration is like the four kinds of food producing the duration of the body.
3) The producing cause of support is like the dependence of the essence, sentient beings, being supported by the vessel, the earth. 187
4) The showing or clarifying cause is like a lamp illuminating forms within a dark house.
5) The change-producing cause is like fire producing burning.
6) The producing cause of separation is like reaping grass with a sickle.
7) The cause of transformation into something else is like knowing how to make something or the a goldsmith's knowledge of how to make gold nuggets into jewelry.
8) The belief-producing cause is like the sign of smoke producing certainty of fire.
9) The understanding-producing producing cause is like certainty about the object arising from the cause and such and such reasons.
10) The cause of attainment is like attaining nirvana from the path.

2. Co-emergently arising cause.

 The Abhidharmakosha says:

 Things that co-arise are each others' mutual fruition;
 Like the four elements and subsequent cognitive acts 188
 Or like characteristics and the characterized. 189

 The co-emergently arising cause is like things being each others' mutual fruition, depending on each other like the poles of a tripod.  This is like a single assembly of the four elements; mind and its subsequent states, 190 and characteristics and the characterized.
 What are subsequent cognitive acts? 191  These are like the linkage 192 of mental events and spotless meditation.  Mind and those subsequent events are one without earlier and later time.  The fruition arises simultaneously or as one with it; 193 as since the nature of virtue and so forth are one with the mind, they are called subsequent events or continuations of mind.
 Generally, as for causes, there are the sorts of cause that produce the produced effect and the kind of cause without which it does not arise.  From these two ways of classifying cause and effect, the FIRST is like the seed and water and so forth producing the sprout.  The SECOND is like classification as "short" being dependent on "long," or "there" being dependent on "here," and so forth.  In this case, the classification of latter resembles classification as cause and effect.
 Really the one does not produce the other.  The "effect" arises at one and the same time with the cause, so that if one is not there, that is a sufficient reason why the other also will not arise.  In that sense it is classified as a cause.

3.  the cause of equal situation

 The Abhidharmakosha says:

 The cause of equal situation is similar.

 In the cause of equal situation, skal mnyam rgyu, the cause and the fruition are the same kind of thing, as virtue comes from a virtuous mind etc., barley grows from barley, and so forth.  Here the cause does arise before the fruition, and is chiefly classified through being of the same kind of thing and in the same place.

4. The equality-possessing cause.

 The Abhidharmakosha says:

 In the equality-possessing cause, minds and mental events have equal dependence on each other.

 According to what is said there, the equality possessing cause of minds is their being produced only because there are mental events.  However, this is distinguished from co-emergent causation in that mind and mental events are equal in five ways:

1.  Both mind and mental events equally depend on the support of ego and the condition, the senses.
2.  With one sphere and one object, they have the same perception.
3.  Neither earlier or later than each other, they are at one and the same time.
4.  In the ways they take account of phenomena and so forth 194 they are one and the same.
5.  Each has the same essence and substance.

 In this cause, mind and mental events arise possessing mutual equality.  This is taught for the sake of knowledge, and the way of classification is as before.

5. The all-pervading cause, kun a'gro'i rgyu.

 The Abhidharmakosha says:

 What is called the all-pervading cause is the intrinsic 5 all-pervading ones of those who possess the kleshas

 As for the all-pervading cause, kun a'gro rnams, "all-pervading" refers to the kleshas.  It is merely a separate explanation of production of dharmas possessing the kleshas, which is also otherwise explained, so that this is merely additional.  It says that all dharmas having the kleshas is what produces them.  Those having the kleshas are born from those having the kleshas.  Accordingly, that from having the kleshas they arise with the kleshas is distinguished from equal situation.  In this regard, the dharmas that arise intrinsically with the kleshas arise before those that have them as produced fruitions.

6. The ripening cause

 The Abhidharmakosha says:

 The ripening cause is only the possession
 Of the defilements of vice and virtue.

 The ripening cause is otherwise explained as the aspect of samsaric fruition that produces the pleasurable and unpleasurable.  This is merely defiled virtue and non-virtue.  Those were the six causes.

B. The five kinds of fruition

The sdom byang says:

 There are ripening fruition and the ego fruition
 According with the cause, and that produced by the person.
 Also that which is called the fruition of separation.
 These comprise the list of the five kinds of fruition.

1. the ripening fruition

The Abhidharmakosha says:

 The ripening fruition is of the inferior.

 Ripening fruitions are fruitions produced in dependence on the defiled joy and sorrow of samsara.  The essence, being obscured, is not what can be expected to occur.195  What is to be expected is self-caused virtue or non-virtue.  They arise from ripening causes.  They are included within the continuua of sentient beings or designated as dharmas associated with them.

2. The ego fruition
 

The Abhidharmakosha says:

 The ego fruition is first

 As for the ego fruition, the first fully-produced fruition of the six causes is the ego, it is said.

3. The fruition according with the cause

 The Abhidharmakosha says:

 As for the one according with the cause
 It is equal fortune and also all-pervading.
 That which arises here is both of these.

 The fruition according with the cause is both a fruition of equal fortune and a fruition of the all-pervading.  This designation is used because these fruitions accord with their own causes.

4. The person-produced fruition

 The Abhidharmakosha says:

 When by someone's power anything arises,
 That fruition is a person-produced fruition.

 The person-produced fruition is a fruition of both the co-emergent and equally-possessing causes.
 When a person produces a vase, the maker and the object made both individually exist.  The name is conferred on what is like that example.

5. The fruition of separation

 The Abhidharmakosha says:

Separation is exclusively involved with mind.

 In the fruition of separation, the prajna of mind, by its power of individual-discrimination, 196 eliminates the separable aspect to be abandoned.  Our own uncompounded essence is classified as the fruition.  Our own essence is not produced by a cause, but hindrances to it need to be abandoned.  From their being abandoned the essence arises in experience.  If they are not abandoned, this is the cause of its not so arising.

C. The four conditions

 The sdom byang says:

 The causal condition, and the preceding condition;
 The perceptual-object condition, and the preponderant.
 These are what are known as the four conditions.

1.  the causal condition, the Abhidharmakosha says:

 The so-called cause is five causes.

 All the other five causes but the producing cause, are classified as casual conditions.

2. The immediately preceding condition

 The Abhidharmakosha says:

 Mind and whatever contents of mind may have arisen
 If they are not last they are equally preceding.

 As for mind and mental contents equally being preceding conditions, previous to any incorrect mind and mental events their own respective preceding incorrect mind and mental events have arisen. 197  Until the last moment before an arhat enters the mind without outflows, all mind and mental events are immediately preceding conditions.

3.  The perceptual object condition the Abhidharmakosha says:

 This is all the dharmas that are perceived.

 The perceived condition, 198 is all dharmas.  When they have been perceived, awareness of them arises.

4.  The preponderant condition, the Abhidharmakosha says:

 The producing cause, so-called, is explained as the controller.

 The first of the six causes, the producing cause, is also called the preponderant or master-condition.

 Of these four conditions the perceived condition and preceding condition are mental causes alone.  The other two are conditions producing all compounded things.

  SECOND

 Therefore in regard to these causes and fruitions
 Knowing the way in which they exist and do not exist,
 Since by that they can be made to start and stop, 199
 The arts and such 200 and doctrines all have this as their root.
 Therefore these arts and doctrines have been gathered together,
 As helpful advice 201 within the world and beyond the world.

 For these formerly explained reasons, as for the cause of productive action and dependence of the fruition on the cause, by such causes such fruitions are produced.  By knowing as they are the ways that those fruitions exist dependently on these causes, and how they are not produced by them and do not exist dependently on them, we engage in and refrain from actions in the world.
 Thus there will be the creative arts and crafts 202 and so forth, medicine, grammar, pramana, the study of Buddhism the 5 major sciences dealing with worldly objects.  there are also rhetoric, drama and dance, astrology, composition, and poetics, the lesser five sciences.203  There are these ten sciences of knowables.  There are not only those but also the productive function of all the doctrines of Buddhists and outsiders 204 without remainder, and so by means of the style of these two dependencies205 we have the root of practical discrimination.206
 For this reason, it should be known that within these two correct reasonings of production and dependency, all worldly helpful instructions and all helpful doctrines that are beyond the world are collected.

SECOND, the correct reasoning of nature is explained in two ways by means of the relative, appearance, and by means of the absolute, emptiness.

FIRST, The explanation by relative appearance

 Within this there are two parts, the main topic and its classifications.

FIRST, The main topic:

 Having arisen interdependently
 All dharmas, by their own natures,
 Each have their individually existing characteristics.
 Solidity, moisture, heat, and so forth
 These conventional natures have no falsity.

 Interdependently arising through causes and conditions, whatever has arisen gathered under samsara, nirvana, and the three paths, 207 all these dharmas, none of which are produced by anything else, each by their own natures exist with characteristics which are not those of others.  They have their own individual natures which are not shared.  Earth is solid, water is moist, fire is hot, air is motile, space is unobstructed, and so forth.  If anyone says these conventional natures are not like that, it is false.  These indispensable conclusions are known as the correct reasoning of essential nature. 208  The dgongs pa nges par 'grel pa'i mdo says:

 The correct reasoning of nature is like this.  It was proper even before the Tathagata arose in the world.  Even if he had not arisen, it would be proper.  The existence of natures 209 and the existence of dharmadhatu are the correct reasoning of nature.

the Shravaka-bhumi says:

 The correct reasoning of nature is like this, why the skandhas are like that, and why worldly existences are like that.  Why solidity is the defining characteristic of earth, that of water moisture, that of fire heat, and that of air motility.  Similarly, why the defining characteristic of form is properly being visible/ sensible. 210 That of feeling is being emotionally felt 211.  That of perception is knowing all characteristics.  The defining characteristic of formations is forming 212  The defining characteristic of consciousness is producing consciousness of the factual.213  Why? Because that is their nature.  That is the nature of those dharmas.  Since their essences are like that, these natures which they have are said to be properly theirs.  The bka' yang dag pa'i tshad ma'i mdo btus pa says:

 "the correct reasoning of natures" 214 is expressed by means of the natures 215 of dharmas.  Whatever natures dharmas have in relative truth and absolute truth are taught.

SECOND, The classifications

 Within a single dharma are also various dharmas.
 Conventional terms that establish and eliminate
 Distinguish limitless classifications of different objects.
 Each of these exists with 216 its own particular nature.
 By perception these objects are completely grasped.
 By means of what characteristics pertain to each of these
 Dharmas have their different characterizations.
 Joined and distinguished by conceptual mind.
 Knowables are to be understood. 217 from these two kinds:
 Real substantial things 218 and imputed characteristics 219
 From that come the classifications of many complexities.

 For example, this is like there being various dharmas within the single dharma a vase.  A vase has impermanence, is a material thing and so forth, By such statements of what it "is" and "has" what is established about it is asserted.  Also it is not permanent, is without consciousness, and so forth.  By means of these "nots" and "withouts" there are limitless distinctions of classifications negating or excluding conventional terms, excluded meanings 220 which are other than it and which it is said not to have at all.  Thus by its own nature it exists as what it is.
 As for what happens by such dharmas perceived, they are grasped as objects 221, substantial entities with their intrinsic individual characteristics, 222 like a vase.  What has been produced has impermanence, arising, and so forth.  Using such characteristics 223 it is constructed 224 as apparently different dharmas.  Conceptions of it are grasped as a mixture of the verbal and the real. 225  They are grasped with a mixture of sound and meaning.  By these characteristics, 226 conceptual mind distinguishes these as individuals and joins them together.
 Thus dharmas that are things exist substantially and have characteristics attributed to them.  By means of these two aspects in relation to knowables, without error we assert and deny, accept and reject.  We become involved with or avoid them. 227  The way things are 228 is rightly realized.
 From that come numerous extensive classifications of complexities such as things and non-things, object and perceiver, general and particular, compounded and uncompounded, permanent and impermanent, materiality and awareness, cause and fruition, substantial existence and imputed existence, conceptual and non-conceptual, contradiction and logical entailment, characteristic and characterized, the thing which is distinguished and the dharma that distinguishes it, the expression and expressed, clarifying and eliminating,229 negation and assertion, general characteristics and individual characteristics and so forth.  Having produced these various conventional classifications of common meanings, in reliance on them the limitless topics of knowables are clarified.

SECOND explanation by means of the absolute:

 Thus the dharmas whose essence is cause and its fruition
 If they are rightly apprehended and analyzed,
 They are not conceived as having been produced,
 And so they also do not arise dependently.
 Even though each appears according to its own essence,
 The essence of all of these alike is emptiness, 230
 Dharmadhatu possessing the three marks of liberation,
 They are dharmata, the absolute nature of things.

As explained before, the producer, the cause, and the fruition, the thing dependent upon the cause, and dharmas that essentially have the nature of cause and fruition, if they are completely examined and analyzed by the correct reasoning that examines for the absolute, not even a particle of nature exists for them. 231  They are characterized by the three marks of liberation. 232
 If we examine the cause, by the reasons of the vajra slivers,233 if knowable dharmas are well analyzed and examined, no producer, or "cause," is observed to arise in terms of any of the four extremes, cause by self other, both, or no cause.  Therefore cause is markless. 234
 If we analyze the fruition, by the reasons of existence and non-existence or arising and cessation, through dependence on causes and conditions there may be arisings of fruitions.  However, since those alleged fruitions will not be existent, non-existent, both, or neither, and so forth, these fruitions are unborn, and they cannot be wished for. 235
 If we examine the essence, by the reason of being free from one and many, though conventionally there is that which is other, appearing with a nature of its own that is essentially not in common, that which is other has not been produced.  Therefore, by its own nature it is emptiness free from being either truly one or truly many.  It is essentially empty of nature. 236
 If so, in the absolute, conventional cause, effect, and essence, are dharmadhatu having the three marks of liberation.  It is properly said that their essence is that of the absolute.

THIRD, The summary of the essence:

 Production and dependence
 Since they are the nature of things themselves,

 As for the end of correct reasoning,
 When the nature 237 is reached, no reason is sought.

 As explained above, conventionally the action of the cause produces the fruition.  Each fruition is produced in dependence on its own producing cause.  As this is the intrinsic nature of things, when there is such a reason, that is the end of correct reasoning.  If we reach the proper intrinsic nature of things, we need seek no further for other reasons.  This is the nature of things, like fire being hot.

 SECOND, The reasoning of suitable establishing

 Within suitable establishment there are the brief teaching, and the extensive explanation.  As for the FIRST, the brief teaching:

 When something has been evaluated
 According to the nature of the two truths,
 Since it is established by the power of the thing itself,
 This is the correct reasoning of suitable establishing.
 As it appears and as it exists
 Its own essence is directly perceived.
 Or depending on perceived appearances,
 Without deception, other things are inferred.

 As explained above, an object to be evaluated has both the apparent nature of relative truth and the empty nature of absolute truth.  In accord with these what is evaluated or the perceiver arising from it, the evaluating mind is established from the power of the way things intrinsically are in themselves.  Therefore it is also called the correct reasoning or pramana of suitable establishment.  The dgongs pa nges par 'grel ba'i mdo says:

 The correct reasoning of proper establishing is like this.  When we say by what cause and conditions something is entailed 238 to occur and explained, and the sense we want to establish established; that which was fully and truly comprehended 239 is called the correct reasoning of proper establishing.

The rnal 'byor spyod pa'i nyan thos kyi sa says:

   Properly established correct reasoning is like this.  The skandhas are impermanent, or interdependently arising, or miserable,240 or empty, or egoless.

 The three pramanas are accepted scripture, perception, and inference.  They produce realization.  So, as for correct reasoning of proper establishing, these are the three pramanas that appropriate 241 the essence of the holy ones.  They are like this:  The skandhas are presented and established as impermanent, or interdependently arising, or miserable, or empty, or egoless.  That is called the correct reasoning of proper establishing.  The bka' yang dag pa'i mdo kun las btus pa says:
 

 Reason-establishing correct reasoning is universal.  It shows such and such established characteristics. 242

 To explain briefly the supplementary points 243 of pramana taught here, the definition of pramana is "non-deceptive knowledge."  The tshad ma rnam 'grel says:

 Pramana is non-deceptive knowledge.

 Within this definition of pramana, as non-deceptive, there are three distinctions.

1) The non-deceptive object of action consists of individual characteristics.
2) The non-deceptive agent is a mind with the two pramanas. 244
3) The non-deceptive mode 245 is such that when there is a distinction of existence, that existence is non-deceptive.  When there is a distinction of non-existence, that non-existence is non-deceptive.  When there is a distinction that something is or is not characterized as this or that, it is really so.

 Someone may say, "but isn't pramana also defined as "the producer of cognizance 246 of an unknown object?"
 Yes, it is.  These two are dissimilar only their style of verbal expression.  The realities have no dissimilarity.  How so?  In knowledge that cognizes 247 unknown objects, there is first a mind deceived about that object.  This is because that which is non-deceptive knowledge is the producer of cognizance about that unknown object.
 Therefore these two definitions both join the individual definitions applying to conventional and absolute pramana.  Since they join both of these, they are said to be definitions of pramana as a whole.  Though what is said to have one meaning arises in three parts, in our own tradition only the latter should be grasped.  So the Jamyang guru Mipham has said.
 In general, the definition of mind, blo, is "that which understands," rig pa.  The definition of awareness, shes pa, is "apprehension248 and experience."
 As for the fortune of supreme knowledge, 249 if all thoughts of non-pramana are gathered into correct reasoning, intellectualizations, uncertain appearances, subsequent cognition, 250 wrong knowledge, and doubts are said to be gathered into it too. 251  The mind of pramana has two kinds of pramana.  These are the two divisions.  The tshad ma'i mdo, the Pramana Sutra says:

 Direct perception and inference alike are pramana.
 The definition of pramana is apprehended as double.

Also the tshad ma rnam 'grel says:

 There are two objects to apprehend. 252
 Therefore there are two pramanas.

 As is taught there, there are necessarily two kinds objects to be evaluated:

1. individual characteristics and
2. universal characteristics. 253

 In terms of fruition, there are dharmas with a real productive power and those with no such power.
 In terms of intrinsic nature 254 for different things the same dharma may be in common or not in common.255
 In terms of word and object, there are cases where the expressing word expresses a real thing and those where it does not.
 In terms of the knowledge of the perceiver, there are conceptually known apparent objects and non-conceptually known apparent objects.
 In terms of the way the object appears, there are evident and hidden, which are necessarily two in number, and so forth.  The mind apprehending these has both perception and inference, which are likewise necessarily two in number.
 The definition of an evident object of evaluation 256 is "that which is realized by the pramana of direct perception."   The definition of hidden object of evaluation 257 is "that which is realized by inference."

 The definition of perception is "unconfused awareness that is free from conception."  There are four divisions of perception:

1.  sense-perception
2.  mental perception
3.  self-awareness
4.  yogic direct perception.

Their definitions are below.

 The definition of inference is "mind that realizes what is to be established, its own hidden object, in dependence on a reason in which all the three modes are complete."
 The divisions of inference are:

1.  inference for one's own benefit
2.  inference for the benefit of others.

There are also these divisions:

1. Inference from the power of the thing itself
2. Inference from reports
3. Inference from belief.

 Correct reasoning with reasons for inference is extensively explained below.

 Inference from the power of the thing itself is like realizing "impermanent" in dependence on the reason "having been produced."
 

 Inference from reports is like realizing, using one's own knowledge of conceptual objects as the reason, that "the one with the rabbit's image" = "the moon."

 Inference of belief

 Depending on scripture purified by the three analyses is like realizing that what we have been taught is non-deceptive.  For example:

 Generosity is activity, discipline is merit,
 Patience is a good form 258  and exertion splendor.
 By meditation peaceful mind is liberated.

 Following the presentation of these remaining subsidiary topics of pramana, now there is the main subject.

The two truths:

Relative truth 259 is the way things appear.

Absolute truth is the way things really are.

 For each of these two distinct truths there is perception and inference.

 Perception realizes individual natures. 260
 Inference uses apparent signs or reasons to infer another object non-deceptively through analysis.

 In that way each of the two pramanas is itself divided into two, making four altogether.  Presenting in order the bases of distinguishing these:

1) Perception of essence within the relative, is like perception by a non-confused eye-consciousness of a blue utpala lotus

2) Perception of the absolute essence is like the wisdom of meditation of the noble ones. 261

3) Inference in conventional analysis is like inferring fire from smoke or from something's having been produced that it is impermanent.

4) inference in absolute analysis is like inferring emptiness by reason of the absence of unity and so forth.

 Therefore, glorious Dharmakirti says:

 The meanings of things, seen and unseen
 By the two aspects, perception and inference,
 Are irrefutable and non-deceptive.

SECOND Suitable establishing of perception and inference

A.  Suitable establishing of perception

 Within this are the general teaching, the explanation of the particulars, and the summary.

1) the general teaching:

 The classification of perception is four-fold:
 There are the perceptions of non-confused sense and mind,
 Those of self-awareness, and the perception of yoga.

 Their objects appear as individual characteristics.
 Therefore they are always non-conceptual.

 If there is no perception, then there are no signs
 Because there are no signs, there is no inference.
 Things arising from cause, and cessation of such things,
 All these appearances would be impossible.
 If it is like that, their emptiness and such,
 Depending on what could they be possibly known?
 Therefore, without depending on the conventional,
 The absolute as well will never be realized.

 FIRST there is the explanation of proper establishing of perception.  The rigs pa thigs pa, the Drop of Correct reasoning, says:

 As perception is free from conception, it is unconfused.  Conception is expressible knowledge and appearance appropriate to be mixed with that.  Perception is free from that mixing, for example not confused by dimness, turning quickly, being in a boat, shaking about, and so forth.  Such knowledge is perception.

 There are four kinds of perception:

1. The knowledge of the senses

2 Mind consciousness

 This is directly 262 subsequently produced to or by the knowledge of the senses, having sense knowledge as its own preceding object, and its immediately preceding condition.  It is similar 263 to that sense knowledge.

3.  Self-awareness of mind and all mental events

4.  The limitlessly arising knowledge of yoga

 This is excellent meditation on true reality.

 The objects of these are individual characteristics. Whatever different objects far and near appear in awareness are individual characteristics.  These same characteristics exist absolutely.  This is because the characteristics of things exist only as productive powers. 264
 There are also universal or general characteristics. 265  These are the objects of inference.  However, the fruition of such inferential pramana is perceptual knowledge.  This is because its essence is only to realize objects.  That pramana is concerned with objects and their similarity, since by its power, realizations of objects are established. 266
 The great pandit Shantarakshita, pad ma'i ngang tshul and 'dul ba'i lha all say that freedom from conception eliminates inference.  Non-confusion eliminates obscured knowledge and so forth.  Both are explained as having the characteristic of eliminating what does not accord with correct reasoning.  Dharmottara says:

 As for non-confusion, since the meaning/ object grasped is not confused, it has the power to eliminate conceptualization.  To clear away the wrong conceptions of the nyaiyaaikas, samkhyas, mimamsakas, and so forth who say that perception is conceptual, 267 it is said to be free from conception.

The mdo'i rang 'grel, says:

 This is distinguished from dependence on what is said by others.

In the case of sensory and mental perception, the essence of sensory and mental perception in general, or as a whole, is recognition or identification.268  There is not recognition or identification in perceptual pramana alone.
  Pramana is "non-confused."  By being joined to that it should be known to be revealed in its particulars. 269

The supremely learned phya ba says:

 When perception and perceptual pramana have been distinguished, the definition of the FIRST is "unconfused knowledge free from conceptualization."  The definition of the SECOND is that "by experiencing something we have not realized before, 270 exaggeration is cut through."

So it is explained here, but the approach of our own tradition will be explained below.

 The object characterized by perceptual pramana is exclusively non-confused knowledge.
 The definition of perceptual pramana is "unconfused knowledge free from conceptualization."
 

 There are four divisions  of perceptual pramana:

1.  Sense perception 271
2.  Mental perception
3.  Perception of self-awareness
4.  Yogic direct perception.

 Here are their respective definitions:

1.  The definition of the pramana of sense perception is

 "unconfused knowledge free from conception that arises in dependence on the dominant condition of the bodily 272 senses."

 The divisions of the pramana of sense perception are the unconfused five sense consciousnesses, the eye consciousness and so forth.
 Seeming sense perception corrupted by illusion 273, appearance of the one moon as two and so forth is not perceptual pramana.

2.  The definition of the pramana of mental perception is

 "unconfused knowledge free from conceptualization arising in dependence on the dominant condition of the mental sense."

 Non-conceptual mind subsequently associated with confused sense experiences, such as knowledge within a dream, is not pramana.

3.  The definition of the pramana of yogic perception is

 "unconfused knowledge free from conceptualization arising in dependence on the dominant condition of the yogas of shamatha and vipashyana."
 Phenomena like the appearance of skeletons in the meditation on repulsiveness are not unconfused.  Therefore, they are not pramana.

4.  The definition of the perceptual pramana of self-awareness is

"unconfused self awareness free from conception apprehending itself as the essence of mind and all mental events."

 Confused or unconfused, whatever awareness arises is unconfused and free from conception, as mere self-apprehending experience in itself.
 In regard to their objects, those four kinds of perception do not mix up objects, times, and aspects.  This is because actual individual characteristics appear in perception, with no conceptions that could confusedly grasp words and meanings. 274

 In that case, what is the conceptualization that is to be separated from direct perception?  In general regarding the divisions of conceptualization, the dbus mtha' says:

 Mind and mental events, and the three worlds as well
 Always have the aspect of exaggeration.

Thus the essence is understood. 275

The mdzod says:

 Conception and analysis are like fine and coarse. 276

 As it says there, conceptual analysis is conceptual

 The rnam 'grel says:

 Whatever is known, the meaning of the word for it is grasped.  That is the conception of that.

 As it says there, conceptualization has a mixed grasp of word and meaning. From those three quotations, direct perception is free from conceptualization.  The tshad ma mdo says:

 Joining names and kinds 277 etc. in freedom from conception is direct perception. 278

 Here there are four styles.

1.  Saying that the proliferation 279 of direct perception of sense and mind does not arise.
2.  Saying that after an instant of sense knowledge there is only mental perception

3.  Saying that at the end of a succession of sense perceptions,280 mental perception arises.

4.  Saying that after the first moment of sense perception mental perceptions arise in a series accompanying another series of sense perceptions, and that finally at the end of the last moment of sense perception there arises the last moment of mental perception.

Of these four, the Jamyang guru says that just this last should be maintained.

 These four perceptions, have two divisions in terms of individuals who have them

1) The perception of ordinary beings
2) The perception of the noble ones.

 In terms of support:
 

The objects and understanding of sense and mental perception depend on the senses.
Self-awareness depends only on paratantra.
Yogic perception depends on meditation.

 In terms of their objects:

Mental and sensory direct perception are aware of some object other than themselves.
Self-awareness coarsely perceives itself.
Yogic self perception is aware of both itself and others.

  These four direct perceptions are not related by the difference that refutes one, since all four are real things.
  Nor are they merely related by the difference of different manifestations of a single essence.  This is because the three other perceptions are different substances, while also they are not different in essence from perception of self-awareness.  The other three perceptions have one essence with perception of self-awareness, but they are different objects.
 The purpose of the four perceptions is to clear away four wrong conceptions:

1.  The Hindu rig pa can pa school do not accept the pramana of sense perception.
2.  The rna ma phug pas do not accept the pramana of mental perception.
3.  The vaibhashikas do not accept the pramana of self-awareness.
4.  The rgya 'phen pa school do not accept yogic direct perception.

 The great teacher 'dul ba'i lha says:

 Because they clear any four wrong conceptions these excellent divisions are taught.

Some say that the sense-power itself is the seer of pramana.  To eliminate this view, the FIRST is taught.  The knowledge arising from the sense-powers is not the power of perception.
  Some attribute faults to mental perception.  The SECOND division is taught for the sake of completely abandoning this fault.
  Some do not accept the self-awareness of mind and mental contents.  The THIRD is taught to eliminate this.
    Some do not accept the direct perception of yogins, and so this is called the FOURTH kind of perceptual pramana.

Also the great teacher dgra las rgyal pas says:

  Saying that there are four kinds of perception is to eliminate particular wrong conceptions:
 1.  the thought that perceptual pramana is seen by the senses themselves, rather than by the knowledge that depends on them.
 2.  The thought that the phenomena of perception of the mental sense, whose essence has already been explained, exist as other.281
 3.  The thought that self-awareness is impossible.
 4.  the thought that yogic knowledge is impossible.

 If these four direct perceptions were absent, since smoke and so forth would not appear, there would be no signs or reasons.  Therefore, inference would be non-existent.  If that were non-existent, that from the cause, the seed, the sprout arises, and that it ceases in destruction and so forth, all that appears and is heard in the world, all these conventional dharmas, would be unknown.  If that is said, there would be no occurrence of the reasons by which the natural state of such relative entities, emptiness and so forth, is known.
 Therefore it is taught that without dependence on the means of the worldly appearance of conventional truth, the absolute truth, emptiness, that arises from that would not be realized.  Glorious Chandrakirti's commentary, the Prasannapada, says:

 Since this is the means of attaining nirvana, as those who want water first get a vessel, it should first be told how the relative exists.

Also the 'jug pa rang 'grel says:

 Conventional truth alone is the teacher of the absolute.  From fully comprehending 282 the teaching of the absolute, the absolute is attained.  A treatise says:

  Without depending on the conventional,
  The absolute truth will not be realized.
  Without relying on the absolute truth,
  Nirvana likewise will not be attained.

 SECOND, regarding sense perception, mental perception, the perception of self-awareness and yogic perception,

FIRST, Sense perception:

 By whatever mind-events 283 have arisen from the five senses
 Apprehension 284 of their objects is experienced.
 Without this sense perception, objects would not be seen, As they are not in the case of those who are blind, and so forth.

 Depending on the dominant condition the eye-power and similarly the ear, nose, tongue, and body-sense, the five consciousnesses of a person experience the apprehension of their objects, form, sound, smell, taste, and touchables.  This is sense perception.  without it, like those who are blind, deaf, and so forth, we could never perceive external objects.

SECOND, Mental perception:

 Of outer and inner objects that rise from the mental sense
 Mental perception is the drawer of clear distinctions.
 Without this mental perception all the dharmas would be
 Without the knowledge of ordinary understanding.

 Arising in dependence on the mental sense as dominant condition, knowledge that understands objects 285 clearly distinguishes 286 experiences of outer objects, form and so on, and by knowledge of self-awareness, distinguishes the objects of inner awareness and dreams. 287  This is mental direct perception.  A sutra says:

 O monks, there are two kinds of knowledge of form.  They depend on the eye and on the mind.

Also the tshad ma mdo says:

 ...and mental objects....

Its auto-commentary says:

 Mind, 288 yid, engages with phenomena that are apprehended and experienced, such as form etc.  This is exclusively non-conceptual.

The author of the rnam 'grel rgyan sher byung sbas ba says:

 Existing familiarly before one
 That which is known as "this" and so forth
 Since it produces such perception,
 This is said to be mental perception.

Rngog pa says:

 Co-emergently bound up with sense perception, there is the pramana of mental direct perception.

 Without this, all external and internal dharmas would lack the understanding of ordinary knowledge.

THIRD, yogic direct perception:

 Meditating well according to the instructions
 One apprehends experience of the ultimate as our object.
 If there is not this kind of yogic direct perception,
 We will not see the real beyond the everyday.

 By the yogin's meditating well in accord with the precepts taught by the guru, the ultimate meaning of egolessness, the two emptinesses, and three and countless kinds are seen.
 Moreover, in a single atom as many buddha fields as there are atoms, and limitless pure

phenomenal worlds, the mandalas of countless 289 buddhas, are seen and so forth.  Clearly experiencing its own sphere, this is yogic direct perception.

The great teacher Dignaga says:

 As shown by the experiences 290
 Only unmixed objects are seen.

The teacher Dharmakirti says:

 The knowledge of yogins was explained before.
 It arises within their meditation.

 To analyze in outline this clear realization of egolessness in yogic perception, there are the meaning of the word, the essence, the definition and the divisions.  Regarding the FIRST, as for "yoga," the sgra sbyor bam gnyis,  The Two Volume Grammar, says:

 "Yo" is yoga.  This is the name of the meditation which unites shamatha and vipashyana.  In Tibetan this is rnal 'byor.  Here the meaning is rnal ma, the natural state of the mind, or the state in which it is 'byor joined to mastery.
  Pratyaksha, in Tibetan is mgnon sum, direct perception.  Prati means near or direct.  It has many meanings such as "individual."  Yaksha is the equivalent of dbang po, the sense powers, so the overall meaning is "depending on the individual senses" or "depending on the senses."

 Of the four extremes of the words "description" and "denotation,291" Pratyaksha depends on the senses, but does not explain. 292  All knowledge grasping individual characteristics has a denotum.

Moreover, for both sense perception and mental perception there is the verbal description and the denotum.

 For the perceptions of self-awareness and yoga there is only the denoted, and there is no description 293  For confused sensory knowledge, there is description but no denotum.

 In general as to the four extremes of description and denotation, if we take for example the epithet, "the lake-born," where the literal words mean "born in a lake" but the phrase refers to or denotes a lotus, there are the extremes of:

1.  the description existing and the denotation not existing
2.  the description not existing and