Muni's PlayAmanasikārādhāra (The Stream of Non-conceptualization)
Introduction and Grammatical Analysis
Sanskrit
नमो बुद्धाय ॥ अमनसिकार इति च बहवो विप्रतिपन्नाः । तत् कश्चिदाह—अपशब्दोऽयमिति, समासे मनस्कार इति भवितुमर्हति । तत्रोच्यते—‘तत्पुरुषे कृति बहुलम्’ इति । अत्र बहुलवचनात् सप्तम्या अलुगिति अलुक्समासे कृते—अमनसिकारः अमनस्कारः, त्वचिसारः त्वक्सारः, युधिष्ठिरः, एतानि रूपाणि सम्पद्यन्ते, अतो नायमपशब्दः । (namo buddhāya || amanasikāra iti ca bahavo vipratipannāḥ | tat kaścid āha—apaśabdo’yam iti, samāse manaskāra iti bhavitum arhati | tatrocyate—‘tatpuruṣe kṛti bahulam’ iti | atra bahulavacanāt saptamyā alug iti aluk-samāse kṛte—amanasikāraḥ amanaskāraḥ, tvacisāraḥ tvaksāraḥ, yudhiṣṭhiraḥ, etāni rūpāṇi sampadyante, ato nāyam apaśabdaḥ |)
Translation
Obeisance to the Buddha! Many are confused regarding the term “Amanasikāra” (Non-conceptualization). Someone might say: “This is an ungrammatical word (apaśabda); in a compound, it should be ‘Manaskāra’.” To that, it is said: [according to the rule] “In a Tatpuruṣa compound ending in a Kṛt-suffix, [the elision of case-endings is] manifold (bahulam).” Here, based on the word “manifold,” there is non-elision (aluk) of the locative case. When the aluk-compound is made, the forms amanasikāraḥ (like amanaskāraḥ), tvacisāraḥ (like tvaksāraḥ), and yudhiṣṭhiraḥ are accomplished. Therefore, this is not an ungrammatical word.
Scriptural Authority
Sanskrit
अपराह—हन्त लक्षणसाधितमेवेदं वचः किं च सिद्धम् । तन्न, नानासूत्रतन्त्रेषु दृष्टत्वात् । आर्यसविषयावतारज्ञानालङ्कारमहायानसूत्रे—अमनसिकारा धर्माः कुशलाः । मनसिकारा धर्मा अकुशलाः । तत्रैव— अविकल्पितसंकल्पा अप्रतिष्ठितमानसा । अस्मृत्यामनसिकारा निरालम्बा नमोऽस्तु ते ॥ (apara āha—hanta lakṣaṇa-sādhitam evedaṃ vacaḥ kiṃ ca siddham | tanna, nānā-sūtra-tantreṣu dṛṣṭatvāt | ārya-saviṣayāvatāra-jñānālaṅkāra-mahāyānasūtre—amanasikārā dharmāḥ kuśalāḥ | manasikārā dharmā akuśalāḥ | tatraiva— avikalpita-saṅkalpā apratiṣṭhita-mānasā | asmṛty-āmanasikārā nirālambā namo’stu te ||)
Translation
Another says: “Well, this word is established by grammar, but is it proven [by scripture]?” That is not so, for it is seen in various Sutras and Tantras. In the Ārya-saviṣayāvatāra-jñānālaṃkāra-mahāyānasūtra: “Dharmas of non-conceptualization are wholesome; dharmas of conceptualization are unwholesome.” In that same text: “O You who are without imagined concepts, whose mind is non-abiding, who are without memory or mental construction, the unsupported—obeisance to You!”
Further Scriptural Support
Sanskrit
तथा अविकल्पप्रवेशधारण्यां—बोधिसत्त्वो महासत्त्वः सर्वविकल्पनानिमित्तानि आकाशगतिकानि अमनसिकारतः परिवर्ज्जयति । अपरपराणि ग्रन्थविस्तरभयाद् न लिख्यन्ते । (tathā avikalpapraveśadhāraṇyām—bodhisattvo mahāsattvaḥ sarva-vikalpanā-nimittāni ākāśagatikāni amanasikārataḥ parivarjayati | aparaparāṇi granthavistara-bhayād na likhyante |)
Translation
Likewise, in the Avikalpapraveśa-dhāraṇī: “A Bodhisattva Mahasattva abandons all marks of conceptualization, which are [by nature] like the sky, through non-conceptualization.” Further [references] are not written due to the fear of enlarging the book.
Tantric Bases
Sanskrit
इदानीमपरमाह—सौत्रान्तिकमेवेदं वचः, न तान्त्रिकं स्वतन्त्रेषु दृष्टत्वात् । तन्न । उक्तं हि हेवज्रे तत्त्वपटले—स्वरूपेण न चित्तं नापि चेतसम् । तथा—भ्राव्यन्ते हि जगत् सर्व्वं मनसा यस्मान्न भाव्यते । अर्थात् अमनसिकारेणेति गम्यते । (idānīm apara āha—sautrāntikam evedaṃ vacaḥ, na tāntrikaṃ sva-tantreṣu dṛṣṭatvāt | tanna | uktaṃ hi hevajre tattvapaṭale—svarūpeṇa na cittaṃ nāpi cetasam | tathā—bhrāvyante hi jagat sarvaṃ manasā yasmān na bhāvyate | arthāt amanasikāreṇeti gamyate |)
Translation
Now another says: “This is only a Sutra-based term, not a Tantric one, as it is not seen in our Tantras.” That is not so. For it is said in the Hevajra Tantra in the Tattvapaṭala: “By its own nature, it is neither mind nor mental processes.” And: “The whole world is deluded by the mind; therefore, it (reality) is not meditated upon [by the mind].” The meaning is understood as being through “non-conceptualization” (amanasikāra).
Logical Refutation of Objections
Sanskrit
अपरा आह—तन्त्रेऽप्यस्ति, परप्रसज्यप्रतिषेधमात्रो विषयत्वात् अभावो वाच्यः । तन्न प्रक्रान्तस्य प्रतिषेधः । यदि न प्रसज्यं प्रतिषिध्यत इति प्रसज्यप्रतिषेधः । यथा—असूर्यं पश्या राजदारा इति । अयमर्थः—स्वाङ्ना ते गुप्ता राजदारा यत्सूर्यमपि न पश्यन्तीति । च न सूर्याभावः कृतः । किं नाम राजदाराणां यत्सूर्यदर्शनं प्रसज्यं तन्निषिद्धम् । अमनसिकारेऽपि ननो मनसिकारणं यत् ग्राह्यग्राहकादि प्रसक्तं तन्निषिद्धम् । न मनः, अतो न दोषः । (aparā āha—tantre’py asti, para-prasajya-pratiṣedha-mātro viṣayatvāt abhāvo vācyaḥ | tanna prakrāntasya pratiṣedhaḥ | yadi na prasajyaṃ pratiṣidhyata iti prasajya-pratiṣedhaḥ | yathā—asūryampaśyā rājadārā iti | ayam arthaḥ—svānnā te guptā rājadārā yat sūryam api na paśyantīti | ca na sūryābhāvaḥ kṛtaḥ | kiṃ nāma rājadārāṇāṃ yat sūrya-darśanaṃ prasajyaṃ tan niṣiddham | amanasikāre’pi nano manasikāraṇaṃ yat grāhyagrāhakādi prasaktaṃ tan niṣiddham | na manaḥ, ato na doṣaḥ |)
Translation
Another says: “It exists in the Tantras also, but since its object is only a ‘Prasajya-pratiṣedha’ (absolute negation), it should be called ‘non-existence’ (abhāva).” That is not so, it is not a negation of what is currently proceeding. If the ‘contingent’ (prasajya) is forbidden, it is a Prasajya-pratiṣedha. For example: “The king’s wives do not see the sun” (asūryampaśyā). The meaning is: The king’s wives are so well protected that they do not see even the sun. This does not mean the sun does not exist. Rather, the ‘seeing of the sun’ which was possible for the king’s wives is negated. In “Amanasikāra” as well, what is negated is the ‘conceptualization’ (manasikāra) of subject, object, etc., which was contingent/active. It is not [a negation of] the mind itself; therefore, there is no fault.
The Non-dual State
Sanskrit
यदा कश्चिदेवं वदति शाश्वतोच्छेदलक्षणो मनसिकारः सम्मतो भगवता । तदोच्यते, शाश्वतोच्छेदादिः मनसिकारो वाऽमनसिकारः । एतेन सर्वसङ्गहानिः क्रियते मनसिकारशब्देनेति । तथाचोक्तं भगवता, अविकल्पप्रवेशधारण्यां—केन कारणेन कुलपुत्र ! अविकल्पधातुरमनसिकार इत्युच्यते सर्वविकल्पनानिमित्तसमतिक्रान्ततामुपादायेति । एते सर्वविकल्पसमतिक्रमता दर्शिता भवति अमनसिकारशब्देनेति । (yadā kaścid evaṃ vadati śāśvatocchedalakṣaṇo manasikāraḥ sammato bhagavatā | tadocyate, śāśvatocchedādiḥ manasikāro vā’manasikāraḥ | etena sarvasaṅgahāniḥ kriyate manasikāraśabdeneti | tathācoktaṃ bhagavatā, avikalpapraveśadhāraṇyām—kena kāraṇena kulaputra ! avikalpa-dhātur amanasikāra ity ucyate sarvavikalpanā-nimitta-samatikrāntatām upādāyeti | ete sarvavikalpa-samatikramatā darśitā bhavati amanasikāraśabdeneti |)
Translation
When someone says: “Conceptualization characterized by eternalism and nihilism is accepted by the Blessed One,” then it is replied: Conceptualization [characterized by] eternalism, nihilism, etc., is [actually] Non-conceptualization. By this word “conceptualization,” the abandonment of all attachments is performed. As the Blessed One said in the Avikalpapraveśa-dhāraṇī: “For what reason, O noble son, is the realm of non-conceptualization called ‘Non-conceptualization’? It is because it surpasses all marks of conceptualization.” Thus, the surpassing of all concepts is shown by the word “Amanasikāra.”
Syntactic Options (A-kāra and Ma-kāra)
Sanskrit
पर्युदासपक्षेऽपि न दोषः, अब्राह्मणमानयेत्युक्ते ब्राह्मणसदृशस्य क्षत्रियादेरानयनं भवति, न तु विजातीयस्य कटादेः । अत्रापि निःस्वभाववेदनस्य संस्थितिः कृता । एतेन मायोपमाद्वयवादः स्थितो भवेत् । कुत उच्छेदवादप्रसङ्ग इति ? यदि चात्र नजो व्युत्पत्तिरत्रा क्रियते आकारप्रधानो मनसिकारः शाकपार्थिववत् मध्यमपदलोपिसमासः, एतेन यावन् मनसिकारः सर्वमनुत्पादात्मक इत्यर्थः । क्व निर्दिष्टं भगवता अनुत्पादकारको अकार इति ? तद् यथा उक्तं च हेवजेट मन्त्रपटले, अकारोमुखं सर्वधर्माणामाद्यनुत्पन्नतत्वात् इत्यादि । (paryudāsapakṣe’pi na doṣaḥ, abrāhmaṇam ānayety ukte brāhmaṇa-sadṛśasya kṣatriyāder ānayanaṃ bhavati, na tu vijātīyasya kaṭādeḥ | atrāpi niḥsvabhāva-vedanasya saṃsthitiḥ kṛtā | etena māyopamādvayavādaḥ sthito bhavet | kuta ucchedavāda-prasaṅga iti ? yadi cātra naño vyutpattir atrā kriyate akāra-pradhāno manasikāraḥ śākapārthivavat madhyamapadalopī-samāsaḥ, etena yāvan manasikāraḥ sarvam anutpādātmaka ity arthaḥ | kva nirdiṣṭaṃ bhagavatā anutpādakārako akāra iti ? tad yathā uktaṃ ca hevajre mantrapaṭale, akāro mukhaṃ sarva-dharmāṇām ādy-anutpannatvāt ityādi |)
Translation
Even in the side of ‘Paryudāsa’ (exclusionary negation), there is no fault. When it is said “Bring the non-Brahmin,” a Kṣatriya or similar person who resembles a Brahmin is brought, not a disparate object like a mat. Here also, the establishment of the perception of no-inherent-nature is made. By this, the non-dual view that things are like an illusion is established. How can there be an occurrence of the nihilistic view? And if the derivation of the negative ‘a’ is made here, then it is a “Manasikāra dominated by the letter A,” a compound where the middle term is dropped (like śākapa-arthivavat). By this, the meaning is that all conceptualization is of the nature of non-arising. Where has the Blessed One stated that the letter ‘A’ is the cause of non-arising? As it is said in the Hevajra Tantra in the Mantrapaṭala: “The letter ‘A’ is the gate, because all phenomena are originally unarisen,” and so on.
The Supreme Syllable
Sanskrit
अस्यार्थः सर्वधर्माणां आद्यनुपन्नत्वात् अकारो मुखं प्रधानम् इत्यकारस्त्व-नुत्पन्नलक्षणः योऽग्रः । तथा च नामसङ्गीतौ— अकारः सर्ववर्णाग्रो महार्थः परमाक्षरः । महाप्राणो ह्यनुत्पादि वागुदाहारवर्जितः ॥ इति । यदि वा अकारोऽत्र नैरात्म्यवीजं तथा च हेवजे आलेरादि नेरादि नैरार्म्येति । एतेन सर्वमनसिकारोऽनात्मकोऽस्वभाव इत्युक्तं च भवति । (asyārthaḥ sarva-dharmāṇām ādy-anupannatvāt akāro mukhaṃ pradhānam ity akāras tv anutpanna-lakṣaṇaḥ yo’graḥ | tathā ca nāmasaṅgītau— akāraḥ sarva-varṇāgro mahārthaḥ paramākṣaraḥ | mahāprāṇo hy anutpādi vāg-udāhāra-varjitaḥ || iti | yadi vā akāro’tra naira-ātmya-vījaṃ tathā ca hevajre āler ādi nerādi nairātmyeti | etena sarva-amanasikāro’nātmako’svabhāva ity uktaṃ ca bhavati |)
Translation
The meaning is: because all phenomena are originally unarisen, the letter ‘A’ is the gate (mukham), the foremost. Thus, the letter ‘A’ is characterized by non-arising and is the first. And in the Nāmasaṅgīti: “The letter A is the foremost of all syllables, of great meaning, the supreme letter; It is the great breath, unarisen, beyond the utterance of speech.” Or else, the letter ‘A’ here is the seed of egolessness (nairātmya); as in the Hevajra: “The first of the vowels (āli) is the first of egolessness (Nairātmyā).” By this, it is also said that all non-conceptualization is without self and without inherent nature.
Conclusion: The Non-dual Vision
Sanskrit
यदि वा—आदिस्वरस्वभाव साधी बुधैः प्रकल्पिता । सैव भगवती प्रज्ञा उत्पन्नक्रमयोगतः ॥ यदि वा इति प्रभास्वरपदं, मनसिकार इति स्वाधिष्ठानपदं, अथासौ मनसिकारश्चेति मनसिकारः । एतेन मनसिकारादिपदैः अचिन्त्यप्रभास्वर-स्वाधिष्ठानपदं शून्यताकरुणाभिन्न युगनद्ध इयवहिसंवेदनमापादितं भवतीति । ॥ अमनसिकारधारः समाप्तः ॥ (yadi vā—ādisvarasvabhāvā sādhī budhaiḥ prakalpitā | saiva bhagavatī prajñā utpannakramayogataḥ || yadi vā iti prabhāsvarapadaṃ, manasikāra iti svādhiṣṭhānapadaṃ, athāsau manasikāraśceti manasikāraḥ | etena manasikārādipadaiḥ acintyaprabhāsvara-svādhiṣṭhānapadaṃ śūnyatākaruṇābhinna-yuganaddha-iyavahisambedanam āpāditaṃ bhavatīti | || amanasikāradhāraḥ samāptaḥ ||)
Translation
Or else: “The nature of the first vowel is perceived as the virtuous [goddess] by the wise; she is the Blessed Lady Wisdom (Prajñā) through the yoga of the stage of completion.” Or else, “A” is the state of Clear Light (prabhāsvara), and “Manasikāra” is the state of Self-consecration (svādhiṣṭhāna); then “A-manasikāra” is the [union of] these two. By these words like “Manasikāra” and so on, the perception of the state of Clear Light and Self-consecration, which is the union (yuganaddha) of Emptiness and Compassion, is brought about. The Stream of Non-conceptualization is complete.
Source: Advayavajra-saṃgraha - Amanasikāradhāra Reference: Buddhism, Vajrayana