PART ONE: Review of Verses 1 - 58
Verses 1 - 6 = Dharmas exist only according to relative truth (saṃvṛti). The ultimate truth (paramārtha) is that nothing arises.
Verses 7 - 26 = Everything is pratītyasamutpanna, produced in dependence, thus śūnya, ‘void’ or ‘empty’ by nature. So nirvāṇa is simply anutpāda, non-origination.
Verses 27 - 39 = It is admitted that characteristics are on account of the characterized (thing); and it is admitted that the characterized (thing) is on account of its characteristics; therefore it is not admitted that they exist in and of themselves
Verses 40 - 56 = Bhāva (’existence’) is relative. Karma, and the five skandhas, especially rūpa (material element), are all empty.
Verse 57 = “Consciousness cannot arise without taking an object, so it depends on that object of knowledge. [However] that object of knowledge cannot arise without depending on a consciousness to apprehend it, and therefore because they exist in a mutually dependent way, both of them lack inherent existence. The object of knowledge and the apprehension of the object do not exist inherently, therefore the ‘person who knows the object’ does not exist inherently.”
PART TWO: Cessation (nirodha)
Verse 59 = The Three Afflictions (kleśa) do not exist inherently
“Through superimposition one develops the three distorted preconceptions toward pleasing, repulsive and neutral objects, which respectively cause attachment, hatred, and closed-mindedness. Because they arise in dependence on these conditions, the essential nature of attachment, hatred and closed-mindedness is without inherent existence.” - Komito
“Attraction, hatred and error arise, born out of conditions: (something) agreeable, (something) disagreeable, (something) erroneous; therefore attraction, hatred and error do not exist in se et per ser.” - Tola y Dragonetti
Verse 60 = Even the idea of the Three Afflictions does not exist inherently
“A pleasing object does not exist inherently because some people develop attachment towards it, others develop hatred towards it, and still others develop closed-mindedness towards it. Therefore such qualities of the object are merely created by preconceptions, and these preconceptions also do not exist inherently because they develop from superimposition.” - Komito
“Since attraction, hatred and error exist in relation to the same thing, they are produced by imagination, and imagination also does not exist really.” - Tola y Dragonetti
Verse 61 = Neither the imagined nor the imaginer exist inherently
“Whatever may be an object of examination does not exist inherently. As that object does not exist inherently, how can the thought-consciousness of that non-inherently existing exist inherently? Therefore, because the object of examination and the thought consciousness arise from causes and conditions, there are [both] empty of inherent existence.” - Komito
“The imaginable (thing) does not exist; since the imaginable (thing) does not exist, how would imagination exist? Because of this, as they arise out of conditions, the imaginable (thing) and the imagination are void.” - Tola y Dragonetti
Verse 62 = The mind that directly understands Emptiness
“The mind which directly understands emptiness is an unmistaken mind which eliminates the ignorance that arise from the four evil preconceptions. Without that ignorance the karmic formations will not arise, and so neither will the remaining limbs.” - Komito
“When reality is perceived, ignorance born out of the four errors does not exist; since it does not exist, the saṃskāras do not arise; in the same way the remaining (links of dependent origination) also (do not arise).” - Tola y Dragonetti
Verse 63 = The Conditioned and Unconditioned are nirvānized
“If a thing is born depending on another, that (thing) is born out of this one; since this one does not exist, the other one does not arise; existing things and non-existing things, the saṃskṛta (’conditioned’) and the asaṃskṛta (’unconditioned’) are (all) calm, nirvānized.” - Tola y Dragonetti
PART THREE: Seeing Reality
Verse 64 = This is what the Buddha said
“To consider that things born out of causes and conditions are real – the Master has said that that is ignorance. Because of that the twelve links arise. - Tola y Dragonetti
Verse 65 = Seeing Reality
“When, by seeing reality, it is well known that things are void, (then) ignorance does not arise; that is the cessation of ignorance; for this reason the twelve links also cease.” - Tola y Dragonetti
“Understanding the non-inherent existence of things means seeing the reality [i.e. emptiness] which eliminates ignorance about the reality of things. This brings about the cessation of ignorantly grasping at an apparently true existence. From that the twelve limbs of dependent origination cease.” - Komito
Verse 66 = The illusory nature of conditioning
“The saṃskāras are similar to the gandharvas’ city, to a magical illusion, to a mirage, to a bubble, to water’s foam; they are similar to a dream, to the circle of light produced by a torch.”