DESCRIPTION

In the first six verses, Vasubandhu introduces the Three Natures with a basic description of each.

For a comparative analysis of the variety of ways in which the Three Natures have been understood by past scholars, see Boquist, Trisvabhava: A Study of the Development of the Three-nature-theory in Yogacara Buddhism, p. 17-23

PART ONE: ‘Svabhāvā’ / Inherent Nature

Vasubandhu’s treatise is on the three svabhāvā - inherent natures. It is important to remember that this text, as well as the broader context of Yogacara Buddhism, comes after the thought of Nagārjuna and early Mahāyāna, and is representative of what is called the ‘Third Turning of the Dharma Wheel.’ What this means is, the ontological conclusion of Nagārjuna’s work - that all dharmas, in and of themselves, lack any inherent existence (svabhāvā) due to being dependently originated, rendering all as empty (śūnyatā) - is the foundation of Yogacara thinking (See Boquist p. 14-17) . In other words, we must avoid the temptation to reify ‘things’ (dharmas) as having three different natures. That there is no ‘thing’ there, according to Yogacara, is ‘its’ inherent nature of being totally imaginary (parikalpita-svabhāvā). That there is the imagining of some ‘thing’ there is dependent upon otherness - of ‘it’ being other than. This ‘being other than’ is ‘its’ inherent nature of being other-dependent (paratantra-svabhāvā). And finally, it is always already the case that any ‘thing’ is other-dependent, but the imaginings of what ‘it’ is distort this inherent nature of perfect completion (pariniṣpanna-svabhāvā). These are the Three Natures.

According to Vasubandhu:

V1

kalpitaḥ paratantraś ca pariniṣpanna eva ca / trayaḥ svabhāvā dhīrāṇām gambhīrajñeyam iṣyate //

The imagined (parikalpita), the other-dependent (paratantra), and the absolutely accomplished (pariniṣpanna): These are the three natures (Trisvabhāvā), which should be thoroughly known by the wise.

parikalpita: [pari] denoting completion of a forward movement + [kalpa] = ‘thought-constructions’

paratantra: [para] on the further side of + [tantra] dependent, subservient.

pariniṣpanna: [pari] + [niṣ-panna] [from niṣ-pad] = gone forth or sprung up, arisen,

V2

yat khyāti paratantro'sau yathā khyāti sa kalpitaḥ / pratyayādhīnavṛttitvāt kalpanāmātrabhāvataḥ //

That which appears is the other-dependent (paratantra), for it depends on causal conditions; The form in which it appears is the imagined (parikalpita), for it is merely an imagination (kalpanāmātra).

V3

tasya khyātur yathakhyānam yā sadāvidyamānatā / jñeyaḥ sa pariniṣpannahsvabhāvo'nanyathātvataḥ //

The eternal non-existence of the form in which the other-dependent appears (yathakhyānam) Is to be understood as the absolutely accomplished nature, for it is never otherwise.

PART TWO: Introducing the Unreal Imagination

V4

tatra kiṃ khyāty asatkalpaḥ kathaṃ khyāti dvayātmanā / tasya kā nāstitā tena yā tatrādvayadharmatā //

Whatever appears (#2) is asatkalpaḥ (’unreal imagination’), How it appears is as duality (dvaya). If that is non-existent (nāstitā) There is advaya-dharmatā (’dharmic principle of non-duality’)