Investigation of Bondage and Freedom

(return to list of Contents & Translation of "Mulamadhyamakakarika: Verses from the Centre")

16. Investigation of Bondage and Freedom

(Life)

1. gal te 'du byed 'khor zhe na/
de dag rtag na mi 'khor te/
mi rtag na yang 'khor mi 'gyur/
sems can la yang rim 'di mtshungs/

1. If it is said that impulses are "samsara", if they were permanent, they would not move around. Even if impermanent, they would not move around. Sentient beings too are similar in this respect.

2. gal te gang zag 'khor zhe na/
phung po skye mched khams rnams la/
de ni rnam pa lngas bstal na/
med na gang zhig 'khor bar 'gyur/

2. If it is said that persons "move around," if they are non-existent when searched for in five aspects among the aggregates, sense fields and elements, what would move around?

3. nye bar len nas nyer len par/
'khor na srid pa med par 'gyur/
srid med nye bar len med na/
de gang ci zhig 'khor bar 'gyur/

3. If one moves around in having clung [to something] and then clinging [to something else], there would be no becoming. If there were no clinging and no becoming, who would move around?

4. 'du byed mya ngan 'da' bar ni/
ci ltar bur yang mi 'thad do/
sems can mya ngan 'da' bar yang/
ci ltar bur yang 'thad mi 'gyur/

4. It is in no way feasible that impulses go beyond misery. And it is in no way feasible that living beings go beyond misery.

5. skye 'jig chos can 'du byed rnams/
mi 'ching grol bar mi 'gyur te/
snga ma bzhin du sems can yang/
mi 'ching grol bar mi 'gyur ro/

5. Impulses that have the properties of being born and dying are not bound and will not be freed. In the same way as above living beings too are not bound and will not be freed.

6. gal te nye bar len 'ching na/
nye bar len bcas 'ching mi 'gyur/
nye bar len med mi 'ching ste/
gnas skabs gang zhig 'ching bar 'gyur/

6. If clinging binds, the one who has clinging would not be bound. And there would be no bondage without clinging. In what situation would there be bondage?

7. gal te bcing bya'i snga rol na/
'ching ba yod na 'ching la rag/
de yang med de lhag ma ni/
song dang ma song bgom pas bstan/

7. If binding existed prior to one who is bound, [that unbound person] would depend on binding. That too cannot be. The rest has been explained by the gone, the not-gone and the going.

8. re zhig bcings pa mi 'grol te/
ma bcings pa yang grol mi 'gyur/
bcing pa grol bzhin yin 'gyur na/
bcing dang grol ba dus gcig 'gyur/

8. Those who are bound will not be free. And those who are not bound will not be free. If those who are bound become free, bondage and freedom would be simultaneous.

9. bdag ni len med mya ngan 'da'/
myang 'das bdag gir 'gyur ro zhes/
de ltar gang dag 'dzin de yis/
nyer len 'dzin pa chen po yin/

9. "I, without clinging, am beyond misery. Nirvana is mine." Those who grasp in that way have great grasping and clinging.

10. gang la mya ngan 'das bskyed med/
'khor ba bsal ba'ang yod min pa/
de la 'khor ba ci zhig yin/
mya ngan 'das pa'ang ci zhig brtag/

10. When nirvana is not born and samsara not eliminated, then what is samsara? And what is considered as nirvana?

bcings pa dang thar pa brtag pa zhes bya ba ste rab tu byed pa bcu drug pa'o //